Thought you might know it off the top of your head and I was interested b/c i've not heard of this before. I'll keep a look out for it.
RoughTrader, While I agree in part with your observations I must say that I would carefully reconsider not leaving anything for your children. The bible is quite clear that leaving an inheritance is a good thing. Just a cursory reading of the bible requires one to carefully consider the whole idea of inheritance. Forgive me for not being able to provide scriptural reference at this time as I am out. Gary North has written an essay that deals with one of the best way's of providing an inheritance for one's children that doesn't cripple them in the process. Bottom line, the inheritance is performance based. At no time can a child simply quit working and live the life of Paris Hilton. Please note that I'm not saying that you must give everything to your children, nor am I saying that you can't give a substantial amount to another cause. It just seems to me that some type of inheritance is common sense and is brought up so many times in the bible that quite frankly I'm puzzled that it is even an issue. The real issue is how to leave an inheritance that does no harm.
====================== Granville; Did a GOOG on it , but 10 plus pages of ''every time tithes, tithe is used in Bible'', but there , too much non -Biblical garbage to hip boot thru Dueteronomy chapter 26; & chapter 14. Like several versions,Old King James is a study Bible; Strongs concordance book contains every Bible word, not non- Biblical garbage. Third year tithe [like some churches monthly benevolent fund]; goes thru Gods people to Levites, immigrants-strangers, widows, orphans.
I guess the basic difference I have is that I do take Abraham's tithe as something more than an act of piety. It was a tithe, and he gave it to a priest, actually a high priest. It was the same tithe they gave under the law, but he wasn't under law. Exact same tithe, you might say an identical precedent. The precedent I see is that the first fruits were given to God all throughout. If you will notice Genesis 28, verse 22, I think you will find that the tithe was talked about with regard to Isaac's life, too. Abraham was not the lone example. It was not a requirement for Abraham's righteousness, as that was accounted to him by faith, just like us. I don't say that the tithe gets one saved, and it did not obtain rightstanding for Abraham. When verse twelve of Hebrews says that the priesthood has changed, it is referring to going back to the same kind of priesthood as Melchizidek, which of course is the one we are talking about that Abraham tithed under. Anyway, good discussion.
How does the Jubilee fit into all of this dogmatic following of Old Testament law? Correct me if I'm wrong but every 7th year was a no tithe year, in addition to a rather lengthy celebration. How would this fit into today's tithing? Please note, I wish to be corrected in the event that I am presenting incorrect information. I consider it important that I not mislead.
the bible is hardly gods word. it is just a collection of fables and stories written by men who thought thunder and lightening were god speaking. that said just for the sake of argument i am still waiting for a verse that says anyone should give 10% of their income to a church.
Two of the most important bible study rules is to take any scripture in context with the scriptures above and below it, and to take ALL scriptures on the subject together to get a complete picture of what God has to say about any given topic. Below is a synopsis of articles from a variety of sources on the subject of tithing. This is presented as the "other side of the coin" and for your study and consideration. Please realize, tithing in and of itself is NOT a sin or evil thing to do. What this is an attempt to do is to present evidence showing that tithing is not a command from God, and therefore NOT something any corporate or other body of people can require as being "God commanded." Please review this material and prove for yourself the evidence. After reading all this, if you feel that tithing is required, then you should tithe. If you see the weakness in the biblical evidence for tithing, then perhaps you may have an impact on leading others to a willing giving, as people are able and as God has blessed them, rather than being compulsory. God doesn't need our money because God can provide all we could ever need. He is looking for obedience, and a willingness to give from the heart, and the unity of true Christians who work together as a body and NOT supporting divisions. Perhaps tithing is just a convenient means to support the various divisions. Imagine if tithing were discontinued...? Would we be more willing to unite and support God's work? The Biblical Evidence: *Beginning in the old testament with Abraham, the first mention of tithing was in relation to spoils of war, period. Gen. 14:20. Abraham gave 10 percent of the spoils of war to God. There is no mention, although it is assumed, that Abraham practiced tithing all his life. Tithing is claimed to be on one's increase. Abraham tithed on the spoils, yet this was not his increase. He didn't intend to keep one penny of it... Gen 14:23 That I will not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet... ...therefore the "law" of tithing could not be the issue here when he gave a 10th because none of it was his. Notice also there is no mention of Abraham tithing a second tithe or third tithe either. *Numbers 31:9, 27-29 discuss the issue of spoils of war and what was to be done with them. No mention of tithing is made here even though 400 years previous, some say that tithing was a universal law that Abraham was obeying regarding the spoils of war. Why then didn't Moses refer to this law if it was applied to Abraham's spoils of war? Wouldn't Moses be departing from this law in doing what he did? *In Genesis 28, Jacob is pointed at to try to prove that the law of tithing was what he was discussing. The points made in this scripture series are: This was a vow. IF... an important word overlooked by most, if God would do..., Jacob would give Him a tithe of all. The context of this vow was in what God was promising to give Jacob and his descendants... Land, and what Jacob vowed to give in return... products provided through the land! However, Jacob never received the land spoken about, but his descendants would and the vow would then be fulfilled, discussed later. Jacob worked for Laban for 14 years for his wives and 6 more for livestock. Not one word is mentioned about tithing on any of it. *Joseph became the second in command of Egypt. He was responsible for preparing for famine. There is clear discussion of laying up the grain... 1/5th for Pharaoh, yet nothing was mentioned about tithing to God by Joseph of his increase, which he certainly had. Joseph would certainly have known about any tithing law, having received this truth, if it existed, passed down from Abraham. Why would he ignore this if it were a law and he had control over his increase? Remember, God was VERY involved with the plan to save up food for the coming famine. Certainly Joseph would have considered God's law of tithing if it were a law. *When God provided manna to the Israelites, there is no mention of tithing on this increase. In fact, every man had to gather manna and this included the Levites. They weren't provided a tithe of this. Why not if tithing was a law? *Exodus 20 includes the giving of the law. This continues on through 4 chapters yet not one word about tithing being required or "restored" along with all the other commands mentioned. This seems odd if tithing were a universal law. Certainly tithing, if it was a law, wasn't being followed by Israel those 400+ years, and would have had to be "restored" along with all of God's other laws. *When the Israelites left Egypt, they plundered the Egyptians. They had great wealth with them. Later on in the wilderness, (Exodus 25 and 35) God commands the Israelites to give as they are willing toward the support and construction of the Tabernacle. No mention of them having to tithe on this increase, even for God's Tabernacle. Exodus 36 clearly tells us this was a free will offering, not a tithe. It wasn't until a year later that tithing was instituted by God. *Throughout Exodus and the giving of the law, and Leviticus, all the way up to the very last chapter, chapter 27, and to the last 5 verses, we are given nothing on tithing. Referring back to Jacob's vow to God to give a tithe to God of all of the land... God then seems to be bringing up this vow to the remembrance of Israel and claiming what was vowed to Him... the tithe Jacob vowed. The tithe of the LAND was what was holy to God: Lev 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. Neh 10:37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. Tithing, throughout the old testament, was on agricultural goods. Nowhere is any mention of it being for any other item. I find it hard to believe that if tithing was commanded on all things, how could this amount of items possible be contained in the Temple or anywhere else? Sure, perhaps the tithes could have been taken to the Levite's land and stored there, but there is still no mention of tithing on non-agricultural goods. Mention is only made of agriculture and flocks, but nothing on clothing, utensils, pottery, farm implements, etc. If these were to be tithed on, why nothing about selling it and giving the money as tithe? Israel definitely had a monetary system and money was used for many things, yet no mention of tithing on this money is made: Ex 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. :13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. :14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. :15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. Imagine for a moment how much we are talking about if tithing of all things were true. We have millions of Israelites giving 1/10th of all they possess. On top of this we have all Israel (males) giving ½ shekel every year. This would have been hundreds of millions of dollars in our money just in this tribute alone. This was still followed in Jesus' time. The tithe would have been valued easily at 10 times this much. Are we to expect that this much could be realistically contained in the temple or ever used by the Levites and priests? Levi 27 discusses the 10th being holy to God, but this doesn't mean the first. This means that the 10th animal is holy to God. If someone had 9 animals, there was no tithe paid, and no mention of figuring out the value of the 9 and paying money as a tithe of that increase. In fact, monetary redemption of animals was not initially allowed. This means that people raising animals could NOT pay money to the Temple, but had to tithe of the flock or heard, (later changed once Israel entered the promised land) but the 10th (not first) animal. Also worthy of note is the fact that God did not require two 10th animals for a second tithe or three 10th animals every third year for third tithe. On top of that, there is no mention of paying another 10th animal out of the NEXT 10 animals someone may have had. In other words, if someone had 50 animals, God did not require 5 of those animals (one 10th of 50) as tithes. *Levi 25 commands a land Sabbath for every seventh year. If we apply this aspect of the tithing "law," we see that tithes (agriculture again) were not to be paid every seventh year... something most churches are not quick to point out or accept. There is no mention about other tithes on anything else that wasn't land produced continuing. *There is no mention of tithes being required of fishermen or miners, on lumber, or other manufactured merchandise. It is also noted that tithes were not required from the priests. If tithing were a universal law, why did the priests not have to pay a tithe of their increase? God is no respecter of persons when it comes to His laws. Some will argue that this system would be unfair... making just land owners and heard owners paying tithe, but these were the most wealthy people in Israel. One tenth of this material was not a burden for them.(more) http://godkind.org/tithing.html
You're describing something that goes against every sermon (Baptist, Lutheran, Evangelical, Assemblies of God) I've ever heard regarding the tithe, i.e. dogmatically give a minimum of 10% of gross income, and if you wish to give to other causes, that is above and beyond the tithe. It would take a lot of guts for a pastor to really follow the Old Testament law of the tithe, i.e. certain years require strict observance of where the money goes. This part is simply not mentioned.
vhen, you appear to be the type of guy who, when looking at a verse like "forsake not the gathering together of the saints", would say that it doesn't say to "go to church". How about when you see a speed limit sign that says 55. Do you say "it doesn't say not to go 65"?