Unity is very valuable. It's brought about by loving one another deeply from the heart (1 Peter 1:22), forgiving one another from the heart (Matthew 18:35), bearing with one another (Romans 15:1) and submitting to one another--the Greek word means voluntarily coming under with the idea of doing so to accomplish something. (Ephesians 5:21)
This unity is to be always around the Lord and His Word, which must never be compromised. It's not to be built around a leader, a leader's vision or style of leadership or a "because I said so and I'm the boss" attitude. It cannot be forced. A leader is to be a servant to those he or she leads. (1 Peter 5:2)
Christian unity is a very sweet and special treasure that Jesus valued and can bind his followers together in close fellowship across language, culture and personality.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:22,23)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
True Christian Giving (tithing, part 3)
Does it seem right that many Christians are on some kind of public or private assistance while giving hundreds each month to the church? It doesn’t look right to the world either.
"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:34,35)
When we get back on a Scriptural foundation and give generously, hilariously and without compulsion (force) to lots of ministries and people in need instead of the lion’s share to the “local church," fewer Christians will struggle and the poor will be better cared for, making a better witness to the world. (Luke 6:38, Acts 4:34)
"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)
Also, there’s no scriptural foundation for the separate “para-church” designation in which the local church is to get the main part of giving and ministries are supposed to get only the "extra". They are not outside the church;there is one church of Jesus Christ and all who worship him in Spirit and in truth are a part. However, we are to provide all good things for those from whose teaching we benefit.
(1 Corinthians 9:12) but from what we have, not what we don’t have.
"The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea." (Acts 11:29)
"Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." (2 Cor 8:12)
Incidentally, “Christian tithing” didn’t become widespread until the eighth century! That’s right, the early church didn’t teach it or do it.
This is liberating! Everything we have and are belongs to God! We are free from the Law and we are free to give from our hearts so that no Christian goes without! Give wherever God instructs you with a free and cheerful heart not just squeezing out the tenth that the pastor tells you that you must if you want to avoid a curse! (One pastor paralleled tithing with salvation! A church administrator said that it should be a requirement for church membership! We once told a pastor that we were in a financial situation in which we couldn’t tithe; he was very “understanding” and said that we could, in effect, owe it to the church!) Take care of the poor! Notice that Jesus didn’t describe Himself as telling the people in the end that they were cast out because they didn’t “tithe” but because they didn’t take care of the poor!
"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' (Matthew 25:37-43)
*All emphases are mine
"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:34,35)
When we get back on a Scriptural foundation and give generously, hilariously and without compulsion (force) to lots of ministries and people in need instead of the lion’s share to the “local church," fewer Christians will struggle and the poor will be better cared for, making a better witness to the world. (Luke 6:38, Acts 4:34)
"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)
Also, there’s no scriptural foundation for the separate “para-church” designation in which the local church is to get the main part of giving and ministries are supposed to get only the "extra". They are not outside the church;there is one church of Jesus Christ and all who worship him in Spirit and in truth are a part. However, we are to provide all good things for those from whose teaching we benefit.
(1 Corinthians 9:12) but from what we have, not what we don’t have.
"The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea." (Acts 11:29)
"Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." (2 Cor 8:12)
Incidentally, “Christian tithing” didn’t become widespread until the eighth century! That’s right, the early church didn’t teach it or do it.
This is liberating! Everything we have and are belongs to God! We are free from the Law and we are free to give from our hearts so that no Christian goes without! Give wherever God instructs you with a free and cheerful heart not just squeezing out the tenth that the pastor tells you that you must if you want to avoid a curse! (One pastor paralleled tithing with salvation! A church administrator said that it should be a requirement for church membership! We once told a pastor that we were in a financial situation in which we couldn’t tithe; he was very “understanding” and said that we could, in effect, owe it to the church!) Take care of the poor! Notice that Jesus didn’t describe Himself as telling the people in the end that they were cast out because they didn’t “tithe” but because they didn’t take care of the poor!
"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' (Matthew 25:37-43)
*All emphases are mine
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Levitical Tithe (tithing part 2)
The Hebrews verses,in addition to pointing to Melchizidek's greatness, refer to “the Law” requiring the collecting of tithes by “the Levites”. In Christianity, we aren’t under the law and we do not have Levites.
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." (Ephesians 2:14,15)
Some point to Jesus’ reprimand of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy as justification for Christian tithing but overlook the fact that He was speaking to Jewish Pharisees, not to Christians (again, who are not under the Law). If we were to be like the Pharisees, we would be following the law (613 parts) to it’s “nth” degree along with all their add-ons, we would be sacrificing animals for our sins and we wouldn’t eat with Gentiles (oops, that’s me)!
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23,24)
The favorite scripture quoted by those who teach tithing to the local church is Malachi 3:8-11: “You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.” This is the context for Malachi 3:8:
“I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 3:2-7)
This is a reference to God’s requirement for Israel to obey the Law that they were to bring food: wine, grain, olive oil, meat--not money, (this was separate from their monetary system) into the storehouse of the Tabernacle or Temple, (which the church is not; a woman who “was raised in a Jewish home” pointed out that the tithing teaching is a type of "replacement theology",designating the church building as a replacement for the Temple). Every first and second year they were to take this food to the designated place and eat it themselves in the presence of the Lord but still remembering to include the Levites.
"You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you." (Deuteronomy 12:5-7)
The Levites were to give a tithe from what they got in the third year to Aaron or the chief priest.
"Say to the Levites: “When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die." (Numbers 18:30-32)
In the third year, the Israelites were to give that tenth of food to the Levites, aliens, orphans, and widows, so it was a four-way split. The Israelites in Malachi’s time were robbing God by not taking care of the aliens (read immigrants), widows and orphans and apparently the Levites weren’t sharing what they did get!
"When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them." (Deuteromony. 26:12-13)
There is no New Covenant equivalent of the Aaronic Priesthood or the Levites; the Temple sacrificial system is over.
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. (Hebrews 7:11-12)
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:11-14)
So, if we were to remain under the Law, (the very thought of such horrified Paul as he wrote to the Galatians) we would be tithing from our fields and flocks, not our money. We would eat that tithe ourselves at the central location, which God designated for all Christians to gather for worship in the first and second years (could be a very long trek!). In the third year we would divide that tithe of food between the pastors, immigrants, orphans and widows. However,Scripture says that if one aims to be justified by following any part of the law, one must keep the entire Law and be judged by it or be under a curse! SCAREY!
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:10-14)
But, the prosperity teachers say, when you give ten percent to us (I’m still amazed that this erroneous teaching prevails twenty years after it’s been thoroughly debunked by many Bible teachers), God will multiply it and “rebuke the devourer”. We’ve heard, “tithe and your appliances and cars won’t break down”. We tithed but our appliances and cars broke down. In fact we were hurting financially but the church got theirs. Occasionally this works for some people but you don’t hear the prosperity teachers talking about the cases where it didn’t work—this is correlation, not causation (two unrelated events happening at the same time without one causing the other). I can only conclude that when people are under compulsion to do a certain thing that the Bible doesn’t teach ("traditions of men"), under many pains of shame, accusations of sin and supposed curse if they don’t—that if somehow it does “work” it’s more likely magic than miracle. Noah Webster (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the Webster’s) says “the doing of things not required by God (as a religious rite)” is superstition. I shudder to think about it.
And it’s not just the prosperity teachers who proclaim tithing, most evangelical preachers teach it, but without the pay-off. All you get from their version is a “spiritual blessing” which doesn’t really have a basis in scripture either, certainly not in the “Malachi 3” one. You can be assured that on payday they will want their paychecks, they won’t be satisfied with a spiritual blessing alone.
continued tomorrow...
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." (Ephesians 2:14,15)
Some point to Jesus’ reprimand of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy as justification for Christian tithing but overlook the fact that He was speaking to Jewish Pharisees, not to Christians (again, who are not under the Law). If we were to be like the Pharisees, we would be following the law (613 parts) to it’s “nth” degree along with all their add-ons, we would be sacrificing animals for our sins and we wouldn’t eat with Gentiles (oops, that’s me)!
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23,24)
The favorite scripture quoted by those who teach tithing to the local church is Malachi 3:8-11: “You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.” This is the context for Malachi 3:8:
“I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 3:2-7)
This is a reference to God’s requirement for Israel to obey the Law that they were to bring food: wine, grain, olive oil, meat--not money, (this was separate from their monetary system) into the storehouse of the Tabernacle or Temple, (which the church is not; a woman who “was raised in a Jewish home” pointed out that the tithing teaching is a type of "replacement theology",designating the church building as a replacement for the Temple). Every first and second year they were to take this food to the designated place and eat it themselves in the presence of the Lord but still remembering to include the Levites.
"You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you." (Deuteronomy 12:5-7)
The Levites were to give a tithe from what they got in the third year to Aaron or the chief priest.
"Say to the Levites: “When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die." (Numbers 18:30-32)
In the third year, the Israelites were to give that tenth of food to the Levites, aliens, orphans, and widows, so it was a four-way split. The Israelites in Malachi’s time were robbing God by not taking care of the aliens (read immigrants), widows and orphans and apparently the Levites weren’t sharing what they did get!
"When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them." (Deuteromony. 26:12-13)
There is no New Covenant equivalent of the Aaronic Priesthood or the Levites; the Temple sacrificial system is over.
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. (Hebrews 7:11-12)
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:11-14)
So, if we were to remain under the Law, (the very thought of such horrified Paul as he wrote to the Galatians) we would be tithing from our fields and flocks, not our money. We would eat that tithe ourselves at the central location, which God designated for all Christians to gather for worship in the first and second years (could be a very long trek!). In the third year we would divide that tithe of food between the pastors, immigrants, orphans and widows. However,Scripture says that if one aims to be justified by following any part of the law, one must keep the entire Law and be judged by it or be under a curse! SCAREY!
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:10-14)
But, the prosperity teachers say, when you give ten percent to us (I’m still amazed that this erroneous teaching prevails twenty years after it’s been thoroughly debunked by many Bible teachers), God will multiply it and “rebuke the devourer”. We’ve heard, “tithe and your appliances and cars won’t break down”. We tithed but our appliances and cars broke down. In fact we were hurting financially but the church got theirs. Occasionally this works for some people but you don’t hear the prosperity teachers talking about the cases where it didn’t work—this is correlation, not causation (two unrelated events happening at the same time without one causing the other). I can only conclude that when people are under compulsion to do a certain thing that the Bible doesn’t teach ("traditions of men"), under many pains of shame, accusations of sin and supposed curse if they don’t—that if somehow it does “work” it’s more likely magic than miracle. Noah Webster (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the Webster’s) says “the doing of things not required by God (as a religious rite)” is superstition. I shudder to think about it.
And it’s not just the prosperity teachers who proclaim tithing, most evangelical preachers teach it, but without the pay-off. All you get from their version is a “spiritual blessing” which doesn’t really have a basis in scripture either, certainly not in the “Malachi 3” one. You can be assured that on payday they will want their paychecks, they won’t be satisfied with a spiritual blessing alone.
continued tomorrow...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Abraham’s Tithe (tithing, part 1)
Lately, I’ve been looking thoroughly at every area of life through the lens of Scripture. I want to follow the Lord in Spirit and in truth. Unfortunately, many of the ways that we American (and others?) Christians have picked up are based only on the traditions of men or on teachings of error. One of the teachings that I’ve examined is that of tithing. As you may know, the standard teaching nearly everywhere in America is that we are to give 10% of our paychecks, “off the top”. If one says, “But that’s the Law and we’re under grace not the Law!” the comeback is, “Abraham tithed to Melchizedek and that was before the Law.” They cite scriptures from here and there and if you only look at those few, it seems like a must to tithe. Well as it turns out, Abraham didn’t tithe everything-everything but only his spoils of war i.e., not that which he had to live off of but the windfall and he didn't keep a share.
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
“The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, `I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." (Genesis 14:13-22)
“Just think how great he (Melchizedek) was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.” (Hebrews 7:4-7)
Abraham’s tithe came from other people’s shares before they got it. The point of the writer of Hebrews is not to admonish us to tithe, but that Abraham, by tithing, acknowledged that Melchizedek was greater than he was. The writer uses this example as proof that the priesthood Jesus is a part of (the Order of Melchizedek) is far greater than the Levitical priesthood. However, if we were to take Abraham as our example to follow (and he is a good one if you exclude tying one’s son to a sacrificial altar [yes, God commanded him to do it but He’s not commanding us to!], lying about Sarah not being his wife and “lying” with Hagar, who wasn’t his wife), then we would tithe off of things like sweepstakes winnings or bonuses--not on everyday income for living expenses.
continued tomorrow...
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
“The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, `I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." (Genesis 14:13-22)
“Just think how great he (Melchizedek) was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.” (Hebrews 7:4-7)
Abraham’s tithe came from other people’s shares before they got it. The point of the writer of Hebrews is not to admonish us to tithe, but that Abraham, by tithing, acknowledged that Melchizedek was greater than he was. The writer uses this example as proof that the priesthood Jesus is a part of (the Order of Melchizedek) is far greater than the Levitical priesthood. However, if we were to take Abraham as our example to follow (and he is a good one if you exclude tying one’s son to a sacrificial altar [yes, God commanded him to do it but He’s not commanding us to!], lying about Sarah not being his wife and “lying” with Hagar, who wasn’t his wife), then we would tithe off of things like sweepstakes winnings or bonuses--not on everyday income for living expenses.
continued tomorrow...
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