Also, today was payday for Daniel which means budget balancing time. (Always fun. ;) It does give great opportunity to really see God at work as our Jehovah Jireh - Provider. He has in numerous ways proven Himself to be ever faithful in this area. Oftentimes we don't know quite how it all balances out. Don't get me wrong, we do have to shave things from the budget sometimes and tighten our belts, but we've never been unable to pay our bills.
We are big believers in tithing. I was raised with a dad that always wrote our tithe check first and somehow everything else would work out. Daniel also is a big giver, usually more than me. He likes to go above and beyond. :) Oh, sometimes it can look so tempting to skip it or lessen it, but honestly my conscience can not do that. We have never regretted our tithing decisions. We have only experienced blessings from it, and I'm not talking just monetary.
In this current economy the idea of tithing can sound a bit ridiculous, when you are feeling squeezed from all sides, but I would encourage you, if you're a believer and not tithing, just try it for a month. I believe tithing is the only thing mentioned in the Bible where God specifically tells us to test Him. (Malachi 3:10) You will reap great blessings!
5 comments:
Friend, May I offer an alternative interpretation of Malachi for your study.
From: Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!
A. Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).
B. In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27:30-34 and Numbers 18:21-28.
C. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 613 commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brings curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.
D. Beginning in 1:6 “you” in Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
E. Point #12 of the essay. The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.
F. The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
G. Nehemiah 10:37-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.
H. According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b-38. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.
Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians. Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.
Christian giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, regular and motivated by love. That is enough to provide the needs of the Church.
Hello Mr. Kelly. I'm not sure how you found my little ole post. I agree that many churches have abused the topic of tithing. I have visited some of them. Please allow me to point out that I never said anything about tithing to the church, I only said tithe.
I agree that true tithing is giving freely, sacrificially, and joyfully. I doubt God would even want our begrudging giving. Also, I believe all I have is truly His anyway. So, anything we choose to give we are giving it back to Him.
We are definitely not commanded to live under the Old Covenant laws, because Jesus came and established a New Covenant for us, ruled by grace. Yet, that doesn't mean that we can't reap benefits (spiritual, emotional, physical, etc.) from following some of those old laws.
I was merely sharing from our own personal experiences and encouraging others to give even when it seems as though you can't.
Considering this post started out about toothpaste on a butt, I certainly wasn't doing a full study of tithing. :)
Thank you for sharing your information from your studying.
Toothpaste on the butt is hilarious!!! I love kids!
Mr. Kelly's comment is interesting. I remember Mr. Gambill's sermon on how misused that verse was, too, and I thought it was very interesting. As I've told you before, Waylon is so much happier to tithe when we give it to a brother/sister in need than when we just give it to the church building. When are you guys going to MO next? Love you, girl! Gen
Loved the logic that you get toothpaste on the butt because you were brushing your teeth. Also, appreciated your well written response to Mr. Kelly. Enjoy your blog, your writing abilities must make your homeschool teacher proud.
aunt sherry
I think one of the unfortunate things about blogging is that there is always the possibility that the personal information you write will be subjected to unsolicited critique!
Thanks for sharing the way that God is working in your life.
Aliza
Post a Comment