Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
Michael H
I can't make this a law thing, but a principle thing.
I can say that tithing and honoring God with a 10% has never failed, nor has any bill gone unpaid though it looked like many times it would.
Its not a law thing, but a principle thing - or I dare say a love thing and even a worship thing.
Just one of the ways to show God some love back.
indeed, He never fails.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
not half, not a quarter or whatever you prefer.
you are invited to test Him, but the Holy Spirit is a Gentleman
- so it is your choice.
Isnt the bible clear enough?
Amazing to me that when we are in the world, there is no monetary limit on partying (cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc.). But when The Lord delivers us, we suddenly get stingy with "our" money.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
No one here is saying that we aren't required to be generous. We're talking about tithing, are we not?Amazing to me that when we are in the world, there is no monetary limit on partying (cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc.). But when The Lord delivers us, we suddenly get stingy with "our" money.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Absolutely. Jesus clearly teaches generosity.
Here's how I'm looking at this conversation:
Does God command us to tithe?
Or does God want us to be generous, and some people may decide to take on a personal commitment to tithe, knowing that it is not a command from God, but they personally find it helpful to remind them to be generous? Other people may choose to remind themselves to be generous in other ways, and others may need no reminder at all, possibly because they are gifted with generosity.
Let's say we find out God commands us to tithe, and not doing so is like robbery, or committing adultery.
...
So it can't be God's command to the church, based on other scriptures. I have scripture to support it, but we have to examine all the scripture together.
I think we've been asking that same question for a page or two.Well, let's have a look at these scriptures, then.
Is then tithing with ZERO faith and of necessity really honoring God with a 10% if we do it under some law or obligation?
Sowing needs faith and joy over the seed. It won't produce if you sow grudgingly. Having to tithe out of some duty could make someone weary and we don't reap if we grow weary and faint.
I think we've been asking that same question for a page or two.
Michael, I don't really understand your argument. We could say that about anything from the Law if we wanted. What ifs don't really matter if the issue isn't salvation based. We wouldn't be cast into hell for not giving 10% anyway because, according to Roads, tithing 10% doesn't even cover what the Bible says we should tithe.
If we want to play what ifs, then what if you get to heaven and you tell Jesus you gave 10% of your income and He says that the Bible says that isn't nearly enough? And then asks where monetary tithe is in the Bible anyway!
Here Jesus says the same thing, seek the Kingdom of God first, put God's things first and then the rest just gets added to you.
So the best way I figured on doing this is starting with tithing before paying bills. It was not a law thing, but a revelation of how not to stay broke.
Scripture References:
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I get:
Supporting (financially and otherwise) the work of fellow Christians = seeking the Kingdom first
Making sure the needs of Christians in "full time" ministry are met (financially and otherwise) = seeking the Kingdom first
Making sure we're taking care of the poor and foreigners among us (financially and otherwise) = seeking the Kingdom first
I don't get:
10% of your income = the minimum requirement of seeking the Kingdom first, minimum requirement to "reap" blessings
9.5% of your income = unequivocally robbing God, not seeking the Kingdom first, not good enough to "reap" blessings
10.5% of your income = just plain generous, above and beyond the minimum requirement, exceptionally seeking the Kingdom first
I'm hoping someone can explain it to me.
I quote your post Michael because i believe i can count on you if i am wrong. And Mercedes Benz. This is just something i'd like to mention without answering any specific question. Isn't it true that the slaves in Egypt tithed 10% if their food in honour of God. And the Jews are the wealthiest people in the world that stem from the slavery. I mention this only because i do not claim to be no expert on history or the bible for the matter.Jesus did tell some that came to him who cast out devils, performed miracles in his name to depart from him you workers of iniquity, I KNOW YOU NOT!
Which was my point about the 10% being a commandment. If people are forced to do something apart from faith (Get that revelation as it will help you help and not judge others) then it's not really a tithe, but of some law or duty.
Where there is no law, sin is not imputed, and only God gives the increase as we plant and water.
I knew a brother I visited who had porn mags everywhere. he was embarrassed for me to see them. However, I did not say a Word to him.
Why?
He already felt bad about it, but had he known how deadly they were, he would not go near them. He did not that revelation yet.
If someone understands sin, like they understand you don't grab something out of the oven without mits, they don't do that sin.
Tithe is the same way, I was sick of being broke, and being a believer I knew it was not God's will for me to be broke. So, I started in the Word to find out how not to be broke. All the answer are in there.
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
(Hag 1:4-7)
Here they let the Lord's house sit in ruin while they were running around trying to get their houses liveable and nice. I guess having a ceiling over you head was a luxury back in them days, but that is what they were doing with all their time and resources. By not putting God's things first, they ran into poverty.
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(Mat 6:31-33)
Here Jesus says the same thing, seek the Kingdom of God first, put God's things first and then the rest just gets added to you.
So the best way I figured on doing this is starting with tithing before paying bills. It was not a law thing, but a revelation of how not to stay broke.
Since that 10% number is what God gave and tied that to blessing,
Jesus said render to Caesar what is his and Render unto God what is his. I have to assume that God considers something that is His,
So, it seems to me that money is sort of like a yard stick of our faithfulness with money, and what better way than to give 10% of it back to God.
There are lots of things people do for, or because of God that has Zero scripture support at all.