Is A Christian Really Under Obligation To Tithe? YES!

[GraceThruFaith]

So basically, the whole thing about IFB's believing that tithing is still in effect hinges on the fact that tithing existed Pre-Law, with Abraham and Melchizedek as well as Jacob. You can learn to properly exegete those stories and shut down any IFB who thinks he knows what he's talking about when it speaks of tithing.

[Trapped Pentecostal]

(01-09-2012 12:13 PM)GraceThruFaith Wrote:  So basically, the whole thing about IFB's believing that tithing is still in effect hinges on the fact that tithing existed Pre-Law, with Abraham and Melchizedek as well as Jacob. You can learn to properly exegete those stories and shut down any IFB who thinks he knows what he's talking about when it speaks of tithing.

Well, the biggest problem when arguing against a fundamentalist of any stripe is that facts just don't matter. Even if in the New Testament said directly, "Oh, by the way, that whole tithe thing is null and void," fundamentalist pastors would find some way of convincing their fleeced, er, flocks not to believe that verse (because how else would they make any money?).

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

(01-08-2012 07:51 PM)Mommy2Kids Wrote:  Don't you think God is more interested in the motive more than the percentage? If I am only giving to meet the expectation of 10%, I don't think that is God-honoring. If I give 10% because I can and I want to give that to God's ministry, I think it is meaningful. If it takes faith to give 1% because I am so strapped financially, and I do so willingly and cheerfully, I believe God is honored in that.

I think God wants more than a tithe.

This...is exactly where I'm at!

We pretty much hit rock bottom financially a couple years ago--job loss, bad housing market, relocation and too much debt. It was the perfect storm for financial ruin. I'm not proud of that time as we caused some of the problem ourselves, but we learned some valuable lessons in the process. God has been merciful and showed us His version of a second chance and things are slowly but surely improving. Last year we set financial goals and one of them was to give something every paycheck even if it was $5. The idea was to give happily and purposefully. We are striving for that "magical" 10%, but we're not there yet and it still may take awhile. It is more important to me to give with the right motivation than out of obligation. God doesn't NEED my 10% to get His work done, but He allows us to be part of His work in our giving.

[Away-From-The-Umbrella]

When it comes to money abusive fundy pastors are very pragmatic: The ends justifies the means.

[greg]

I think Mr Norris is dead now, but what I would love to ask him is to open his KJV and show me any verse where "a tithe" = "money", as far as that goes anyone reading this may show me that. If it is in the bible, I've never seen it. Tithed items were agricultural products from the land, either vegetables or animals.

Btw, I am supportive of paid clergy, at least for right now.

[dthatcher]

(01-09-2012 12:13 PM)GraceThruFaith Wrote:  So basically, the whole thing about IFB's believing that tithing is still in effect hinges on the fact that tithing existed Pre-Law, with Abraham and Melchizedek as well as Jacob. You can learn to properly exegete those stories and shut down any IFB who thinks he knows what he's talking about when it speaks of tithing.

Yes, you are right. That is what they go back to. However, I always point out that circumcision was prior to the law, too.

[Tiarali]

(01-09-2012 12:24 PM)Trapped Pentecostal Wrote:  

(01-09-2012 12:13 PM)GraceThruFaith Wrote:  So basically, the whole thing about IFB's believing that tithing is still in effect hinges on the fact that tithing existed Pre-Law, with Abraham and Melchizedek as well as Jacob. You can learn to properly exegete those stories and shut down any IFB who thinks he knows what he's talking about when it speaks of tithing.

Well, the biggest problem when arguing against a fundamentalist of any stripe is that facts just don't matter. Even if in the New Testament said directly, "Oh, by the way, that whole tithe thing is null and void," fundamentalist pastors would find some way of convincing their fleeced, er, flocks not to believe that verse (because how else would they make any money?).

Nah, they'd just ignore that verse and preach from a completely different verse. I mean, Acts 15 pretty much destroys the idea that christians are under the law, but I've never heard it mentioned from the IFB pulpit. Heard lots about how Jesus didn't come to remove the law, though.