Tithing is a consecration, not a commandment

[Apocrypha]

I applaud those who tithe out of their heart. I see it as a consecration (something set apart to the Lord). Similar to fasting, or giving something unto the Lord as a act of lifestyle worship/commitment.

My primary question: If tithing is New Testament, why did the early church not practice it as doctrine for its first 300 years until its mentioned in Apostolic Constitutions and later made official doctrine in 585 AD by the Counsel of Synod of Macon?

The bonus second question is that if we are to collect all 3 types biblical tithes like those under the law, should our "priesthood" / clergy SPEND THEM like the Old Testament instructs us to? Are they sinning because they are saying we are back under the law of tithing and yet don't obey the same law when they collect tithes? Food for thought.

Did Paul collect tithes while in Corinth... or did he work a job? If all the para-doctrines I see in the modern church about tithing were true was Paul sinning by not having the Corinthian church tithe... or is something misunderstood in our modern setting.

A survey of all the writings of the Early Church up to A.D. 600 (easy to dowith computers) is silent about tithing in the Church being a necessity.

In fact, it was the position of the great early Church Father Irenaeus that tithing was a legal obligation in the Law of Moses and therefore is no longerbinding. He explains this in chapter XIII of book IV in “Irenaeus Against Heresies”…

Irenaeus (A.D. 120-202)
And for this reason did the Lord, instead of that [commandment], “Thoushalt not commit adultery,” forbid even concupiscence; and instead of thatwhich runs thus, “Thou shalt not kill,” He prohibited anger; and instead ofthe law enjoining the giving of tithes, [He told us] to share all our possessions with the poor;

And again in chapter XVIII of book IV he again states…And for this reason they (the Jews) had indeed the tithes of their goodsconsecrated to Him, but those who have received the liberty set aside alltheir possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely notthe less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope ofbetter things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living intothe treasury of God.

Tertullian –c. 150-220 (apology, XXXIX, 1-18)…Our presidents are elders of proved worth, men who have attained thishonor not for a price, but by character. Every man brings some modest coinonce a month or whenever he wishes, and only if he is willing and able; it is a freewill offering. You might call them the trust-funds of piety; they arespent… on the support and burial of the poor.

Tertullian (c. 197, W 3.46) Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs (p.9)…Though we have our treasure chest, it is not made up of purchase money,as of a religion that has its price. Rather, on the monthly day, if he likes,each puts in a small donation – but only if it is his pleasure and only if he isable. For there is no compulsion; all is voluntary.

Hastings Dictionary of the Apostolic Church says: "It is admitted universally that the payment of tithes or the tenth of possessions for sacred purposes did not find a place within the Christian church during the age covered by the apostles and their immediate successors".

Encyclopedia Britannica says: "The Christian church depended at first on voluntary gifts from its members"

The Encyclopedia Americana says: "It [speaking of tithing] was not practiced in the early church"; "The Christian church depended at first on voluntary gifts from its members".

The Catholic Encyclopedia says: "The early church had no tithing system—it was not that no need of supporting the Church existed or was recognized, but rather that other means would suffice"

Portions of this were exerpted from http://www.allnationsmin.org/Downloa...on_Tithing.pdf

[Justin]

Justin Martyr (100-160) also wrote:

Those who have means and are willing, each according to his own choice, gives what he wills, and what is collected is deposited with the president. He provides for the orphans and widows, those who are in need on account of sickness or some other cause, those who are in bonds, strangers who are sojourning, and in a word he becomes the protector of all who are in need.

[hawks-cry]

...yes,..the history of tithing is true. Certainly is a looooong shot away from those who teach it as a "heaven or hell" issue. Talk about strange doctines creeping in over the ages. Still,...it is taught in a heavy-handed way as it is a most coveted way of earning an income in many instances. Strange though,..how that it was originally intended as a freewill offering to help the poor and needy,...but nowadays,..it is often the poor and needy who are the ones that are giving their meager incomes (instead of being on the receiving end).

[Apocrypha]

I think we should list it as a consecration to the Lord. In that context there is no problem... is a personal decision and to be applauded when done with the right heart and attitude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecration

"Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious."

[Apocrypha]

Originally Posted by Justin

Justin Martyr (100-160) also wrote:

Those who have means and are willing, each according to his own choice, gives what he wills, and what is collected is deposited with the president. He provides for the orphans and widows, those who are in need on account of sickness or some other cause, those who are in bonds, strangers who are sojourning, and in a word he becomes the protector of all who are in need.

Thanks I'll add that to my article. I appreciate the reference.

[Apocrypha]

Its funny on Facebook the last day I have seen 3 ministers writing about tithing with really strong language. None of them has replied to my posing on this yet. Its silent on that one.

[Aquila]

It's also important to note, the Apostolic Church that overwelmed Rome traveled lite. They didn't have massive church buildings, campuses, or massive religious buearcracies to fund. They met in homes for study and fellowship. They preached in the open air, in the streets, markets, highways, byways, edges, barns, riversides, fields, public forums, etc. For the first 300 years of Christianity they didn't feel the need to own one inch of land or property. Christianity was a religion of family, friends, and community. The average gathering in a home was 15-25 adults. Meetings were interractive and all were allowed to prophesy, share experiences, understandings, and insights. The priesthood of all believers prevailed. Elders were facilitators, bishops appointed elders throughout their cities. It was a church without walls. Emphasis wasn't placed on paying ministers (most worked a trade). Emphasis was on giving and the sharing of resources with lost souls who were poor and destitute. The sun was their light system, song birds their choir, the grass of the fields were their carpeting, their shoe leather was their platform and pulpit. The breeze was their air condition system. And their homes were their offices. Their wasn't any need for a "tithe". Offerings to assist in travel and lodging, and the sharing of possessions allowed the church (or the body of believers) to meet it's needs.

The true "biblical" church model is a church that met anywhere and everywhere. Today the average American has no need for attending services that equate to a religious concert accompanied by a motivational speaker that all must listen to while sitting passively in their pews. Most spiritually inclinded Americans want a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus. They get their spiritual needs met by reading articles in magazines or on the net, reading devotional Bibles, radio ministries, television ministries, and by having "fellowship" with co-workers, friends, and family. The modern system is primarily a money making machine that has no biblical precedent. The current system caters to the professional carreer of one man and his vision for his little kingdom complete with castle. When we get the church (the body of Christ) thinking outside of the building and structured services, and focusing on living their Christian lives out at home, at work, in the market, and gathering and preaching in homes and the streets.... seeing those things as the "assembling of ourselves" and our "reasonable service" we'll get a revelation of "the Kingdom" that is so much greater than organizational and denomiantional institutionalized religion. We have to win this world for Christ Jesus. We have to touch EVERY life in our cities with the gospel. That cannot be done by trying to drag them to a building with ploys involving concerts, ipods, Nintindos, PlayStations, computers, and other free material gifts. GIMMICKS! It's like trying to sell AMWAY. We have a "used car salesman" spirit that has all the banners, freebies, gimmicks, selling points, etc. We need to get OUT and advance the KINGDOM in the streets, bring faith and biblical focus back into our homes. The revival God wants to give us is far too BIG to fit into a building. Far too BIG to fit into our organizational buearcracies. Far too intelligent to be fleeced for money. Far too intelligent to rationalize 80% of revenue going to brick and mortor. Far too personal in it's relationship to God to submit to the total authority of a cult of personality that serves as a "go between" between them and their Lord. They NEED servants in ministry to equip THEM... not to subjugate them and relegate them to a pew so that tithes and offerings can be milked from them for salaries, buildings, programs, and campuses. We're entering a new era. A global era without buildings, walls, and religious politics. People are starving for the REAL DEAL lived out every day in the home and on the streets, not some cheesey religious "show" or production twice a week. If "church" as we're doing it is so powerful, so effective, and so absolutely needed... why are we loosing our neighborhoods, communities, cities, and our nation in this culture war? We've cloistered into our churches, denominations, organizations, and programs... virtually abandoning the world to sin, the flesh, and the devil. Occasionally we sound out from our cloistered existance and call for them to join us. They will not cloister themselves. It's like the era when the church retreatd into monastaries. We have to loose the "building mentality". Preachers woe and whine because they "need a building". They fail to see that the Apostolic Church of the NT took Rome by storm... without any sense of needing a single building, sound system, choir to entertain, or celebrity guest speakers; homes, streets, markets, and fields were good enough for them.

The tithe is a necessity to fund this top heavy, expensive, and ineffective system. That's why they plead for it. They're sincere, but their vision is clouded. They are wanting to build a kingdom of their religion... but the Kingdom of God is so much greater. The Kingdom of God has no need for brick, mortor, performances, shows, concerts, gimmicks, or tithes. God is seeking... SOULS.

Are you "called to preach"? Don't worry about the suit you wear. Don't worry about a "license" and all the prestige. Don't think you need a solid oak pulpit with a nice glass of water to sip from under the hot lights of a high platform in a prim and proper sanctuary. Don't think you need a five point sermon complete with analogies and all the sophistication of "homeletics" accompanied by the FAKE "preacher's cough". No... you don't need it. There are STREET CORNERS throughout our cities where you can evangelize. There are homes throughout the city where you can teach. Get your head out of the buildings and systems of man... get your focus on what this really is... A KINGDOM.

Now... do we have the courage to do what it takes to turn our backs on the system and win our world for Jesus Christ? Or are we just going to allow ourselves to be content with playing church two or three times a week in our sanctified little self serving concert, always seeing the same sanctified faces glued to their pews, always seeing 80% or more of visitors come... and then go? We hear preachers screaming, revival, revival, revival. American DOESN'T need a revival... it needs a REFORMATION.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over while expecting different results. This isn't working. If you truly want a revolution... you have to think like a revolutionary.

Do you want a revolution???

[A.W. Bowman]

Originally Posted by Aquila

We hear preachers screaming, revival, revival, revival. American DOESN'T need a revival... it needs a REFORMATION.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over while expecting different results. This isn't working. If you truly want a revolution... you have to think like a revolutionary.

Do you want a revolution???

How absolutely refreshing! The entire post!

Just a couple of added notes:

First, to ask for, receive or give a biblical tithe today is to sin before God. That is why Observant Jews and Messianic Jews do not tithe, with the exception of a few Hellenism (Greek mindset) Jews. All biblical tithing ceased at the destruction of the Temple and the disbanding of the Priesthood. We are now the new Royal Priesthood, and the man Jesus is our High Priest and only mediator between man and God.

To impose (religious edict) any tithing system today, on anyone, requires the direct alteration of the word of God (Commandments, Laws, Ordinances, Statutes) to meet the requirements of a man created agenda. To deliberately change the word of God and falsifying its application is counted as sin (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). To fail to perform the Law of God as He gave it (instructed), is to transgress the Law. That too is identified as a sin. (1 John 3:4)

So, what we have today are groups of men who have taken upon themselves the (usurped) authority to alter the word of God, His instructions in righteousness, and rewrote and reinterpreted that word to serve their own purposes.

What is wrong with this picture?

Of course, one will not make too many friends with kind of attitude, especially when tithing is a required acceptance of an article of faith. along side the seconding coming of Jesus Christ.

Traditions of men trump scripture.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

How absolutely refreshing! The entire post!

Just a couple of added notes:

First, to ask for, receive or give a biblical tithe today is to sin before God. That is why Observant Jews and Messianic Jews do not tithe, with the exception of a few Hellenism (Greek mindset) Jews. All biblical tithing ceased at the destruction of the Temple and the disbanding of the Priesthood. We are now the new Royal Priesthood, and the man Jesus is our High Priest and only mediator between man and God.

To impose (religious edict) any tithing system today, on anyone, requires the direct alteration of the word of God (Commandments, Laws, Ordinances, Statutes) to meet the requirements of a man created agenda. To deliberately change the word of God and falsifying its application is counted as sin (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). To fail to perform the Law of God as He gave it (instructed), is to transgress the Law. That too is identified as a sin. (1 John 3:4)

So, what we have today are groups of men who have taken upon themselves the (usurped) authority to alter the word of God, His instructions in righteousness, and rewrote and reinterpreted that word to serve their own purposes.

What is wrong with this picture?

Of course, one will not make too many friends with kind of attitude, especially when tithing is a required acceptance of an article of faith. along side the seconding coming of Jesus Christ.

Traditions of men trump scripture.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. lol

Oh, and AMEN.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

First, to ask for, receive or give a biblical tithe today is to sin before God. .

What exactly do you mean by a "biblical tithe"?

Is it a sin to give a tithe in the same manner that Abraham or Jacob did? Is that what you mean by a "biblical tithe"?