The Biblical Tithe: Cash or Crops?

[Standing Firm In Christ]

It is biblical to tithe... it's just not biblical to tithe money.  Nor is a monetary tithe requirement sermon biblical.

As for Malachi 3:6-12, Malachi was admonishing the Priest's of Israel.  They had removed the agricultural tithes from the Temple storehouse and God wanted them back.

The passage had absolutely nothing to do with monetary tithing when Malachi delivered it to the Priest's, and it has nothing to do with monetary tithing today.  As verse six says...

I am the LORD God; I change not;..."
 

The last Book in the Old Testament section of our Bible holds many precious nuggets of truth that so many people today never realize are in there. They do not realize these nuggets are in Malachi for two reasons,..

 

1. Their Pastor’s do not tell them these nuggets of truth are in Malachi.

2. They themselves do not study the Bible as they should, but instead allow their Pastor’s to turn their eyes from these nuggets of truth..

 

Let us look at just a few of the nuggets we can find in the pages of the Book of Malachi, shall we?

 

a) The storehouse Malachi is speaking of is attached to the Temple in Jerusalem.

 

b) The Church that I pastor is not the storehouse Malachi was speaking of.

 
c) When Malachi said, that there may be meat in mine house,..." he was speaking of food... not money.  Not once in the Bible is money ever referred to as "meat"
.

d) Malachi is not saying to tithe your monetary income to God’s House. 

 

e) Malachi was speaking to a people living under the Mosaic/Levitic Law.

 

f) Malachi could not have been speaking of any other kind of tithe than that which was required by Mosaic/Levitic Law, i.e.; a tithe of agricultural crops, flocks and herds.

 

g) Malachi 1:6; & 2:1 reveal that Malachi was speaking to the corrupt Priest’s in Malachi 3:6-12.  He had a commandment for the Priest's.  That commandment is not seen until chapter three.

 

h) The tithes and offerings had been stolen by the Priest’s,… not by the congregation.  Both Numbers 18:21-26 & Nehemiah 10:37-38 reveal that the congregation could not tithe to the House of God.

 

i) When Pastor’s use Malachi to teach a monetary tithe, they are guilty of handling the word of God deceitfully.

 

j) The Priest’s of Israel were guilty of despising God’s name because they exchanged the best animals for lame and blind animals

 

k) Pastor’s that teach monetary tithing are guilty of despising God’s name because they have exchanged His commanded agricultural tithes for monetary tithes.

 

l) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, the Priest’s of Israel were robbing God of His authority in their lives.

 

m) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, the Priest’s of God had robbed the nation of Israel of God’s blessing.

 

n) In teaching their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s today are guilty of robbing God of His authority in their lives.

 

o) In teaching their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s today are guilty of robbing God of His authority in the lives of their congregations.

 

p) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s are guilty of robbing their congregations of God’s blessing.

 

q) When Malachi promised that God would open the windows of Heaven, Malachi was speaking clouds giving rain to the land of Israel so that plants could grow

 

r) The devourer that Malachi was speaking of was the locust.

 

There are many, many more precious and wonderful nuggets written within the four chapters of the Book of Malachi. I encourage you to take time to study this Book and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you.

 

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

[DaveW]

On 29/07/2017 at 8:50 PM, DaveW said:

Just out of interest, what church DO you attend and give to nowadays?

 

Just interested....

And note that I didn't say "tithe to". 

[Standing Firm In Christ]

11 minutes ago, DaveW said:

Just interested....

And note that I didn't say "tithe to". 

I am Pastor of Set at Liberty Baptist.  We are an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church in Cleveland, MS.

What Church do you attend?

[DaveW]

What is a "Pastor of Set"?

 

[LindaR]

49 minutes ago, DaveW said:

What is a "Pastor of Set"?

 

"Set At Liberty" is the name of the Baptist Church.

[DaveW]

Oh ok...... didn't read it like that..... sorry.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

45 minutes ago, DaveW said:

Oh ok...... didn't read it like that..... sorry.

I started to say, "SET stands for Sharing Eternal Truths".  LoL 

But, yes, it is "Set at Liberty" Baptist Church.

 

[BabeinChrist]

6 hours ago, Standing Firm In Christ said:

It is biblical to tithe... it's just not biblical to tithe money.  Nor is a monetary tithe requirement sermon biblical.

As for Malachi 3:6-12, Malachi was admonishing the Priest's of Israel.  They had removed the agricultural tithes from the Temple storehouse and God wanted them back.

The passage had absolutely nothing to do with monetary tithing when Malachi delivered it to the Priest's, and it has nothing to do with monetary tithing today.  As verse six says...

I am the LORD God; I change not;..."
 

The last Book in the Old Testament section of our Bible holds many precious nuggets of truth that so many people today never realize are in there. They do not realize these nuggets are in Malachi for two reasons,..

 

1. Their Pastor’s do not tell them these nuggets of truth are in Malachi.

2. They themselves do not study the Bible as they should, but instead allow their Pastor’s to turn their eyes from these nuggets of truth..

 

Let us look at just a few of the nuggets we can find in the pages of the Book of Malachi, shall we?

 

a) The storehouse Malachi is speaking of is attached to the Temple in Jerusalem.

 

b) The Church that I pastor is not the storehouse Malachi was speaking of.

 
c) When Malachi said, that there may be meat in mine house,..." he was speaking of food... not money.  Not once in the Bible is money ever referred to as "meat"
.

d) Malachi is not saying to tithe your monetary income to God’s House. 

 

e) Malachi was speaking to a people living under the Mosaic/Levitic Law.

 

f) Malachi could not have been speaking of any other kind of tithe than that which was required by Mosaic/Levitic Law, i.e.; a tithe of agricultural crops, flocks and herds.

 

g) Malachi 1:6; & 2:1 reveal that Malachi was speaking to the corrupt Priest’s in Malachi 3:6-12.  He had a commandment for the Priest's.  That commandment is not seen until chapter three.

 

h) The tithes and offerings had been stolen by the Priest’s,… not by the congregation.  Both Numbers 18:21-26 & Nehemiah 10:37-38 reveal that the congregation could not tithe to the House of God.

 

i) When Pastor’s use Malachi to teach a monetary tithe, they are guilty of handling the word of God deceitfully.

 

j) The Priest’s of Israel were guilty of despising God’s name because they exchanged the best animals for lame and blind animals

 

k) Pastor’s that teach monetary tithing are guilty of despising God’s name because they have exchanged His commanded agricultural tithes for monetary tithes.

 

l) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, the Priest’s of Israel were robbing God of His authority in their lives.

 

m) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, the Priest’s of God had robbed the nation of Israel of God’s blessing.

 

n) In teaching their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s today are guilty of robbing God of His authority in their lives.

 

o) In teaching their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s today are guilty of robbing God of His authority in the lives of their congregations.

 

p) In doing things their own way instead of God’s way, Pastor’s are guilty of robbing their congregations of God’s blessing.

 

q) When Malachi promised that God would open the windows of Heaven, Malachi was speaking clouds giving rain to the land of Israel so that plants could grow

 

r) The devourer that Malachi was speaking of was the locust.

 

There are many, many more precious and wonderful nuggets written within the four chapters of the Book of Malachi. I encourage you to take time to study this Book and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you.

 

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

So your church meets in a tabernacle & offers agricultural tithes?

How does your church function from mere carrots and peas? Is that how you pay your mortgage as well?

Even Jesus had a treasurer.

You didn't address anything I said about the church costing money to operate.

Edited July 31, 2017 by BabeinChrist
Grammar

[LindaR]

4 hours ago, BabeinChrist said:

So your church meets in a tabernacle & offers agricultural tithes?

How does your church function from mere carrots and peas? Is that how you pay your mortgage as well?

Even Jesus had a treasurer.

You didn't address anything I said about the church costing money to operate.

Our church meets in a home...not a tabernacle.  We don't tithe, we give from the heart.  The biblical tithe was always agricultural, NEVER money!

Church functions on grace and free will GIVING and we pay our own rent and utilities.  Giving and tithing are not the same....giving is a "heart" principle and tithing is an ordinance of the Mosaic law. 

All you said was how wonderful your pastor is and how everything was free.....then you turn around and say your rent is $6,000 a month.  Ever hear about free will and grace giving???  Since biblical tithing was never money, the purpose of the biblical tithe (which was always agricultural from the land of Canaan/Israel) was never meant for paying bills, but to sustain the tribe of Levi. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by LindaR

[Standing Firm In Christ]

4 hours ago, BabeinChrist said:

So your church meets in a tabernacle & offers agricultural tithes?

How does your church function from mere carrots and peas? Is that how you pay your mortgage as well?

Even Jesus had a treasurer.

You didn't address anything I said about the church costing money to operate.

Nope... we meet in a home.  Cuts out a lot of overhead, since we are already paying the electric bill ourselves.

Even if we were in a big building, we wouldn't be lying to our congregation in order to garner finances to pay the bills.  Instead, we would do what I did in the last two churches I pastored... we would tell them when a bill came in and how much it is.  Then, we would pray, asking God to move hearts to give what they could afford.  And we would exercise our faith, believing God would move hearts. 

Worked with the church in Virginia, and with the one in North Carolina as well.  Pretty sure, it would work here in Mississippi too.  Lies about tithes weren't necessary.  We teach people the joy of giving.  Forced giving breeds contempt.

Jesus did have a Treasurer.  However, neither He, nor His Treasurer, collected tithes of His Disciples.

[BabeinChrist]

10 hours ago, Standing Firm In Christ said:

I am Pastor of Set at Liberty Baptist.  We are an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church in Cleveland, MS.

What Church do you attend?

Do you have a website?

1 hour ago, Standing Firm In Christ said:

Nope... we meet in a home.  Cuts out a lot of overhead, since we are already paying the electric bill ourselves.

Even if we were in a big building, we wouldn't be lying to our congregation in order to garner finances to pay the bills.  Instead, we would do what I did in the last two churches I pastored... we would tell them when a bill came in and how much it is.  Then, we would pray, asking God to move hearts to give what they could afford.  And we would exercise our faith, believing God would move hearts. 

Worked with the church in Virginia, and with the one in North Carolina as well.  Pretty sure, it would work here in Mississippi too.  Lies about tithes weren't necessary.  We teach people the joy of giving.  Forced giving breeds contempt.

Jesus did have a Treasurer.  However, neither He, nor His Treasurer, collected tithes of His Disciples.

So you operate  out of your home?

That explains a lot.

Is your home big enough to assemble 300 people?

Do you go soulwinning?

[OLD fashioned preacher]

3 hours ago, BabeinChrist said:

 

Is your home big enough to assemble 300 people?

 

??????????????????????????????????

Trying to understand what this has to do with anything???????????????

There's not a church, Kingdom Hall or any other "place of worship" within 100 miles of where I am that ever have more than 125 in the building AT ALL!

[BabeinChrist]

1 hour ago, LindaR said:

Our church meets in a home...not a tabernacle.  We don't tithe, we give from the heart.  The biblical tithe was always agricultural, NEVER money!

Church functions on grace and free will GIVING and we pay our own rent and utilities.  Giving and tithing are not the same....giving is a "heart" principle and tithing is an ordinance of the Mosaic law. 

All you said was how wonderful your pastor is and how everything was free.....then you turn around and say your rent is $6,000 a month.  Ever hear about free will and grace giving???  Since biblical tithing was never money, the purpose of the biblical tithe (which was always agricultural from the land of Canaan/Israel) was never meant for paying bills, but to sustain the tribe of Levi. 

Our tithes do sustain.

We give to our church because we KNOW our Pastor is using it to pay the church building's rent, and provide a place for saints to assemble. Also, our church is growing. House churches are a good stepping stone for Pastors who are new to the ministry & still working to get a real building for the church established, but I don't think it is practical to meet in a house indefinitely, as a church should see growth.

And our Pastor doesn't force us to tithe, we do it because it makes sense, and our church goes soulwinning weekly, and we give hundreds of people the Gospel & collectively  get hundreds of people saved. Call it giving if you wish, because we do give joyfully, but we all give a tithe(tenth). We give 10%.

[BabeinChrist]

32 minutes ago, OLD fashioned preacher said:

??????????????????????????????????

Trying to understand what this has to do with anything???????????????

There's not a church, Kingdom Hall or any other "place of worship" within 100 miles of where I am that ever have more than 125 in the building AT ALL!

I was emphasizing how a house "church" isn't of sufficient size to seat the number of people that congregate on an average Sunday morning.

300 is a modest figure, at least from my experience, living in a major city. 

[LindaR]

15 hours ago, BabeinChrist said:

Do you have a website?

So you operate  out of your home?

That explains a lot.

Is your home big enough to assemble 300 people?

Do you go soulwinning?

No, we don't have a website.

What difference does it make where we "operate" or how many people are present  at a worship service?  Why are you so "into" numbers?  Whether there are five, ten, twenty, or whatever number are present is not important.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Soul winning should not be an "extra curricular" activity of the born again Christian.  It should be an everyday event in the life of the born again Christian.  We are to be about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ daily.  We are not going to "win" everyone....we are to plant seeds and God will bring in the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Edited August 1, 2017 by LindaR