It is impossible to discuss what most non-Christians would describe as one of our silly battles, without seeing that it affects the very fabric of the society we live in. Not only do we publicly expose one of our divisions (giving detractors plenty of room for derision) It indeed affects our own families, how we approach the division of church and state, and how we view the roles of individuals, churches, and responsibilities. I will run a brief bibliography at the end if you wish to explore more. History..but not the boring kind Tithing was common in the ancient world. We see Abraham give a tithe of all he brought back from the war with the group who took Lot, his nephew, and all he had. (So, in effect.. Lot’s stuff not his own.)The king of Sodom also lost people and goods to this invading army, and offered to, in effect, pay Abraham, He took none of it, tithing of their good fortune to the King of Salem, who offered them blessings. Jacob offered to tithe but we don’t know if he ever did. Most of the OT patriarchs did sacrifice, for themselves and their people. Tithing or a tax for religious purposes was not actually established until the rescue from Egypt. Moses laid out an entire sacrificial and tithing system.. Including a tithe every 3rd year for the care of the poor. No, tithing is not in the Ten Commandments. The Mosaic law is separate. It seems redundant to point out something so basic. Everyone is responsible for the Ten Commandments. Only Israel was responsible for the tithes to the temple system. The fact that the law is written on all hearts is a bit of a shock to people too. Romans 12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) So, Jews paid their kings a tithe, their Temple a tithe, individual offerings, and later on, the invading countries however much of a tax burden they cared to impose. Even based on what you grew or raised, I’m sure it was tough on many. Yet, they were given food from some feasts if they had none, the fatherless and the widows were supposed to be cared for..this was not just a tax, it was a societal system of support. As well, they were not to glean the fields, but leave it for the poor, there was a return of lands and goods during Jubilee, no usury (charging for loaning money.) Every person had value. Not just the priests, or the wealthy, but all. Of course every rule was broken continually. Even after returning from Babylon and a much lower rate of worshipping other gods (whose priests all shared in whatever was brought I am sure) the compulsory temple tax was often ignored It is in this time frame that we read Malachi, calling the people to a return to proper worship. Approximately 425 BC. Malachi 3:10 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. ‘ I ‘m going to point out something obvious, this was not a new statement. If the Jews were obedient, God would bless them. They were to be His people, and He was to be their God. Deuteronomy 28:28 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Here is the seed of the tithe in the US. And prosperity gospel. The two are intertwined. But it was not new when stated by Malachi, it goes back to the Law of Moses. No gentile was ever given the same promises as Israel. As you know, the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. The priesthood had no place to hold sacrifices. Synagogue, rabbis (learned men) remembering the feast days, all these things continued. Those messianic Jews and then gentiles who became Christian didn’t have any temple based means of support. As heretics, they depended on donations, those coming in who gave.. everything. Land. monies, everything, to support the group. So grievous was their state that Paul, in the 50’s AD, was collecting monies for relief of the saints in Jerusalem But after Constantine made Christianity official, there was a more concerted effort to wrest money from the public for the care of the priests and churches…as they had supported all the different Gods. Groups that came to America frequently had come because of religious oppression. As they organized towns, they used a different method for churches. The town paid the minister, and collected a tax from every citizen. Houses of worship were considered a source of public good. And there was a pew rental fee! 10 states out of 13. Yet, a few existed on free will offerings. “Quakers, Baptists, Universalists and early Methodists tended to stress the value of voluntary contributions ... None of these groups were served by a clergy which expected to be paid like gentlemen officers of the state.” http://tithing-russkelly.com/id135.htm After the Bill of Rights was passed it became much harder to support state taxing for the church. The next move was to hire agents to go and drum up monies for the churches. This continues until about 1883. At that time, specific ministers..Calvinist… decided to return the church to a tithing basis, convince the church going public it was biblical, and solve their money crisis. It was basic doctrine by the end of the 19th century. This has been extended to a doctrine of replacement theory (we deserve the blessings of Israel as God is done with them) something which should have died in 1948. And further developed as.. prosperity gospel. You are owed a return on your “investment.” This flow into the churches barely slowed with societal need increasing. As the government began to take over charity work, there was hardly a murmur from the churches. Huge edifices and well paid ministers became standard. It was proof of God’s approval. There was mission work, etc, but the main drive was to show prosperity to the world. Do I need to have you read Acts again to understand basic belief, as they understood it? Paul did not take any money for his preaching and care of the churches He worked. Not once does James, John, Jude or Peter insist the churches tithe.When Jesus referred to the the tithe, it was before His death on the cross. Jews were still under the Mosaic law. This has led to hireling shepherds, who must keep the body happy, never be controversial, just socially acceptable. The trade off being…you pay your tithe, and you never have to lift a finger in the care of the church (the people) or in spreading the Word of God. Compartmentalism at its finest. Instead of worship, we have music “shows” with paid performers …uh… music ministers. We have mortgages and indebtedness, instead of pay as you go ( Even in my 30s, Baptist churches seeded new churches, and helped raise money, and raised the church when there was sufficient offerings, instead of expanding their own sanctuaries, and the numbers in attendance.) Cut off from their basic mission, reduced to paid “professionals” so… no individual has responsibility to the church, or the community, or their fellow human beings.. Charity sloughed off to be absorbed by the government, and our taxes, and like everything grudgingly paid, now we complain about every mouth fed, every residence maintained with “our” money. The one sure principle in the New Testament is “God loves a cheerful giver.” And in Corinthians, the idea of willingness is further explored. We were never to be under duress, giving grudgingly. 2 Corinthans 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” What was the point of giving? to abound in every good work! what were were to give? not just money or goods, but our time, and specifically our talents and gifts, so that the body might be complete. Another set of passages makes it clear we are to take care of our families.,,and our church families Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 1Timothy 3:1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. We have put ourselves back under the Law of Moses. And if you do this for the least thing you are responsible for the WHOLE LAW. Either there is grace, or there is the law. Having obtained liberty, why would we bind ourselves again to something we can never do in perfection? Give generously. Of your time, your prayers, your talents, and your money, whether to specific missions or a specific church. Make sure those members of your individual congregations are upheld, helped, not told (and it happens) that all they need to do is tithe and it’ll be OK. Further reducing family incomes. Not refusing to help someone because their tithes are not “up to date…” not believing that Christ requires a tax, or that God owed you a certain level of income (the blessing was in blessing Israel! The Jerusalem saints! Go back and read Paul’s writings! ) Remember, you ARE an expert, an ambassador, a willing workman for God. Jesus is your righteousness, and that’s how you approach others, IN HIM. It’s not about you, or fame, it’s always been about Him. You were never lesser than your pastor, nor is he worth less than you, All have different gifts. We are one body… what affects one affects all. Some of our body are being persecuted and murdered in lands across the world, Some are in prison, some are ill or addicted, some are widows, and we need have no government tell us we aren’t needed to help in losses, natural events, etc. No wonder we have no “teeth” in public discussions. We cut ourselves off at the knees over a hundred years ago. We live here, we have rights, including free speech, and in voting. And a command to spread the word of God. And cut off from caring for the widows and the fatherless, depending on a government run policing agency, on secularly run schools with social justice ideals, meaning no common sense protections of the school and environs, as they sought more grant money from the government.and so they ignored criminal intent( lowered crime numbers meant more money, so they ignored/hid crime. did not report to the police)...we allowed a shooter to walk into a high school…and now proclaim our innocence of the blood shed. It’s a good thing this is digital. Paper would have dissolved with my tears, repenting, grieving… Salt and light better pick it up a bit. http://www.ukapologetics.net/tithe.htm http://tithing-russkelly.com/id135.html |
Faith and ReasonA grandma's perspective on a few things.. Archives
May 2020
Categories<a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ontoplist.com/images/ontoplist50.png?id=553a2c21e7ccf" alt="Blog Directory & Business Pages - OnToplist.com" border="0"></a>
|