Robbing God

First let me start by bashing the very title of this message..The idea that some evangelists will spout about us 'Robbing God' for not paying our tithes is incredible stupidity. The Bible says, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof". So if everything is God's, and it is His to begin with, how can we rob God of something that already belongs to Him?

Today I want to touch on a touchy subject. Tithes. Are tithes scriptural for the new testament believers? The first scripture that's going to be thrown in defense of the tithe is Malachi 3:8-10, "WILL A MAN ROB GOD?" Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In TITHES and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house..."

Is God telling us in this Scripture that all twentieth century gentile Christians are robbing God by not giving ten percent of their salaries to the charlatan ministers of the Christian faith? I think not. This scripture was pointed at the one lot of people that were allowed to receive the tithe in that day.. the levitical priests of the tribe of Levi. No one else was allowed to receive it. Not even slick dressed tv preachers! The Levites controlled the tithes and offerings in the storehouses, and therefore had a responsibility to care for the less fortunate. But this they didn’t do. This is why the word came down from God. Who is God having a controversy with in the Book of Malachi? Is it the tithe payers? Nope, the word was to the priests, who despised the name of the Lord and offered unacceptable offerings.

Even Paul the apostle did not collect a tithe, even though he sometimes received an offering from various groups of believers. He said this: Let every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of NECESSITY: for God loves a cheerful giver." (II Cor. 9:7)

There's alot more I could cover on this subject, but the fact remains: The tithe was to the Levite priests only. It wasn't to Paul, or even Jesus, and especially not to big name preachers or even your local church. Those things are called 'offerings' which are according to your willingness to contribute, not out of law.. We are not under the law any longer.

Free yourself from this bondage and learn to give correctly. The 'tenth' of your income is VERY unscriptural.

Chris

I can't take credit for what I'm posting today. This is a copy of something George Carlin (the comedian) wrote. It's poetic, and insightful. Most of all, it tells the truth - which the world is sadly lacking today. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit 'delete'.

Godly Representation

I tell you this; If the world has formulated an opinion of Christianity based on tv evangelists, pompous preachers behind the pulpits of American churches, or the like - we're doomed to be perceived as one of them.. and they will never want what we have to offer. How sad we don't teach them about the real God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Father of our Lord Jesus. The down-to-earth God who didn't think it a sin to sit in good company with tax collectors and prostitutes. Or the God that commanded the prophet Isaiah to "ungird his loins" (walk naked) for 3 years and proclaim God's prophetic word to the people. Listen, If God chooses to use a stumbling block to point out our religious pride or dead religious traditions, then its up to us to recognize it, not ignore it. God used those stumbling blocks to cause the true message to be rejected by everyone, except the humble. Are we so full of pride, that we can't keep the company of sinners? If so we fail to see the message, and the ministry. Think about that for a minute. And if we offer the world a pre-packaged sterilized 'God in a box', the rest of the world will never be excited to meet Him.

Humble yourself.

Chris Crane