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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Why Everybody Could not be a Farmer in the OT

While agreeing that your ideal situation may have originally envisioned all as landowners, it is never stated in God’s Word nor has it ever been actually practical in real life.

The double-portion to the firstborn law would have chased most off the land within a few generations. As the land portions became smaller and smaller they would have become too small to sustain most households. The small landowner would have been forced to sell his land to his first-born descendant who could afford to buy up small parcels. That is common sense to me. If my logic is wrong, tell me where.

The small landowner would then have two choices: (1) work for his relative as a day-laborer or (2) move to the city and take up a trade. In either case he would cease paying tithes. The landowner would pay the tithe of food or herds and the products from craftsmen are not a tithe-able item. Jesus and his father are good examples. How many brothers got a share of Joseph’s carpenter shop?

For example a 1000 acre farm with four sons would be divided after one generation into plots of 400-200-200-200 with a double portion to the firstborn.
The second generation split would be 160-80-80-80. The third generation split would be 64-32-32-32. And the fourth generation split would be 25.6-12.8-12.8-12.8. Like all societies the masses eventually move to the cities. The Early Dark Ages and Dark Ages began around AD700 when the poorest farmers sold their land for protection and became tenant feudal farmers.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Tithe Areas of Babylon and Alexandria

Michael

That which Jesus told to the rich young ruler became the rallying cry, not for tithing, but for monasticism. Beginning with the first century church the most important style of living was asceticism rather than the prosperity gospel.

There is no mention found in the Church Fathers of tithing for over 200 years until Cyprian tried a version and failed around 250 AD. Augustine and Chrystostum also failed to sway the church in that direction. Two local church councils in the 6th century also failed to sway the whole church. Tithing was not enforced by law until late in the 8th century. This history is found in both the Encyclopedia Britannica and three Roman Catholic encyclopedias.

I do not accept tradition as equal authority with the Bible.

Yes, Jews set up by their own authority tithing zones in Babylon and Alexandria after Jerusalem fell in 586 BC. That does not make it right. Even so, those tithes were still only food from specifically designated areas as tithes were still only food in Malachi 3:10-11 and Matthew 23:23. Yet even then tithes from those zones could not be used in the Temple. These exceptions are very small compared to the area of the Diaspora.

If it does not matter what you call it, then why not call it “sacrificial generous freewill giving” which is biblically correct.

Joseph’s tithe of 20 per cent in Egypt merely validates my point that tithing was a well known pagan custom in all areas of the Fertile Crescent. So also were idolatry, temple prostitution and child sacrifice. Point: merely being very old and very common does not automatically make something eternal and moral. The TRUE HOLY biblical tithe was never an eternal moral principle.

What a poor example we find in Eygpty. They ended up not tithing anything the next 7 years, trying to buy back their own tithes and then loosing all the land to the state.

In Christ’s love
Russ Kelly

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Reply to Change Worth Makaing, 11-18-1-

Tithing will not cease from our agenda until this false vestige of the Old Covenant law has been purged from our churches. It keeps the New Covenant church in legalism and draws the anathema of Paul in Galatians 1:7-9; 3:1.

Why should we want Ed Young. He is yours. All yours. He merely extends your false tithing theology to its ultimate conclusion. If it is such an important principle for the church, then admit it and join Ed Young. Otherwise admit error and drop it.

Concernng Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, Paula White, and all of the other prosperity preachers – isn’t it amazing that ALL of these theach tithing” That is where they STARTED going wrong. And do not forget Benny Hinn and John Hagee. Tithing is the leaven of the prosperity gospel and tithing leads to the other false doctrine.

Most preachers who preach 10% are willingly ignorant and do not want to discuss the matter because they would LOSE the argument every time with a knowledgeable Bible scholar.
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“This preacher could say that those who use, the “farmers, herdsman, cattle, sheep, produce, Israel, only arguments” as reasons not to tithe are being legalistic.”
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Incredibly opposite logic! While Genesis alone (before the Law) contains the word “money” 22 times, money is NEVER inclluded in any of the 16 texts which describe the contents of the tithe.

While YOU may not use the Law to teach tithing, but almost everybody else does. Take a look at the Baptist Faith and Message and look at the tithing texts used under Stewardship!
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“Those who rightly teach the tithe do not use the law to explain it. It is from those who don’t want to tithe that use the Law to avoid it.”
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Nobody can “rightly teach the tithe.” Abram’s tithe was only from pagan spoils of war in obedience to the law of the land. And Jacob’s tithe was an example of him telling God what to do. You have no valid pre-law or post-law principle for tithing which applies to Christians today. Give it up.
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“For someone to say that since the tithe was only for farmers, and herdsman, Christians have no responsibility to it; is like saying, since everyone in the Bible that gave were wearing tunics, and that’s not us, we shouldn’t be asked to give.”
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Tunics? What are you talking aaout? Farmers and herdsmen did not wear tunics! As a tentmaker working and living in pagan lands, Paul could not and did not teach tithing. You spiritualize the literal Word of God by redefining the tithe. We do not oppose giving. That is your paper tiger. We support generous sacrificial giving which often means MORE than 10%.
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“Too often they cannot discern the difference between a principle and a command.”
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Never can you defend your statement that tithing was/is a universal moral law. You would have the very poorest in society tithe first and do without essential medicine, food and shelter. Shame on you. Scratch 1 Timothy 5:8 out of your Bible.
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“When I preach that God gets the best and we live off the rest, and someone takes issue with that, why is it that no one examines their motives?”
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Lev 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad….
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“Why doesn’t someone want to give God the best and live off the rest?”
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Do you ever read the Bible?
Lev 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad…
1 Tim 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
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“That being said, the entire circus of accusation, and distortion, is a detriment to the Christian ministry.”
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The entire pro-tithing circus of fals doctrine and distortion is a detriment to the Christian ministry. It does not harm those in John MacArthur’s ministry.
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“I’ve preached one series of messages on tithing and stewardship in the last five years. I have no idea who in this church practices tithing. I am not worried about it. We always have enough to do what the Lord leads us to do. I firmly believe that the Lord pays for what He orders.”
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In other words, YOU do not need to preach and teach tithing. What are you harping about then?

Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
SBC Yesterday Blogspot

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Southern Baptists Help Promote Anti-Tithing Theology

Finally, finally, finally, there will soon be a book in bookstores everywhere presenting our viewpont about tithign. Seehttp://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Tithing-Views-David-Croteau/dp/0805449779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289482778&sr=8-1

Our good friend, David Croteau, is both editor and contributor. He evaluates all four views plus his own extensively. I suggest all of you buy this book and spread the word. For me it is a great breakthrogh.

This book is both publilshed and circulated by the Southern Baptist Convention's own press.
And it is very affordable.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

GIVE YOUR CHURCH YOUR BANK ROUTING NUMBER AND ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR TITHE WITHDRAWAL

GIVE US YOUR BANK ROUTING NUMBER AND ACCOUNT NUMBER

Ed Young, Jr. Fellowship Church, Dallas, TX (Southern Baptist).

Watch the video for yourself.
Will the Southern Baptist Convention please stop this nonsencse? It gives Christianity a bad name and chases seekers out of your churches.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
www.tithing-russkelly.com

(Summary) “Pay your tithe with automatic withdrawal from your bank account. Give me (this church) your bank routing number and account number. See it on the screen.”

http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2010/11/02/texas-mega-church-minister-asks-members-for-bank-account-routing-numbers/

http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com/2010/11/ed-youngs-tithing-sermon-show-me-money.html

http://www.jesusneedsnewpr.net/would-you-give-pastor-edyoung-your-banking-information/