Kinda new at this...

[godrulz]

Well, as for me and mine, we see first to the financial obligations of my family, and then we give to meet the needs of fellow believers, and then the needy in our community. After that, we don't have anything left of what many call expendible income. That's probably why we don't have worthless trinkets and baubles collecting dust around our residence.

TM

Freedom of simplicity, ah. Be blessed.

 

[Stripe]

I like this tithe ... man ..

 

[elohiym]

Welcome, Titheman.

Since it was brought up in this thread, I'll add my .02 regarding tithe.

The tithe was a percentage that Israelites were commanded to set aside for an annual feast. At the time of the feast, the Israelites were to bring their tithe and consume it during the festivities. They were to share it according to the protocols. If the feast was too far, they could sell their tithe for money and then use the money at the feast location to buy whatever they desired to consume at the feast. That's all the tithe was, and anyone who tells you differently hasn't read the old testament.

Deuteronomy 14:22-27

22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

See? The purpose of the tithe was for a party, nothing more or less. :cheers:

 

[csuguy]

Those running the church? I thought the Church had only One Head.

Who are those?

Oh, you're talking about individual churches. Ok.[/COLOR]

lol. Not that I mind - but it is helpful to read a post before responding to it

Well, I don't attend or support them. They cost too much. Our budget doesn't allow us to enjoy such a luxury.

We do gather together with fellow believers each week, even though we don't have the luxury of a special purpose building or rental facility with its professional staff and other costly expenditures.

Very cool.

That's a question that seems to beg the question, considering that increasing, financial hardships today are creating an atmosphere where luxuries such as communal buildings and professional clergy are simply impractical.

I don't think there is anything wrong with purchasing communal buildings or paying for professional clergy men. There are a lot of luxuries that the churches could do without - but those two are pretty basic. Of course, most 'professional' clergy men are simply those who have taken the required watered down courses and agreed to preach the churches doctrines to people (no disagreeing with their doctrine!) - so in that sense i agree that THEY aren't necessary. Rather - they are a hindrance. However, someone who truly studies the Word and who helps you grow spirituality is indispensable.

I agree that most of the funds should not go to these luxuries - but should be spent on ministry.

I thought it was a matter of the Law.

It is. What I should have said is giving is a matter of faith. Of course, tithe is arguably a matter of faith too.

That's why I refuse to erroneously place the stewardship of my giving into the hands of such robbers of God. None of them have shown themselves to be worthy of directing what I give into the hands of the needy and those who are ministering Christ to lost souls.

:thumb:

I can't speak for anyone else, but based upon the scriptures, I'm forced to reject any and all subjective principles some would think themselves qualified to foist upon others; principles that find no support for their allegedly having crossed over the boundaries of time, culture and the Law/grace boundary into the age of the Church.

I've found that those who ignore the fact that all the many, many wage earners simply didn't pay a tithe to the Levites, and who thus pretend, through modern teachings on the tithe, that we're all bound to something that was demonstratably not applicable to the everage person, well, I have to wonder about the honesty and integrity of those people.

I once read an article dealing with a word study in the Bible, and it highlighted the fact that the increase, as defined within Leviticus, has no ties to modern or historic wages of those who don't own producing lands or livestock. What most do is exchange their labor and skills for money, which can't possibly be defined as a form of increase as defined in Leviticus.

Considering that there are still flat-earthers around today, I'm not surprised that there are those who see lines of parallel that simply don't exist in reality.

TM

Despite your name - you don't sound like too much of an advocate for tithing, at least in the usual sense of the term :think:

 

[Titheman]

I don't think there is anything wrong with purchasing communal buildings or paying for professional clergy men.

I agree. It's fine so long as a group can afford such. However, I simply don't have a large enough income to make such organizations happy to have me as a member. They want paying members. I give to meet needs of others first and foremost. Church organizations want their members handing over to them the largest, primary portion of believer's giving.

That's a violation of Christian stewardship of what God has given to us. Right now, I have nothing left after I give to meet needs of others. I can't, in good conscience, hand over to them what should first be used to meet genuine needs.

For those who have enough left over from meeting needs to hand over in support of a communal facility and its clergy, then great. They have more expendible income than I have.

Of course, most 'professional' clergy men are simply those who have taken the required watered down courses and agreed to preach the churches doctrines to people (no disagreeing with their doctrine!) - so in that sense i agree that THEY aren't necessary.

I found that out the hard way. For many years I supported buildings and clergy with the majority of my giving, but then the Lord challenged my sensibilities and drove me to His word. I was shocked and ashamed of my blindness and laziness at accepting what I heard from pulpits without checking it out in the word of God before anything else. I wasted many years of my giving on things rather than meeting genuine needs. That's a shameful way of life in relation to the spiritual life lived in the service of Christ Jesus.

Rather - they are a hindrance. However, someone who truly studies the Word and who helps you grow spirituality is indispensable.

Once one has heard and accepted the Gospel, I found that 1 John 2:27 kicks in as the highest and most reliable foundation.

I agree that most of the funds should not go to these luxuries - but should be spent on ministry.

Now THERE'S a subjective term. Ministry means many different things to different people.

It is. What I should have said is giving is a matter of faith. Of course, tithe is arguably a matter of faith too.

So long as one is giving in accordance with the examples of NT scripture, which happens to be the meeting of needs first and foremost, above all else.

Despite your name - you don't sound like too much of an advocate for tithing, at least in the usual sense of the term :think:

Uh, oh. Busted................!

Yeah, you're right. The traditional direction of tithing is scripturally unsound.

Most people seem to think that antiquity lends any and all the necessary backing to a tradition needed for it to be a reality in their lives.

This is unfortunate. The truly spiritual in the body of Christ will always tread the path of scripture above all else, but most seem to want to tread the path of tradition and dogma.

Tithing is fine..........so long as its in the direction pointed out by scripture.

Buildings and clergy aren't the goal to which scripture points.

TM

 

[Stripe]

The purpose of the tithe was for a party, nothing more or less. :cheers:

So, if what you say is true, we can safely refer to Titheman as 'Partyman' instead.

 

[Titheman]

So, if what you say is true, we can safely refer to Titheman as 'Partyman' instead.

I think I know what he was talking about. When eating the tithe, at the appointed place, it wasn't so much a party as it was a celebration of the Lord's provisions for that year.

Today, we have no such place where the Lord's name dwells since WE are the temples of His Holy Spirit.

TM

 

[elohiym]

So, if what you say is true, we can safely refer to Titheman as 'Partyman' instead.

Absolutely! :cheers:

 

[elohiym]

When eating the tithe, at the appointed place, it wasn't so much a party as it was a celebration of the Lord's provisions for that year.

A celebration is synonymous with a party.

Today, we have no such place where the Lord's name dwells since WE are the temples of His Holy Spirit.

Well, if his Spirit dwells in us, we do have a place...wherever we are.

But the take away here is that the tithe is not a church tax, as some people attempt to make it.

 

[Titheman]

Well, if his Spirit dwells in us, we do have a place...wherever we are.

Absolutely.:first:

But the take away here is that the tithe is not a church tax, as some people attempt to make it.

Wow. A church tax? There are people out there who say such things?

And I thought Obama Hussein was a kook.....:banned:

 

[Titheman]

Considering that, here in America, we live in a culture that literally worships microcosmic living, which has deeply infiltrated the thinking and values of most professing Christians, it's a given that many truths within scripture can and do violate the sensibilities of most professing Christians.

It's always a privelage to quote and expound upon the word of God, because it inevitably ticks many people off. When people are angry and hateful toward me because of the truths of God's word, then I'm blessed.

I ought to know. I was once a product of mainstream, religious teachings, and seemed to always find myself offended when reading the word of God without the blinders of religiosity on either side of my eyes.

It's my hope that more people will become offended by the word of God, because it's only then that they can know that they've actually removed the blinders that keep them from realizing the vast periphery surrounding the scriptures.:think:

TM