> I want to make sure I am clear on this.
>
> You are saying that it is not right to demand people to tithe and say
> if they don't they will go to hell. IF so I agree.
>
> But shouldn't it be preached that if you do, you shall receive blessings.
>
> I use to do the books in the church. I know where the money goes and
> if people didn't pay their tithes then there would be no church. The
> money went to bills, helping the poor and paying the staff.
>
> Some may think it is wrong to pay the staff, but when the people
> brought their tithe to the priest and the priest took some of it to
> eat, it was a provision for the priest and their family. They didn't
> have to go out there and work for their food, they could always be
> available for the people.
>
> I think it is hard w hen a pastor has to work, because then they are
> not there for their peopl e. In today's world, people need help. They
> need counseling, and when a pastor has to work then someone else has
> to do the counseling and it is not always Godly advice. The pastor is
> also surround before and after church with people trying to get his
> time and advice. It is very tiresome.
>
> Anyways I agree that you should not throw around that if you don't
> tithe that you will go to hell, especially when most people are having
> a hard time putting a roof over their head now days and can't pay
> their tithes. But it should be preached they can be blessed if they do
> and how the money is spent.
>
> I hope I got it right of what you are really trying to get across,
> that you are not speaking against tithing, just that it should not be
> forced.
>
> Thanks for reading,
> Anita
Dear Anita: If something is right and Scriptural, then it SHOULD be taught fervently. Tithing of any kind, but especially MONEY is absolutely unscriptural and anti-scriptural. You are correct in almost everything you said, except when you said: "...if people didn't pay their tithes then there would be no church." Wrong. You are confusing "doctrine" with Scriptural admonitions and common sense. Yes, it takes money to operate a church and ministry, but NO, it does not taking the "tithing of money" to accomplish this. MONEY HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH TITHING. And tithing of any kind is unscriptural under the New Covenant. Just get rid of the word tithing, and the doctrine of tithing, and the law of tithing, and starting following the SCRIPTURES!
Christ never taught His followers to tithe to His Church.
The Apostles never taught converts to tithe to Christ's Church.
Paul never taught the Gentiles to tithe to him or Christ's Church.
There is not one single example of tithing MONEY in the Scriptures, and there is not one single example of tithing ANYTHING to the New Covenant Church. PERIOD.
Paul said that "God loves a cheerful GIVER." Paul did not say that "God loves a cheerful TITHE-PAYER."
If tithing is not a law today, which is was in the days of Moses and the Old Covenant, then it is a sin to teach that tithing is still a law binding on Believers under the New Covenant. The breaking of a law of God is a SIN, the penalty of sin is DEATH. Tithing of money on New Covenant Believers and one of the "damnable heresies" Peter warned about (II Pet. 2:1).
Teach people to be cheerful, loving, voluntary, givers, and get rid of the money-thing heresy of the Church. The only way we allow people to give to our ministry is that they have to ask us if they can give. And if anyone would send is a donation and state that it is their "tithe" to God's work, we will send it back. We do not sell the gospel, nor do we ask for money, yet God is providing.
God be with you,
Ray
