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Tithing
All scripture is from the King James Version
A majority of churches accept tithing as viable doctrine. I intend to prove that it is not, and that the concept of such, for Christians, is dangerous. It is one of the most used and abused doctrines in the church, and it is false doctrine. It is easy to establish tithing as an ordinance in Old Testament law. The first mention of tithing concerning the law is:
Leviticus 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.
Leviticus goes on from there to finish up with:
Leviticus 27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
Tithing is clearly stated as being put in the law. Almost every argument I have had over tithing, the opponent will say "yes but tithing was before the law," then they quote:
Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
This is the first time tithing is mentioned in the Bible. Did Abraham tithe of all that he possessed? No. This is what he tithed:
Genesis 14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
He brought back the spoils of war. That was what the tithe came from.
Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils
Abraham did not tithe from his personal possessions but the spoils of war. The king of Sodom even offered Abraham the goods and Abraham said:
Genesis 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
Does this sound like God wants 10% of your money? Does the law require 10% of your money? We can neutralize the opponents first move. No, in both cases. The word "tithe" is used 13 times in the Bible. Not once do you see the word "money" used. The word "tithes" is used 21 times in the Bible. The word "money" is not used once. The word "tithing" is used twice in:
Deuteronomy 26:12 ¶ When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
Money is not mentioned, but notice what they do with the tithe. Isn't that interesting? Now we can move to the "scare tactic":
Malachi 3:7 ¶ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances , and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings
9 Ye are cursed with a curse : for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation .
Who would want to rob God? That is a fearful thought, but wait! Let's look at it. It is an ordinance ! We? have held back our tithes and | ||||||