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Opposition to Christian Tithing Grows


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Although I give less than 10% of my monthly income' date=' I give more than what is required. I am disabled (blind) and also poor. The poor were not required to pay tithes.[/quote']

Can you show me the verses on this, please?
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Deut. 26:12, 13; Mal. 3:5; 1 Tim. 5:8

The Old Covenant does not command the poor to tithe. The Mosaic Law instructed the people of Israel that were required to tithe, especially the priests, to feed and care for the poor, widows, orphans, strangers, and Levites from the tithe. The poor received from the tithes, offerings, gleanings, and Israel?s bounty, they did not add to it... other than by offerings.

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Those verses do not teach that the poor were not required to tithe - but that every third year part of the tithes collected were to be used for helping them. We find the same general principle (of providing for the poor) in the NT:

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

If someone has an income, they can tithe off of it. The truly poor would be those making NO money - therefore having nothing to tithe off of or give from.

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Those verses do not teach that the poor were not required to tithe - but that every third year part of the tithes collected were to be used for helping them. We find the same general principle (of providing for the poor) in the NT:

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

If someone has an income, they can tithe off of it. The truly poor would be those making NO money - therefore having nothing to tithe off of or give from.

:amen::amen::amen::amen::amen::amen::amen:

The beauty of tithing is that it is a percentage, and is the starting point of giving. It is an act of faith and thanksgiving combined.
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What bothers me about the anti-tithing viewpoint is their argument that it either comes down to tithing or paying your bills, buying your groceries, etc. Where is faith in God's promises? There are times in my life where I literally had to either pay what I promised God (both tithes and the missionary offering I believe He led me to pledge each month that year) or pay my bills. I gave God the benefit of the doubt, claimed the promises and fervently prayed about those needs - AND GOD ALWAYS MET THOSE NEEDS, BECAUSE HE WAS FAITHFUL TO FULFILL HIS END OF THE PROMISES WHEN I WAS FAITHFUL TO KEEP MY PART.

The only thing that limits God is our unbelief - our unwillingness to believe that He will do what He has promised to do. If all those promises about tithing were not intended for us today, why has the Lord kept them all in my life? The only people I see whom God does not meet their needs - especially in regards to promises about giving and tithing - are those looking for a way out, explaining away the promises - those finding every reason they can think of not to act upon those promises. Those that do claim those promises and are faithful in regards to their part of them, I have found see these promises at work in their own lives.

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The tithe was to landowners who grew crops and to herdsmen. The poor had no land or herds to tithe from or even to profit from.

That is why landowners were told not to pick up gleanings when harvesting crops. It was to feed the poor who could not grow their own food.

The poor were not required to tithe.

Proverbs 22:22-23 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

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The poor were not required to tithe.


You haven't proved that - all the verses quoted go to show that there were special considerations for the poor - not that they didn't have to obey certain laws at all. In fact, consider Leviticus 12. The poor still had to make a sin offering - but theirs was a less expensive one.

What's the Bible definition of poor? Someone with no income at all? That seems more likely than our modern society's definition of someone with a lower income than others. Poor is relative when you take that definition.

Malachi 3:10-12 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

The problem is too many are explaining away the passages dealing with tithing and the promises associated with it - rather than proving the Lord in that manner. I proved (ie. tested) Him, and have personally found Him faithful in this regard. Someone coming along now and explaining away those promises could never convince me otherwise.
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What bothers me about the anti-tithing viewpoint is their argument that it either comes down to tithing or paying your bills' date=' buying your groceries, etc. Where is faith in God's promises? There are times in my life where I literally had to either pay what I promised God (both tithes and the missionary offering I believe He led me to pledge each month that year) or pay my bills. I gave God the benefit of the doubt, claimed the promises and fervently prayed about those needs - AND GOD ALWAYS MET THOSE NEEDS, BECAUSE HE WAS FAITHFUL TO FULFILL HIS END OF THE PROMISES WHEN I WAS FAITHFUL TO KEEP MY PART.


:amen::clap::clap::clap::clap::amen:

I, too, have cause to rejoice in this very thing many a time in mine own life. :thumb :clap::clap:

I remain fully convinced that God allows us to get into those situations so that He can work out His glory in us, in a very similar fashion as He demonstrated His Glory to the Israelites at the Red Sea. in the wilderness, at the Jordan River, et al.

The only thing that limits God is our unbelief - our unwillingness to believe that He will do what He has promised to do. If all those promises about tithing were not intended for us today, why has the Lord kept them all in my life? The only people I see whom God does not meet their needs - especially in regards to promises about giving and tithing - are those looking for a way out, explaining away the promises - those finding every reason they can think of not to act upon those promises. Those that do claim those promises and are faithful in regards to their part of them, I have found see these promises at work in their own lives.

Very true. :goodpost: ...because if they were fully willing to tithe with abandon and just take God at His Word in childlike faith there would be no question, no argument, no explaining it away.... There would be nothing but praise and shouting for joy (((Just like you and I just did--->>> see enlarged font and caps. :lol: ))). :clap::clap: :clap:
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Leviticus 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Leviticus 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Deuteronomy 12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: (Food, not money was tithed.)

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Deuteronomy 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Deuteronomy 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: (Food, not money was tithed.)

2 Chronicles 31:5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. (Food, not money was tithed.)

2 Chronicles 31:6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Nehemiah 10:38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Nehemiah 13:12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. (Food, not money was tithed.)

Matthew 23:23 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. (Food tithe, not money was commended.)

Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Food tithe, not money was commended.)

Since the poor did not own land to grow crops, they could not tithe that tithe that was requested. To demand 10% of a poor person's sole income (SSI, Welfare, Disability) is not teaching basic Old and New Covenant principles of grace and freewill giving. It is making the Church richer and the poor poorer.

They are robbing the poor and God's Word declares that to be sin.

Proverbs 22:22-23 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

I can also testify to the fact that God has abundantly blessed me as His Word promised.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

I might add that I gave from the heart and God honored that as His Word said He would.

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Mark 12:41-44 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

The woman was adding to the treasury. This was not a tithe as evidenced by Nehemiah the prophet when he separated the treasures and the tithes.

Nehemiah 12:44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

It is quite clear even in Nehemiah's verse above, that tithes were food, for they were gathered from the field for the priests and Levites as commnded in Leviticus 27.

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