Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kwilson@urbana.mcd.mot.com (Kent Wilson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Tithing Message-ID: Date: 6 Apr 91 06:31:07 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Motorola MCG, Urbana Design Center Lines: 83 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , psburns@lims04.lerc.nasa.gov (MAUREEN BURNS) writes: >Funny you should raise this issue. I am currently reading Larry Burkett's >book entitled *Business by the Book* which is an excellent treatment of the >scriptural aspects of running a business. There is an entire chapter >devoted to the subject of whether a Christian business should tithe. Mr. >Burkett brought out some great points that I really never considered: > 1. Tithing, as described in the Old Testament, really was never part >of the Law. There never was any punishment for failure to tithe. Rather, >tithing sprung from the necessity of supporting the Jewish folks who were >the keepers of the Temple and the administrators of the faith. This burden >of support was taken up by the faithful who realized that what they were >blessed with was theirs only through the hand of God. Although there was >no punishment for failure to tithe, God did say there were consequences. Perhaps I missed the point here, and if so apologies in advance, but this seems to fly in the face of scripture. Is this Burkett's view of Old Testament tithing? I would find this almost hard to believe. Book of Malachi --------------- 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. I would call this curse a punishment, not a consequence. > 2. As far as whether the idea changed during the New Testament times, >consider this: In the NT, God was very explicit whenever He referred to >an Old Testament teaching, and if the teaching was changed from the Old >Testament, He was very explicit to explain the change. Such changes >applied to the Sabbath, divorce, sacrifice, for example. Never did Jesus >mention any change to the issue of tithing. Therefore, one can assume that >tithing is just as applicable today as it was in the Old Testament times. Agreed. > 3. God loves a cheerful giver. I don't believe he wants what we give >him grudgingly. If you're hesistant to give, don't give at all. Tithing >isn't something we can use to push a button with God, and have him dump his >blessings on us If we give out of an obligation or with resentment, > I would venture to guess that God, who sees the motives of our >hearts, will not honor that giving as he would if it were given with a pure >motive and a joyful heart. I disagree here. While you are right that God does love a cheerful giver, I do not believe that He would prefer you to stop giving entirely because you are less than thrilled about it. I believe that if you do give cheerfully God will look more favorably upon it than if you give grudginly. The line of reasoning that unless you are thrilled about giving seems to set up a dangerous excuse for people to not give. > 4. As far as 10%, "tithe" translates to "a tenth". Net or gross? >God's word says to tithe from "first fruits" or, as I see it, from that >which comes to you. I don't feel comfortable with my Holy and Mighty God >standing in line behind the government who's collecting taxes, and behind my >creditors who are collecting their interest (due to my poor $ management, I > confess). I make a lot of money, and I truly consider it a priveledge to >honor the Lord from my finances with my tithe. I love seeing where my >money goes in the ministries at my church. I love knowing that in a small >way, I am helping touch lives for Jesus Christ. > Good for you!! God will honor that. Your reasoning here is right on the money (pardon the pun). Thanks, Kent