I am also a Christian author and wish to make a suggestion to enhance your fine article on tithing. I see no spurious arguments in your article. I do see an important omission that you may agree needs to be added.
I see no place where you mentioned the admonition of the apostles in Acts 15. They said to the gentiles, in no uncertain terms, that anyone who preaches the law of Moses as a requirement of Christian living are 'troublers" and "not sent from us." Of all the laws of the OT they had to deal with they concluded that all the gentiles had to do was to keep away from sexual immorality, things offered to idols and strangled animals. Thus, not only is the OT done away as you correctly stated, but the apostles condemned any one who taught that any part of it was still needed for salvation: tithing included. The powerful council made the authoritative decision 2,000 years ago. Your argument was considered valid by them.
So your article, although very powerful and well written, could have been said in a few words like this: The apostles addressed the issue of tithing when they made the decision that the only part of the Law of Moses that was profitable are these few things..." Tithing is, of course, omitted. If it were important it would have been listed. All other claims by ministers that the Law of Moses should be kept make them "troublers" who were not sent from the Church. To preach tithing, therefore, defines these ministers as being nonchristian as they defy the absolute decision of the church Jesus founded.
If you had included this information in your article it would have been a nail in the coffin of tithe. Your extensive argument, though convincing, would have been overshadowed by the strength of the apostles' decision in Acts 15 which condemns anyone who preaches tithing as not even being part of the church and having no authority at all to preach.
I hope this helps you in your work. I suggest you either revise your article to improve it with this or make an addendum. We must understand that the book of Galatians, Romans and other books were expressly written to elaborate on Acts 15. The Galatians were learning about the law of Moses that was preached in every Synagog ever sabbath (Acts 15) and were being persuaded by it to keep the law. Paul instructed them that any attempt to obey that law was, simply, not Christian. Therefore there is a prohibition against looking to the Law of Moses (in which tithing is prominent) as rules to go by. Obviously, Malachi is part of the scriptures that belong to the old law.
I think the argument that I just stated would enhance your arguments ten fold.
I am a Christian writer and wish to offer you an emailed copy of my book "Numan-Nonhuman." It is prolife. If you hate abortion and the killing of 47 million human babies under the guise of "choice," you may ask for it. I do not send unsolicited literature. The fiction book depicts an American society in the middle of the 21st century where the US Supreme Court declares that, not only embryos, but anyone can be labeled as a "nonperson" and be subject to death by abortion. (The dominoes fall.) It shows abortion for what it is, bigotry, nazism, like genocide, like racism, like the holocaust. Please ask for it. Free, of course. I would also like to offer my writing skills, free of course, to your work. I was a victim of the Worldwide Church of God for over 25 years.
Carl ...
Author
Dear Carl:
From my tithing paper:
NO TITHING IN THE CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES
We have Scriptural proof that no such law or custom as Christian tithing was taught or practiced in the Church by the early apostles. Their epistles are totally devoid of any such tithing custom or law. Gentile converts were never taught to tithe to anyone. Although the temple and priesthood in Jerusalem remained until 70 AD, not even Jewish converts were taught to give their tithes to the Apostles rather than to the temple priests.
In the Acts 15 Jerusalem Conference we find outlined what the apostles all agreed was necessary for the newly converted Gentiles to practice, and by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, tithing is conspicuously missing. Some believing Pharisees wanted the apostles to teach the Gentiles to keep the Law of Moses (which certainly contained the law of tithing, Acts 15:5), but the apostles headed by Peter, James, and Paul would not hear of it (Acts 15:28-29)! Yet, what is one of the very first legislated duties taught to Gentile converts by the Church today? It is that they must tithe their annual salaries to the Church. Where did this unscriptural law of Christian tithing come from?
God be with you,
Ray
Author
Topic: Your article about tithe was GREAT but you left out a great (Read 6238 times)