Comments on: Is Tithing Biblical? http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/2008/08/guest-post-is-tithing-biblical-2.html Finances transformed by faith Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:12:43 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Scott Knapp http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/2008/08/guest-post-is-tithing-biblical-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-5215 Scott Knapp Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:44:51 +0000 http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/?p=787#comment-5215 The tithe was also a cultural tribute given by "serfs" in many Near Eastern cultures to kings and land owners; it is not unusual whatsoever that Abraham (or any of the Patriarchs) living in the Near East would follow this tradition. Tithing under the Law served as a means of taxation for the nation of Isreal, in support of the religious system, which was united with government. This tithe was unique to the nation of Isreal, and to the temple and Levitical service of YHWH. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, resulting in the disbanding of Levitical service as well. Paul's simple prescription for giving in the NT is simply to give "hilariously" without grudge. As with all aspects of living, giving is to be guided by the Holy Spirit, no longer mandated by a percentage tithe per the Law. While it is clever to appeal to the behaviors of the patriarchs to support contemporary tithing, there are many other behaviors that the patriarchs exhibited that no one seems to think we need to emulate today (placing one's hand under another man's genitals to make an oath, erecting field stone altars, etc.) Why pick only the tithe? With the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, Christianity was freed from that model of "doing church". Although Paul established some norms for church leadership at the local level, our present model of hierarchical denominational structure and "building" oriented church are more cultural phenomena, modeling more after a corrupt form of Catholic practice than biblical prescription. Our present clergy are NOT the same as the OT Levites, and our present day churches are NOT the same as the Temple of YHWH of the OT. We've so institutionalized and professionalized the mandate to make disciples of Jesus, and thus justified in our minds the use of techniques to support our model that are no longer sanctioned by NT scripture...but we've done it for so long we equate this practice with scripture. This is why there is a huge movement toward the "house church" once again, with clergy from amongst peers, and a commitment to grow and divide, without a centralization of leadership and a hierarchy to financially support. I think the central problem in today's church is the equating of culturally-sanctioned organizational structure with true scriptural mandate, and it is no wonder that clergy committed to funding and forwarding this model have resorted to the heretical re-institution of the tithe, and prepared their necks for millstones by teaching it as a biblical mandate. When the Quakers adopted this stance toward tithing, the Church of England persecuted them for speaking out against support of the established religion and it's means of support from the common masses, and many were burned at the stake for this! I believe our current day denominations (not all, but many) have gone the way of the old Catholic church, and the Church of England! It was folks of faith like George Mueller, who demonstrated to the so-called "believing" world that God could be counted upon to move the hearts of His people by His Spirit, to give as they were moved, and fund the movements He desired to move. Perhaps there are established churches that He may choose to deny funding, because they've chosen to move in wrong directions...a prompting of God's Spirit that will never be effected if God's people are inculcated with the unscriptural yoke of tithing! The tithe was also a cultural tribute given by “serfs” in many Near Eastern cultures to kings and land owners; it is not unusual whatsoever that Abraham (or any of the Patriarchs) living in the Near East would follow this tradition. Tithing under the Law served as a means of taxation for the nation of Isreal, in support of the religious system, which was united with government. This tithe was unique to the nation of Isreal, and to the temple and Levitical service of YHWH. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, resulting in the disbanding of Levitical service as well. Paul’s simple prescription for giving in the NT is simply to give “hilariously” without grudge. As with all aspects of living, giving is to be guided by the Holy Spirit, no longer mandated by a percentage tithe per the Law.

While it is clever to appeal to the behaviors of the patriarchs to support contemporary tithing, there are many other behaviors that the patriarchs exhibited that no one seems to think we need to emulate today (placing one’s hand under another man’s genitals to make an oath, erecting field stone altars, etc.) Why pick only the tithe? With the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, Christianity was freed from that model of “doing church”. Although Paul established some norms for church leadership at the local level, our present model of hierarchical denominational structure and “building” oriented church are more cultural phenomena, modeling more after a corrupt form of Catholic practice than biblical prescription.

Our present clergy are NOT the same as the OT Levites, and our present day churches are NOT the same as the Temple of YHWH of the OT. We’ve so institutionalized and professionalized the mandate to make disciples of Jesus, and thus justified in our minds the use of techniques to support our model that are no longer sanctioned by NT scripture…but we’ve done it for so long we equate this practice with scripture. This is why there is a huge movement toward the “house church” once again, with clergy from amongst peers, and a commitment to grow and divide, without a centralization of leadership and a hierarchy to financially support. I think the central problem in today’s church is the equating of culturally-sanctioned organizational structure with true scriptural mandate, and it is no wonder that clergy committed to funding and forwarding this model have resorted to the heretical re-institution of the tithe, and prepared their necks for millstones by teaching it as a biblical mandate.

When the Quakers adopted this stance toward tithing, the Church of England persecuted them for speaking out against support of the established religion and it’s means of support from the common masses, and many were burned at the stake for this! I believe our current day denominations (not all, but many) have gone the way of the old Catholic church, and the Church of England! It was folks of faith like George Mueller, who demonstrated to the so-called “believing” world that God could be counted upon to move the hearts of His people by His Spirit, to give as they were moved, and fund the movements He desired to move. Perhaps there are established churches that He may choose to deny funding, because they’ve chosen to move in wrong directions…a prompting of God’s Spirit that will never be effected if God’s people are inculcated with the unscriptural yoke of tithing!

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