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I consider anything I do which furthers the Gospel is of my tithe. I'm sure the Church I attend, but not belong to, would reather me give the money to them. but I think I know better. I'm sending my son to Biola, named so because it used to stand for Bible Institute Of Los Angeles, and I wouldn't be able to if I gave more than !0% of the money I spend to the Church. I'm at perfect peace with this, but I do think we need to give the Church a set aside amount.
This is a topic that is taken to both extremes and everywhere inbetween. Usually, those who are adamantly against tithing are against it because they want to keep "their" money. Tithing is NOT unbiblical, even if there isn't any New Testament teaching on it. How can something that was biblical in the Old Testament now be considered unbiblical? You can't use sacrifices as an example because God put an end to sacrifices because Jesus was THE perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice. He didn't put an end to giving.
Those who are adamantly FOR tithing have varying reasons, too. Some do it out of fear of sinning if they don't. This is mostly due to not knowing the Word for themselves and relying on other people's teachings. Some are bound by this fear and legalism. This fear can come from churches who over-emphasize tithing.
Tithes and giving was intended to be a joy! Boy, have we lost sight of this blessing today!
Yes, tithing is an Old Testament law/concept that, as some believe, was a method of taxation to help the priests and the Levites of the sacrificial system. Tithing is not taught, or even recommended in the New Testament, in the manner that it was in the Old.
Paul DOES say in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, "Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made."
This is a type of giving that he instructed to help support the church. There is no percentage or amount recommended other than "in keeping with his income." The 10% figure was borrowed from the Old Testament as the "recommended minimum." Sometimes that means more and sometimes that will mean less, depending on the Christian and the needs of the church.
Now, a lot of people stop there and think, "Ha! It's not a requirement, so it's 'unbiblical' and I don't have to do it." And they're right (although not about the 'unbiblical' part). They don't have to, because God says to give as you purpose in your heart to give. It should be done willingly and cheerfully. Most people consider the money "theirs" and not God's. If somone is giving grudgingly, or even legalistically, they could just as well keep their money because it's a matter of motive/heart.
2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Most people miss out on the importance and benefit of giving. Everyone should pray about participating in giving and in regards to the amount.
James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
Remember, this is in place to help and bless God's people. God can accomplish anything He wants without a single person giving a dime if He wants to. Finances are a test of our stewardship. They aren't even a means to an end. They are a test of our stewardship.
[SIZE=3]The Tithe in Genesis 28:19-22[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]We will begin at verse 19 to get the context: "And he called the name of that place Bethel." You remember the circumstances. This was the night when Jacob was fleeing from Esau, a fugitive from home, starting out to Laban’s; and that night while he was asleep he had the vision. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: 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." Here again we have the tithe. Jacob vowed that in return for the Lord’s temporal blessings upon him, he would render a tenth in return unto the Lord. We are not told why he selected that percentage; we are not told why he should give a tenth; but the fact that he did determine so to do, intimates there had previously been a revelation of God’s mind to His creatures, and particularly to His people, that one-tenth of their income should be devoted to the Giver of all.[/SIZE]
I've always been struck by Jacob's incredible arrogance in putting conditions on the tithe. "If you first do all this for me, then I will do this for you..." God is truly merciful.
[SIZE=3]Before coming to the next point let us just anticipate two objections. When the subject of tithing is brought before the Lord’s people, there are usually a few who are ready to say, Well, I think it is a man’s duty to provide for his own household, for his own family. Yes, so do I. Scripture says so. There is nothing wrong in that. I go further. I believe it is perfectly proper for a young Christian man to desire and to seek after an increasing income with which to properly support his growing family, but if he is not a tither he has no guarantee from God that his present income will even be maintained, let alone enlarged. But the tither has that guarantee from God, as we shall yet see, unless our eyes are shut.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]And then perhaps there are some who say, I cannot afford to tithe, for I have made some investments which have turned out very badly. Yes, and you are likely to meet with some worse ones if you continue to rob God! My friends, you need Divine guidance in the matter of investing, and God won’t give that guidance while you are walking contrary to His revealed will in the matter of church finance. I am fully persuaded that in the vast majority of cases, if not all (this may sound harsh: God’s Word is piercing and condemning and rebuking and humbling) that where you have children of God in middle life or in old age, who are in financial straits, it is because they robbed God in their earlier years. Be not deceived: God is not mocked! If they did not handle to His glory and use according to His Word the money He did give them, then they must not be surprised if He withholds from them now: see Jeremiah 5:25! There is a cause for every effect. There is an explanation to all things right here in the Word of God, too.[/SIZE]
idont give credit to someone i dont know , i just forwarding on to you ,instead of just repeating myself ....its easyer to forward in on........
Unfortunately, and legally, you do need to give them credit. It's a matter of copyright laws and City Data has a "no tolerance" policy on quoting material and not linking to, and crediting, the source. This is actually punishable by fines and jail time because it's considered theft of intellectual property.
I just don't want to see you get banned from this site, or worse. If you can still edit your posts, please put links to the article(s) you're quoting so you aren't at risk, ok?
We can only copy a few lines from someone else's work and then give them credit as the source of the article and link to it.
EDITED TO ADD: Otherwise, it appears that you're posting these words and claiming them as your own, that's where the theft comes in.
Last edited by Simple Living; 05-07-2008 at 02:49 PM..
Unfortunately, and legally, you do need to give them credit. It's a matter of copyright laws and City Data has a "no tolerance" policy on quoting material and not linking to, and crediting, the source. This is actually punishable by fines and jail time because it's considered theft of intellectual property.
I just don't want to see you get banned from this site, or worse. If you can still edit your posts, please put links to the article(s) you're quoting so you aren't at risk, ok?
We can only copy a few lines from someone else's work and then give them credit as the source of the article and link to it.
EDITED TO ADD: Otherwise, it appears that you're posting these words and claiming them as your own, that's where the theft comes in.
you put those wards there i didnt...you said i was claiming and you said , your own ......i didnt say that............dont even try putting those wards in my mouth , you saidthat i wasnt claiming anything..i undersand laws and what i can do..........all i can say about this, is your good at making somthing out of nothing
you put those wards there i didnt...you said i was claiming and you said , your own ......i didnt say that............dont even try putting those wards in my mouth , you saidthat i wasnt claiming anything..i undersand laws and what i can do..........all i can say about this, is your good at making somthing out of nothing
I just tried to warn you before a moderator saw your posts....
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