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Opposition to Christian Tithing Grows


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by Russell Kelly
Opposition to Christian Tithing Grows
September 26, 2006 09:00 AM EST



There is mounting opposition to the doctrine of tithing. The opposition is not against supporting churches. Rather it is against teaching that all church members must begin their level of giving at 10% of their gross income.

Russell Earl Kelly of Acworth, Georgia is the author of Should the Church Teach Tithing?, an expansion of his Ph. D. dissertation. Every day Russ receives e-mails, letters and phone calls from around the world thanking him for his efforts and honest presentation.

Kelly emphasizes that tithing was only a commandment for farmers and herdsmen in national Israel under the Mosaic Law. And tithing was never repeated to the church after the crucifixion. He accuses preachers who teach mandatory tithing of being dishonest with Scripture and with taking money from the disadvantaged which should be spent on basic necessities.

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I believe in tithing and I know that is what I am supposed to do. I have trouble in the obedience aspect a lot, though. :( Once I'm married it won't be an issue because my fiance tithes on everything so yeah.

Katy-Anne

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The bible tells us that if we fail to tithe than we 'rob God', unless we absolutely have nothing to give but the clothes off our back, but then we'd be nude! :ha But essentially we should give what we are able to give, but not give what we don't have. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. [Luke 12:48]

But I am guilty too in the area of tithing and have trouble in the obedience aspect a lot. It'll be ok, our faith grows as Christians, and when our faith grows our obedience grows with it.

Love,
Madeline

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by Russell Kelly
Opposition to Christian Tithing Grows
September 26, 2006 09:00 AM EST



There is mounting opposition to the doctrine of tithing. The opposition is not against supporting churches. Rather it is against teaching that all church members must begin their level of giving at 10% of their gross income.

Russell Earl Kelly of Acworth, Georgia is the author of Should the Church Teach Tithing?, an expansion of his Ph. D. dissertation. Every day Russ receives e-mails, letters and phone calls from around the world thanking him for his efforts and honest presentation.

Kelly emphasizes that tithing was only a commandment for farmers and herdsmen in national Israel under the Mosaic Law. And tithing was never repeated to the church after the crucifixion. He accuses preachers who teach mandatory tithing of being dishonest with Scripture and with taking money from the disadvantaged which should be spent on basic necessities.

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Echo. :Green :thumb :amen:

Tithing and the giving of offerings go all the way back to the Antedeluvian era, even to Adam and Eve who would have taught Cain and Abel..

So then,

***It predates the Law,

***It was part of the Mosaic Law,

and

***It still applies today. :clap:

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Tithing and the giving of offerings go all the way back to the Antedeluvian era' date=' [b']even to Adam and Eve who would have taught Cain and Abel..

Can you show me Scripture that says tithing went back to Adam and Eve? The first mention of tithing that I find in the Bible is in Genesis 14:20:

Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

I can find no Biblical reference to an Antediluvian tithe. What are your sources?

***It predates the Law,

While tithing is mentioned twice pre-Law (Genesis 14:20 & Genesis 28:22), both instances were only a one time tithe. The former, Abram, tithed of somebody else's possessions, i.e. the spoils of war. The latter, Jacob, gave "a tenth" of all his goods...but only after God met certain requirements;

Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Genesis 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

...the last of which was allowing Jacob to return to his father's house. (Genesis 31:3)

Genesis 31:3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

There are no more recorded instances of anyone else tithing before the Law.
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Some people cane be a bit legalistic about tithing inasmuch as they take it to the extreme that every Christian business must tithe 10% of the gross receipts for his business. A place I used to work, had me put together some computer graphs of their income statement, and I was surprised to see that the owner's take was only 2% of gross receipts. It was enough for him to live well enough, but obviously there's no way he could actually give 10% of the gross, if he himself was taking only 2%.

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We just had a thread discussing this and it was locked. Proceed with caution.

I have a question. Why not just close all the threads that have to do with tithing--especially those that have been open for over a year? If a person has to walk on "egg shells" to discuss tithing, why keep these threads open? Just curious.
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I have a question. Why not just close all the threads that have to do with tithing--especially those that have been open for over a year? If a person has to walk on "egg shells" to discuss tithing, why keep these threads open? Just curious.


More to the point, why do you want to bring it up again so soon when everyone knows where you stand as of just the other day? Axe to grind? :frog Seriously the last thread was locked because there comes a point where it is just pointless arguing with no one willing to move an inch... All things edify not... Let the topic cool off for a while. :2cents :wink
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James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:


I don't think anyone was mad but that's always a good verse to remember. :Green
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I encourage all bible believers to give with the cheerful heart without grudgingly because pastors needs churches' members to help their financial needs and support pastors. Also, Pastors feed and care for churches' members. They work hard and love members as Christ loves the church. They are doing for the Lord Almighty God. If members do not giving to churches, it will hurt churches and pastors. So, please don't take away the giving. Don't forget to pray for each others including pastors, teachers, deacons, missionaries, etc.
I love you all in Christ.
Let us be glad to be in the house of the Lord. Glory be to God!!! :cool

Smile!! God loves you all!! :smile

In the precious blood of Christ,

Evan57

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I can't understand how any born again Christian could not give unto the Lord. We are filled with the Holy Ghost, we yield our lives to the Lordship of Christ. Perhaps this is the reason for no mention of tithing in the New Testament. If we are truly in Christ, then we will give from our hearts and our giving will be more than enough to carry out the Lord's business.

Even for Christians who tithe, they typically do so because the love the Lord, not because they "have to".

Just speaking from personal experience now, but from what I have observed, preaching that one must tithe seems to mostly effect those who are not Christians but want to "win merit with God" and those who are professing Christians (but are not born again) and want to "feel right with God". For actual believers, most I've observed tend to give beyond a tithe.

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