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Will A Man Rob God?


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Leviticus 27:30 (KJV) 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.

Leviticus 27:32 (KJV) 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.

Numbers 18:26 (KJV) Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

Deuteronomy 12:17 (KJV) 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:

Deuteronomy 14:22 (KJV) Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

Deuteronomy 14:23 (KJV) 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.

Deuteronomy 14:28 (KJV) 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:

2 Chronicles 31:5 (KJV) 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.

2 Chronicles 31:6 (KJV) 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.

Nehemiah 10:38 (KJV) 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.

Nehemiah 13:12 (KJV) Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

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.

Luke 11:42 (KJV) 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.

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

Leviticus 27:31 (KJV) And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

Numbers 18:24 (KJV) But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Numbers 18:26 (KJV) Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

Numbers 18:28 (KJV) Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest.

Deuteronomy 12:6 (KJV) And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Deuteronomy 12:11 (KJV) Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

Deuteronomy 26:12 (KJV) When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

2 Chronicles 31:12 (KJV) And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

Nehemiah 10:37 (KJV) And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

Nehemiah 10:38 (KJV) 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.

Nehemiah 12:44 (KJV) 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.

Nehemiah 13:5 (KJV) And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

Amos 4:4 (KJV) Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:

Malachi 3:8 (KJV) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:10 (KJV) 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.

Luke 18:12 (KJV) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Hebrews 7:5 (KJV) And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

Hebrews 7:6 (KJV) But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Hebrews 7:8 (KJV) And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Hebrews 7:9 (KJV) And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

Deuteronomy 26:12 (KJV) When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

Above are all the verses that have the word tithe, tithes, and tithing. (tithed and tither are not found in the KJV) Read these verses in their context and then tell me where any of them commands the Church to tithe.

Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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The only over verses that deal with tithing but do not mention the words tithe, tithes, or tithing are the ones below:

Genesis 28:22 (KJV) 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.
Numbers 18:21 (KJV) And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Hebrews 7:2 (KJV) To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Hebrews 7:4 (KJV) Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Some argue that 1 Samuel 8 is speaking of tithes, but this cannot be so. They were under the Mosaic Law. None were to receive tithes except Levites. The king spoken of was not of the tribe of Levi. The tenth in that chapter was not a tithe, but a taxation.

Read these verses also in their context and one will see that God's tithe never consisted of money.

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Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, never once taught them about tithing, which was an OT command for Jews in order to support the priesthood.

Paul taught we are to give as the Lord leads and to do so cheerfully.

Paul speaks often of the need to support God's work and to take care of our fellow Christians in need, but he never refers to tithing, but always to giving from the heart.

If one is truly following Christ they will give abundantly as they are able without any compulsion. Old Testament Jews didn't have the Holy Ghost living in them, they were not being transformed to the image of Christ.

Issues dealing with giving don't have anything to do with whether or not Christians believe they have to give 10% of their check to the church or not, but rather is a heart issue. We have too many professing Christians who want to claim Christ but don't want to follow Christ. They want to claim Christ as Saviour but they don't want to accept Christ as Lord.

If are seeking the will of God and not our own, we will take our finances before the Lord and we will pray and listen to the Lord and give accordingly.

Sadly, whether a pastor tries to get his congregation to give by demanding a tithe or by calling for New Testament giving, most in the congregation won't seek the Lord's will and what they put in the plate will either be nothing or a very small amount compared to what they could have given.

The reason for the lack of giving isn't due to lack of demanding a tithe, it's due to Christians not being willing to accept Christ as Lord. They are unwilling to cast aside their authority in their life and submit to the leading of Christ in all things.

Those whose hearts are not right with God are not going to give properly until they submit themselves to the Lordship of Christ in their lives.

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Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, never once taught them about tithing, which was an OT command for Jews in order to support the priesthood.

Paul taught we are to give as the Lord leads and to do so cheerfully.

Paul speaks often of the need to support God's work and to take care of our fellow Christians in need, but he never refers to tithing, but always to giving from the heart.

If one is truly following Christ they will give abundantly as they are able without any compulsion. Old Testament Jews didn't have the Holy Ghost living in them, they were not being transformed to the image of Christ.

Issues dealing with giving don't have anything to do with whether or not Christians believe they have to give 10% of their check to the church or not, but rather is a heart issue. We have too many professing Christians who want to claim Christ but don't want to follow Christ. They want to claim Christ as Saviour but they don't want to accept Christ as Lord.

If are seeking the will of God and not our own, we will take our finances before the Lord and we will pray and listen to the Lord and give accordingly.

Sadly, whether a pastor tries to get his congregation to give by demanding a tithe or by calling for New Testament giving, most in the congregation won't seek the Lord's will and what they put in the plate will either be nothing or a very small amount compared to what they could have given.

The reason for the lack of giving isn't due to lack of demanding a tithe, it's due to Christians not being willing to accept Christ as Lord. They are unwilling to cast aside their authority in their life and submit to the leading of Christ in all things.

Those whose hearts are not right with God are not going to give properly until they submit themselves to the Lordship of Christ in their lives.


I would say it's more a lack of faith.

Ecc 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
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I would say it's more a lack of faith.

Ecc 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.


They are intertwined. If we have true faith in God then we will submit ourselves to Him. When we lack faith, we lack trust, and we put our own reasoning and desires ahead of God.

God calls us to have faith, to obey Him in all things and to trust Him with the outcome.
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While the Lord does want His children to exercise faith, He also expects them to use wisdom.

Linda and I know what our monthly income is. Because of our current POTUS and bills passed in Congress, our incomes will remain the same for at least another 16 months.

That said, we know exactly what is needed for household bills and that comes out first and foremost.

1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

It is not a lack of faith that has us giving the amount we give. It is the presence of wisdom.

Ecclesiastes is not about church giving, it is about charity to the poor. Context will show that.

Paul gives the perfect advice for giving to the Church...

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The truth is, no man has any business telling another man he is not giving enough or that he is being selfish or that he has a lack of faith if he doesn't give a certain amount. Paul states that the amount given is between the giver and God.

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While the Lord does want His children to exercise faith, He also expects them to use wisdom.

Linda and I know what our monthly income is. Because of our current POTUS and bills passed in Congress, our incomes will remain the same for at least another 16 months.

That said, we know exactly what is needed for household bills and that comes out first and foremost.

1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

It is not a lack of faith that has us giving the amount we give. It is the presence of wisdom.

Ecclesiastes is not about church giving, it is about charity to the poor. Context will show that.

Paul gives the perfect advice for giving to the Church...

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The truth is, no man has any business telling another man he is not giving enough or that he is being selfish or that he has a lack of faith if he doesn't give a certain amount. Paul states that the amount given is between the giver and God.


I agree, a mans giving is between him and God. Of course if a man doesn't tell others what he gives, who else would know?

When I was speaking of faith my meaning was that we should take our giving to the Lord in prayer and give according to His leading. We should have faith in God to give as He leads. God has promised He will meet our needs so we can trust God won't tell us to give so much we can't pay our bills or feed our family.
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Not only are we children of Abraham, we are also "grafted in" to God's people. We are now part of the "olive tree".

Anything set down in the OT for the most part was increased in the NT under grace. For example, in the OT we were not to murder. In the NT, Jesus said we weren't even to hate, because it was murder in our hearts. Grace requires more "godly" living than Law...Law was just the schoolmaster to show our sins...grace commands that we serve God faithfully out of a heart of love, as a "living sacrifice".

All of the NT churches gave sacrificially. Ananias and Sapphira were going to give all of the sale of their land. They didn't have to....and they lied...but many of the people of the day were doing this for the church and for the work of God. When is the last time any of us sold land and donated it all to church or missions? So we are beyond 10% as New Testament Christians. 10% is nothing. If you can't even give 10%, then you are a baby Christian. Now, under grace, we give in sacrifice and love. The widow in the NT gave 100% of all she had. Two mites. I think everyone here makes more than two cents a week!

Try God...avoid the 10% law and give MORE. Give to missions...give offerings...give your pastor a love gift...(after all, those that preach the gospel should live of the gospel, and if nobody can afford to give, then somehow God's system is "broken"...because of disobedience.)

My husband is a pastor and we as a family try to be an example of sacrificial giving to the church and to missions...and God has taken such good care of us.

I really think 10% is the basic, bottom line, minimum any New Testament Christian who is really thankful for their salvation should even THINK about giving. For most it should be much more.

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In all my years of praying with regards to giving the Lord has never led me to give a percentage but rather a specific amount. We give the specific amount God leads us to give to our church, to missionaries, to a few Christian organizations, and to special things that come up during the year.

I have out of curiosity at the end of the year calculated our income and our total giving and figured the percentage of our income we gave during the year and each time it's been well over 10%.

(To be clear, this post isn't "aimed" at anyone, just a statement regarding our giving)

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I have to agree with Kitagirl (surprised?), at least as far as she went.

No one seemed to mention that we are to give a "good measure", which implies a percentage.

Luk 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.

The tithe was God's, but it was a bare minimum, and yes, it could include money. The men gave silver and gold as am offering for the building of the temple, and although it was not called a tithe, it may have exceeded the tithe.

By the way, how did Abraham even know what the word "tithe" meant? I mean, who told him of tithing, even before the "law"?

Paul gave his own advice in 2 Cor. and spoke of percentage giving:

2Co 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
2Co 8:13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
2Co 8:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

Read the entire chapter. I know the word "tithe" is not mentioned, but as Kitagirl said, they were all familiar with the tithe of the O.T. times, and the first thought
would be to carry it over to the N.T.

You can't out give God anyway! To miserly hold on to what we have is to ignore His ability to provide for us. it is (like it or not) a lack of faith. If it looks like you cannot pay your bills, let the Lord have them, He can pay them, and you can still have money to tithe. The key word is "trust"--trusting Him to meet our needs when we honor Him with the tithe.

In this verse, spoils is not mentioned:


Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Then in 7:4,(the verse that the OP quoted, the thought is continued as if to say "And he also gave a tenth even of the spoils" (I do not attempt to re-word the Bible, but hope to explain this one passage.)

It goes on to say:

"Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."

"Here" which means "here and now" doesn't it? (Men that die, not men that have already died.)

then finally, Levi paid tithes while still in the loins of Abraham (Heb. 7:9), which shows generational tithing, of which the 3rd chapter of Galatians says we are of the generation of Abraham spiritually, and by the same faith.

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In all my years of praying with regards to giving the Lord has never led me to give a percentage but rather a specific amount. We give the specific amount God leads us to give to our church, to missionaries, to a few Christian organizations, and to special things that come up during the year.

I have out of curiosity at the end of the year calculated our income and our total giving and figured the percentage of our income we gave during the year and each time it's been well over 10%.

(To be clear, this post isn't "aimed" at anyone, just a statement regarding our giving)


I don't see a problem with that at all! I think 10% should sort of be the baseline as a guide for new Christians but I feel that mature Christians should easily give more than 10% if they are sensitive to God's leading. And I think God blesses in return...I have heard testimony after testimony of God paying bills and providing and blessing in return for sacrificial giving with the right heart and motive.
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I don't see a problem with that at all! I think 10% should sort of be the baseline as a guide for new Christians but I feel that mature Christians should easily give more than 10% if they are sensitive to God's leading. And I think God blesses in return...I have heard testimony after testimony of God paying bills and providing and blessing in return for sacrificial giving with the right heart and motive.


:amen: God won't tell us to give beyond what we can give. God promises to provide our needs so whether what He requires of us amounts to 10% or 50% we can rest assured God will honour our obedience and just as He promised He will provide for our needs. Our bills will be paid and our table will have food for all.
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.
Hello;

†. Rom 14:1 . . Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

A strong Bible-based faith consists of the elements of confidence, assurance, conviction, and boldness. A weak faith can be defined as one that's not all that sure whether something is wrong for a Christian; or even that something is right; in other words, a weak faith lacks confidence, assurance, conviction, and boldness.

The koiné Greek word for "doubtful" is dialogismos (dee-al-og-is-mos') which means: discussion; viz: debate.

The word for "disputations" is diakrisis (dee-ak'-ree-sis) which means: judicial estimation.

When somebody begins a statement with the words "in my opinion" they are getting ready to give you their judicial estimation; and since opinions are subject to change, then they inevitably result in debating; which is strictly forbidden within the context of the 14th chapter of Romans.

The issue of tithing is clearly debatable, therefore it falls into the classification of a doubtful disputation.

That said: The rule of thumb for Christians is giving rather than tithing.

†. 2Cor 9:7 . . Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Tithing is not giving; no, it's extraction rather than giving. I don't give the Obama administration my taxes; no, they take it from me by force of law; viz: I pay taxes against my will, both grudgingly and of necessity. That is not the Christian way of giving. We have a faith that works by love, not by law. (Gal 5:6)

Paul labeled Christian giving a grace.

†. Rom 12:6-8 . . Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity

Anyway, back to the 14th of Romans.

Somebody hereabouts suggested that 10% be a baseline. DO NOT DO THAT! It is a gross violation of the principles regulating doubtful disputations. In other words, if you want to set 10% as YOUR baseline okay; but don't you dare attempt to set it for anybody else. That's playing God and usurping the Lord's sovereign prerogative to make the rules for his own church.

†. Rom 14:5 . . Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

That is the golden rule of doubtful disputations; and itself is not debatable. You either comply with it or you fall by it; the choice is yours.

†. 1Cor 10:12 . .Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

C.L.I.F.F.
/

Edited by Webers_Home
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I think some might be misunderstanding the 10%. I think we can use that as a basis and doesn't necessarily only pertain to a new Christian or anything like that because on top (not part of let me stress) of that 10% are missions giving, love offerings and special offerings. Just wanted to make that clear.

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