₦airaland Forum

@amor4ce - ONLY Israelite farmers with crops and animals tithed. The Jews continued to tithe to the Levitical priesthood up until the Temple was destroyed in 70AD. The gentiles never tithed.

@newmi said, "Don't you think those who teach tithing and practice tithing do it because they believe it and are convinced of it."

I am pretty sure those who practice what they believe to be tithing do it because they believe they are doing what the Word teaches.

I am not convinced that those who teach tithing believe what they teach. Being a Money & Finance Minister, I have had meeting with many pastors. One admitted to me that he knows tithing ended at the cross, but he said he must teach it the way he does in order to bring in enough money to run the church. Two others listened to my arguments, then did their own research and came to the conclusion that tithing ended at the cross, but both of them continued teaching tithing, but both stopped using the robbing God threat.

I am aware of other pastors who have privately admitted they know that tithing ended at the cross, but they also say if they don't teach it, they won't bring in enough money to keep the church going.

Based on just my own experience, I draw the conclusion there are many pastors who are dishonest.

The point I was making regarding Numbers 31 is that God only required 1.1% of the spoils, not a tenth. Therefore, what Abram did was NOT before the law AND THEN in the law.

To say that tithing was before the law and then in the law is at least misleading and deceiving. That would be comparing apples to oranges.

@Snowwy,

Using todays customs and laws, I would agree. But my own research shows different during Biblical times.

Those following this blog should notice that the tithers either can't or won't DEFINE Christian tithing. Of course if they do, it would have to be a definition made up by man.

Some want to say you tithe on "increase." Well, if that is true, if during the year your house increases in value, do you tithe on that increase? How about if your family increases in size? Suppose you add on a room to your house increasing it's size? How about the increase in value of stock owned?

If you are going to tithe on "increase" do you reduce the increase by any decreases during the year?

If you say Christians should tithe on their income, is it gross income, net income, or some other type of adjusted income?

OR, do you say it is up to each individual to decide how to tithe, in which case I can reach in my pocket, find ten pennies, and if I give one, I have given a tenth of what I had; therefore, I tithed?

God was clear in His tithing definition and instructions. Man is wishywashy in his defining of tithing. Pastors don't even agree. Some say gross income while others say net income. Some say you tithe on your tax refund while others say you have already tithed on it. Some include gifts and inheritances and some don't. Some are so deceiving they actually ask, "Do you want a gross blessing or a net blessing?"

IS GOD THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION? If God wanted us to tithe today, don't you think He would have made the instructions clear? WHY all the confusion IF tithing is required, expected, or even recommended today?

I think Snowwy needs a lesson in reading.

I will post it here using a more simple reading and analysis:

Numbers 31:26-27 (TLB)
26“You and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the tribes are to make a list of all the loot, including the people and animals;
27then divide it into two parts. Half of it is for the men who were in the battle, and the other half is to be given to the people of Israel.


Numbers 31:28 (TLB)
28But first, the Lord gets a share of all the captives, oxen, donkeys, and flocks kept by the army. His share is one out of every five hundred.

1/500 = 0.2% of the Army’s share

Numbers 31:29 (TLB)
29Give this share to Eleazar the priest to be presented to the Lord by the gesture of waving before the altar.


Numbers 31:30 (TLB)
30Also levy a 2 percent tribute of all the captives, flocks, and cattle that are given to the people of Israel. Present this to the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle, for it is the Lord’s portion.”

2% of the people’s share

Total war spoils given = 1.1%
2% to the Levites – taken from the people of Israel’s share
.2% to the Lord – taken from the Army’s share
equals 1.1% of the total went to The Lord

The victor was the ARMY.

Under the Mosaic law, the victor did NOT own the war spoils as shown in Numbers 31. God said how the spoils were to be divided. That proves, beyond any doubt, that what Abram did was NOT carried forward into the law. It had NOTHING to do with the law.

I stand by what I said, and you just proved it, Snowwy, with your comment. That is exactly what I said. The spoils were divided up. The victor didn't own all the spoils, but only a part of them. Quite different than what happened with Abram. I have proved my point, and you merely reinforced it with the actual scripture.

The number ten symbolizes a whole item, and also completion.

From Christian Resources Today, “Ten : 10 - Biblical Meaning of Number: deals with completeness that happens in a divine order or completed during a course of time. There's nothing that is left wanting within the complete cycle the number ten has just completed.”

That would be the reason for a tenth and not 2 tenths, etc. One tenth would symbolize completeness; a complete transaction.

I count just over 300 occurrences of the words ten or tenth in the KJV of the Holy Bible. 95% occur before Calvary. The number 10 has much significance in the Old Testament but virtually no significance in the New Testament. In fact, some of the few times those words appear after Calvary it is in reference to the Old Covenant.

At Calvary, the Old Covenant came to its completion. There is nothing after Calvary to suggest that the number ten represents completion.

In the New Testament, God wants 100% of us. Since we are now under grace, rather than use percentages or guidelines for giving, God will look at our heart. Many will have a false sense of security by following the Old Testament tithing law as a guideline when maybe God wants that person to give 50% or more. Using the Old Testament law as a guideline is opposite to using the Holy Spirit.

Facts:

There is no scripture showing Abram/Abraham ever tithed from his regular income.

God did not command a tithe on inheritances.  In fact, God commanded ONLY THOSE who inherited property to tithe, and the tithe had to come FROM the inherited PROPERTY.

Under the Mosaic law, the victor did NOT own the war spoils as shown in Numbers 31.  God said how the spoils were to be divided.  That proves, beyond any doubt, that what Abram did was NOT carried forward into the law.  It had NOTHING to do with the law.

You accuse me of making assumptions based on Biblical historians that say it was custom to give a tenth of the spoils yet YOU make the assumption Abram gave the tenth out of faith.  Ignore the assumptions and you are left without knowing WHY Abram gave a tenth.

Most pastors that teach tithing don't teach it as voluntary, but rather you are robbing God if you don't tithe.  PURE FRAUD. 

If the way tithing is taught in most churches today doesn't stop, it will be the downfall of the Protestant Church.  Why was the Protestant Church formed in the first place?  Didn't it have to do over money issues in the Catholic Church?  The Protestant Church is going in the same direction.

@Snowwy,

I think you need to look up the word "increase" in a dictionary. Increase does NOT mean income.

The word "increase" as used in the scriptures to describe the tithe means PRODUCE. The seed increases into fruit. The seed increases into a tree and then produces fruit.

If you work and make $3,000 per month, that is income, not increase. If you get a raise to $3,200 a month, your salary has increased $200 a month.

If your bank account on January 1 is $10,000 and on December 31 is $9,000, you have a decrease.

You have fallen for the false teachings where ignorant and/or dishonest pastors like to use the word increase to mean your income, gifts, inheritances, etc.

For sake of argument, let's say that Abram owned the spoils of war he gave the tenth from. Was that Abram's regular income? NO. It was a one-time recorded event. Therefore, IF you are going to honestly follow Abram's example, you can only give a tenth ONE TIME, from something other than your regular income, and keep nothing for yourself.

You people are a joke when you use Abram as your example for tithing.

I feel sorry for such gullible church goers. You have been brainwashed to the point of blindness to the truth.

@Joagbaje said, "I don't think anyone can make success out of Christians in the area of finances without teaching them how to practice giving."

I agree. I teach the importantance of praying before making any major purchases as well as before all financial decisions. When one prays before spending, and follows the guidance of the Spirit, one will find out he spends less and has more left to give.

Once one experiences the real joy in giving, they will give as much as they can afford to give which, in many case, will be far more than a tenth.

Tithing can hold one back on their giving. I have known too many who give a tenth and say that the 90% is theirs to spend as they please. That is NOT what the New Testament teaches.

God wants us to be good stewards of 100% of what he allows us to earn, not just a tenth.

Those who believe in tithing today MUST be able to define what tithing is. PLEASE DEFINE what you mean by tithe/tithing. And WHERE do you get your definition? There is no point using the word tithing unless people know what it means.

@Snowwy said, "These were now property of Abraham since he recovered them from battle."

Let’s look closely at Abram’s tithe. First, the goods that Abram gave the tenth from didn’t even belong to Abram:

Genesis 14:21 (KJV) - And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

Notice in verse 21 the king of Sodom didn’t ask Abram if he would give back to him the people, but rather said GIVE ME the people and keep the goods for yourself. The way that is worded indicates that the king of Sodom was claiming that the people and the goods belonged to him, but he offered the goods to Abram.

It would normally have been the custom that the victor owns the spoils, but normally the spoils would have belonged to the enemy. In this case, Abram was RECOVERING goods belonging to the King of Sodom.

NOTE: The king of Sodom had an original right both to the persons and to the goods, and it would bear a debate whether Abram’s acquired right by rescue would supersede his title and extinguish it; but, to prevent all quarrels, the king of Sodom makes this fair proposal (v. 21).
--Should the Church Teach Tithing by Dr. Russell Earl Kelly, pages 24-25

Genesis 14:22-24 (KJV)
22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
24Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Notice in verses 23 and 24 Abram also acknowledges that the goods belonged to the king of Sodom. But the king of Sodam offered that Abram could keep the goods for himself. Abram declined the offer. He didn’t want man to take credit for his wealth. By not accepting any of the goods for himself, Abram was putting all his faith in God to provide for him rather than man.

Therefore, it is clear that both the king of Sodom and Abram acknowledged that the spoils of war did NOT belong to Abram, yet he gave a tenth of the spoils to King Melchizedek. This would seem that Abram did something wrong, if not even illegal, but Biblical historians agree that it was custom in Abram's day to give the king a tenth of the war spoils. Had Abram not given the tenth, he would have gone against custom.

Conclusion: Abram did NOT give a tenth of his income, or his wealth. Abram gave a tenth of the spoils of war that didn’t belong to him and declined to keep the goods offered to him. That is NOT an example of tithing for Christians to follow today. By declining to keep any of the goods for himself, Abram showed his faith that God would provide. That is the example of faith that Christians should be following. Furthermore, the law did NOT require a tenth of war spoils to be given, so to say that tithing was before the law and then in the law is not true. What Abram did was NOT even codified into the later law.

To give a tenth of your income to the church and call it "tithing to God" is an insult to God.

Why do I say this?? Because GOD defined HIS tithe as a tenth from HIS miraculous increase of crops and animals. When you tithe on your income and say it is God's tithe, you have cheapened His tithe from His miracles to your income. What you earn isn't good enough to be called a Holy tithe. It isn't good enough to be called God's tithe. If you don't understand this, open your mind and read the scriptures over and over until you understand it.

Shame on these ignorant and/or dishonest pastors for poisoning the minds of their congregations with this false tithing trash.

Are you saying every law & commandment per OT are done away with?

YES. Only that from the OT that is repeated in the New Testament is meant for Christians. The substance of nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament.

For those who just can't get it through their heads, the word "tithe" in Genesis is a mathematical term that means a tenth part. HOWEVER, God, not me or you, defined His tithe in Leviticus 27:30-33. Either accept God's definition, or admit you are using man's definition.

Abram did not "tithe" per the meaning that GOD gave to the term "tithe."

GOD'S tithe came from GOD'S increase, not man's income (increase). To give a tenth of your income to the church and call it "tithing to God" is an insult to God.

@Snowwy said,  When you have the time, probably, when you wake up tomorrow, please show me where Jesus made a statement that was made void after His death, till you answer that, is there any further need for discussion on this thread?

I am a Money & Finance Minister.  I know this subject well.  I am spending way too much time on this blog already, and just am not willing to spend more time looking for something that may or may not exist.  Whether Jesus made any other statement that was made void after His death has no relevance here for the following reason:

To save time, let's assume that Jesus affirmed that tithing ought to be done when REFERRING TO MATTERS OF THE LAW.  IF you believe that Jesus affirmed that tithing ought to be done by Christians, do not neglect the rest of it - MATTERS OF THE LAW.  Then follow the law.  Give a tenth of crops and animals to God by taking them to the Levites.

I can't find (and neither can you) where Jesus said you ought to follow the law by changing the law to fit the times or fit your circumstances.

IF you claim to be following Abram's example, then you must agree that Jesus did NOT affirm tithing to be done by Christians, referring to MATTERS OF THE LAW, because Abram's tithe did not follow the law.

So which is it, Snowwy.  Are you trying to following Abram's one-time giving a tenth of spoils and keeping nothing for himself, OR are you trying to follow the OT law?  Please tell me.  WHICH IS IT?  It can't be both because they are totally different.

The ONLY place we find "robbing God" is in Malachi 3, and in Malachi 3:7 God says he is referring to His ORDINANCES (commands, laws).  Those ORDINANCES are found in Numbers 18.  So IF anyone claims that Malachi 3 robbing God applies to Christians, then I guess ALL Christians are robbing God because the ORDINANCES require the tithe of crops and animals be taken to the Levites, and no one is following those ORDINANCES today.

This is taking way too much time for a topic that really isn't that complicated.  Man has made it complicated by brainwashing church goers into believing lies.

Snowwy,

What does tithe of "all" or "everything" mean?

Does it mean everything in the world?
Does it mean everything he owned?
Does it mean everything he brought back with him?
Does it mean he actually worked out a tenth of all the spoils BEFORE he even met Melchizedek?

Use some common sense here.  He gave a tenth of all HE HAD WITH HIM AT THE TIME.  Read the story.

The Holy Bible, New Century Version
Genesis 14:20 (NCV)  And we praise God Most High, who has helped you to defeat your enemies.”  Then Abram gave Melchizedek [i]a tenth of everything he had brought back from the battle[/i].

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Old Testamen
14:20
And he gave him tithes—A tenth part of all the spoils he had taken from the confederate kings.

I'm not dodging any questions.  It's way past my bedtime.  I will answer your other questions tomorrow.

@Snowwy,

I don't have time now to find scripture where Jesus made a statement that was made void due to his death.

As far as Matthew 23:23, as I have said before, Jesus said they ought to tithe as they had ON THE HERBS, but Jesus never said they ought to tithe on their income from their professions as teachers and lawyers. Don't take things out of context. Furthermore, Jesus referred to the tithe as MATTERS OF THE LAW.

Abram’s tithe:
Genesis 14:20 (KJV)  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Hebrews 7:4 (KJV)  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Genesis 14:24 (KJV)  Save only that which the young men have eaten….

Abram gave to King Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils THAT WERE LEFT after subtracting out the food that had already be eaten from the spoils.  Therefore, Abram gave a tenth from the NET spoils, not the gross spoils.

The Levitical tithe:
Leviticus 27:30 (KJV)  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.
Leviticus 23:22 (KJV)  And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Nehemiah 10:37 (KJV)  And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

We start with the gross (total) crops, subtract the amount left at the corners and any gleaning of the harvest, and also subtract the firstfruits that were taken to the priests, and then tithe on the net amount.

Leviticus 27:32 (KJV)  And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
Deuteronomy 14:23 (KJV)  And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

We start with the gross, or total number of new born animals during the year, removed the firstlings that were to be eaten at the festival, and tithe on the net by tithing the last one out of every ten counted under the rod.

The Festival tithe and the Three-Year tithe:
The crops in both of these tithes are adjusted the same as in the Levitical tithe.

Tithe is NOT taught as giving in the churches I have attended.  It is taught as a payment, as under the Mosaic law.  The Biblical tithe had NOTHING to do with giving.

When one says they "tithe" today, it INFERS the Biblical tithe which it is NOT.  And no one tithes the way Abram did - one time, on war spoils not his regular income, and keeps nothing for themselves.  And since we don't know WHY Abram gave the tenth, we don't know for sure whether it was a "gift" or "given" because of a custom.  So to use Abram as something you are following is just plain dishonest.

Do you see that all these scriptures show that it is a duty to support the work of the gospel and it's ministers? We also have the duty to help the poor and family. None negates the other.

No argument there.  And Paul makes it clear that we should give from the heart, NOT under compulsion.  Paul NEVER says we should "tithe."

@Snowwy,

We know of only ONE instance of a tithe to Melchizedek. Only ONE. And that ONE tithe was not on income, but rather war spoils. Abram had already made a vow that he was going to keep NOTHING from the spoils. Abram merely divided the spoils - a tenth to the king-priest, and the balance back to its original owners. What Abram did was NOT even codified into the later law. According to Numbers 31, God didn't ask for a tenth of war spoils, but more like 1% instead. The scriptures do not tell us WHY Abram gave the tenth, and without knowing WHY, we can only speculate. However, Biblical historians do tell us that it was custom during that time to give a tenth of war spoils to the king.

The present priesthood is NOT similar to that of Melchizedek except that neither was created by law. In the order of is only counting numbers. 1. Melchizedek. The very next one is 2. Current priesthood. The Levitical priesthood is treated as never being there.

And here men that die receive tithes [the Levites]; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth [Melchizedek]. The Book of Hebrews was written BEFORE the Temple was destroyed in 70AD, and until that time, the Jews continued to tithe to the Levitical system.

Jesus could NOT condemn tithing in Matthew 23:23 since they were still under the Old Testament laws. Why would he condemn a law that was still in force? Jesus also did not condemn the other laws in effect at that time.

Hebrews 7:7 (KJV) “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”

Abram, the lesser, was blessed by the King-Priest Melchisedek, the better.

Abram gave the tenth to the better.

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV) “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

1 - According to the scriptures, priests do not tithe.
2 - As priests, all born-again believers are equal. There is no better or lesser among us. God has not designated any born-again believers to collect His tithe.
3 - To try and “tithe” today is denying that you are a part of a Royal Priesthood.

I don't understand why anyone would want to bring forward an inferior method into a superior priesthood. That totally boggles my mind. Spirit led giving is superior to tithing.

At least with the Mosaic law, we know a little about how tithing worked:
1 - ONLY those who inherited the promised land were commanded to tithe
2 - ONLY from crops and animals
3 - The poor RECEIVED a portion of the tithe.
4 - The poor did not tithe.
5 - There were three different tithes, each with a different definition, each with different instructions, and each with a different purpose.

We don't know ANYTHING about how tithing would have worked under Melchizedek. We don't know if tithing was limited to war spoils, whether it was also on crops and animals, whether the poor benefited from the tithe, etc. etc. So it makes absolutely no sense to try and use Abram's one-time spoils tithe as an example or justification to tithe today.

Had God wanted us to tithe today, don't you think He would have told us HOW he wanted us to tithe? We have absolutely NO instructions for tithing on income (whether gross, net, adjusted, etc.). We have NO instructions where to take a tithe today.

All tithing instructions today have been made up by man. None of it is Biblical. The Biblical tithe was on the NET, not gross, and NEVER on anyone's income.

Tithing is the biggest fraud going on in the world today that I know of. I want no part of it.

Being Spirit led, I find myself giving far more than a mere tenth of my income.

@Snowwy,

Christ's priesthood is similar to Melchisedek's who received tithe from Abraham before the law.

Only similar in ONE respect - neither Melchisedek's nor Christ's priesthood was created by law. There are no other similarities.

Hebrews 7:18 tells us that Numbers 18 was disannulled. Therefore, the Levitical priesthood (including all it laws, etc., including tithing) was disannulled. It is treated as though there never was a Levitical priesthood. Therefore, the priesthood of Christ follows that of Melchisedek; thus, in the order of Melchisedek.

@Snowwy,

For a complete analysis of Hebrews 7, you need to read "Should the Church Teach Tithing" by Dr. Russell Earl Kelly.  The book is available for free download on the internet.  You need to read starting at page 153.

Here is the first part of it - referring to HEBREWS 7:

"The First Key Verse Involving Tithing
7:5 And truly they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the offi ce of
the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according
to the law, that is, of their brothers, though they come out of the loins of
Abraham.
This is a crucial verse for understanding the remainder of the chapter,
because the conclusions reached in 7:12 and 7:18 affect this foundational
ordinance.
“Sons of Levi” reminds the readers that the Levitical priests owed much of their
existence and authority to their privilege of receiving tithes. The writer of Hebrews
fi rst reminds his readers where the authority of the Levitical priesthood originated
before he proves that Christ’s authority is greater and replaces the former!
“According to the law” establishes the connection between “tithing” and the
Mosaic Law. Whereas, in Hebrews, neither the word “tithe” nor “law” occurs
before chapter 7, in this chapter “tithe” occurs 7 times (vv. 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9),
and “law” occurs 7 times (vv. 5, 11, 12, 16, 19, and 28). Tithing does not occur
anywhere else in the New Testament after Calvary! A primary purpose of this
chapter in Hebrews is to demonstrate the change of the legal system which established
the Levitical priesthood.
As already mentioned, both the fi rst and last Scriptural occurrence of tithing
involve Melchizedek! Therefore, in order to correctly understand this chapter, one
must observe the vital connection between tithing and the Old Covenant Mosaic
Law. From the context, the word “law,” fi rst used in verse 5, defi nitely must, though
not exclusively, refer to tithing!
“A commandment” refers specifi cally to Numbers, chapter 18. Those who study
Numbers 18 in order to support New Covenant tithing are compelled to discard it
and concentrate on more obscure texts. However, one who takes the time to study
Numbers 18 will soon discover why tithing is not suitable for New Covenant
believers. Since Numbers 18 actually contains the “commandment,” “ordinance”
or “statute” of tithing, it should be carefully studied by every serious Bible student
with the goal of discovering exactly what the Bible says.
Even in our own society, any law which creates a job position must first include
the “provision,” that is, the source of revenue for paying that person for services
rendered. Therefore, the “provision” is the very heart, the foundation, and the
enabler of the person in the position being created by law. Again, Numbers 18
is the “chair,” or “provision ordinance,” of the Mosaic Law which established
the Levitical priesthood and all of its support, including tithing. The connection
explains why tithing is mentioned so often in Hebrews, chapter 7. This
“ordinance” or “statute” of tithing which provided sustenance for the Levites had
abolished the centuries-old tradition which had designated the male head of the
household as the family priest. The tithing ordinance forced Israel to support the
Levitical system through tithes and offerings. It also applied a death penalty on
anyone trying to “draw near” to worship God directly.

Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV)
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9 (RSV)
9Honor the LORD with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce;
10then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 3:9 (NCV)
9Honor the LORD with your wealth and the firstfruits from all your crops.
10Then your barns will be full, and your wine barrels will overflow with new wine.

Resorting to The Living Bible is no more than resorting to a commentary. Bible scholars don't rely on The Living Bible for a correct interpretation.

What were the things of the temple ? .  Simple , tithes and offerings .

The ONLY tithe that went to the Temple was the tenth of the tithe from the Levites, so if you insist using that verse, you should only gave a tenth of a tenth, or 1%.  However, the tithe that went to the Temple was DEFINED BY GOD, not man.  Only a HOLY tithe could go to the Temple, and GOD, not man, defined His Holy tithe to come from HIS increase of FOOD from crops and animals.

The firstfruits offerings went to the priests.  The Levites, who received the whole tithe, were not allowed to receive or eat from the firstfruits.

And there were many other offerings that went to the priests.

Why do you ignore the fact that the whole tithe went to the Levites, the servants to the priests; i.e. the ushers, singers, musicians, janitors, etc., and then the Levites gave a tenth of the tithe to the priests?

Regular money could never be used at the Temple.  Regular money could not be used to pay the Temple Tax.

It is extremely important to realize that the Temple shekel had only images of Temple items and Hebrew – both Holy.  Roman currency was not allowed because it had the image of Caesar on it along with a Roman superscription in a pagan language.

This must also apply to our own currency. It has images of our presidents, images of buildings, images of animals and images of our nature. Shocking as it is, our money does not qualify to be used as gifts to God or the OT Temple!

The entire Mosaic law was nailed to the cross - all of it. Not part of it. ALL of it.

ONLY that which is repeated from the Old Testament in the New Testament is for Christians to follow. The substance of nine of the ten commandments are repeated in the New Testament.

Honor does not mean "with gifts." Honor means respect.

Proverbs 3:9 (KJV) “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”

The verse reads HONOUR the Lord with thy substance (wealth), not give to the Lord your wealth. The verse does not say honour the Lord with a tenth of your wealth, or give to the Lord a tenth of your wealth.

How does one honor the Lord with their wealth? I believe the best way I can honor the Lord with my wealth is to be a good steward of that wealth and use it to glorify the Lord the best I can.

The verse reads AND with the firstfruits of all thine increase. In other words, HONOUR the Lord with the firstfruits of all your produce, or crops (Hebrew word definition). Doesn’t say give to the Lord the firstfruits of your produce, or crops. That comes later in the Word.

For those who say that all thine increase can also mean all your income, read the next verse:

Proverbs 3:10 (KJV) “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

Verse 10 makes it clear that increase in verse 9 is referring to the crops and not income.

OLD TESTAMENT
Proverbs 3:9 (KJV) “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”

NEW TESTAMENT
2 Timothy 2:6 (KJV) “The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

You tithers have a habit of changing the meaning of words.

Just as honoring your father and mother remain a valid principle in both testaments.

The New Testament tells us to honor our father and mother, but it doesn't tell us to continue tithing.

Colossians 3:20 (KJV)  “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”

Your argument is worthless.  Abram tithed to the Melchizedek priesthood.  Abram was not a priest. Abram gave the tenth directly to the priest.  The Israelites tithed to the Aaronic Priesthood by taking the tithe to the non-priest Levites.  The Levites then gave a tenth of the tithe to the priests.

All born-again believers are part of a Royal Priesthood.  We are all priests.  Priests RECEIVE a tithe but don't pay a tithe.  Jesus, the high priest, has not given any of us permission to receive His tenth.

I find it quite offensive that pastors have appointed themselves to be the receiver of what belongs to God.  After all, the pastor says the tithe belongs to God.  Then he appoints himself to receive the tithe!!!  PURE FRAUD.

I don't see where water baptism or communion is done based on spiritual laws. Prayer and worship can be done silently. The spiritual part of prayer and worship is silent.

There is a problem using so-called "tithing principles" unless you have the correct principles.

What was the principle behind Abram's one-time tithe? According to Biblical historians, it was custom even before the days of Abraham to give a tenth to the king. There is no principle here.

What was the principle of the Levitical tithe? God RESERVED a tenth of the crops and animals raised on the Holy land for Himself, and He gave that tenth to the Levites. There certainly is no principle here of giving back to God a tenth of what one earns.

Church leaders have either out of ignorance or out of greed invented non-Biblical principles of tithing.

I have absolutely no problem with anyone giving a tenth of their income to the church. However, if they give the tenth because of God's tithing commands, they are sinning because they are not following His commands as given. If they give the tenth because of so-called spiritual law, they don't understand what a spiritual law is. If they give it because of so-called tithing principles, they have the wrong principles. If they give it because they are led by the Holy Spirit to give the tenth, they are following God's will.

If tithing is a spiritual law, then you must tithe spiritually. The opposite of spiritual is tangible, or material. WHY are you tithing tangible or material things (such as money) to satisfy a spiritual law? Doesn't make any sense at all.

Spiritual laws must be fulfilled spiritually, not materially.

For those who think they are to follow God's tithing commands, which of the following do you follow?

THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

In all three cases, the tithe comes from God's miraculous increase of food from crops and animals, NOT money, and NOT from anyone's income. You can't follow the law by changing the law.

Give me the scripture that YOU follow when you "tithe."

Matthew 5:17-18 states Christ came to fulfill the law and not abolish it.

This is where some education in law is useful. What does fulfill mean? What does abolish mean?

Let me give an example. A legal contract is enforceable under the law. Let’s say you hire a contractor to build a swimming pool in your back yard. Once the contractor has completed the job, and everything in that contract has been completed, the contract has been fulfilled. The contractor’s job is to fulfill the contract, not abolish it. He fulfills it by completing the terms, bringing it to an end.

Consider:

Hebrews 8:13 (KJV) - In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Colossians 2:14 (KJV) - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Galatians 5:18 (KJV) - But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Galatians 3:19 (KJV) - Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. In other words, until Jesus came and fulfilled the law.

Galatians 3:23-25 (KJV)
23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Galatians 3:10-14 (KJV)
10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Hebrews 7:7 (KJV) “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”

Abram, the lesser, was blessed by the King-Priest Melchisedek, the better.

Abram gave the tenth to the better.

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV) “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

1 - According to the scriptures, priests do not tithe.
2 - As priests, all born-again believers are equal. There is no better or lesser among us. God has not designated any born-again believers to collect His tithe.
3 - To try and “tithe” today is denying that you are a part of a Royal Priesthood.

SIX STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING WHEN AND HOW THE TITHE ENDED

STEP 1 - Hebrews 7:5 confirms that Levi received tithes according to the law under the Levitical priesthood.

STEP 2 - Hebrews 7:12 tells us changing the priesthood will also change the law.

STEP 3 - Hebrews 7:18 verifies that the command to tithe was disannulled (canceled).

STEP 4 - Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14 confirm that the Old Testament laws were abolished; nailed to the cross.

STEP 5 - Galatians 4:5 tells us that Jesus redeemed those who were under the law. Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14 above tell us how Jesus redeemed those under the law – by nailing the laws to the cross.

STEP 6 - Galatians 3:10 is telling us those who reject what Jesus did on the cross and continue to put themselves under the law are cursed by the law. That verse also tells us those who put themselves under even one of the laws, are putting themselves under all of the laws written in the book.

No one follows God's tithing commands today. Please tell me WHY anyone would want to follow an inferior way when the New Testament offers a better way!!