More Thoughts on Abraham's Tithe

Pastor's who are erroneously teaching their flocks that they are required to tithe to the church typically cite the fact Abraham tithed before the Law was given. They tell their people, "If you will tithe your income, you will be blessed." Some go so far as saying those who do not tithe will be cursed.

Let's look closer at the scripture in Genesis 14 where Abram tithed the spoils of a battle to king/priest Melchizedek:

Genesis 14:18-20
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

I want you to notice that Melchizedek first "blessed" Abram, then Abram gave a tithe. This is a small, but critical point. The pastors, though, teach this exactly opposite: first you tithe, then you will be blessed.

I was speaking about this to a close friend the other day. He said, "Of course, this is the way it should be. We give because we're blessed of God. We don't give in order to get because that would be a wrong motive."

If you're giving or tithing in order to please God, or worse yet, trying to obtain the blessing of God, give it up! Stop! You're already blessed of God because you're in Christ. (See Galatians 3:9-14 and Ephesians 1:3-4.) You don't have to work to obtain God's favor and blessing! If you're in Christ, you're redeemed from the curse, there is nothing else you have to do! (See Galatians 3:13). Don't allow yourself to be motivated by fear to give, that is not the way God does it.

Give liberally and cheerfully, give however your heart dictates to you. Let no one make you give under compulsion. (See II Corinthians 9:6-11). This is way we're to give according to the New Testament.

Click this link to read more about Abraham's tithe.

Tithing According to Abraham's Example

It was an ancient custom of many nations in the Middle East to give a tenth, (tithe means tenth), of one's income as an offering to a god or to a king. The first mention of tithing in the Bible occurs in Genesis chapter 14 where Abram (later known as Abraham) gave a tithe to Melchizedek of the spoils of war.

A war had broke out between 4 kings and five others. Abram's brother, Lot was caught in the crossfire and was taken captive by one of the armies. A survivor of the battle made his way to Abram and told the news of Lot's capture. Abram quickly oraganized his own war party of 318 men and pursued the army into Dan. Abram and his small army caught up with them, attacked by night and slaughtered the enemy, freeing Lot, his women, the goods and everyone else who had been taken captive.

Upon Abram's return, several king's met him, probably to collect their tithe. Two king's are mentioned specifically, the king of Sodom and Melchizedek, king of Salem. Melchizedek, also a priest, blesses Abram and he in return gives the tithe to Melchizedek. The king of Sodom asks Abram for the people and suggests Abram keep the goods. Abram responds saying, "I'm not keeping anything, lest you could say, 'I've made Abram rich', the only thing we're keeping is the food we've eaten and the portion my 3 captains have rightfully earned."

So Abram himself kept nothing. He tithed of the spoils to Melchizedek, according to the custom of the day and gave the rest away. In the entire life of Abraham, this is the only recorded instance of him giving a tithe. His tithe wasn't from his income or even his own possessions.

There is no New Testament command to tithe based on Abram's example than there are to be circumcised, to offer animal sacrifices, to have concubines or to practice polygamy. In the more than 70 New Testament references to Abraham, the only practice of his that we are admonished to follow is his faith.

There is no way a pastor today can use this incident to justify teaching that a NT believer owes the church 10% of his earned income.

Many years ago, a wise teacher told me if you teach tithing for any other reason than to enroll believers in God's plan of prosperity, you're teaching with the wrong motive. Barna Research Group studies indicate the rank and file in the churches see through the teaching about the tithe. Their study show only 8% of American Christians tithe their income to a local church or religious institution.

Pastors today teach tithing to fund their church, their visions, their programs and their pesonal income. There's nothing wrong with you supporting these activities, but you owe God no tithe because Christ fulfilled the Law and you are no longer under it. If you don't tithe, you are not cursed, because Christ became a curse for you. And you owe no tithe based on Abraham's example either.

Robbing God

Have you ever sat in a church service and been accused of robbing God? Unfortunately, many of us have. The preacher uses a scripture from Malachi 3:8-12 to prove his point if you're not giving your whole tithe to his local church, you're robbing God.

I've got good news for you, you're not a God robber if you don't tithe! A careful study of scripture reveals the Old Testament tithe is not applicable to New Testament believers. The coming of Christ and the Law of the Spirit (Romans 8:2) has superseeded the Law of Moses. It's wrong to enforce tithing on Christians, it's legalism in its purest form.

The scripture used in Malachi has a parallel passage in Deuteronomy 26:12-15 which confirms that Malachi refers to the "whole tithe". Now the "whole tithe" is the only tithe that was given away and that was only on the third year. The Levites took the third year tithe to the temple in Jerusalem and gave it to the temple priests (Numbers 18:26-28).

The Hebrew word "'outsar" translated "storehouse" in Malachi 3:10 is the same word in Nehemiah 10:38. The "storehouse" refers to a temple warehouse, described in Nehemiah 13:5, as a place for keeping tithed grain, frankincense, temple vessels, wine and oil. The tithe in question was probably the tithe payable by the Levites, not the tithes payable by the people. Malachi was not rebuking the common people ("And now this admonition is for you, O priests." 2:1); he was rebuking the Levites!

It's a dangerous and extreme stretch to say the "storehouse" in Malachi 3 is the local church in the New Testament. Our walk with God through Jesus Christ is not about rigid legalistic regulations imposed by a pastor who is taking scripture grossly out of context. That results in spiritual abuse, control and unfair manipulation of God's people.

It is fair to say this passage in Malachi doesn't apply to us as Christians in the age of grace. Even if it did though, it would apply to pastors not giving a tithe from the tithe of the people. Now isn't that ironic?

If you want to give 10%, 15%, 20% or whatever you so desire of your income, that's fine, you're free to do that. Christians are to be generous, to give joyfully, cherrfully and without compulsion. Amen!

Facts on Tithing

Tithing is a hot issue in the church today. Most pastors in American churches teach that believers are to "tithe" their income to their local church. Some pastors are so radical in their teaching, they claim those who do not tithe are cursed and robbing God. According to recent studies, less than 8% of American church goers practice tithing.

Following is a very good article by Ken Lawson detailing the Biblical facts on tithing.

1. The English word "tithe" as well as its Hebrew-Greek equivalents "ma`aser" and "apodekatoo" means a tenth.

2. Many Christian churches preach tithing as a means of supporting the work of the Lord today. There are many variations of this theme. Some pay the local church one tenth of their income after taxes and bills are paid; some pay before. Others demand tithing on unemployment, inheritance, gifts, tax refunds, social security and even gambling winnings. The tithing issue has caused a great deal of strife and division in our churches over the years.

3. The most well known passage on tithing comes from the Old Testament book of Malachi 3:7-10. This Scripture has given rise to the practice of "Storehouse Tithing." Simply stated, the congregation is exhorted from the pulpit to channel all of their Christian giving through the local church (storehouse). If they wish to give to a Christian organization, radio or television broadcast, etc., it must go through their denominational machinery in order for the local church to get "credit." Also the pastor and elders often must make the determination if the cause supported by the giver is "worthy."

4. This use of the Malachi passage is a good example of Scripture being taken out of its historical and dispensational context. "This whole nation" in verse 9 is the backslidden nation of Israel, NOT the present day church (Malachi 1:1; 3:6). They were under the law of Moses as a system of conditional blessing. Believers today are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). As such we have already been blessed by God with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) and are under a system of unconditional blessing with grace on the throne (Romans 5:21).

5. This should put an end to the common charge that believers who don't tithe are "robbing God" and will be "cursed with a curse." The storehouse mentioned in verse 10 is not a local church but a storage bin or silo in the Jewish temple where the grain from the Hebrew's tithes was stored (2 Chronicles 31:4-12).

6. Under the law only agricultural products were tithed. They included grain, fruit, and livestock. Only products produced within the boundaries of the land of Israel were to be tithed. Jews living in Gentile lands were exempt (Leviticus 27:30-34).

7. Others exempt from the tithing law included the hired hands, fishermen, miners, lumber workers, construction workers, soldiers, weavers, potters, manufacturers, merchants, government workers, and priests. In short, all who were not farmers were exempt.

8. A farmer with only 9 cattle did not tithe because the law specified the "tenth which passeth under the rod." Likewise a farmer with 19 sheep paid only 1 sheep to the Lord's tithe.

9. The Jewish farmers in the land could redeem (buy back) the tithes of their crops with a penalty of one fifth. In other words, if a farmer wishes to keep his tithe of grain worth $1,000, he could pay the cash equivalent of $1,200 (Leviticus 27:31).

10. Livestock could not be brought back nor could the farmer exchange a good animal for a bad one or vice versa. Any attempt to substitute any other animal other than the tenth which passed under the rod would be penalized by the farmer forfeiting both the tenth and its substitute (Leviticus 27:33).

11. God ordained the Levites to be the ones to whom the tithe was paid (Numbers 18:21). They were one of the 12 tribes of Israel to whom no inheritance was given in the land. The Lord Himself and the tithes of the children of Israel was their inheritance. It was used for the service of the tabernacle (later the temple) (Numbers 18:20-28).

12. It was unlawful for anyone outside of the tribe of Levi to receive the tithe, such as prophets, preachers, kings or evangelists.

13. The Levites paid one tenth of their tithes to the high priest. Not all Levites were priests but only the sons of Aaron. The priests did not tithe.

14. The Lord Jesus Christ did not ask for or receive a tithe for support of His ministry. Being of the tribe of Judah (not Levi) He could not without breaking the law (Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5).

15. Neither Peter (not of the tribe of Levi) nor Paul (of the tribe of Benjamin) could receive tithes for the support of their ministries.

16. Even the Jews do not practice tithing today because there are no Levites, priests, or temple worship in Jerusalem. Jewish rabbis know biblical law well enough to know that tithing under the present circumstances is unlawful. According to them, when the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem with a consecrated altar with priests and Levites officiating, all Jews living within the biblical tithing zones will tithe.

17. Some Christian ministries today continue to support tithing, using the argument that it predates Moses and the law. But this reasoning is not valid, for the Sabbath also predates the giving of the law (Exodus 16:23-29) and yet it is not binding on God's people today (Romans 14:5,6; Galatians 4:9,10; Colossians 2:16,17).

18. Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, king of Salem, but this was the spoils of war, not the legalistic tithe of the land which Moses commanded. Also, God did not command the tithe, Abraham chose to give it of his own free will (Genesis 14:17-23; Hebrews 7:1-10).

19. The only other scriptural reference to tithing before Moses is Jacob. Again there is no command to tithe. In fact Jacob puts up numerous conditions to be met before he will pay the tithe to the Lord (Genesis 28:20-22).

20. The biblical references which address the tithing issues are: Genesis 14:20; 28:22; Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:20-28; Deuteronomy 12:6,11,17; 14:22,23,28; 26:12; 2 Chronicles 31:5,6,12; Amos 4:4; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-9.1

21. Paul the apostle to the Gentiles for this present dispensation of Grace does not mention tithing but says a great deal about Christian giving. Romans 15:25,26; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9; Galatians 6:6-10; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Timothy 5:9-18.

WHO is to give to the Lord's work? The Christian! He gives systematically, sacrificially, and joyfully. TO WHOM does he give? To Christ! FOR WHAT does he give? For the cause of Christ! NOT to a man or to a church, not for gain, but for the Gospel.

Endnote

According to Deuteronomy 14:22,23,28; 26:12; and Amos 4:4, the tithe was only given every three years.

This article originally appeared in the Berean Searchlight, the free monthly magazine of the Berean Bible Society. For over 60 years, the Berean Bible Society has been proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Lawson

Control and Manipulation

One of the main differences between ministers who are Kingdom minded and those who aren't is control and manipulation. Kingdom minded ministers are not building their own empire or kingdom. They understand from their hearts their calling and gifting fits into a larger Kingdom, the Kingdom of God.

Ministers who are not Kingdom minded have a tendency to control and manipulate people who are under their influence. These ministers use people for their own gain, power, prestige, honor and popularity. For the most part, they are building their own kingdom, not God's.

Here is an example of a ministry attempting to control and manipulate members.

A member was an integral part of the media team of a certain ministry. For some reason, this man decided it was time for he and his family to leave this ministry. The minister comes to his home and pleads for him not to leave (he needs him). He then informs this member that he would like to pray for him but he no longer can since the family is no longer under his covering and authority.

Where in the world is it found in the scriptures that you only have authority to pray for those who are under your covering (translate: control)? It doesn't. It was a vain attempt to manipulate the family back under this minister's control by implying they would be open prey to the enemy because the minister wasn't able to pray for them any longer.

More thoughts on Messianic churches

The other day I was speaking with a friend who attends a Messianic congregation. In the course of the conversation about the MM (Messianic Movement), I said, "The Messianics are in the same ditch the Ancient Jews were stuck in."

My friend replied, "How is that?"

I explained. The ancient Jews were to reveal Jehovah God to the nations, not to just keep Him for themselves. Today, the Messianics are totally focused upon Israel. God's plan has never changed. He wants to whole world, every tribe, every tongue, every nation to hear the Good News. Yes, Israel is important, and He is drawing the Jews back to the land. But God also spoke through His Son, Jesus Christ, who said the Gospel of the Kingdom was to be preached "to all nations".

To ignore the responsibility to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world is to disobey the Great Commission.