Tim: I call this column (.....) and predicate it on my own experiences.
Russ: While that sounds very honorable,
when discussing God’s Word, it is dangerous. In 1973 I reacted to a good experience
and faulty logic and ended up in Seventh-day Adventism for eight years.
Tim: The tithers with whom I associate
are typically the most mature Christians I know, participating in various
ministries either through personal donations of money and resources or time and
energy spent.
Russ: First, the largest percentage of
Christians who give the first ten per cent of their income to the Church either
live in the poorest parts of town or in old age retirement homes. I have worked
in both areas. Second, the “tithers” you
know are the hard-working blessed who succeed whether they are Christians or ATHEISTS.
They apply Dale Carnegie’s principles of success. My point is that they call
their giving “tithing” or “freewill sacrificial giving.”
Tim: I can concede several of your
points (e.g., the tithe didn’t involve money), however I am not persuaded in my
beliefs.
Russ: You admit that the very definition
of a HOLY biblical tithe is WRONG …but that does not change your “beliefs” ---
that makes no sense at all.
BIBLICAL FACT: O. T. HOLY tithes were
always only food from inside Israel; tithes could not come from outside Israel
or from non-Israelites.
BIBLICAL FACTS: As a carpenter or
tentmaker, Jesus and Paul could not tithe if they desired.
BIBLICAL FACT: Jesus commanded to give
money with Caesar’s image and language to Caesar. Our money cannot be used for O.
T. tithes or offerings.
Tim: I agree we are no longer under the
curse …
Russ: “We” non-Hebrew Gentiles never
were under any part of the Old Covenant Law!!! God commanded Israel NOT to share
His covenant with non-Israelites. According to John 1:9; Romans 1:18-20 and
2:14-16 “we” were only under the law of nature and conscience. FACT: nature and
conscience teach the principle of “giving” but not “giving ten per cent.”
Tim: … but I also believe there is a
blessing associated with tithing, which I hope you would concur if I said
“giving” instead of “tithing”.
Russ: Call it “sacrificial giving” and
I wholly concur. Why don’t you call it what it is?
Tim: I am curious if you had ever heard
the garden of Eden theory of the “tithe”? It has less to do with 10% and
more to do with the heart and obedience.
Russ: If you correctly call it the “Garden
principle of giving,” I would agree. Call it what it is!!
Tim: Luke 16:13
Rus: Luke 16:13 is about greed and
selfishness; it is not about tithing. Old covenant food producers who lived on
God’s HOLY land were commanded to tithe whether they liked it or not. It was
SIN not to tithe. However, those working other trades inside Israel were expected
to give freely and sacrificially to meet the needs of the sanctuary.
Tim: Luke 16:10-12
Russ: Again, you retreat to non-tithing
principles of giving to support tithing. Working outside HOLY Israel, Paul
could not and did not teach tithing. Hebrews 7:18 contextually refers back to
7:5 and 7:12 and, therefore, teaches hat tithing has been annulled.
Tim: As I understand the principle of
tithing, the tithe did not belong to the individual; it belonged to God.
Russ: It did not belong to the individual
FOOD PRODUCER living inside Israel. Exactly what is the “principle of tithing”?
(1) It came off God’s HOLY land. (2) It’s increase came from a direct miracle
of God. (3) It did not come from man’s hand, craft, trade of wisdom. (4) It did
not apply to everybody living on the HOLY land and in the land. (5) It applied
to nobody living outside the HOLY land.
Tim: The children of Israel had
specific commands as to how to handle the tithe and what to say over it, but it
wasn’t theirs to keep.
Russ: None of those “specific commands”
is obeyed or kept by “tithe-teachers” today. There is simply no biblical
precedent!!!
Tim: I have been tithing all my life
and I have seen the goodness of the Lord, which I believe has resulted from
that obedience.
Russ: You may have been giving 10% of
your gross income before taxes to the church, but that is not the definition of
a HOLY biblical tithe. As a New Covenant Gentile living outside Israel, you do
not qualify as a tithe-payer in God’s eyes.
Tim: You may choose to disagree; I’m
okay with that.
Russ: I’m do disagree and am
disappointed that you made such little effort to use proper hermeneutics with
God’s Word to respond.
Why did Jesus teach tithing in Matthew
23:23?
(1) It was before Calvary while the Law
was still in full effect.
(2) He did not command His listeners to
give tithes to either Himself or to His disciples. Such would have been SIN and
unlawful.
(3) 1600 years after Leviticus 27:30-32
and Numbers 18:20-28 and 450 years after Nehemiah 10:35-38; 13:5-10 and Malachi
3:10 --- the HOLY tithe was still only from FOOD from inside HOLY Israel. What
gives anybody permission to redefine God’s HOLY tithe?
In Christ’s love
Russell Earl Kelly
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