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Author Topic: Tithing  (Read 5191 times)

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Craig

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Tithing
« on: June 14, 2007, 07:35:40 PM »

Dear Scott:  I get a question on tithing every so many hours; week after week; year after year. Yet I have never once received of those many hundreds of emails trying to correct me on the subject of tithing, one that understood even basically what tithing was. I will make a few COMMENTS in your email............

    Ray,
     
    I have read your exegesis of tithing for New Testament Tithing, and I can say that I am inpressed with your extensive time and effort that went into it.
     
    There are a few areas that I believe that you need to make further explanation.
     
    At several times throughout the exegesis you indicate the we (today) do not need to tithe because tithing only partained to the "fruits of the land"...such as cattle, grain, other crops, etc.
     
    COMMENT:  That is totally untrue. I have never ever said or even suggested that we don't need to tithe today because it only applied to farm products. It matters NOT what was a titheable commodity, if tithing is still in effect, the whatever was a titheable commodity WOULD STILL BE A TITHING COMMODITY. But tithing is NOT in effect today and the reason is NOT because it was geared to farm products.
     
     To me, the problem with looking at tithing in such a narrow context is completely disregarding the differences in the economy of ancient times (2000 bc to ad 70) as compared to today (2007).
     
    COMMENT:  EXCUSE ME! My approach to tithing is "such a narrows context that COMPLETELY disregards" certain things.  That is total nonsense. Tithing has NOTHING to do with the differences in economies. It has to do with whether or not the tithing law is enforce for Believers under the New Covenant. PERIOD.
     
    During the time that the Old Testament (and the New Testament for that matter) were written the world over consisted of mostly agrarian societies.  The use of a common currency was not in large use (as it is today).
     
    COMMENT:  Few things in the entire world were then "(as it is today)."  What does that have to do with the price of screw drivers in China?
     
      To wit: when most people needed to purchase something, they would take what they had (in this case cattle, crops, and other "fruits of the land") and take it into market and barter or exchange it for another commodity.  What I am trying to say is that currency, probably gold or silver in this case, was not always used for such transactions.  Instead people "paid" for what they needed with what they had...and in this case it most likely would have been a commodity like one of the ones I previously mentioned.
     
    COMMENT:  Oh really? And did basket makers trade sheep for needed items?  Did wagon makers trade sheep for needed items?  Did fishermen trade sheep for their needed items?  Did cloth makers trade sheep for their needed items?  Did carpenters trade sheep for their needed items?  Did teachers trade sheep for their needed items?  Did metal workers trade sheep for their needed items?  Did stone workers trade sheep for their necessities in the market place?  Did laborers who harvested the tithes from the land and who got paid wages in MONEY, trade sheep for the items they needed for their families.  Did tentmakers trade sheep for the items they needed?
     
    So, when the Old Testament says that God required a tenth (or a tithe) He (that is God) would have made it possible for people without currency (and in this case it was probably the majority of people) to be able to give.
     
    COMMENT:  NO, absolutely not. That is totally unscriptural. I just showed a number of trades that did NOT trade farm products for the items they and their families needed, and NONE ONE OF THEM was required to tithe ANY of the dozens and hundreds of items made by artisans throughout Israel.
     
    Moving forward to today, I live in a metropolitan area.  I do not even know any farmers personally.  I think what you are failing to see here is the neccisity to contextualize the message of God into today's terms.
     
    COMMENT:  NO, what you are failing to see is WHY there is no law of tithing under the New Covenant today. Number one, there IS NO LEVETIC PRIESTHOOD today. ALL God's chosen people are "priests" today (I Pet. 2:9). Now YOUR priest and YOUR minister do not want you to know this, but it is a Scriptural truth, nonetheless.   There IS NO TEMPLE SERVICE  at Jerusalem to even have a need for these priests that no longer exist. And furthermore, there IS NO TEMPLE to take your tithes to.  Believers today are scattered like SALT over the earth. There is no central temple where all of these tithes are to be used by a priesthood to officiate over a religious service that no longer exists, etc.
     
      I am not sure of a percentage, but most people are not able to give in the strictest sense of what Old Testament tithing required.  Just because the way in which our current culture/society barters and exchanges value in the marke place is diffent than what it was 1,000's of years ago, does that mean that God's teachings of giving and generosity have changed....I don't think so.
     
    COMMENT:  Please don't do that me. Please don't treat me like I am some kind of a fool that can have the wool pulled over his eyes.  Your subject was "TITHING."  Your first three sentences mention "TITHING" three times. Your whole argument is about "TITHING,"  And then you conclude by insinuating that you are in tune with "God's teachings of giving and generosity" but that I am not? Excuse me?  Since when was the topic, subject, area of discussion, etc., of your email" GOD'S TEACHINGS OF GIVING AND GENEROSITY?"  "Tithing" my friend, was a LAW THAT HAD TO BE OBEYED:  "...the priesthood have a COMMANDMENT to TAKE tithes of the people according to THE LAW"  (Heb. 7:5). It had nothing to do with voluntary giving and generosity!
     
    Well, since this is getting kind of long, I will wrap it up here.  I have several other issues with your exegeisis, but I need to get back to work.  So with that said, I hope you write back with a little further explanation.
     
    COMMENT:  My explanations in my tithing article are already way too long. What I plan to do is shorten them down by 30 or 40 percent, not lengthen them. I am not angry with you Scott, but in the future, before your purpose to put someone in their place and correct huge areas of their material, maybe just ask a few questions to see whether you are even in the same ballpark with your corrections.
    God be with you,
    Ray

     
    Thanks,
     
    Scott
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