Most Christians want to please The Lord and many of us have a heart for giving. It is also true that preachers often cause distress in the heart and mind of well meaning Christians, asking more and more....demanding to pay 'the tithe' etc and Televangelists top this up with bribes for offerings, saying The Lord will give you this if you give Him that?
You should know just how Anti-Scriptural that is:
"For who has known the mind of The Lord? Or who has been His counselor?
And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?
Do not be conformed to this Age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect Will of God."
(Romans 11:33,34 and 12:2 CSB same context, not separate)
GNT says “Who has ever given him anything, so that He had to pay it back?"
Does God tell us to pay for our blessings? Is He reintroducing His laws with Israel? In what way should we be generous with our giving? Certainly not to break our pockets and experience so much stress.
The New Testament no-where commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (what you can afford) 1 Corinthians 16:2. Some teachers in the Christian church have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving.
Read more:
http://www.gotquestions.org/tithing-Christian.html#ixzz36w99OGoN
Is there such a thing as a Grace Tithe?
"A confusing paradox indeed"
Yet so many of us have been sold on this Hybrid Teaching for years - traditions die slow.
God says that we are BLESSED and that the curse that was a result of the Fall of Man is REVERSED because of JESUS Work on the Cross - we are REDEEMED and this is a DISPENSATION OF GRACE. The OT Law is OBSOLETE and does not have any place for THIS AGE now that the NATURE of GOD has been RESTORED to those IN CHRIST.
Furthermore, the Tithe that Abraham gave was not from his income as proposed but a one-off from the spoils of war......and he also gave the other 9 tenths to the King of Sodom stating his reasons for doing so. Read it in Gen 14:17-23 "What about Jacob?" the preachers say. It may enlighten you to find that he made a one-off tithe too. He actually made a conditional vow. Read this in Gen 28:20-22.
The Lord doesn’t take bribes (Due 10:17) True to his nature, Jacob did exactly that.
So many Preachers misquote Scripture!
And as for Malachi 3:9-10, no Grace is found there. Yet it has become the preacher's point of persuasion to extract money from you in God's name - they take in vain - attempting to change Paul's counsel from God because__ Tithing is a part of God's covenant with the Jews only. LAW was the OT Covenant with Israel. GRACE is the NT Covenant with Believers. CHRIST'S Sacrifice on the CROSS has made the Old Covenant OBSOLETE God no longer deals with us according to our misdeeds. JESUS Himself is the Mediator of this Better Covenant (Heb 8:6). It is a Covenant of COMPASSION and GRACE not Judgement! God has now BLESSED US with ALL Spiritual BLESSING in Heavenly Places making us HOLY and BLAMELESS because of JESUS. Surely the Windows of Heaven are OPEN NOW did you just read the above?" He has Cancelled the Bond that stood against us with it's Legal Demands" Read Eph 1:6-8 and Col 2.14-15
Paul says that God Loves Cheerful Givers and we said "We would love to give Cheerfully without all the pressure!"
Whose obedience is in question here, yours or the preachers? Quite honestly, most ministers harden our hearts in the area of Giving. God's Ministers are not supposed to Coerce you and find ways to your purse.
The privilege of Giving ought to be a JOY and DELIGHT. The work of the Holy Spirit ALWAYS keeps a Softening effect on our hearts. He does not bring pressure on you. Take your guidance from Scripture.
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, that as a matter of fairness
1 Timothy 6:17 ESV
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV / 27 helpful votes
Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Matthew 6:33 ESV / 32 helpful votes
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
When Pastors or Evangelists preach for fleshly gain, we need to be spiritual.
Don't let them get the victory because of your ignorance of Scripture.
And sometimes they are ignorant too!
Paul's Counsel on Giving in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 are Pictures of Benevolence and Willingness rather than Obedience and Constraint. He encourages us to SHARE our BLESSINGS with Those in Need not preacher's PAY for your BLESSINGS and the way many Televangelists entice us to make Shopping Lists with God. IE "He will give you this, that and that if you give your Best Offering!"
YES, JESUS DID SAY TO GIVE GENEROUSLY AND SO DID PAUL.
THAT IS FOR US TO DETERMINE......IT'S A PERSONAL DECISION BETWEEN US AND
OUR GOD and SHOULD BE RESPECTED AS SUCH.
MANY MINISTERS HAVE BEEN RECKLESS IN THEIR APPROACH
TO SUCH THINGS and MANY MISUSE GOD'S MONEY FOR PERSONAL
GAIN AND RICHES. GOD IS NOT MOCKED - THEY WILL STAND BEFORE HIM ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
Would you like to know if the Early Christians paid Tithes or not? Find the True account on my page Truth about Tithing The Facts from Early Church History! And does it make you stingy when you find out? No, it really makes you feel free to give with your heart.
Restoring The Joy!
You mean I can give as I please and feel Free in my heart? "Yes you Can" We will look at Giving with Gladness instead of sadness.
It's actually New Testament Scriptural... We will actually see what JESUS said And Early Believers Did
You can say "NO" to Church demands & TV Programs And have the JOY of GIVING Restored to You!!!
Thank you Janet, for making things clear for me. I can see preacher's appeals and demands for what they really are now. Pastor's and Televangelist's! It isn't right that they should take advantage of us like that. They should know these scriptures you have given here. We should ALL practice the fear of The Lord.