As our discussion moves forward we must pause and look at some of the current reasons being given for NOT tithing. Most of the justification for this stand against the tithe is rooted in human secular materialism and spiritualization of will full manipulation of scripture. Maybe that is a strong statement but when the reasons are viewed I can think of nothing better to describe.
I will not spend too much time on these but I will share some of the "best of the worst":
1. The tithe was "cold Law" and thus no one outside of Israel and definitely no one from the point of the cross forward should be tithing. We are under grace. We are free from the law!
2. The tithes discussed in the Old Testament are not applicable today.
3. The churches mentioned in the New Testament were never commanded to tithe or teach tithing.
4. With all the growth of Mega and Super Churches and the high salaries of their Pastoral Staff, the people who give a tithe to the those churches are wasting the money.
5. A person should place their money where they think it would serve best.
6. The Free Will offering is the offering of today.
7. Pastors and churches who teach tithing (storehouse) are abusing their people.
8. And the list goes on and on...
The problem with these are that some interesting forms of hermeneutics are used as "theological" justification. One may hear terms like "New Covenant" and "Dispensational" that lead many to believe that the one advocating the change in understanding related to tithing is actually valid.
And the "poor" are actually being used while NO definition of poor is ever given. The approach is that Pastors and church leaders DO NOT care about people.This subject is obviously one that goes far beyond Bible Interpretation and Theology. The fuss and confusion actually prove that man can create a mess of what God has been clear about only because man does not always like what God says.
And the fun will continue...
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