Posted on 04/09/2011 9:02:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Our pastor has been told by several parishioners that if a Spanish language Mass ever becomes part of the Mass schedule, they’ll find a new parish.
RE: “Tithing was done once EVERY THREE YEARS.”
I believe two of the three tithes were annual. THe third one was every three years.
Abraham did not tithe his income ...
I doubt the Melchizedek as Shem theory. While “without father, without mother, without genealogy” doesn’t necessarily rule it out, I believe that the implication is that the geneology is insignificant to the priesthood and that the family connections are not people of historical significance. That could hardly be said of Shem.
Also, you paint a picture of an orderly transition of the same priestly role, while Hebrews describes the Levitical priesthood as seperate and inferior.
RE: After you pulled away, would you go back to speeding? If you intentionally did, what kind of gratitude is that? If you love Him, keep His commandments.
How does this analogy apply to the law? The law should be taken as a WHOLE (punishments included). The problem is NOBODY perfectly keeps all laws ( for instance, the law on cursing ).
Heck, I try to keep it but sometimes I admit I curse. I see lots of people doing it too (yes, Christians included). So yes, cursing is wrong, but if we were to obey the law, cursers must be stoned (if as you say, the Laws of YHWH are not done away with).
In your analogy, what should the police do if he sees many people violating traffic laws time and again? Answer — he will be merciful the first time, but eventually, he’ll have to ticket them (punishment applies).
So, I see someone curse once, like the police, I overlook it and maybe tell him not to curse again, but based on a strict interpretation of the OT Levitical law, eventually, stoning will have to apply if I see him doing it one or more times.
Now if you’re saying it does not and should not, then obviously, there’s something about the Levitical Laws that do not apply today after the advent of Christ.
You can’t simply choose one aspect of the law, say it applies in its entirety today for Christians, and then ignore the proscription and punishment that must be meted out for it.
RE: The point I was trying to show with that analogy is this: Yeshua (Christ) died for our iniquity and failure to keep the law. He paid our ticket so to speak so we don’t have to.
Therefore the statement that all of the Levitical Laws (YHWH’s laws, including those intended solely for the people of Israel ) do not all apply. Certain aspects are clearly for a Theocratic Kingdom and do not apply to Christians today.
The Old Testament Law comprises:
the moral law
the ceremonial law (e.g. Circumcision)
the civil (judicial) law.
The moral law, that which represents God’s own moral character, is summarized in the Ten Commandments. These are forever binding, in both old and new covenants.
The ceremonial law mainly refers to the sacrificial system of the old covenant, although it also includes the whole cleanliness code including restrictions on food and the like. It includes things like seeing a Priest to examine your skin disease or boils, etc.
Civil or These are the laws that represented the criminal code, with its procedures and punishments, as well as a myriad of regulations and restrictions. These would include the various capital crimes, like murder, adultery, and many other sins.
The ceremonial law has been fulfilled in Christ and is transformed into the sacraments that look back upon what those laws once looked forward to.
The civil codes have lost their context now that salvation is in Christ, in a spiritual kingdom, and not in Israel, a temporal nation. They are transformed into the judicious application of church discipline.
The moral law, however, reflecting God’s changeless character, remains unaltered, although in Christ we are no longer condemned by our sins against it.
Since we are talking about the TITHE, I believe this belongs to the category of CIVIL LAW. It has been supplanted by a better law -— the LAW OF GIVING THROUGH LOVE. GIVING CHEERFULLY.
Israel was under the law, being a theocratic nation they were obligated to tithe. After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb.8:7,13). New Testament Christians were NEVER under the Old covenant law.
One cannot conclude tithing is required under the New Covenant the same as the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. Not once does any epistle contain any admonitions or a rebuke for failing to tithe. The necessity of GIVING is mentioned but only with the right attitude, to help and support others
Those promoters of tithing will always use the Old covenant law (CIVIL LAW) to justify their teaching this method of blessing.
Under the New Testament covenant there is no specific amount required to give, you determine the amount you can freely give. “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Christ looks at your heart, NOT the amount you give.
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