Tithing

[Craig]

good day!
hi, i am randy from the philippines
i am a tither and i know that tithing is of the old covenant. but the blessing of the LORD to me has been tremendous..
i am not forced nor threatened to give tithes.. but i am compelled to give out of the joy from the LORD to give and i am just glad that i can give to the LORD through our church to expand the ministries the LORD has entrusted to us in our church.
and i am not against on what you are saying.
aside from giving my tithes, i also give my offerings.. this is also not out of compulsion or force but our of the abundance of my heart.
for me, sir, it doesn't matter if you give your tithes or not..
what is important is that you give out of love.. because of joy and not of force....
giving an offering, giving cheerfully for me is even more than the tithes... giving is more than 10% of what you have...
you give because of the joy that you experienced when you received Christ as your LORD and Savior, and you give in order others would hear about the love and saving knowledge of Christ.
you give so that you can reach others for Christ.
GIVING is more than TITHES... or should i  say... Giving is Tithes plus more.
God bless and keep on!
To God be the glory and honor and praise!
Randy


Dear Randy: I understand what you are trying to say, but what you are ACTUALLY saying is not Scripturally true.  You state:  "for me, sir, it doesn't matter if you [that's me] give your tithes or not."
By this statement it sounds like you are saying, "Ray, I don't care if you are too cheap to not give of yourself or your money to the needy." And that, Randy, is decidedly false and slightly slanderous. I devote several thousands of hours a year to our ministry, for which I am not paid a salary. But that sacrifice on my part does not constitute "tithing" anymore than your giving money to your church constitutes "tithing." Giving money or anything as a Believers has absolutely nothing to do with the Old Covenant law of Moses regarding "tithing" on farm products ONLY to the poor and Levites ONLY.
When one gives "voluntarily" one is assuredly nothing tithing, as tithing was NOT voluntary, but rather lawfully and legally DEMANDED.
God be with you,
Ray