- That the law of God, and tithing in particular, was not abolished in the New Covenant
- That (first) tithe is given to God - tithe has never belonged to the Levites in an exclusive sense, but was given to them for a time in exchange for their service
- That New Covenant believers are not priests yet, although we shall be in the coming Kingdom of God on earth
- That ministers of the Church of God are not priests yet either, but that they do perform a priestly service in the New Covenant Temple of God, which is the Church
I've taken these anti-tithing arguments in an order that makes sense to me: if I were wrong at any step, then all steps thereafter become irrelevant and not worth discussing. In any case, I've now laid enough of a foundation to make the following question relevant: "What should be tithed on?" In particular, the anti-tither argument that I'll be addressing in this and the next article is as follows:
God commanded that the Israelites give tithe on crops grown in the Holy Land and on herds and flocks raised in the Holy Land. The law required the tithe to come from God's increase - not man's; therefore, it is wrong to tithe on any form of income other than crops or livestock that were raised in Israel.There are actually 2 components to this which should be treated independently. Firstly, the notion that the crops and herds only had to be tithed on if they were raised within the boundaries of Israel. Secondly, the idea that crops and herds were the only things to be tithed on. For the purpose of this article, I'm going to demonstrate that tithing was not merely intended to be within the confines of Israel, and I'll finally deal with the latter argument in the next article in this series.
So for now let's prepare to answer the following question: "Was tithing specifically restricted to the Holy Land?" In Deuteronomy 4, we find Moses giving one of a series of speeches to the Israelites as they were preparing to enter the land:
Deuteronomy 4:5Stop for a second. Moses says that Israel should keep the law "in the land which you go to posses" - does that mean that they shouldn't practice it if they step over the border? Obviously they should keep the law wherever they are, and, as we continue, we'll see that the law was not just for Israel:
Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.
Deuteronomy 4:6-8The law of God, including tithing, was to be an example to the other nations so that they could clearly see the benefit that Israel received from keeping the law (this never actually happened, by the way - Israel was notoriously disobedient.) This is a point that the vast majority of Christians today do not understand because they have an incorrect and dismissive view of God's law. If God's law was His exclusive contract with Israel that was never going to be given to other nations or to people in the New Covenant, then these verses do not make sense. The truth is that all of God's law has always been intended for all of mankind.
Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." For what great nation is there that has God so near to it... And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
The prophets clearly show that the New Covenant would include the law:
Jeremiah 31:33The prophets also clearly show that God is going to call all nations to keep the law in the future:
This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Isaiah 2:2-3The law of God is just that: the law OF God. It wasn't the "law of Israel," or the "law of the Old Covenant," or even the "law of Moses," as it is sometimes called since it was given through him - it is, was, and always will be, the law of God. The consistent message of the Bible is that no one can find favor with God without being obedient to His law:
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established... and all nations shall flow to it... For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
1 John 2:3-5Now that I've established this principle, let's examine whether tithing in particular, out of all of God's laws that are clearly not restricted to Israel, is specifically to be done within the confines of the Holy Land. The law says the following:
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
Leviticus 27:30-32There is nothing here, nor in any of the other commands to tithe, that would indicate that tithing should only be done within the borders of Israel. The only scripture that I was able to find that could even be stretched to try and make that point was the following (please do let me know if there is something more direct that I have might have missed in my study):
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's. It is holy to the LORD... And concerning the tithe of the herd or flock... the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.
Numbers 18:21Just because it says "all the tithes in Israel" does not necessarily imply that tithing was only to be kept in Israel. Though some may try to cast this as a proof that tithing was only commanded to be done in Israel, this is not true, and here's why:
Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform
- There was no geographic restriction given when the commandment was given
- This phrase "all the tithes in Israel" is in no way a prohibition against keeping tithes outside of Israel, and there is no other such clarification made to that effect
In summary, tithing is not region specific to Israel because (1) God's law, including tithing, is intended for all people, not just those living in Israel, and (2) God did not give us any indication in the commandment on tithing that it should only be done in Israel - He merely said to tithe.
Using your logic, you should be killing all disobedient children.
ReplyDeleteYou said, "...but that they do perform a priestly service in the New Covenant Temple of God, which is the Church."
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (KJV)
16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Our bodies are now the Temple where the Spirit of God dwells, not a church building.
You've misunderstood me: the Church is the body of believers, not any building. The NT word for "Church" simply means "assembly," and I try to only use it within that context. As you've pointed out, modern usage does associate "church" with a building or a place (as in "I'm on the way to church"), but this is (in the biblical sense) incorrect and not what I meant. The support for that point is from the same article as the bullet before it, which is why there is no link there (it's towards the end of that article, if you'd like to take a look.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's my place to kill disobedient children, but I do believe that disobedient children who don't repent will ultimately die in the lake of fire - let He who is without sin cast the first stone.
How do ministers of the Church of God perform a priestly service in the New Covenant Temple of God?
ReplyDeleteIn the Old Testament, the Levites received the whole tithe, and they were servants to the priests. They were the singers, musicians, ushers, the workers. They worked at the Temple BUILDING. They were commanded to give a tenth of the tithe to the priests. How are we supposed to follow those commands today?
While it is true the Levites who received the tithe worked at the Temple, the tithe was their INHERITANCE. How do you reconcile that with today? Since the tithe belongs to God, is it not true that only God can designate who He wishes to receive His tithe?
As I stated, the New Covenant Temple of God is the body of believers. Ministers serve the Temple by preaching the gospel, as Paul said.
ReplyDeleteYes, only God can designate who He wishes to receive His tithe. Then again, only God the Father can designate who can come to Jesus Christ:
John 6:44 - "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them"
I'm not sure exactly which ministers God has chosen, but I do have a good idea: if they preach the truth of God, then they are a minister of God. If they don't, then they aren't. No Catholic priest is a minister of God, because they don't preach the true gospel of the Kingdom of God. Similarly, no Protestant pastor is a minister of God, because they don't preach the true gospel of the Kingdom of God. I give my tithes to those who preach the true gospel and minister to me, since Paul has said "those who preach the gospel ought to live from the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14.)
I've already argued in this series that their inheritance was conditional on their obedience and service, just as Israel's inheritance was conditional on their obedience. God caused their service to stop by allowing the physical temple to be destroyed, therefore Levi no longer has any claim to an inheritance from tithe.
Perhaps the heart of our disagreement is that you are looking at tithing as something that God required for the Levites, while I perceive it as something that He requires from people as an act of submission. While both are true, you believe the former to the exclusion of the latter.
You said, "I give my tithes to those who preach the true gospel and minister to me, since Paul has said "those who preach the gospel ought to live from the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14.)"
ReplyDeleteSo even though God never designated any minister to receive His tithe, YOU have decided to give it to those who preach [what you believe] to be the true gospel since Paul said they ought to live from the gospel. But Paul NEVER said that God's tithe should go to those who preach the gospel. There is no scripture to show that Paul ever received a tithe. So was Paul sinning by not collecting a tithe for himself?
What about the second and third tithes - the so-called Festival Tithe and the Tithe for the Poor? How do you follow those commands?
No, God designated them by first calling them into His Church (John 6:44) and then by calling them to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:1).
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, Paul did collect tithe for himself, but you refuse to admit this because you would simply say that he received only offerings because the word "tithe" isn't specifically used. Let me put it this way: if Paul had no right to receive tithes, then what right did he have to receive offerings? Have you considered what happens if you apply the same strict Old Covenant analysis that you do for tithes to offerings? I think you can see the problem that this creates, but perhaps I'll do another article covering it.
As for second tithe, I set it aside throughout the year and consume it during God's annual Holy Days. I also keep 3rd tithe for the poor, the fatherless, and the widow, but this is only done every 3rd year in a 7 year cycle. There are some who say that there is no need to keep 3rd tithe in countries in which people are paying taxes for welfare programs in an amount that exceeds 10% every 3rd year - they are saying that this serves the same function as 3rd tithe. I've tended to question that, but it's moot for me right now - I'm currently keeping it because my income has never been high enough to pay much in taxes.
What do you do in year 7?
ReplyDeleteI made a snafu - I meant the 3rd and 6th years, not the 1st and 3rd! As for the 7th...
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 15:1-5 - At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release. Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother, except when there may be no poor among you; for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance— only if you carefully obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today
In our society, personal loans are not typical. If such a situation came up, I would forgive the debt, but as a rule I prefer to give to others what they need rather than loan to them when I can. Perhaps if I owned a bank and specifically lent money to others in the Church then I would need to more carefully consider the technical ramifications.
What about the land sabbath (Leviticus 25:3-7). Do you mow your lawn or prune any shrubs or trees during the seventh year?
ReplyDeleteActually, Paul taught that there is no tithing in the church (2 Corinthians 9:7).
I don't think that mowing a lawn falls under the purview of the land sabbath since grass doesn't produce anything, but fruit trees or berry bushes may. You should have asked if I tend my garden in the 7th year (I don't have a garden, but you get the point.) I know of some people who divide their land into 7ths and let 1/7th of it rest each year in order to keep the land sabbath, but I've never been in that position so I don't have a firm opinion on whether this upholds the law or not.
ReplyDeleteYou are twisting the teaching of Paul if you think that scripture teaches against tithing. Allow me to demonstrate. We both agree that a Christian shouldn't murder. Now, if you ask me the reason why a person shouldn't murder, I could give you two answers that would both be correct. The first is that God commanded "You shall not murder," and the second is that we are to demonstrate love for one another and that murder defies a loving attitude. If I take the first answer out of the context of God being a loving God, then a person might think that the only reason that they can't murder is because God prohibited that physical act - they would be not murdering simply because they feel like they are obligated not to murder. God doesn't want us to desire to murder someone in our hearts and only refrain from the outward act - He wants us to obey from the heart.
In a similar way, if you take the command to tithe and give offerings out of the context of a loving God (more specifically, a giving God), then you arrive at the same false conclusion: that we only give because God requires us to do so even though we'd really rather keep our money. In actuality, God wants us to love Him rather than money, so that we will desire to give from the heart rather than give by compulsion.
I guess at this point all I can do is agree to disagree. But I will continue to follow your blog and may again give my comments.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of the discussion! You're always welcome to share your opinion or critique mine :)
ReplyDeleteThese churches now days only practice what they call a tithe. They don't follow any of the other laws. (Galatians 3:10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written on the book of the law to do them.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right that most churches don't follow any of the other laws, and this is indeed to their shame. Jesus said it best if Matthew 5:19 - "anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
ReplyDelete