Grand Junction Colorado 's church Tithe Rap

[billiefan2000]

[Robert]

This REALLY ticks me off.

Since when is God obligated to give us ANYTHING? We don't give to GET something from God; we give because we want to show our devotion and love TO God. This "rap" treats the Lord as if he's some sort of celestial ATM or cash machine!!!

In looking at Acts chapter 15 where the church debated over what was required of the gentiles, this is what was decided upon:

"The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. “With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’

SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.

“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent this letter by them,
“The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.“Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send tto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.“Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.” (Acts 15:6-29, NASB, emphasis mine)

I would think that if everyone, including the gentiles, were required to tithe, then they would have been CRYSTAL CLEAR here in saying so. God doesn't leave us to guess on things, but tells us plainly what he expects from us.

Now, I am NOT saying that if you feel led to tithe that you shouldn't; if you feel that you are led to do something by the Lord, then by all means do so. But IMO, God does NOT hold a gun to one's head and demand money under the age of grace. I have seen too many "preachers" tell someone they needed to tithe and that God would see to the rest, only for that preacher to accuse the giver of "not having enough faith" when they cannot make the bills that month.

NO church should ever be run by a "cash register"!!!


Additionally, this verse gets misused a LOT:

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come" (1 Corinthians 16:1-2, NASB)

Here, Paul is NOT commanding people to give, but is INSTRUCTING them on when to have the money ready, so there are no last minute scrambles to scrape everything together.

Once again, I am NOT condemning tithing if one feels led to do so. As a friend of mine said: "It is godly to tithe." But it is NOT Godly to force someone to tithe when no clear command stating " the church must tithe" has been given. As I have said before, we do not make doctrine on what scripture doe not say. But I do believe that we should give, and give out of our hearts. And if we can give more than 10 percent, we should do so.


As for myself: I have very little money, but all I have belongs to the Lord, and I share what little I have.