Reply to Your Financial Coach

Reply to Your Financial Coach

Reigniting Giving, Your Financial Coach

http://savegivespend.blogspot.com/2009/07/reigniting-giving.html (edited)

Russ: NT Spirit-blessed giving principles are: freewill, generous, sacrificial, joyful, not by commandment and motivated by love for God and lost souls. That means more than 10% for many and less for others.

Coach: If you are a Christian, as I am, we are called to give away at least 10 percent of our income as a tithe and anything above that is considered an additional offering.

Russ: False. Tithing was never commanded to the Church after Calvary. Tithing was commanded in the Law to support the Levitical priesthood and temple system which have both been annulled per Heb 7:12, 18.Coach: I have been surprised at class member's views towards tithing …

Russ: The Bible's view is that biblical tithes were always only food from inside Israel which had been miraculously increased by God. Although money was common even in Genesis and essential for sanctuary worship, money is never included in 16 texts which describe the contents of the tithe for over 1500 years from Leviticus to Luke. Jesus, Peter and Paul did not qualify as tithe-payers and neither did the poor nor those who lived outside Israel.

Coach: I won't get into the Biblical meaning of "tithe" ….

Russ: Of course not because it must not be defined the way you use the word.

Coach: … or why we are called to do it other than to say this: Christian tradition has a tithe at 10 percent …

Russ: (1) It was not found in the tradition of the first century Church of the Bible. (2) It did not attempt to become a law until the 6th century. (3) It did not become an enforced law until the 8th century. (4) Non-state denominations in the USA did not attempt to teach it until after the 1870s. Read major encyclopedias and histories of the Christian Church from your own denomination.

Coach: … and we are called to give it back to the Church because that is what the Lord told the Israelites to do as a way to honor Him.

Russ: Whoa horsie! The Lord told Israel to give it to the Levite servants to the priests (Num 18:21-24) who gave one per cent to the priests (Num 18:25-28). Both the priesthood and temple are now within believers. There were no church buildings for over 200 years after Calvary. To make matters worse from the tithing statute of Numbers 18:21-29, (1) only priests could enter the sanctuary, (2) priests could not own property and (3) priests were to kill anybody who dared to worship God directly.Coach: If you don't place tithing as a priority, it WON'T happen!

Russ: Money motive is a poor reason to teach false doctrine. There are tens of thousands in ghettos who have been faithfully tithing and playing the lottery for generations who have not received the blessings promised.

Coach: Furthermore, tithing isn't supposed to be easy.

Russ: Why not? What happened to the overflowing blessings? Your admission that tithing is not supposed to be easy proves that it does not work in the New Covenant.

Coach: It is supposed to be sacrificial giving, which is why the Lord commanded the Israelites to give the best of the first harvest gatherings and not the leftovers that wouldn't be missed.

Russ: No Bible calls firstfruits the same as tithes. Read Deu 26:1-4 and Neh 10:35-38. According to 1st Timothy 5:8 a Christians first should buy essential medicine, food and shelter. Galatians 3:1-13 is what your class should study. You have added law back into grace and Paul calls such voodoo theology.

Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
www.tithing-russkelly.com