I have posted this as a response to one of our Blog’s frequent visitor which are known as Mr. INC Man-Made Rules in the other thread, entitled THE WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOD WILL NOT JUSTIFY, and it has been very difficult now to be read by the viewers of my Blog since the posted comments there are more than 250 now, thanks to all those who posted their comments, I never expected that the comments would be that much, since I revisited my Blog after quite a long time of my hectic work schedule. I think it is quite proper to start a thread which tackles that interesting issue which is the LAW OF TITHINGS. Take note that I have edited some of the words, sentences, etc., just to make things more clearer, and of course for the benefit of those who do not yet read this…but of course you are also most welcome to read the original comment in the other thread.
To INC Man-made Rules,
I can see now how you struggle so hard to prove that your TITHINGS is a Christian Law, Why can’t you accept the fact that this Law was never to be found in the New Testament, and never was taught by Jesus nor the Apostles, and never was practiced by the early Christians. Remember we’re talking about Christians here, well, unless you tell me now that you’re Jewish, then let’s finish this argument now. Hehehehe.
According to Apostle Paul, we should not go beyond what is written, as I quote:
1 Corinthians 4:6 “Brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself for your sake. YOU SHOULD LEARN FROM US NOT TO GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN IN SCRIPTURE. Then you won't arrogantly place one of us in opposition to the other.” [GW]
We cannot find a verse nor a passage that Christ nor the Apostles commanded the Early Christians to give TITHES, why are we going beyond to what is written in the scriptures, by assuming that they did?
So following the advice of the Apostles, it is but right to ask “where is it written that the Law in giving TITHES still exists and commanded by Christ nor the Apostles?”
An assumption is never an option in proving Biblical Laws. If we can’t see it, it means it’s not written, if it’s not written, it does not exist, it can never be as simple as that. Even an elementary student can easily comprehend.
Was TITHING not an important Law, that Jesus nor the Apostles never even cared to mention it directly to us that we should perform it, after all it is an act of Offering to God that pleases him, isn’t it? Wasn’t that a precious Law that they have dared to neglect?
And to the fact that, well, we can say as an example, that the Jewish people understood that already that it is a Law that they must comply, since they’re already performing it since the time of Old, and it has been the part of their ancestral history. But what about the Gentiles, the non-Jewish members of the First Century Church? Those that were converted by the missions of Apostle Paul, don’t you think if that is an existing Law that all Christians must comply, he would dare to forget to say it in his teachings and scribe it in his letters?
But this time I will give you a chance to prove to us your TITHINGS, By answering this argument that I’m going to show you:
You specifically said that <b>“this law does not change”</b>, so I’m going to use that argument and ask you a question that you need to answer later. Since I’m pretty sure that you are very much well conversant in the LAW OF TITHINGS, hehehehe
Let us read again the details of this Law when it was spoken to Moses:
Leviticus 27:30,32,34 "One-tenth of what comes from the land, whether grain or fruit, is holy and belongs to the LORD...Every tenth head of cattle or sheep that you counted is holy and belongs to the LORD…These are the commands the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.” [God’s Words Version]
When the LAW was given to Moses, as we could see it is not in a form of money, God said one-tenth of what comes from the land – grains and fruits, and one-tenth of cattle or sheep, would be offer to the LORD, and this is how it was done by the people of Israel, just the way as it was ordered by God.
Take note they don’t use money for their TITHES, but they used crops and cattles.
Can anyone change the detail, wordings, and contents of this Law? In other words, can any person decide to add or to subtract from any Law that was given by God to the people of Israel during that time? Or even decided to change it perhaps like decide to use money, instead of crops, cattles, and sheep just the way it was spoken by God?
Deuteronomy 4:2 “YOU SHALL NOT ADD TO THE WORD that I speak to you, NEITHER SHALL YOU TAKE AWAY FROM IT: KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of the Lord your God which I command you.”[DRB]
No person are allowed by God to add nor subtract from the words in his Laws, so it is non changeable, nor revisable by any person.
SO AS IT WAS WRITTEN, THAT’S HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE!
So that’s how it was kept and followed by the people of Israel even during the time of the Prophets long after the death of Moses, the system in the offering of TITHES remain unchanged, in the form of crops, cattle and sheep as we could read below:
2 Chronicles 31:5-6 “As soon as the word spread, THE ISRAELITES BROUGHT PLENTY OF OFFERINGS FROM THE FIRST OF THEIR PRODUCE: GRAIN, NEW WINE, FRESH OLIVE OIL, HONEY, AND EVERY CROP FROM THE FIELDS. THEY BROUGHT LARGE QUANTITIES, A TENTH OF EVERYTHING. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH WHO WERE LIVING IN THE CITIES OF JUDAH BROUGHT A TENTH OF THEIR CATTLE AND SHEEP…” [GW]
And it continued just as the same and unchanged, as the history of the Old Testament had gone by:
Nehemiah 13:12 “Then all Judah brought a TENTH OF ALL THE GRAIN HARVESTED, NEW WINE, AND OLIVE OIL to the STOREROOMS.”[GW]
Until the very last book of the Old Testament:
Malachi 3:10 “BRING YE ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MINE HOUSE, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [KJV]
See? If it was in the form of money, they would bring the TITHES in the TREASURY and not in the STOREHOUSE, but as you could see, God said bring the TITHES into the STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAYBE MEAT IN HIS HOUSE or Temple, so it is quite clear that it is either a cattle or a sheep.
So if you will ask me if the details of the said LAW changed? Not even a bit, It is quite clear that the people of Israel had maintained this LAW just how it was spoken by God to Moses in Mount Sinai.
They used cattle and crops, as their TITHES that they have given to God as an OFFERING.
Was there no money yet existed during the Time when the Law of Giving Tithes was given?
Why? Was there no money existed during that time? That’s why they did not gave TITHES in the form of money?
Let us get our proof from the Bible, that in fact, money already existed in those times:
Genesis 17:23 “And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that WERE BOUGHT WITH HIS MONEY, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.” [KJV]
Money already existed in the time of Abraham, what about in the time of Moses?
Exodus 22:17 “If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, HE SHALL PAY MONEY according to the dowry of virgins.” [KJV]
See? Even God himself mentioned to Moses about MONEY, and yet he did not commanded giving TITHES in the form of MONEY to Moses and the people of Israel.
And I can give you more than a hundred verses in the Old Testament as a proof that the people of God during that time already used money in purchasing, lending, etc.
So the big question now is this:
Where in the Bible we can read that God commanded to give Tithes in the form of Money? And when did he commanded it?
And what about in the New Testament, was there a proof that there are people who gave TITHES but not in the form of money? We go back to your verse:
Matthew 23:23 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! FOR YE PAY TITHE OF MINT AND ANISE AND CUMMIN, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” [KJV]
Could you educate me my dear friend, if MINT, and ANISE, and CUMMIN were the EXISTING CURRENCIES in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus?
So now, I will give you a simple assignment:
Let’s say for argument’s sake, that the LAW of GIVING TITHES really does continue, and I would agree temporarily from what you said that it does not change, would you kind enough to answer these:
1. Is the method of giving Tithes as spoken by God to Moses, is the same method you gave your Tithes, you’re using cattles and crops instead of money? Did you retained it, and followed it just the way God had spoken it?
2. When did the giving of Tithes in the form of money started, and who proposed that instead of crops and cattles it must be changed in the form of money?
3. Would it not appear that if we use money instead of crops and cattle, we’re actually changing the Law, which you actually said that does not changed?
I’m excited already, from your answers, of course a well conversant fellow in the LAW of TITHINGS like you, would definitely use the Bible, and not just lame excuse, and opinion based answer. After all the laws of God is written in the Bible, not in our minds, hehehe!
Have a nice day!
I know you have already responded this to the other thread Mr. INC Man-Made Rules , you are most welcome to repost them here, since I created this thread for that specific topic ---THE LAW OF TITHINGS…
And allow the viewers to see if your answers are convincing and satisfactory…and most importantly ---BASED IN TRUTH
