Will A Man Rob God?

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Some like to use Jacob as an example that people were required to tithe prior to the Mosaic Law because of Jacob's vow to give a tenth of all that he possessed.

But Jacob, like Abraham before him is a poor example that one should tithe.

Jacob did vow to give 10% of all he owned to God, but he did so on the condition that God would meet certain requirements first and foremost. One of those requirements was that God allow him to return to his father's house. Jacob did not return to Isaac's house until nearly 21 years after he made the vow to give a tenth.

So, if one was to use Jacob as an example of tithing prior to the Mosaic Law, one would have to admit that one could bargain with God and require conditions to be met by Him before one would tithe.

Jacob's tenth proves that the tithe was not required pre-Mosaic Law.

[Wilchbla]

I've always been on the fence with this issue. I believe in "grace giving" as a man purposes in his heart yet at the same time I think that the 10% rule is a good approach. It works good with your budget and establishing some kind of rule keeps you consistent in your giving.

[Webers_Home]

.
†. Mal 3:8 . .Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?

Christians probably never think of themselves as robbing God in the workplace but lots of them do it all the time without giving it a second thought.

†. Titus 2:9-10 . . Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

The koiné Greek word for "purloining" is nosphizomai (nos-fid'-zom-ahee) which means to squirrel something aside for one's self: viz: embezzle which Webster's defines as: to appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use.

Embezzling isn't limited to strictly money; no, it's also the misuse of an employer's property and resources such as office materials and office equipment, and/or shop materials and shop equipment; including water and electricity.

My last job before retiring was as a Federal civilian employee for the US Army Corps of Engineers in the Portland Oregon district. It was against the rules for us to even take anything out of a dumpster, or use a battery charger to jump-start our cars, or even to so much as pump up a low tire on our cars with the air produced by a government air compressor. We were not supposed to use the computers for surfing the web or composing personal, non official e-mails.

Everything on the facility where I worked was US Government property, including the trash, and could not be used in an unofficial capacity without first obtaining special permission. Violators were subject to prosecution for Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.

Unofficial use of office computers alone is costing employers all over America multiplied thousands of lost hours of productivity, and multiplied millions of dollars paid in benefits and wages to employees who are online during the work day for personal reasons. The most outrageous case I heard of at work was a lady downtown in the district office who was caught conducting her Mary K Cosmetics business via a US Government computer; but Christians conducting their forum affairs on company time and/or company computers are just as guilty of embezzling as that Mary K lady.

So, will a man rob God? Well I can tell you that Christians disobey Eph 6:6-8 all the time and nobody seems to think anything of it; not realizing that their true employer is the Lord in heaven; and just as he observed the widow contribute her mites, so he observes Christians who purloin on the job; and He also observes the thieving hypocrites calling themselves His followers who neglect to give Him a full day's work for a full day's pay.

†. Col 3:23-25 . . And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

C.L.I.F.F.
/

[Standing Firm In Christ]

I've always been on the fence with this issue. I believe in "grace giving" as a man purposes in his heart yet at the same time I think that the 10% rule is a good approach. It works good with your budget and establishing some kind of rule keeps you consistent in your giving.

If you feel 10% is a good rule for you, then you give what is good for you to give.

Many, like myself, are not able to give 10% all the tiem. None are required to give 10%.

[OFIB Preacher]

If under the blood of bulls and goats you are commanded to tithe, how much more obligated are you under the blood of Christ?

Abraham tithed, before the law! As Brother Maze Jackson (sp?) used to say, Abraham didn't get "the ham," 'til he tithed!

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Abraham tithed, before the law! As Brother Maze Jackson (sp?) used to say, Abraham didn't get "the ham," 'til he tithed!

I used to love to listen to Brother Maze before he passed. But I have to disagree with him on his tithing stance.

Abraham was never said to tithe of his own property, only of the spoils of war... and that to a king of a pagan land.

[OFIB Preacher]

The tithe was on "increase", not what you already own.
Melchizedac the Priest was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Exactly!
Sounds like, IMHO, whoever started this thread, did it to be argumentative and isn't teachable!
BTW, I tried to post this earlier, but my computer froze!

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Exactly!
Sounds like, IMHO, whoever started this thread, did it to be argumentative and isn't teachable!
BTW, I tried to post this earlier, but my computer froze!

Actually, I am teachable.

It takes two to argue, so therefore if you feel I am argumentative, then you (and others) must be argumentative as well.

The fact is, there is not one iota of Scripture evidence that anyone can produce that says the Church is to receive tithes. (At least, so far I have not seen any given in this thread)

If you have a verse or passage that will teach me that the Church is to tithe, I am all ears. If it's there, I will be willing to admit here for everyone to read I was wrong.

So, OFIB, teach me that I may learn.

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:17 (KJV) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Edited August 24, 2010 by Standing Firm In Christ

[OFIB Preacher]

.
†. Mal 3:8 . .Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?

Christians probably never think of themselves as robbing God in the workplace but lots of them do it all the time without giving it a second thought.

†. Titus 2:9-10 . . Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

The koiné Greek word for "purloining" is nosphizomai (nos-fid'-zom-ahee) which means to squirrel something aside for one's self: viz: embezzle which Webster's defines as: to appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use.

Embezzling isn't limited to strictly money; no, it's also the misuse of an employer's property and resources such as office materials and office equipment, and/or shop materials and shop equipment; including water and electricity.

My last job before retiring was as a Federal civilian employee for the US Army Corps of Engineers in the Portland Oregon district. It was against the rules for us to even take anything out of a dumpster, or use a battery charger to jump-start our cars, or even to so much as pump up a low tire on our cars with the air produced by a government air compressor. We were not supposed to use the computers for surfing the web or composing personal, non official e-mails.

Everything on the facility where I worked was US Government property, including the trash, and could not be used in an unofficial capacity without first obtaining special permission. Violators were subject to prosecution for Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.

Unofficial use of office computers alone is costing employers all over America multiplied thousands of lost hours of productivity, and multiplied millions of dollars paid in benefits and wages to employees who are online during the work day for personal reasons. The most outrageous case I heard of at work was a lady downtown in the district office who was caught conducting her Mary K Cosmetics business via a US Government computer; but Christians conducting their forum affairs on company time and/or company computers are just as guilty of embezzling as that Mary K lady.

So, will a man rob God? Well I can tell you that Christians disobey Eph 6:6-8 all the time and nobody seems to think anything of it; not realizing that their true employer is the Lord in heaven; and just as he observed the widow contribute her mites, so he observes Christians who purloin on the job; and He also observes the thieving hypocrites calling themselves His followers who neglect to give Him a full day's work for a full day's pay.

†. Col 3:23-25 . . And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

C.L.I.F.F.
/

Excellent post!
Great points!
AMEN!

[OFIB Preacher]

I used to love to listen to Brother Maze before he passed. But I have to disagree with him on his tithing stance.

Abraham was never said to tithe of his own property, only of the spoils of war... and that to a king of a pagan land.

When confronted with the word of God, people do one of two things! They either, say, I'm wrong and the word of God is right, or, they go on, in direct disobedience and rebellion, against the word of God and ultimately, God!

[OFIB Preacher]

Actually, I am teachable.

It takes two to argue, so therefore if you feel I am argumentative, then you (and others) must be argumentative as well.

The fact is, there is not one iota of Scripture evidence that anyone can produce that says the Church is to receive tithes. (At least, so far I have not seen any given in this thread)

If you have a verse or passage that will teach me that the Church is to tithe, I am all ears. If it's there, I will be willing to admit here for everyone to read I was wrong.

So, OFIB, teach me that I may learn.

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:17 (KJV) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Two things and I'm getting ready for prison!
1 Those who brag about being the most teachable, are usually the least teachable!
2 Matthew 23:23!

[Standing Firm In Christ]

When confronted with the word of God, people do one of two things! They either, say, I'm wrong and the word of God is right, or, they go on, in direct disobedience and rebellion, against the word of God and ultimately, God!

Looks like you are doing the same thing you are accusing me of... arguing.

The fact is, the words tithe, tithes, and tithing are only found 38 times in the Word of God. Not one of those times associates the New Testament Christian with tithing his or her money.

So, in light of what the Word of God says concerning the tithe, what it consists of, who received it, who was required to tithe, how often they were to tithe, what is your response?

1. I'm wrong and the Word of God is right?
or
2. go on in direct disobedience and rebellion, against the Word of God and ultimately, God?

[trc123]

Two things and I'm getting ready for prison!
1 Those who brag about being the most teachable, are usually the least teachable!
2 Matthew 23:23!

Cool, I didn't realize I should have been giving a tithe of mint and anise and cummin. Now that I know, I'll need to either grow it or buy some to give to my local synagogue; or should I give it to my local church?

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Two things and I'm getting ready for prison!
1 Those who brag about being the most teachable, are usually the least teachable!
2 Matthew 23:23!

Matthew 23:23 (KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Notice what is missing from that verse? Money! The scribes and Pharisees tithed what was required (these ought ye to have done) mint, anise, and cummin.

Money was not a tithe.

Now, what was that about being the least teachable? Edited August 24, 2010 by Standing Firm In Christ

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Cool, I didn't realize I should have been giving a tithe of mint and anise and cummin. Now that I know, I'll need to either grow it or buy some to give to my local synagogue; or should I give it to my local church?

Don't forget rue (Luke 11:42)