Tithing…Is it a command?

[peter83]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

Doesn’t this scripture prove that we are supposed to tithe these days, because it draws a parallel between the old testament Levitical tithe, and the New Testament preachers? Whether they be evangelist as well as pastors, or whomever…

Ιf an Apostle (travelling etc.) that is our example did that then , we must also consider this statement (in the same chapter)
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

2 cor,11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

I know churches that dicide to fallow the example of Paul and so they dont alow anyone without work to be a pastor! The result was that ALL MONEY here given for churches and also that NOBODY has to say something against those people!
2 Thes.3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power(authority), but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

[JamesGlen]

Originally Posted by Esaias

No, it does not.

Even if it did, you would not practice it.

Why thank you for that cheap shot, Esaias.

I don’t recall ever noticing the parallel in that verse, hence why I posted it for consideration.



Since you answered with a no, would you care to explain your opinion of exactly what it does mean?

Specifically, why would Paul intentionally picture out a comparison between the ot levitical tithing system and nt preachers living off the gospel, if nt preachers are not suppose to receive a tithe?

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

1 Cor. 9:13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Isn’t Paul making a comparison between funding for the ot Levitical by way of tithing, and also would thereby promote tithing to the nt preachers in this passage, since he chose to use 2 words of comparison, “ EVEN SO”? (Or LIKEWISE)

You are making the MOST fundamental of errors when you equate tithing with funding. Words have definitions. When we discuss tithing we should remember that the tithe was “holy unto the Lord”. So we should use the definition that the Lord used, after all we don’t want to defile what is holy to Him, now do we?

Lev.27

[30] And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.

God was pretty specific what this “holy tithe” was to be. He was specific as to what was to be done with it as well . . .

Numbers 18

[28] Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
[29] Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
[30] Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
[31] And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

If you notice, the tithe was to be eaten. This was a commandment from God concerning the tithe. There are, to my knowledge only two possible exceptions to this command. One being if an unclean animal was tithed, such as a camel 🐪. It was against the law to eat the camel because it was unclean. The second being that a man was allowed, but never required to redeem his tithe of the seed of the land (animals were exempt from redemption). In this case he would add one fifth to the monetary value of his tithe, and was allowed to take possession of his tithe.

The bottom line is that tithing money was not allowed. Hence equating tithing with funds is (according to scripture) a direct disobedience to God!

[JamesGlen]

The reason I am looking into the tithe again, is that recently my pastor preached a sermon entitled, “Thieves in the Church”. Dedicated to any that do not tithe.
It is the common Mal. 3 robbing god scripture twister, plus Numbers and maybe one or two others...

During the sermon, he hammers out that the tithe belongs to the pastor, the offerings are over and above the pastors(holy) tithe, which would be used for other things like paying electric bills for the house of God, etc. And those church members that do not tithe, are not only Thieves, but also very likely cursed as well, in regard to finances.

So, I’m trying to keep an open mind, by looking into
1 Cor. 9 a little deeper...I will read through the responses a few times, in attempt to learn.

[JamesGlen]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

You are making the MOST fundamental of errors when you equate tithing with funding. Words have definitions. When we discuss tithing we should remember that the tithe was “holy unto the Lord”. So we should use the definition that the Lord used, after all we don’t want to defile what is holy to Him, now do we?

Lev.27

[30] And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.

God was pretty specific what this “holy tithe” was to be. He was specific as to what was to be done with it as well . . .

Numbers 18

[28] Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
[29] Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
[30] Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
[31] And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

If you notice, the tithe was to be eaten. This was a commandment from God concerning the tithe. There are, to my knowledge only two possible exceptions to this command. One being if an unclean animal was tithed, such as a camel 🐪. It was against the law to eat the camel because it was unclean. The second being that a man was allowed, but never required to redeem his tithe of the seed of the land (animals were exempt from redemption). In this case he would add one fifth to the monetary value of his tithe, and was allowed to take possession of his tithe.

The bottom line is that tithing money was not allowed. Hence equating tithing with funds is (according to scripture) a direct disobedience to God!

Why did Paul intentionally make the connection between the two then,(ot Levites and nt preachers) in regard to living off of, with the words “EVEN SO”?

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

The reason I am looking into the tithe again, is that recently my pastor preached a sermon entitled, “Thieves in the Church”. Dedicated to any that do not tithe.
It is the common Mal. 3 robbing god scripture twister, plus Numbers and maybe one or two others...

During the sermon, he hammers out that the tithe belongs to the pastor, the offerings are over and above the pastors(holy) tithe, which would be used for other things like paying electric bills for the house of God, etc. And those church members that do not tithe, are not only Thieves, but also very likely cursed as well, in regard to finances.

So, I’m trying to keep an open mind, by looking into
1 Cor. 9 a little deeper...I will read through the responses a few times, in attempt to learn.

Your pastor is teaching false doctrine. He is not alone. To teach the doctrine that he teaches is impossible without adding to the scripture and subtracting from the scripture. The tithe has been successfully redefined by the modern preacher.

I would encourage you to read the Bible and believe what it says about tithing. This would be much better than keeping an open mind.

Would it be best to believe the Bible (God’s inspired word), or would it be better to believe a man who is contradicting the Bible? Most people prefer to believe man rather than God.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

Why did Paul intentionally make the connection between the two then,(ot Levites and nt preachers) in regard to living off of, with the words “EVEN SO”?

Paul never refers to the tithe in this passage. You are making that connection, not Paul. The majority of the tithe never was brought to the temple. There were forty eight cities where the Levitical tithe was rendered. I believe what Paul was referring to is offerings and sacrifices. ALL sacrifices were offered at the temple. The priests ate portions of these sacrifices and offerings. Most tithes (more than 90 percent?) never went to the temple. Only one tenth of the Levitical tithe was given to the priests. Nine tenths of the Levitical tithe was kept and eaten by Levites who were NOT priests.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

The reason I am looking into the tithe again, is that recently my pastor preached a sermon entitled, “Thieves in the Church”. Dedicated to any that do not tithe.
It is the common Mal. 3 robbing god scripture twister, plus Numbers and maybe one or two others...

During the sermon, he hammers out that the tithe belongs to the pastor, the offerings are over and above the pastors(holy) tithe, which would be used for other things like paying electric bills for the house of God, etc. And those church members that do not tithe, are not only Thieves, but also very likely cursed as well, in regard to finances.

So, I’m trying to keep an open mind, by looking into
1 Cor. 9 a little deeper...I will read through the responses a few times, in attempt to learn.

There is NO scripture that says the tithe belongs to the pastor. We are supposed to just take their word for it. In regards to the tithe and thieves in the church, the tithe stealers are easy to spot if you know where to look.


Behind the pulpit!!!!

[JamesGlen]

Originally Posted by peter83

Ιf an Apostle (travelling etc.) that is our example did that then , we must also consider this statement (in the same chapter)
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

2 cor,11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

I know churches that dicide to fallow the example of Paul and so they dont alow anyone without work to be a pastor! The result was that ALL MONEY here given for churches and also that NOBODY has to say something against those people!
2 Thes.3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power(authority), but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

Paul never refers to the tithe in this passage. You are making that connection, not Paul. The majority of the tithe never was brought to the temple. There were forty eight cities where the Levitical tithe was rendered. I believe what Paul was referring to is offerings and sacrifices. ALL sacrifices were offered at the temple. The priests ate portions of these sacrifices and offerings. Most tithes (more than 90 percent?) never went to the temple. Only one tenth of the Levitical tithe was given to the priests. Nine tenths of the Levitical tithe was kept and eaten by Levites who were NOT priests.

1 Corinthians 9:14 Even so(likewise) the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.


Please explain the “Even So”, comparison between preachers, and those in the preceding verse.(priests or Levites?) And how gospel preachers should live be by the gospel.
Simply offerings?
Is that the comparison u guys see?

Peter 83, that seems to conflict w your post.

[Jason B]

The best thing about these old threads is rereading them, seeing the various posts by all those who've come and gone through the years, and even our old posts.