I was talking to my wife recently. I told her that we cannot snatch and grab blessings and curses from scrioture and assemble them in whatever configuration we wish like a Biblical Mr. PotatoHead.
If we live by the law and err in one thing we err in it all.
So if we want to preach old testament tithing, fine...but
Malachi 3:8 speaks of God being robbed in tithes AND offerings.
You can't use that scripture to establish only one type of giving established.
We have to give WHAT they gave, HOW MUCH they gave, WHEN they gave,WHO it was given to and WHERE it was given.
If you violate those directives you violate
Malachi 3:8.
Again, if you can pick and choose then whats to stop us from cutting out and disregarding any other scripture that doesnt suit our fancy?
That is an extremely dangerous precident to set...
If we use the patriarchs to establish the tithe principle then I by rights of the example the patriarchs set can decide to make a conditional tithe where I say "IF you will bless me" as did Jacob.
Also, covering tithing I am allowed to convert one kind of tithe to money*which means #1 that particular tithe wasnt initially money but something else and money was a secondary form only if certain conditions were not able to be met* but #2 I can take that tithe I have redeemed for money and purchase strong drink.
The New Testament specifically says that people are are to give without threat of compulsion what they have decided in their hearts for God loves a CHEERFUL giver...which lets me know that the Bible is acknowledging that its hard to be cheerful about giving when you are forced and threatened.
Now if Im being compelled, I am not allowed to give under my own free will voluntarily which takes an opportunity to be blessed out of the equation since Im driven by a requirement instead of being led by the Spirit.
Why do you think Jesus told a non Spirit filled man who had kept the entireity of the law to sell all his goods and give to the poor?
There is NO such command in the law of Moses...Christ was speaking of something the man had yet to experience....the leading of the Spirit which prompts giving more liberally than the law ever required.
You think it was just an accident that the early church were on a sell all their goods and give everything spree?
What motivated them to do so?
The law or the Spirit?
Preachers are literally shutting heaven from supplying their needs by riding the brakes on their peoples giving.
RELEASE your people to be led of the Spirit and see what happens!
The only problem is that its been such a ingrained tradition people are gonna stare at that liberty like a cow at a new gate.
Its ironic that people are told "give and God will bless" expecting us to trust God but we have ministry that cant trust God to move upon people to give freely.
Its like having grandmothers, aunts etc that demand a hug everytime you enter the room, the preempt you not even giving you a chance to show any affection willingly on your own accord...it begins to develop resentment against showing love in that way when it would develop much greater feelings of affection had you been allowed to do it on your own decision and it would be more rewarding for them getting to receive love freely given instead of demanded.
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