tithes in Gen

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Sis Yohnk:

I'm sorry if you felt I was taking what you wrote out of context. I've tried to 
stay out of this discussion for two reasons. There seems to be a lot of 
misunderstanding on both sides, and certain (not yourself) people on the 
obligatory tithes side seem to imply that those of us who don't wish to make it 
obligatory are cheap! I don't think its appropriate to say All who oppose 
obligatory tithing do it to avoid giving to God. I would agree that some do 
oppose it for this reason.

What I meant in the one part of my statement you quoted was related to your 
statement that the Pharisees were not keeping the Law proiperly because of 
their "attitude" while tithing and thus they weren't doing the works of 
Abraham. The converse of this is: keeping the law with the right "attitude" is 
doing the works of Abraham. Paul tells us that we are unable to do this. Yet we 
are able to do the works of Abraham as Jesus tells us. So the Pharisees 
tithing, even with a right "attitude", must not have been what Jesus meant, 
since this would have been impossible.

OUt of all the posts on the opposing side of this discussion to the one I hold, 
yours have been the most reasoned and thought provoking, causing me to consider 
my position anew to see if I've missed something. I was saying to someone last 
night, that I was looking forward to seeing your response to what I wrote. I 
was addressing as a collective all the arguments people have offered on your 
side of the discussion, and not simply what was in your last post. My position 
is that Jacob is the best pre law example if we wish to entreat people to give 
10% of their income.

He made a voluntary vow before God and we have no indication in Scripture that 
he ever broke it. We are commanded in the New Testament to give to the work of 
God. If a person is more comfortable with vowing a set amount to God, that is 
fine, we have Scripture for that. We don't have Scripture to legislate this. 
Then its not "giving" anymore, its paying your debts. Malachi makes it clear 
that a tithe is not an offering,nor is it giving.

My emphasis is on giving because I have seen what happens when a spirit of 
joyful giving breaks out. I know of one instance where an offering was being 
raised to cover about 40,00 in expenses. That spirit of joyful giving broke out 
and when the were done they had 60,000 or so!

Another instance which I can personally attest to was when I was heading up an 
evangelistic outreach. There was a night to describe the endeavour and raise 
funds for the expenses. The Lord spoke to me and told me to start the giving 
off at an amount that "hurt" (those that have done this know what I mean). When 
all was said and done the offering was 600% (6x) what had been expected and the 
surplus was given to do the same thing in 3 other communities. God loves a 
cheerful giver! Mind you it hurt for a bit, but one can still smile. And going 
without for a bit didn't leave any lasting ill effects on me.

That's all that I'm saying. I don't believe tithing can be legislated in the 
New Testament church with scriptural authority. It can be entered into 
voluntarily. Giving is God's plan for His church today. We have the opportunity 
to give above and beyond as we are prospered and led.

I recognize as home missions folk this issue has a personal interest for you. 
Please don't get the idea that myself or anyone else doesn't care to see you 
supported by God through the giving of your local (and other) church(es). As I 
said, I've appreciated what you've written, its caused me to think about this a 
great deal. Its just that when I look at my New Testament I see 'give" and not 
"tithe" when I look at my service to God.

In Christ,

Frank Vandenburg.

On Thursday, October 01, 1998 10:46 PM, Lynne A. Yohnk [SMTP:lyohnk@juno.com] 
wrote:
>
> On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 14:22:27 -0300 "Frank Vandenburg"
> <acts238@nbnet.nb.ca> writes:
> I'll just address this one conclusion. Abraham was not under the law,
> >so
> >doing the works of the law cannot be the way to do the works of
> >Abraham.
>
> Well, I think my post was misunderstood by you for the most part.  For
> example, I never said Abraham was under the law. The scriptures that back
> up tithing have already been discussed.  That was not the intent of my
> post.  I was trying to convey a spiritual concept and I was also trying
> to reveal the spirit of the matter.
>
> Lynne Yohnk
>
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