Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: iriandani Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is it a must to tithe | Mal 3:9 | iriandani | 104337 | ||
Hi. While I understand the good intentions behind the response of Makarios (a response that I would anticipate reflective of the majority of American Christians), I would like to offer an alternative. Simply, the tithe is not a New Testament principle, it is not a law that somehow escaped into the new covenant, it has absolutely no binding authority on you whatsoever and is fundamentaly legalistic. Having made such a bold statement, here is some support to back it up. 1. Tithing is never taught in the New Testament. The only time Jesus mentions it is when he is angry with the Pharisees who would spend immense time and energy on keeping the tithe while neglecting the weightier matters - love, forgiveness, compassion, justice. If, as Malachi indicates, the lack of fulfilling the tithe carries a curse, and if this is still true for the New Testament believer, then you should find warnings and teaching throughout the New Testament. It doesn't appear once in any of Paul's epistles. The mention of the tithe in Hebrews is tied directly with the Levitical Priesthood, a priesthood which has passed away, and replaced by the priesthood of Melchizedek (who wasn't even an Israelite). Think about it; if tithing were a New Testament law (or 'principle' as some say to make it more palatable), then you should find it talked about everywhere in the New Testament. It is just not there. 2. The tithing that is commonly advocated today does not resemble the Old Testament breadth of tithing that is reflected there. How many sermons have you heard on Deut 14, where the people of God are commanded to take a tenth of everything, exchange it for money, travel to Jerusalem and have a huge party, spending it on 'whatever your heart desires' including strong drink. 3. The motivation behind tithing is most often fear (of a curse, for example) and guilt (not pleasing God). Neither of these has anything to do with faith and scripture is clear that, "Whatever is not of faith, is sin." If you understand the syllogism, this means that for many people, to tithe is to sin. 4. The law of the tithe actually prevents giving and promotes legalism. The New Testament is very clear that we are not under the Jewish law. Rather, Jesus has come to live inside of us and He is the greatest 'giver' of all. The wonder is this; how Jesus and you choose to give is entirely up to you. It is out of your union with Jesus that you give, not some external reference to an external law. That is the freedom Paul talks about in Galatians and Colossians. 5. We are no longer under the law - For us today, there is not much discussion or controversy about circumcision. We see it as old covenant. Tithing is our modern day equivalent of the issue of circumcision. Read through Galatians and substitute the word tithe for circumcision. If you want to be under part of the law, then you must obey the entire law flawlessly - good luck. |
||||||
2 | End times? | Revelation | iriandani | 104336 | ||
Hi Joel. The simple answer to your question is, "No, there is no scripture supporting the scenario you outline." Scripture does not speak to the existence of the U.S. or a Palestinian state or any other political realities that we see today. Over the past 200 years, those who have tried to draw such conclusions have been embarrassed. Like Larry Norman once said, "It's hard being a prophet these days...things are so unpredictable." I think we must keep in mind that even "The Revelation" had an intended audience near the turn of the first century and spoke to their situation and reality, and while it has true relevance to us today, we must read it over their shoulders. They thought it was for them, and there is nothing to indicate that it wasn't. | ||||||
3 | is it possiable for us to sin in heaven | Rev 22:3 | iriandani | 104187 | ||
There is nothing that indicates that our free ability to choose will ultimately be lost. Without the ability to choose we would lose the ability to love, even to love God. Therefore, I would have to assume that the choice to say no to God will ever be available to us. | ||||||
4 | Natural man understanding truth? | Mark 12:34 | iriandani | 104177 | ||
Hi, I don't know if you are familiar with any of the studies done on paradigms...basically they are a system or grid of assumptions (intellectual, emotional, experiencial, cultural) through which you look at the world and perceive its meaning. We all have them and they help us maintain a sense of control in our lives. The power of a paradigm is that it blinds us to information or ideas that contradict our assumptions (it isn't that we don't want to see the evidence, it is that we can't see it) - the natural man 'cannot' perceive the things of the spirit, for example. We are dependent upon something penetrating our defensive shield that will rock our paradigm, sometimes personal crisis, sometimes a failure of our existing paradigm...but in those moments we are open to change. While the natural man is still dead (not spiritually alive), new birth is not a requirement for the process of questioning existing paradigms. In addition, the apprehesion of truth is also not dependent on new birth. Even if I hear the truth, I may choose not to venture down the path in the direction that truth is pointing...or I may. It seems that we have been built in such a way as to respond (toward or away from) truth when it faces us, regardless of the condition of our spirituality. | ||||||