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Folks, in searching and studying tithing, you sometimes run across information that is go good at analyzing the tithe subject, it merits reposting. My blog is just not about what I have learned about tithing, it is also a place where you can learn about what other scholars, theologians and people who study the Scripture have learned about the subject. In all of my years going to church, I have heard many tithing testimonies, arguments and scenarios why is required. Some of them appear plausible, but if you lack knowledge of the context of scripture, you an easily think that the arguments advocating a pro-tithe position are biblically sound. A few days ago, I was reading a post by Ronald Ward Robey on Facebook, titled Two Scenarios posted on Bible Untwisted: Tithing and Churches Run Like Companies. What you reading below is what Mr. Robey posted.
Two Scenarios by Ronald W. Robey
Two Scenarios
Scenario A: Man enters your place of business and says harm will befall your family if you do not give him a percentage of your weekly profits.
Scenario B: Man stands behind a pulpit in Church and says harm will befall your family if you do not give the Church ten percent of your every paycheck.
The fact is, if the members of the Church would take the time to open their Bibles at home, and study every Scripture, every verse, that has anything to do with tithing, one would find that God’s commanded tithe:
- was agricultural (Lev. 27:30-33)
- was required of the Children of Israel (Lev.27:34)
- was not to be observed in any geographical location other than the land of Canaan (Deut. 6:1-3; 12:1,10-11)
- was to be given to Levites, widows, orphans and strangers in Canaan (Num. 18:24-26; Deut. 14:22-29)
- was never commanded of Gentile nations (Psa. 147:19-20)
- was not to be imposed upon Gentile nations (Acts 15:5,10,19-20)
- was still agricultural in the last place it was seen as a command in the Bible (Heb. 7:5-8)
With this concrete evidence that tithing was never money and never commanded, nor authorized for the Ekklesia, the called out assembly of Believers in Christ Jesus, there can be no doubt that both men in scenarios “A” and “B” above are guilty of the same crime,… Robbery with threats of calamity if the victim does not comply with the perpetrator’s demands for money.
Two questions to ponder:
1) Why would you consider scenario “A” to be robbery but not consider scenario “B” to be robbery?
2) Why would you consider calling the police to prevent the man in scenario “A” from robbing you each week, yet allow the man in scenario “B” to rob you on a weekly basis? Here’s a video of the same conversation below.
It is amazing that people are not concerned about really trying to understand the biblical tithe. There are many experts who have taken up the mantel and have written many books. And one the authors is Dr. David Croteau. What follows is a summary of tithing arguments he put together Advocating Tithing that you might hear on any given Saturday or Sunday. I can guarantee many of the arguments come from a process called eisegesis. Examine each one and you can determine whether there are scriptures to confirm each argument.
Summary of Arguments Advocating Tithing
By Dr. David A. Croteau
The following arguments are arranged in order of weakest to strongest. Furthermore, advocates of tithing sometimes have provided reasons for tithing that do not qualify as arguments. These are not included.
The arguments have also been broken into three categories:
A. Deceptively Attractive Arguments
B. Unconvincing Arguments
C. Arguments Deserving Consideration.
A. Deceptively Attractive Arguments
(1) Argument from the Garden: God has always set aside a sacred portion for himself. The fact that he did this in the Garden of Eden by setting aside a portion of the trees demonstrates the universality of tithing.
(2) Continuity Argument: The people of God have always given a tenth and Christians should also.
(3) Concession Argument: Christians are supposed to give all, but since they have failed in this, they should, at least, give a tenth.
(4) Exceeding Righteousness Argument: Christian giving should exceed the giving of the Jews, since Christians have received so much grace. Sometimes Matthew 5:20 is cited for a proof-text.
(5) Anecdotal Argument: God’s blessing on those who have faithfully tithed demonstrates that this is his method for giving in the current era.
(6) Tithing as the Eleventh Commandment: Since Leviticus 25:1–2 places the context of Leviticus 25–27 on Mt. Sinai, and since tithing is commanded in Leviticus 27:30–33, tithing should be considered as binding as all the Ten Commandments.
B. Unconvincing Arguments
(7) Argument from Genesis 4: Tithing goes back to Abel (who tithed) and Cain (who did not), based on the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) and Hebrews 11:4.
(8) Historical Argument: Tithing is a well-tested, ancient form of giving that has been validated throughout church history.
(9) Pragmatic Argument: Tithing is easy to understand, it is easy to do, and it is systematic. This is the only reasonable method of giving based upon Scripture.
(10) Argument from the Sabbath: Just as the Sabbath is still binding, so is tithing.
(11) Argument from Malachi 3: Since Malachi 3 declares that withholding tithes is equivalent to robbing God, Christians should tithe. One form of this argument relates the withholding of tithes to the commandment against stealing.
(12) Jerome’s Argument: The clergy are in the line of the Levites; their portion is God. Therefore, the clergy today are due tithes just as the Levites were due tithes in the Old Testament.
(13) Argument from Jesus’ Example: Since Jesus was never accused of failing to tithe, and since the Pharisees ate with him (demonstrating that he was not a law breaker on tithing), he must have tithed. Since Jesus tithed, so should we.
(14) The Caesarian Argument: Matthew 22:21b says to give to God the things that are God’s. These “things” refer to tithes.
C. Arguments Deserving Consideration
(15) Argument from the Mosaic law: Since Deuteronomy 16:17 commands proportional giving, and Paul is referencing Deuteronomy 16:17 in 1 Corinthians 16:2, tithing, the prescribed proportion, is still binding.
(16) The Argument from Hebrews: Hebrews 7 proves that Christians should tithe. Since tithes were due to Melchizedek, and Jesus is in the line of Melchizedek, tithes are now due to Jesus.
(17) The Argument from Jesus’ Teaching: Matthew 23:23 should be understood as Jesus commanding Christians to tithe. Rather than referring to Matthew 23:23 as a command, some use commend, endorse, approve, or sanction. Furthermore, if Jesus wanted to abrogate the law, this was the perfect time to do that.
(18) Moral Law Argument: Tithing is a part of the moral law (within the view that the Mosaic law has 3 parts: civil, ceremonial, and moral) and therefore continues.
(19) Paul commended tithing conceptually: Though Paul never mentioned tithing explicitly, the concept is present in his epistles (especially 1 Corinthians 9:13; 16:2).
(20) The Argument from Natural Law: Since tithing was practiced before the Mosaic law and by almost all nations in the history of the world, it is a part of natural law or is a universal law (typically based upon its ancient practice).
One book that helped in my research on tithing was very helpful and it included both pro and con positions on tithing.
In my tithing study, I talked about Jesus and tithing. I discussed how Mary and Joseph gave a lesser offering when they could not afford what the law required. According to what the great Bible teachers say, being a good bible student, disciple and follower of Christ is to have the ability to question and challenge. A student who does not ask questions of the Scripture is considered a poor student and would be one who would not qualify to follow the rabbi. If you want to know the truth on tithing and giving, ask questions and if you get an out of context answer, search and study the scriptures for yourself. Get familiar with the Hebrew language about tithing. Know the truth and you will be set free to give.
In my initial tithing study, I prepared two power point slides dealing with why the tithe disappeared and why New Testament tithing is not based on the Bible. Both slides will you some insight.
Now, why do I persist in proclaiming the truth facts on tithing? It is because people persist in distorting the scriptures and making claims that believers might not go to heaven if they don’t tithe. http://www.psalm12outreach.com/2015/05/rick-warren-teaching-twisting-scripture-teaching-storehouse-tithing-and-word-of-faith.html. In Rick Warren’s teaching, there is no way he truly understands tithing for him to connect someone’s salvation to tithing. Come on people, read your Bibles and stop swallowing falsehood and embrace truth.
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