Originally Posted by HaShaliach
I have to admit that this is one of the better "mainstream" church teaching on the subject of tithes.
My problem is with the setting of yet another religious standard by which most in church leadership measures another's level of spirituality (or degree/level of worship, holiness, etc.). In most churches of today, the amount of money ones gives (amount and percentage) is one of the two prime measure of one's spiritual standing before God. Give enough money and one can buy their way on to the platform.
What one will NOT hear in a church is the law of tithing preached from a Hebrew (Old Testament) point of view. It has to be changed (altered, manipulated) into something it is not, in order to accommodate our modern-day western culture.
The principle of giving, plus the supporting the work of the body of Christ is really rather simple. Its teaching, however, is very complex because of all of the distortions and misinterpretations that have been heaped upon this simple principle - and the un-scriptural purposes to which our modern doctrines have been used to justify.
Give to the poor and those in need. First to those within the body and also to those not counted among the believers. Support those who minister the word of God to the world's lost and dieing, not to those who live among you and teach, bring a song or psalms, a word of knowledge or wisdom, or one who give prophecies or speaks in tongues or interprets.
Give what you have set in your heart to give (according to your desire or in response to a need), without judgment or under compulsion. Do not allow others to condemn (or praise) you for your perceived "level of sacrifice". No one is to be accounted to (to give an accounting to) for your giving, but to God alone. On the other hand, if one wishes to receive a tax benefit from the world according to their giving, then your giving is no longer in secret, but open for all men to see and judge. (Or, take only the standard deduction if you want to go this route.)
For the poor among you - if one is set on paying tithes, then follow the law and give the poor their rightful portion, and do not withhold the tithe from them, or from the widow or the orphan, so a preacher can attend a conference or have a new suit If there are no poor among you then bless your community - like Jesus did!
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