Quote:
Originally Posted by hometown guy
Yet he basically told them to disobey the sabbath and when it came to tithing he said these are things you should be doing concerning tithing. Sounds like that would have been a perfect time to deal with tithing like he did the sabbath but didn’t happen.
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Mat 8:3-4 KJV] 3 And Jesus put forth [his] hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Jesus endorsing also animal sacrifice? Are you also going to start baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? What logic do you use to come to the conclusion that you need to baptized in Jesus' name? Use the same logic! The apostles didn't interpret Jesus' words about tithing as endorsing tithing for the new testament church! So you should interpret it the same way. They taught and practice free-will giving instead.
At the time of Jesus, who was the recipient of the tithing? Levites. Did Jesus endorse tithing to Levites then? Are American Pastor Levites? Are they subject to the priesthood of the Law of Moses? No. In order to apply this verse to modern Pastor, you have to prove a new priesthood in the new covenant. A priesthood that is not a Levite one, but on Elders (local leaders) or Apostles (missionaries) of congregations. Not only that, you need to prove as well that the new priesthood of the new covenant is entitled to 10% of all incomes, not just the produce and livestock as in the Levitical one.
It should be amazing to you that such a change didn't get recorded in the new testament. You know, no all Apostles or Elders in the new testament were Levites. So they, somehow, according to the tithing doctrine, should have convinced the new Jewish christians people to stop paying tithing to the Levites and instead to pay them to the Apostles (or elders, whatever camp you are regarding what are "pastors" nowadays). That would have been a tremendous change that flew under the radar of Luke, Paul, Peter, and the rest of writers of the new testament.
On the other hand, Acts and the Epistles do talk a lot about money, to the poor and to ministry, and always from free-will offering. How did they all forget to mention 10% mandatory tax on the church?
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Luk 10:5-7 KJV] 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace [be] to this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things
as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
Context of 1 Tim:
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Act 20:17, 28, 33-35 KJV] 17 And from Miletus he sent to
Ephesus, and called the
elders of the church. ... 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ... 33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35 I have shewed you all things,
how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
[1Ti 5:1-4, 17-18 KJV] 1 Rebuke not an
elder, but intreat [him] as a father; [and] the younger men as brethren; 2
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. 3
Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. ... 17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.
The context is about treating elders as parents, with the corresponding honor. Which could include financial support in case of necessity as you would do to your own parents. Totally different to tithing, hiring, etc...
The only people that the Bible shows that were fully supported at times for full time ministry were the apostleship ministry (or missionary pastors), and all we find is free-will contributions.
It takes courage for an existing minister to drop the tithing doctrine, because they know they would be kicked out of the fellowship and their license revoked. Faithfulness to the Word of God is more important than the approval of men, though.