Reply to Mac Brunson on Tithing, FBC Jax

Rebuttal of Pastor Mac Brunson, FBC Jacksonville, Fl on Tithing,
8/20/09 edited

Brunson: "Have you ever stopped to think that this whole economic mess in America is not really the cause of Wall Street or the cause of the White House or the cause of Congress, but it might be an act of God on this nation? Would you agree with that, that this very well may be the judgment of God on this nation - the economic difficulty?

Kelly: Our national economic problems are the result of SIN. Sinful greedy politicians, stock brokers, bankers and real estate promoters ignored common sense in encouraging low income families to purchase Adjustable Rate Mortgages which they defaulted on when the rates went up.

Brunson: Let me give you one that you're not gonna amen: Have you ever thought that the reason God's put us in an economic difficulty in this nation is because God's people won't prove him with their tithe?

Kelly: If "God's people" is a reference to New Covenant Christians, then the answer is definitely NOT! Or should I say "No, you educated idiot!" Do you have an advance degree from a seminary? Did you not learn that the Church is under the New Covenant? Did you not learn that the Old Covenant was never made with the Church or Gentiles? Did you not read in Hebrews 8:13 that the Old Covenant VANISHED over 2000 years ago? Did you not read that the statute/ordinance of tithing was ANNULLED per Hebrews 7:5, 12, 18? Do you own property in violation of Numbers 18?

Brunson: Well, more of you amened it than I thought.

Kelly: Many of the sheep who are being fleeced the most think that God owes them salvation because they have purchased it.

Brunson: But I guarantee you somebody's not going to like it.

Kelly: I, for one, do not like what you are inferring. And I, for one, would dearly love an extended detailed dialog with you or with any other SBC leader on the doctrine of tithing. I demonstrate from your own SBC web site that Baptist Confessions of Faith did not even include tithing texts until 1963.

Brunson: I'm not so sure we're not in the situation we're in because God's people WILL not prove God with the tithe."

Kelly: The whole Law was a test --not merely tithing-- and you very well know that I am correct!!! Obey ALL to be blessed; break ONE to be cursed. Nehemiah's audience asked God to curse them for violating the Old Covenant in Neh 10:29 and Malachi reminds us of the entire covenant in Mal 4:4. Your hermeneutics are upside down and totally indefensible. Paul had you in mind when he called your doctrine "witchcraft" in Galatians 3:1 and said that anybody trying to earn God's blessings because of obedience to only one part of the law as seriously mistaken in Gal 3:10-13. Why do you promote the 3:10 of Malachi and ignore the 3:10 of Galatians? Do you have an agenda?

You may forward this challenge to Mac Brunson for me.

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