I wanted to write to you about a couple of comments you have made in regard to tithing on your website. First let me say I appreciate your approach to gray area issues. With your obvious intelligence and education you certainly leave the reader with the feeling that their personal convictions is what really counts. Again I agree with you on this. Secondly let me say that no one scripture in the word of God can specifically handle the subject of tithing. Any argument on this subject is going to need more than one verse to back up any position. My concern comes in with your comments on Matthew 23:23 where a tithe is in question. You state "Jesus is speaking to Jews living under the old law. I am not convinced by attempts to make it apply to us." The premise that you have put forth here is that because it is pre-New Covenant it doesn't apply. Jesus certainly didn't endorse it or renounce it. While on the surface commenting on Matthew 23 as a passage to back up tithing I understand your point. However a premise is a premise.
Therefore taking your line of reasoning any scripture in the gospels would be considered under the Old Covenant since the New Covenant isn't established until the day of Pentecost. That would mean that John 13:34-35 is not really a New Testament teaching because it was said under the Old Testament rule. Matthew 28:18-20 does not apply because it is before the day of Pentecost. As well I think you err in the fact that the apostles used the Old Testament on a number of occasions to support New Testament teachings for example support for ministers. The Bible itself says that everything that was written in the past is there to teach us, Romans 15:4. There are many amazing parallels in the Old Testament to the New Testament for instance the building of the temple and the saving of souls who become the living temple of God. My point is simply that sometimes you can be too simple. A premise is a premise. -- James Hamann
Point well taken. I would only make the following distinction: While the entire OT is the word of God for us, not all of it is the command of God for us. Unless a command is repeated in the NT we are free.
How odd that there is no mention of a tithe in Acts or the letters or the earliest church fathers. John 13:34-35, Matthew 28:19-20, etc are pre-Pentecost, but reappear in various forms in post-pentecost writings. Besides, they anticipate the new order of things; whereas, in Matthew 23, Jesus is commenting on the old order of things. Do you see the distinction?
Interestingly, very few Bible students believe the NT teaches tithing. Who teaches this (primarily)? Church leaders--those advancing programs! Many denominations advocate the practice. And yet I believe this is more from pragmatism than from theology.
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