So, this man, who is apparently very smart (PHD in Theology), decided to comment on my Thankful Thursday blog. He specifically referenced my use & belief in Malacai 3:10-12. I promptly deleted it, because it was too long, and why would I keep a comment from someone I don't even know on there? But, it got me thinking. How many people are like him? He claimed that this passage was THE most mis-quoted & mis-used passage in the Bible in regards to tithing & offerings. His basic premise is that tithing is an Old-Testament concept, completely irrelevant and inappropriate in light of the New Testament grace. And offerings were ususally, if not always, food & animals, not money. He claimed that the tithe & offering were no longer appropriate spiritual disciplines for Christians to follow. He also referenced encyclopedia articles, which I checked out, that refer to the tithe as a 6th century Roman Catholic initiative to tax the general population. It then spread to the secular government. Some churches, such as the Eastern Orthodox, have never accepted the tithe, while others require it of members.
While yes, I agree that "tithe" is mentioned far more in the Old rather than New Testament, there are numerous examples of both church leaders & lay people bringing both money & physical goods to the church for the benenit of both the church and the community. I happen to look at 2 Timothy 2:16. It says, "16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,..." Why would God write something, New or Old Testament, if it were not appropriate for use in the building of our faith?
Perhaps I am way off track. Maybe my faith is too simple. Maybe I am in error for taking God at his literal Word. And perhaps I am not. Maybe this country, and "Christianity" has become too intellectual. Perhaps we spend more time analyzing & criticizing, instead of obeying & loving. While God welcomes believers with a brain, I do believe that it is easy to "intellectualize" too much. I was guilty of it. I had to come to a place where I realized that I was not smarter than God. I had to take Him at His word. I would welcome your comments, as long as they are not too long-winded! And believe me, I am grateful for this very smart man's comment, because it means that people are reading my blog! And if I can challenge a few people to reexamine their beliefs, while sharing the joys & trials of our family, then PRAISE THE LORD!
3 comments:
Yes, all scripture is God-breathed and it is the inerrant and infallible word of God....
Usually when people chose to reject a part of the scripture it is because it makes them squirm....and tithing definitely makes people get all antsy....
Ya' know Tiff, people have been "challenging" the tithing principle for a zillion years, but if we had no Bible, and just were to think of things from a strictly common sense standpoint....let's think about this for a minute....
The God of the Universe who has blessed us each with soooo much, - hmmm, should I give anything back to him as a thank you? Naahh...keep it to myself - I deserve it cause I, cause I, cause I - ummmm, let's see what did I do in the grand scheme of things?
Ya' know what I mean? God made the world, gave us these super amazing bodies and then blessed us with more monetary blessing than almost any other country in the entire world and we think we should keep it all to ourselves? Yeah, that makes alot of sense...
Whatever....
I think that some times we need to just have simple faith; we tend to over think things-simple is good in some situations.
The Proof is in the Puddin'!
How many times have you given out of your need as well as your abundance to see God manifest back to you more than you ever believed possible!?!
Remember those times. Write them down! Tell them to your children!
It builds your faith and reminds you, in times of distess, that he was there before, he'll be there again.
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