"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, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." -- Mal. 3:8-10
I was watching an indie religious public access television a few Sundays ago. I watch the indie programs because those people are hilarious. But the topic was “tithing.” The above Biblical scripture is familiar to any of y’all that ever belonged (notice I did not way ‘went’) to a Christian church. It is an Old Testament passage that was always recited when it was time to give the protection money… i.e. the offering. But the indie Black Hebrews were speaking on tithing. The main gist of the program was focusing on what a tithe is.
The dictionary defines a tithe as 10% of your income. It’s funny that 10% is the percentage chosen is it not? But I digress. The indie Black Hebrews said that no where in the Bible is a tithe defined as money. I beg your pardon? What?.
When I was a Christian… I was a devout Christian. That (and other reasons) meant I tithed. 10% off the gross. (That freed me from having to tithe my income tax refund!) I bought into the whole ‘curse with a curse’ threat; and that is why I refer to it as protection money. But these indie folks could not be right because I was certain of what a tithe was. I grabbed my Bible (Yes, I still have all of them) dusted it off, and began my search. I was looking for proof that a tithe was money. I was unable to find proof.
Here are some scripture for you to check Genesis 14:20, Hebrews 7:6, Leviticus 27:30-31, Deuteronomy 12:17, 2 Chronicles 31:5-6, 12.
No where in the Bible is a tithe listed as money. It is an offering of what you put in action or your abilities. Meaning a tithe is something that you labored and devoted yourself to. How can you bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there may be meat in my house? It doesn’t say deposit your money in our accounts so there will be can cook dinner. The most quoted aforementioned scripture is asking for food not money. I have been looking for 3 weeks and have been unable to find the passage that clearly states that a tithe is cash money. They got me. I will waste no more time.
Back to the Bible, evening the New Testament, the new dispensation, there is no mention of cash money payments.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-74
I guess this information is bad for business. I suppose churches are building and not the people that use the buildings. Because people need food clothing and shelter. And buildings need funds.
But what does that have to do with me today? Just because I am no longer affiliated with a ‘church’ does that mean I have no responsibility to give anything to anybody? All I do and all I have is for me and me alone. I am not bound to do anything for anybody outside my cipher? Y’all free to answer that for yourselves, but my answer is NO. Yeah I don’t go to church but I have abilities that I can share with people and I will still labor and devote myself for the betterment of others. Not to my detriment, but service is service. And if we say that we are concerned for others then we have to DO something. Display the Wisdom we claim to have. What is the duty of a civilized person? And If a civilized person does not perform his duty what must be done?
I guess the transportation is not free, because at the end of the ride, it must be paid forward.
I was watching an indie religious public access television a few Sundays ago. I watch the indie programs because those people are hilarious. But the topic was “tithing.” The above Biblical scripture is familiar to any of y’all that ever belonged (notice I did not way ‘went’) to a Christian church. It is an Old Testament passage that was always recited when it was time to give the protection money… i.e. the offering. But the indie Black Hebrews were speaking on tithing. The main gist of the program was focusing on what a tithe is.
The dictionary defines a tithe as 10% of your income. It’s funny that 10% is the percentage chosen is it not? But I digress. The indie Black Hebrews said that no where in the Bible is a tithe defined as money. I beg your pardon? What?.
When I was a Christian… I was a devout Christian. That (and other reasons) meant I tithed. 10% off the gross. (That freed me from having to tithe my income tax refund!) I bought into the whole ‘curse with a curse’ threat; and that is why I refer to it as protection money. But these indie folks could not be right because I was certain of what a tithe was. I grabbed my Bible (Yes, I still have all of them) dusted it off, and began my search. I was looking for proof that a tithe was money. I was unable to find proof.
Here are some scripture for you to check Genesis 14:20, Hebrews 7:6, Leviticus 27:30-31, Deuteronomy 12:17, 2 Chronicles 31:5-6, 12.
No where in the Bible is a tithe listed as money. It is an offering of what you put in action or your abilities. Meaning a tithe is something that you labored and devoted yourself to. How can you bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there may be meat in my house? It doesn’t say deposit your money in our accounts so there will be can cook dinner. The most quoted aforementioned scripture is asking for food not money. I have been looking for 3 weeks and have been unable to find the passage that clearly states that a tithe is cash money. They got me. I will waste no more time.
Back to the Bible, evening the New Testament, the new dispensation, there is no mention of cash money payments.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-74
I guess this information is bad for business. I suppose churches are building and not the people that use the buildings. Because people need food clothing and shelter. And buildings need funds.
But what does that have to do with me today? Just because I am no longer affiliated with a ‘church’ does that mean I have no responsibility to give anything to anybody? All I do and all I have is for me and me alone. I am not bound to do anything for anybody outside my cipher? Y’all free to answer that for yourselves, but my answer is NO. Yeah I don’t go to church but I have abilities that I can share with people and I will still labor and devote myself for the betterment of others. Not to my detriment, but service is service. And if we say that we are concerned for others then we have to DO something. Display the Wisdom we claim to have. What is the duty of a civilized person? And If a civilized person does not perform his duty what must be done?
I guess the transportation is not free, because at the end of the ride, it must be paid forward.
Peace
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3 comments:
"Preacher got my ole Earth puttin' money in the pan, for the rest of the week now she eatin' out a soup can." - Grand Puba
"He has a home drives a Caddy to town, while my ole Earth believing that is coming from the ground"
That's my baby. You been listening to my CD or do you remember that from back in the day?
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