How To Get Rich Quick
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 (TLB)
"You must tithe all of your crops every year. Bring this tithe to eat before the Lord your God at the place he shall choose as his sanctuary; this applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives...."
"Every third year you are to use your entire tithe for local welfare programs: Give it to the Levites who have no inheritance among you, or to foreigners, or to widows and orphans within your city, so that they can eat and be satisfied; and then Jehovah your God will bless you and your work."
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 (TLB)
Pastor's Blog
Jesus made a really big deal out of the idea that loosing is gaining, giving is receiving, dying is coming to life. His only quoted statement in the New Testament outside the Gospels was, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". In essence those who give, not those who get, are the rich people of the world. The rich are to those who "get it", that they are blessed with much so that they can bless much. They are blessed to BE a blessing.
Two things are important here. The first is at the end of verse 23. "The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your life." That's simple and clear. Money, food, material wealth is where the rubber meets the road. If I want to put God first I will do so in my giving. It will be sacrificial and generous. Maybe the best guideline is to always give an amount that exceeds what I can afford.
Second is that tithing is how we care for others. The Christian Church is the greatest force for social justice on the planet. Two billion strong (actually not nearly as strong as we can be), the Christian Church is God's power currently healing the world in anticipation of Christ's return when heaven will come down to earth and the New Creation is established. When we tithe we proclaim our allegiance to this God and we participate in the ongoing renewal of God's world as well.
There's a third thing. They ate their tithe together. Pretty awesome. Feasting together, they proclaimed YHWH provider and sustainer of all of life. And foreigners, widows, orphans and other underpriviledged people got in on it.
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...but what about every 3rd year? I've never read this nor been preached to about this before in my life, but believe it to be true since it comes from the Bible. Shouldn't we at CLC/NLPC begin to allocate our tithes on a rotational every three years to go to a particular charity? We want to be doing what God wants us to do.
ReplyDelete(Thoughts from Leslie Hernandez)
Reply to Pastor’s Reflections
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How To Get Rich Quick EDITED
Pastor Jeff: Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Russ: You dare to quote an Old Covenant text designed only for national Israel land then you obey NONE of it. (1) holy tithes were always only food from inside God’s holy land, (2) the second festival tithe was eaten by all during 3 annual feasts in Jerusalem and (3) a third year tithe was kept in the homes and towns for the poor.
Jeff: Jesus’ … only quoted statement in the New Testament outside the Gospels was, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". In essence those who give, not those who get, are the rich people of the world. The rich are to those who "get it", that they are blessed with much so that they can bless much. They are blessed to BE a blessing.
Russ: You have taken this completely out of context. It is not addressed to the “rich.” Read Acts 21:29-35. It is addressed to church elders. They are to get a secular job and assist the needy in their congregations.
Jeff: Deut 14:23 “And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.”
Two things are important here. The first is at the end of verse 23. "The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your life." That's simple and clear. Money, food, material wealth is where the rubber meets the road. If I want to put God first I will do so in my giving. It will be sacrificial and generous. Maybe the best guideline is to always give an amount that exceeds what I can afford.
Russ: The text tells me (1) tithes are only food from inside Israel, (2) the second tithe is to be eaten in the streets of Jerusalem during 3 annual feasts and (3) tithing taught FEAR of God. Since tithes are not the same as firstfruits and, since, only food producers inside Israel could tithe, it does not ALL to give firstfruits.
Jeff: Second is that tithing is how we care for others.
Russ: “We”? Tithing was never commanded to the Gentiles or Church. “We” Gentiles never were under the tithing laws. Tithes could not come from non-food products, outside Israel or Gentiles.
Jeff: The Christian Church is the greatest force for social justice on the planet. …
Russ: Its power has been severely lessened by legalism such as tithing which makes rich preachers look selfish and greedy.
Jeff: There's a third thing. They ate their tithe together. Pretty awesome. Feasting together, they proclaimed YHWH provider and sustainer of all of life. And foreigners, widows, orphans and other underprivileged people got in on it.
Russ: Why do you even point this out when you personally do not teach it or follow it?
Superior NT giving principles for the Church after Calvary are: freewill, generous, sacrificial, joyful, not by commandment (or percentage) and motivated by love for God and lost souls. For many this means MORE than ten per cent; others are giving sacrificially even though less.
Think this is really two thoughts that collided.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem to me that the element used to tithe has changed over the years. What was once a product of the work of the hands, and sometimes money, has in most cases been based on one's income, monetary value. Understandably so as the job market has so changed over the years, though I do wonder if we haven't put a lot of emphasis on money as being the tithe. There are some churches that encourage the use of time, talents and giftings, volunteered, as part of the tithe. How do we know if we've set the right apportionment of such a mixture as money and time, talents and giftings volunteered? Think I may know the answer but opened for discussion.
Should tithing be done on a whole household sum by one member of the family calculating the tithe or should family individuals share in that sum as part of their own responsibility? I would think each member of the household should be willing to take a part in tithing to make it that personal relationship and commitment with God. Even when training children to manage money with allowances or having a piggy bank savings from all those aunts and uncles who gave birthday gifts of money, shouldn't tithing be a part of that training as well? Any thoughts?
Tithing ended at the cross along with the Levitical priesthood per Hebrews 7:5,12,18.
ReplyDeleteGod defined His tithe in Leviticus 27:30-33 and gave His ordinances, or instructions in Numbers 18. NO ONE is following God's definition nor His directions today.
We don't tithe today. The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, ACCORDING TO OUR MEANS. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice while for others, 50% of their income might not even be a sacrifice.
We are now under a new covenant. "not of the letter but of the Spirit"(2Cor3:6-7)
ReplyDeleteCorinthians states that when, eventually, our works are tested with fire (1Cor3:12-14), the question will be, "what has been the motive of our heart?"(1Cor4:5-6). Beware the yeast!
Great discussion with room for thought!
ReplyDeleteDr. Kelly, your arguments, while I appreciate your feedback, are extremely legalistic and religious in and of itself. I think all of us who love Jesus, have received the Holy Spirit, and read the Bible understand that we are no longer held under the law restated in Deuteronomy. That being said, Jesus even said that he has come to fulfill the Law, not replace it. The words that Moses preached to the Israelites are no less pertinent to those of us who are trying each day to be worthy of the sacrifice of our murdered Savior. The arguments about greed and sins of the Church act only to distract us from the perfect word of God and cheapen Jesus' ministry. They remind us of the legalistic differences that man, not God, placed ultimately splintering the Christian Church into different denominations. Additionally, I'm sure no person practices tithing or giving the way Jesus preaches. I'm sure that we all sin by not giving the appropriate first fruits. The proper meaning of the word "tithe" or "tithing" have very little to do with the message that we are all sinful, selfish creatures and need to stop thinking about ourselves first and foremost.
ReplyDeleteIf you have been in CLC each week that this sermon series has been preached, you would notice that we go through each and every verse of Deut. Nothing is taken out of context.
I pray that the Holy Spirit convicts you to help those of us trying to be better Christians and more worthy of Jesus' Grace to explain how we can apply Moses' sermons to our daily lives as saved Christians. Let us build each other up in Christ.
The issue of tithing was not instituted under the Law, it is first seen in Genisis 14. When Abraham, then called Abram goes to retrive his Nephew Lot and the others taken captive from Sodom and Gomorrah. Upon His sucessful return from this battle Abram is met by two kings, The King of Sodom and the King Of Salem. The King of Sodom is earthly and desires to honor Abram by giving him all the goods that Abram brought back with him (Genisis 14:21). Abram refuses to take anything for himself and gives the King of Salem a tenth (tithe) of all he recovered (Genisis 14:20). The King of Salem is a type or picture of Christ. Abrams reasoning for this is explained in the 22nd and 23rd verses. "Lest you say it I have made Abram rich", Abrams desire was to honor God so much that not only did he tithe but he refused to take anything else so that the world would know that his wealth came from God and was to be used for God. Maybe this is why God could trust him with the wealth Abram was given. God knew that He could trust Abram to handle it in a right way. So we are clear about the time line this event happened hundreds of years before the institution of the Law. Tithing is a principle given before the Law and then brought into the Law just like murder. Why is it that no one says I free to murder if I want I am not under the Law. Because murder was instituted in Genisis 4 before the Law and then brought into the Law. Because you find something in the Law of Moses does not in anyway mean that we are free to no longer give attention to listen or to do. Jesus said "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Propohets: I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:17-18). I am free from the curse of the Law, my need to complete it in my own strength. Jesus Christ came to die for your sins and mine, this takes care of the sin issue between the Father and His children. The vehicle He used was Grace and along with His grace He gave us His Spirit. The grace of God through the agent of the Holy Spirit now enables me to lay down my life so Christ can now live His life through me (Galatains 2:20). Grace now empowers me to live the life Gods Law demands. This is only experincially true when I crucify the flesh (put off the old and put on the new, a life lead by the Holy Spirit in the Grace of God). Sadly the very people who claim they are no longer under the Law but under grace have to a measureable extent cut themselves off from one of the very purposes the grace was given, to live a Holy life which we are commanded to do apart from the Law. They unknowingly condem themselves to a life filled with forgiven sin instead of a life that has little frogiven sin it it, which do you think honors the Father, the author of the grace we so strongly proclaim. I will leave the answer between the Father and you.
ReplyDeletethank you pastor jeff for teaching us well so that we will know when false teachings try to come in. i have not read your blog until today and i can see how true the bible is regarding the end times. When reading some of the comments (especially of those who are not even from our church!) i can see where scripture comes to life, there really are false teachers out there and they will try to lead us astray. but if we have the Holy Spirit in us we shall not be lead astray. thank you for being faithful to God and a Godly Shepherd.
ReplyDeleteAbram gave a tithe of WAR SPOILS that did NOT belong to him. Abram said they didn't belong to him. There is NO example of Abraham ever giving a tenth of his regular income.
ReplyDeleteHow could giving a tenth of war spoils instigate the tithe when under the Mosaic law, in Numbers 31, the percent of war spoils to be given to the Levites was only a fraction of a tenth? The law didn't even forward the tenth of war spoils.
Paul NEVER taught tithing. There is NO mention of tithing in The Word after Calvary except in Hebrews 7 where it is shown tithing was disannulled in verse 18.
Furthermore, history shows that NO CHURCH taught tithing on income until the second half of the 1800s - around 1870, and that it was money motivated, not scripture motivated.
Being Spirit led in my giving, I find that I give much more than a tenth of my income, time, and talents. Many tithers are selfish and give the tenth and maybe a little more when maybe God wants them to give 20%, 30%, maybe even 50% or more. Using an OT law as your guidance is being led by the law instead of being led by the Holy Spirit.
Under the New Testament, God wants our ALL. He wants 100% of us. We should give according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, 50% of their income might not even result in a slight sacrifice.
In the years I have attended church, tithing has always been an issue. To this day I still see there is no one set resolution. Think it needs to be said that in the end we will be held accountable for all we've been given. What will be your answer? The account of the ten talents comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I would like to share that I am grafted into the vine which I believe puts me in the family of God not as a gentile any longer. It would be interesting to hear the view of a Messianic Jew as to the law. A song I remember that was written and sung by a Jewish woman who came to believe in Jesus as her Lord and Savior gave a message that remains with me. She sung of her fear that once she became a believer in Jesus, would she no longer be a Jew. Her reply in her song was heartfully felt in that she would be more complete. It was a gain not loss. Jesus was not a gentile. His remarks about Gentiles were not good, to be kind. I can't explain it. But something happens to our identity when we first believe and receive the Holy Spirit. If in believing we become foreigners to this world, would it be safe to say we are no longer called Gentiles? So therefore I would think we have to change our ways of thinking like a gentile and use a different set of eyes when reading God's Word. Not my eyes or yours but read and hear with the eyes given us through the Holy Spirit. And like God' s Word says we need to test those spirits that try to interpret His Word. For me, I'd rather err on the side of caution when being obedient with what God has given me, whether in surplus or need. He never, from any reading of His Word that I've seen, give direction to tighten your grip on anything of this world or His Kingdom. Freely He gives and calls us to freely give. Jesus being our attorney before God Almighty with Satan present to convict, dare we try to stand on our interpretations?