Tithing Questions
Certainly if a congregation has the means to support a minister full-time, there is nothing wrong with that. It is often necessary for a minister to be full-time if the congregation is large and scattered.
The Apostle Paul said that he had a right to live off of the gospel he preached. He chose, however, not to do so. But he did not use for an example the law of tithing. No, instead he used the example of muzzling an ox that grinds the grains. If a ox has a just right to food and shelter for its work, how much more a man who serves many people in their spiritual needs.
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I explained in my paper on tithing that Christ upheld the Mosaic laws during His ministry. He instructed his disciples to be subject to the Pharisees who "sit in Moses' seat," but to not follow their hypocritical ways and gross sins.
There was a "temple tax" that was owed each year by the heads of household. This "belonged to God" for support of the temple. It was NOT a tithe. Need I remind you that there IS NOT A PHYSICAL TEMPLE in Jerusalem today or anywhere, where blood sacrifices, etc., are still administered by the Levitical Priesthood.
I also went over Abraham's and Jacob's example of tithing. If you want to follow them, then do it. Next time you subdue several pagan kingdoms through warfare, give a tenth of the spoils to God, but don't tithe of your own personal belongings and you will be following Abraham's example. Pray to God to be fabulously blessed with untold WEALTH as Jacob did, and then ONCE give God a tenth back when God makes you wealthy, and you will be following Jacob's example of tithing.
My purpose is not to persuade people to stop tithing. I merely present the Scriptures. People will do what they want to do regardless of what the Scriptures say.
Paul didn't pay a temple tax, nor did He tithe, nor did he teach tithing. Paul IS the apostle to us Gentiles. Hope that helps your understanding a little better
