Apologetics
I still do not understand why many preachers keep harping on the tithe as God’s minimum giving standard. The absence of this in the bible does not even seem to deter them as many keep twisting and wresting scriptures to suit this abhorrent belief.
Some have called tithing the training wheels of giving while others claim it is a guide. Nothing can be further from the truth. The error of the Galatian church is evident in this false doctrine.
The church in Galatia had received the gospel and turned their hearts to God but was soon turned aside from the truth when certain Jews taught that they had to observe the rite of circumcision to be saved. They forgot they were already saved! The Holy Spirit in them was the evidence. Paul the Apostle was so angry with them for being so easily deceived. But could this teaching of circumcision be without any merit?
I often hear that tithing predates the law hence it is binding on today’s church, circumcision too predates the law and definitely holds a lot more weight.
|9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” Genesis 17.|
In the above verses of scripture, God clearly establishes His covenant with Abraham through the rite of circumcision and not even through tithing as some assert. God commanded it to be an everlasting covenant and any one of Abraham’s descendants who did not comply was to be cut off from his people.
The life saving power of this covenant was also seen in the life of Moses before the law. As he journeyed back to Egypt, God sort to kill him. He was spared when his wife circumcised their son and touched him with the foreskin.
|24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses[b] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.) Exodus 4.|
All these events occurred way before circumcision was introduced in the law hence those Jews promoting it had a very, very valid point.
However, it became rather obvious to the Apostles that circumcision was not necessary as the Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit without the need to get circumcised. This made it clear that those peddlers of circumcision were preaching a different gospel.
The tithe doctrine in today’s church uses this same logic. Those who promote it claim that it was in existence before the law, thus valid in today’s church. Where did they get this idea?
Unlike circumcision, God never instructed Abraham to tithe neither did He declare it an everlasting “principle” all must follow. Others in trying to make tithing valid in today’s church claim that God has not changed and that is very true. But if He has not change in relation to the tithes and still requires it, why did He change with regards to circumcision? He did promptly declare that it was to be an everlasting ordinance for Abraham and his descendants.
If our circumcision has been done by Christ spiritually, it is only fitting that tithing too should have some spiritual fulfilment in Christ seeing that they were both done by Abraham before the law.
Many Christians have unfortunately been seduced by this false teaching like the Galatian Church. As a believer you are already blessed without the need to tithe anymore than the Galatian brethren needed to be circumcised to be saved.
Some try to claim God’s FREE blessings through a tithing challenge. They want to hold God to ransom or bribe Him through their tithing and give Him an ultimatum. The misapplication of the call to test God in Malachi 3 does not even help issues either. As many believe that this is an area God asks us to test Him. The call to test God in that book was a one time event given to unbelieving Old Testament Jews and not to regenerated bonafide New Testament sons of the kingdom. No where in the New Testament have we been encouraged to put God to test through tithing or through any other means for that matter. It is a sin to test God by any means.
The Holy Spirit is our New Testament guide and not an Old Testament law. Anyone who fails to recognise this is still a child with regards to spiritual matters.
|What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. Galatians 4: 1|
We are to be led by the spirit with regards to giving and not by a man-made 10% law! This, a lot of preachers find unappealing as they consider being led by the Spirit in the area of giving an excuse not to give. But this kind of thinking only shows faith in ones abilities instead of in God as God is able to stir the hearts of people to give through the leading of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit would definitely not limit our giving to 10%. He can lead us to give more or less as the case may be.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 1043 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Tony Isaac or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 1043 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.