Posted on 12/04/2010 11:48:54 AM PST by Benchim
The greatest con men in America are those in Ecclesia and in media that deliver a message that if you give them money ,you are" giving to God". They know that tithing is not in the New Testament and Biblical giving is in the context of the poor but the "professional " Christian has to convince you that he is God and you can give your hard earned money to him and it "like giving to God.". He will even tell you that if you :"plant a seed"( give him your money), God will send you a "hundred fold".( I once sent a zucchini seed to Mike Murdock) It is a total fraud in my opinion and is filled with motivation of self greed for the giver,
(Excerpt) Read more at antinomianism-salvation.blogspot.com ...
Indeed this additional tax every third year was not meant for the priests, but for:
Deuteronomy 26:12: “When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes [plural] of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled.”
Until you can reconcile that juxtaposition, I will stick with what Jesus taught.
The Pharisees were not Christians.
Neither was Jesus
This whole thing of using the old covenant rules against new covenant believers is wrong. And it's always only tithing, not the other thousand and one rules.
As a guideline for giving, tithing is fine. But simply as a guideline, not as a commandment as so many churches and preachers insist. In my old church, they found the need for money outstripped the available tithing, so they reached for more in the form of first fruits giving in January which would be on top of tithing. I left shortly after the voluntary participation in first fruits giving turned into them announcing that January was almost over and there were people who still hadn't given their first fruits.
Jesus, in this place, is speaking to the Pharisees under the old covenant. That changes with the New Covenant.
The problem I have with people like Mike Murdoch is:
Outside how well run his presentation is done, he is often brilliant and wise understanding basic life lessons and living, from what the bible teaches; so he makes a very convincing presentation to Christian listeners; I think.
However, the more I watched him (during middle of the night insomnia) my opinion of his motivation changed entirely.
Pat Robertson and a few others have weekly TV shows. While there may be some appeal for some type of offering, that appeal is part of the show and never seems to be the central purpose of the show. Also, I very rarely see one of their shows repeated.
In Mr. Murdochs case, each of his shows that I have see have been shows that are run, repeatedly, the same show, again and again, for weeks or months on end. And, the entire show is a well orchestrated lead-up to the show’s major purpose - the appeal for money.
If someone only sees one of his presentations once, they can say: “that guy is smart” and maybe they even accept the idea that he is “doing Gods work”. After awhile, it seems clear he is doing his work; for himself - IN MY OPINION.
Why didn’t you add verse 27?
“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money, take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
He did pay the tax.
Tithing should always be according to scripture:
2 Corinthians 9:7 (New International Version, ©2010)
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
But I would encourage people to test God by giving tithes and see if he does not bless you - also according to scripture.
Mal 3:10 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 you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].
When you go before the White Throne of Judgement the Lord will ask you what you did with your time, treasure and talents. I don’t think saying “I didn’t think I had to tithe” will go over so well.
That is a great opinion. My opinion is that he is a “snake oil “ salesman and should be arrested for fraud. Senator Grassley on Iowa has an on going Senate investigation for consumer protection on this slithering slime and in my opinion they are very fascinated with the activity of Todd Coontz, and I think ubder president Palin the hammer will fall!!
There is absolutely no Judgment for those that believe in Jesus as the Son of God. Only those not saved face judgment and you cannot prove me wrong and I can prove you wrong with one absolute truth. ‘ Jesus Died for your sins.
NO HE DID NOT!! He sent the Disciples to get coins out a fishes mouth!! That is what we can do? We are chilgren of God — we pay zero.
You are a misguided “legalist”
It's too compicated. Is there a movement towards a flat tithe?
Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
From these two portions of Scripture I would come to the conclusion that the coin was Caesar’s since it had his image on it and that man is God's since we have His image on us...”So God created man in his own image...”
God is a lot more interested in us then our money...as any preacher should be as well.
I have never understood the preachers that ask for “seed faith” giving or the people that give it to them...If this worked would we all be able to be millionaires just be giving money back and forth between ministries? Shouldn't those preachers be sending money to their listeners so that God would bless them 100 fold?
Let’s have some fun...
How old are you?
What sex are you?
And how much profit did you take this month?
“and I think ubder president Palin the hammer will fall!!”
Are you saying that a President Palin would use the Justice Department to go after the kinds of televangelists we are discussing? On what legal basis? Fraud?
I hope not, because it is a fine line from using “the law” to go after some abuse of what people believe, by their faith, to simply going after various faiths, on the legal premise that what they “believe” constitutes “fraud”.
I would rather see this handled more more often, more proactively, more forcefully by the Christian community itself.
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