For years I was under the modern “Church” bondage scheme of the tithe. It is a system used in the old covenant and it is not required in the New Testament Church. The tithe can not be backed up with scripture for the Church today. Yes, it is Old Testament, but it was never about money. The main reason it was never about money, is because of the “love of money” in my opinion (1 Timothy 6:10). The love of money causes corruption and is easily horded by those who should be using it for the good of others. The Old Covenant teaches us about the tithe, and why it was necessary. But the New Covenant never mentions it for the “Church”.
I had to unlearn much of what I have been taught, when I started studying the Bible for myself. Everything we are taught is our responsibility to study it and make sure it really is the Word of God in context and not just part of a verse taken out of context as to what Holy Spirit was really saying. This letter today will disclose the facts that I have discovered in the last 10 years of study. I will list the Twelve most important facts I have uncovered during this time.
1: The most important fact is that Jesus never once taught about the subject while He was on the earth in physical form.
2: The Holy Spirit never once in all the New Testament brought up the subject of tithing for His Church.
3: The tithe was never about money!
4:The tithe was always on your increase, and never your seed.
5: The tithe was only for the support of the tribe of Levi, and only them since the beginning(Numbers 18:21).
6: The tithe is under the Law of Moses.
7: The Gentiles were never under the law.
8: The Church is not made up of Levites, as they are the only ones allowed to collect the tithe.
9: The tithe was taught differently at various times in the Old Covenant.
10: Abraham tithed to Melchizedek not of his own wealth but out of the booty of war on a foreign army.
11: The children of the kingdom are not required to be taxed (Matthew 17:24-26).
12: The New Testament is all about giving with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7) and helping your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
These twelve facts alone should be enough information for anyone to see that tithing is not required by the Church. We are Gods children, and we are part of His family and we are to give out of a compassionate heart to help those who are in need, whether it is physical, spiritual, or financial.
I for one always struggled to tithe and support my family also. Now all these years later I find out that this tithe was just a man made doctrine the church says God instituted. If you want to know where this doctrine originated, it was in 1895, in Cincinnati, Ohio, by a Methodist church that needed financial help. Someone in leadership informed the pastor that the scripture in Malachi 3:10 was their answer. It was, but it was not scriptural.
This church was the Wesley Chapel according to Christian History Magazine, Volume 7, Number 3, Issue 19. They used Malachi 3:10, which was the storehouse principle, and used it to bring guilt upon the people of God to force them to support a man made church building. It became a “wildfire” and has spread all over the world. Not every Church uses this man made doctrine, but the majority does.
Jesus is the one we should look to first, and if you read the words in red, you will never find where he ever taught tithing. Just as important is the fact that as you read the rest of the New Testament you will never find where the Holy Spirit ever taught it either.
The subject of giving was taught and Paul informed those who were believers that they should keep money aside to help those believer’s who were in need in Jerusalem. But tithe was never mentioned once. Giving is always from a heart of compassion and love for others. The tithe was always a tax that you had to pay, under the law of support for the Levites.
The tithe was never about money, and the only time in the Old Covenant that the tithe was allowed to be money was when the person had to travel too far to bring his tithe to the temple. God allowed this person to sell his tithe for money. But when they arrived at the temple to pay their tithe it had to be turned back into produce. Then God required the original tithe to be taxed another 20% (Leviticus 27:31). Then they could join with all the rest and have a feast before God together.
This brings me to the point of where the modern church tries to require the Children of God to tithe on their whole paycheck. Poppy Cock! God never required anyone to tithe on their gross. He only required it on their increase or profit. Your seed was never tithed. Why then is it taught for you to tithe on your whole paycheck? Because it puts more money in their pockets.
The modern church is just a shadow of what it used to be. I mean by the Book of Acts, not the sorry system of what we have now. A building that is only used one or two times a week in most areas. Money is the motive we see today. Million dollar buildings and salaries to match. Greed has become the norm in the world and the Church.
Most people do not know where their money goes that they give every week. Studies done within the Church system agree that eighty to ninety percent of all monies raised goes to salaries, loan payments, bills, upkeep and so on. This does not leave much left over for the work of ministry, like feeding the poor, clothing the naked, taking care of widows and orphans and so on. Remember this is within the Church and not the World.
Do you know how your Church spends the money that everyone gives? Probably not, but you should know where your money goes and what it is being spent on. Really you should be doing all the above yourself and not leave it to someone else.
I have much more to say but it will come at a later time, as we are still in this moving process and I don’t know when I will lose access to the internet for awhile. But like I said before, I have not quit. I will continue as God allows.
Always remember, you will make it, just don’t give up. See you as soon as possible.
The Kilted Priest 