B
BeforeThereWas
Guest
Ok. Let's see if I can break this down a little more simply:
1) When we observe the OT system of the tithe, we see 100% of it being used for the meeting of needs, except for that portion consumed by the tither at the celebration festival every third year at the temple. Not one morsel was used for the upkeep of the temple.
2) That OT tithe was defined ONLY as the INCREASE from the fields, orchards, vineyards, herds and flocks. No part of the Law defined the tithe to be any percent of anyone's wages. The implications of this fact are enormous, and condemnatory toward those who think they have legitimate grounding to point at the Law as their backing for the tithe today.
3) Those who think they can point at what Abraham did are faced with a huge dilemma:
a) He acted upon no requirement or principle for what he did........so far as we know. Therefore, this is a dead end street for those who think it traversable.
b) What Abraham did was never observed as a lasting principle for others to follow, therefore legitimately mimicked by anyone who followed him in the timeline of this creation. Not even Israel followed this alleged "principle." For example, the Lord told the people to hand over only 1/500th of the spoils to the priests, and 1/50th to the Levites of the spoils of one of their wars described in Numbers 31. These percentages are FAR removed from 1/10th.
c) So, the emotional appeal of pointing at Abraham's handing over a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek is a stance upon shifting sand since not one other person mimicked his actions.
4) Then we sometimes hear about Jacob and his alleged "tithe". Well, we don't know that he ever fulfilled his promise even once. Besides, his offer of leaving a tenth at a pillar for the Lord was an empty, meaningless gesture when we consider the many strings that were attached to his promise. When you hand over your "tithe," do you say to the Lord, "I give this ONLY IF you provide for my raiment and my food, etc., etc."? Jacob's offer of a tithe was indeed a poor example for anyone to point at, much less to try and follow.
5) The NT is filled with examples of giving. Do we see even ONE example of those people engaging in the selfish and shallow practice of lavishing their giving upon themselves by way of an organization from which they themselves benefit? I'm not saying that it is completely wrong to have a building in common for gathering together, but when we observe people pouring the primary portion, even identifying it as their "tithe", of their giving into organized religion, which then is notoriously open about its abuse of that portion for its own expenditures, where is the discernment? Why aren't more people blowing the whistle on this practice?
6) "Ahh, but then what about all the good churches do for others in need, and the spreading of the Gospel and teaching the truth."
Do you honestly think those kinds of justifications would have worked to preserve, for example, Uzzah's life against the Lord's anger for his disobedience? For crying out loud! All he did was touch the Ark in order to keep it from falling off the cart onto the ground!!! It was a national treasure from which emanated Divine power!!!!! And yet, he slid to the ground, and gave up his last breath just for doing what he thought was a benevolent act, a just cause, a good deed........and yet it was STILL DISOBEDIENCE!
Where's the discernment?
How many of you women have ever experienced partial pregnancy? Is there such a thing?
Where's the discernment?
Partial obedience is like partial pregnancy. Neither of them exist!
Where's the discernment?
Partial obedience is DISOBEDIENCE, no matter what other colorful and creative label people may choose with which to try and cover it over. A partial truth is still a LIE. A loaf of bread infused with a LITTLE leaven is still LEAVENED.
Where's the discernment?
Hmm. Discernment must have been on vacation for the past 1700+ years.
BTW
1) When we observe the OT system of the tithe, we see 100% of it being used for the meeting of needs, except for that portion consumed by the tither at the celebration festival every third year at the temple. Not one morsel was used for the upkeep of the temple.
2) That OT tithe was defined ONLY as the INCREASE from the fields, orchards, vineyards, herds and flocks. No part of the Law defined the tithe to be any percent of anyone's wages. The implications of this fact are enormous, and condemnatory toward those who think they have legitimate grounding to point at the Law as their backing for the tithe today.
3) Those who think they can point at what Abraham did are faced with a huge dilemma:
a) He acted upon no requirement or principle for what he did........so far as we know. Therefore, this is a dead end street for those who think it traversable.
b) What Abraham did was never observed as a lasting principle for others to follow, therefore legitimately mimicked by anyone who followed him in the timeline of this creation. Not even Israel followed this alleged "principle." For example, the Lord told the people to hand over only 1/500th of the spoils to the priests, and 1/50th to the Levites of the spoils of one of their wars described in Numbers 31. These percentages are FAR removed from 1/10th.
c) So, the emotional appeal of pointing at Abraham's handing over a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek is a stance upon shifting sand since not one other person mimicked his actions.
4) Then we sometimes hear about Jacob and his alleged "tithe". Well, we don't know that he ever fulfilled his promise even once. Besides, his offer of leaving a tenth at a pillar for the Lord was an empty, meaningless gesture when we consider the many strings that were attached to his promise. When you hand over your "tithe," do you say to the Lord, "I give this ONLY IF you provide for my raiment and my food, etc., etc."? Jacob's offer of a tithe was indeed a poor example for anyone to point at, much less to try and follow.
5) The NT is filled with examples of giving. Do we see even ONE example of those people engaging in the selfish and shallow practice of lavishing their giving upon themselves by way of an organization from which they themselves benefit? I'm not saying that it is completely wrong to have a building in common for gathering together, but when we observe people pouring the primary portion, even identifying it as their "tithe", of their giving into organized religion, which then is notoriously open about its abuse of that portion for its own expenditures, where is the discernment? Why aren't more people blowing the whistle on this practice?
6) "Ahh, but then what about all the good churches do for others in need, and the spreading of the Gospel and teaching the truth."
Do you honestly think those kinds of justifications would have worked to preserve, for example, Uzzah's life against the Lord's anger for his disobedience? For crying out loud! All he did was touch the Ark in order to keep it from falling off the cart onto the ground!!! It was a national treasure from which emanated Divine power!!!!! And yet, he slid to the ground, and gave up his last breath just for doing what he thought was a benevolent act, a just cause, a good deed........and yet it was STILL DISOBEDIENCE!
Where's the discernment?
How many of you women have ever experienced partial pregnancy? Is there such a thing?
Where's the discernment?
Partial obedience is like partial pregnancy. Neither of them exist!
Where's the discernment?
Partial obedience is DISOBEDIENCE, no matter what other colorful and creative label people may choose with which to try and cover it over. A partial truth is still a LIE. A loaf of bread infused with a LITTLE leaven is still LEAVENED.
Where's the discernment?
Hmm. Discernment must have been on vacation for the past 1700+ years.
BTW