Tithing Is Not A Christian Teaching
Point #8: Holy And Most Holy: It is Holy to the LORD Does Not Make Tithing an Eternal Moral Principle.The false teaching is that Leviticus 27:30-34 proves that the tithe is an eternal moral principle because it is holy to the LORD.The phrases it is HOLY unto the LORD and it is MOST HOLY unto the LORD are very common in Leviticus. However, almost every other use of these two phrases in Leviticus has long ago been discarded by Christians. These phrases are used to describe all the festivals, the sacrificial offerings, the clean foods, the old covenant priests and the old covenant sanctuary. Especially read verses 28 and 29 in chapter 27.While the tithe of the tithe (1%) which was given to the priests was the best of what the Levites received, the tithe which the Levites received was only one tenth and not the best (Lev 27:33).
Tithing Is Not A Christian Teaching
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Point #16: Priesthood Of Believers: Old Covenant Priests were Replaced by All-Believer-Priests. (Ch. 20, 21)The false teaching is that New Covenant elders and pastors are continuing where the Old Covenant priests left off and are due the tithe.Compare Exodus 19:5-6 with First Peter 2: 9-10. Before the incident of the golden calves, God had intended for every Israelite to become a priest and tithing would have never been enacted. Priests did not tithe but received one tenth of the first tithe (Num 18:26-28; Neh 10:37, 38).The function and purpose of Old Covenant priests were replaced, not by elders and pastors, but by the priesthood of every believer. Like other ordinances of the Law, tithing was only a temporary shadow until Christ (Eph 2:14-16; Col 2:13-17; Heb 7:18; 10:1). In the New Covenant every believer is a priest to God (1 Pet 2:9-10; Rev 1:6; 5:10). And, as a priest, every believer offers sacrifices to God (Heb 4:16; 10:19-22; 13:15, 16). Therefore, every ordinance which had previously applied to the old priesthood was blotted out at the cross. Since Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, even He was disqualified. Thus the original temporary purpose of tithing no longer exists (Heb 7:12-19; Gal 3:19, 24-25; 2 Cor 3:10-18).
Point #19: Paul Preferred Self-Support. (Chapters 22, 28)The false teaching is that Paul taught and practiced tithing.As a Jewish rabbi, Paul was among those who insisted on working to support himself (Acts 18:3; 1 Thes 2:9-10; 2 Thes 3:8-14). While Paul does not condemn those who are able to receive full-time support, neither does he teach that full-time support is the mandatory will of God for advancing the gospel (1 Cor 9:12). In fact, twice, in Acts 20:29-35 and also in 2 Corinthians 12:14, Paul actually encouraged church elders to work to support needy believers inside the church.For Paul, living of the gospel meant living by gospel principles of faith, love and grace (1 Cor 9:14). While Paul realized that he had a right to some support, he concluded that his liberty, or freedom to preach unhindered was more important in order to fulfill his calling from God (1 Cor 9:12, 15; 2 Cor 11:7-13; 12:13-14; 1 Thes 2:5-6). While working as a tent-maker, Paul accepted limited support but boasted that his pay, or salary, was that he could preach the gospel for free, without being a burden to others (1 Cor 9:16-19). Most young preachers today do not want to follow this example given by Paul.
In many churches today the doctrine of tithing has reached the level of a modern scandal. While on the one hand, most seminary-level textbooks on systematic theology and hermeneutics by highly educated theologians omit tithing, on the other hand, the practice is quickly becoming a requirement for church membership in the very denominations which insist on solid Bible-based doctrines. There is also increasing evidence that lay persons who question the legitimacy of New Covenant tithing are usually criticized and ignored as being troublemakers or weak Christians.
Compare Exodus 19:5, 6 with First Peter 2: 9, 10. Before the incident of the golden calves, God had intended for every Israelite to become a priest and tithing would have never been enacted. Priests did not tithe but received one tenth of the first tithe (Numb. 18:26-28; Neh. 10:37, 38).
The function and purpose of Old Covenant priests were replaced, not by elders and pastors, but by the priesthood of every believer. Like other ordinances of the Law, tithing was only a temporary shadow until Christ (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-17; Heb. 10:1). In the New Covenant every believer is a priest to God (1 Pet. 2:9, 10; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). And, as a priest, every believer offers sacrifices to God (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22; 13:15, 16). Therefore, every ordinance which had previously applied to the old priesthood was blotted out at Calvary. Since Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, even He was disqualified. Thus the original temporary purpose of tithing no longer exists (Heb. 7:12-19; Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 2 Cor. 3:10).
Clement of Rome (c95), Justin Martyr (c150), Irenaeus (c150-200) and Tertullian (150-220) all opposed tithing as a strictly Jewish tradition. The Didache (c150-200) actually condemns traveling apostles who stay longer than three days and ask for money. And travelers who decided to remain with them were required to lean a trade. These early opponents of tithing are not quoted by tithe-teachers.
hhmmm...the last time tithing and giving was pushed by compulsion and even enforced by 'law' there came a great reformation, all over europe. we often credit mr. luther for it, however the facts are many were experiencing a deeper hunger and longing to the point of being willing to be burned at the stake for thier convictions, and to be free to worship. are we now on the cusp of a great reformation. are we so hungry we are willing to be burnt at the stake of the status quo? i believe so.
Also, Id like to add. In Matthew 23;23 Jesus said,"You give a tenth (tithe) of mint,dilll, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the LAW."...proving once and forall that tithing is of the LAW. I think most institutional church members tithe in sincerety, however, by trying to live by the law one is actually putting themselves under a curse. Of course, the entire institutional church structure is un biblical from salaried ceo pastor on down, so in order to support a non biblical system they have to force an unbiblical tithe. When a pastor stands up and tells a congregation that they are cursed if they dont tithe, it can be descibed as one thing and one thing only...extortion.
I question tithing when me and my husband tithed every week but couldn't pay our bills but we were faithful to tithe. Then we Found out the pastor was using the money to remodel his house. At this time I realized its important the ground you sow your seed in but as i dug deeper into our experience as at first I didn't understand I came to realize that tithing was under the law and not required by christians.
Nancy, I hope you have been sticking around. Darin is correct when he says most of us here were hurt by following the teachings and interpretations of the institutional church or popular evangelists. You definitely ain't alone! Peace!
The laborer is worthy of his wage. I have no problem with a pastor getting a salary. I like this teaching. It settles the issue with me. People who give to keep on the lights or pay a pastor's salary give what the New Testament calls "love offerings" or just "offerings". They were never required "tithes". Sure, we need to participate in paying for our place of worship. Even a salary to a pastor who is full time involved in ministering to people in tangable ways that many of us cannot. (visiting shut-ins, people in hospitals and prisons, etc) On the other hand, what the Word of Faith movement has done, is twist scripture to demand a tithe and tickle itching ears with a promise of a 10 fold return. Very bad theology. I am glad that I found this site. God bless!
Not sure how I feel about your article, as I and my wife have been tithing for 25 years, and both of us separately before that. I have gone back and forth about this information, and heard much of this before. Is your network called free because of this teaching? The Free Methodists broke away from the main group decades ago because they were charging for the pew to sit in, and some insightful person taught that they should get free pews and the Free Methodists were begun. At least, this is what a FM told me. Please comment on tithing possibly being a type and shadow of things to come in the New Covenant, like so many things proved to be with the Word of God out of the OT. I have known for years that many, no, most ministers are hirlings who will flee the sheep if the money dries up. I have ministered for years without offerings, always paying my own way.
We are not called the Free Believers Network because of this article. I didn't even write this article. I think this is a great article on the subject but our name has nothing to do with the topic of tithing.
Great article, thanks for sharing. Darin, re Greg's request, "Please comment on tithing possibly being a type and shadow of things to come in the New Covenant, like so many things proved to be with the Word of God out of the OT." - Point #5 seemed to touch on this, with it being taught as an eternal principle, do you have anything to add?Also I think a typo may have been made in Point #15, 'living of the gospel' should be 'living off the gospel'?
Thank you, thank you, thank you.....tithing study was one of my first pursuits to a better understanding and relationship with God years ago.....and well past my Baptism.....BTW you only skipped a rock over it's choppy waters, but you made me smile by remembering that bond I made then. Oh, I'm sure a lot of people won't understand what I just wrote, but the next time you're at a Starbucks, buy the stranger behind you a coffee without them knowing. Go to the ATM and pull out just $20 bucks and put it in an envelope that says "I hope this helps" and give it to someone you think could use it a week later (but don't give it right away....hold onto it for a bit....the anticipation will kill you). Be creative....be light......and if you do go to Church.... support it.....hopefully it makes you happy.....and you grow in faith and understanding.....I pray that's true, but my experience doesn't confirm it.......and besides, people pay dues for the clubs they belong to, why not you 041b061a72