(Please note that the article that is referred to in this blog has been replaced with other articles as time has moved on.)
I am about driven to distraction concerning the insistence of churches today to cling to the practice of the tithe. Honestly, it renders me utterly dumbfounded.
Every time I hear the word "tithe" the Spirit within me literally does a back flip and righteous anger just floods my being. To dare to put such a yoke on my brothers and sisters is incomprehensible to me. I'll be candid to say that I was called out of a fellowship, in part, because I dared to write an article on Joy In The Morning titled "Church Debt and Tithing." Mind you, I never called them out in the article, but I suppose the Spirit did that all on His own because it sure ruffled some feathers. I completely stand by my article as truth.
I was going to take the time to write out a more extensive article to explain why it does NOT belong in today's "church language," but I felt God directed me to a most incredible article that already extensively lays it all out.
Please understand my intent: To get my siblings in Christ to think about why they do what they do. Sometimes we find ourselves doing something because we are taught to do so without seeking out the truth in the depths of the Scriptures. We must be willing to take a hard look at why we do what we do, and be willing to honestly assess whether our actions line up with the Word. To follow a formula is to stunt your growth! This is an excellent article worth your time!
If you want to know the truth about tithing -- real Biblical truth -- I strongly encourage you to sink your teeth into this article. The article lays it out so plainly that I found myself shouting, "Yes... Yes... YES!" as I read it. Take the time! Honestly, we will take a few hours of our day to watch a ball game on TV... or go to coffee with a friend.... or go shopping, but rarely do we take the time to chew on God's truth. You will be thankfully free (and more educated) if you take the time to read this article.
Tithing is not what "unlocks" heaven's blessings. It is OBEDIENCE based out of a surrendered loving heart towards a deeply loving Abba. We are to give of His resources that we steward.... when HE says to give... where HE says to give.. and how much HE says to give. Period.
Toss out the antiquated formula of the past! It has no place in the church today!
May churches all across America cease from using the word "tithe" -- educate themselves in the Word --and exhort their members to obey Abba extravagantly!
Please! For Jesus' sake, STOP!
Deborah
Excellent post and article, Deborah.
ReplyDeleteIf I may, I'd like to add a few more points.
Abraham gave a tenth of war spoils. Under the Levitical priesthood, God required only 1.1% of war spoils to be given to Him, not a tenth. (See Numbers 31 and do the math.) Therefore, what Abraham did was NOT carried forward into the Mosaic law.
God defined His tithe as crops and animals raised on the Holy land (Leviticus 27:30-34). Those are assets that came from God's hand. Yet pastors teach you tithe on income from man's labor.
God commanded His tithe be taken to the Levites forever (Numbers 18) yet pastors teach you take the tithe to the church.
No one is following God's definition or His ordinances on tithing. What pastors are teaching came from man in the second half of the 1800s.
God never commanded anyone to tithe on anything man made or earned. God's tithe always came from GOD'S INCREASE of the seed and animals.
In Malachi 3:5 God warned the priests, and said he would judge those who defraud a worker of his wages. Today, pastors who teach and collect the tithe are, in fact, defrauding the worker of his wages and will be judged accordingly.
I'm chewing on this one.
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