Dear Mrs. Danita (David) Thibeault,
Your Comment(s):
To Whom it May Concern: I can appreciate what you're trying to teach, but I do believe the 10% goes to God. Yes, the Holy Spirit dwells within us as we became the temples for Him to dwell when Jesus ascended into Heaven; however this did not mean give up everything that had been taught. Yes, Jesus made a new covenant: 2Co 3:6 who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.So, I do agree that we're not bound to the Old law because Jesus died so that we don't live or die by the law as it states:
Luk 22:20 "In the same way He took the cup, after having dined, saying, This cup is the in My blood, which is being poured out for you."However
, the tithe was instituted BEFORE the law. It tells us in Genesis about Abram and Melchizedek. If you recall Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he was the priest of the most high God.Gen 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and earth. Gen 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.If you look even earlier in Genesis to Cain and Abel:
Gen 4:3 And in the end of days, it happened, Cain brought to Jehovah an offering of the fruit of the ground. Gen 4:4 And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat of it. And Jehovah had respect to Abel and to his offering, Gen 4:5 but He did not have respect to Cain and to his offering. And Cain glowed with anger, and his face fell.The reason God respected Abel's and not Cain's offering was that Abel gave his first fruits and the best he had. Cain gave as an afterthought, "end of days" which means time had passed since he'd harvested his crop and it wasn't his first 10%. To this point in the Bible there was no mention of tithes and offerings yet Cain and Abel knew what was expected. They knew this because Adam walked with God before Eve and after Eve they both walked with Him. They had a relationship with God so deep that they knew His heart and they knew that this was His desire.
God wants us to give him our tithes as a discipline and a trust. We show that we trust God to provide for us and take control of our lives when we give Him our first and our best. We learn in Acts that Ananias and his wife Sapphira were instantly killed for lying to the Spirit when they said they sold all they had. Now, I know it's extreme because God's not asking everyone to sell everything, but He asking us to give Him our best.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and possibly rethink your perspective on the issue.
Blessings,
Danita Thibeault
Psa 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise Him.
My Answer(s): Thank you for your comments, and for visiting my website on Tithes and Offerings. Your statement that, you "do believe the 10% goes to God". Let me ask you who are God on this evil and adulterous planet? And where is He on this evil and adulterous planet? Did God here on this evil planet tell you that your minister is also God? I mean, why are you claiming that God gets ten percent of your money, yet you give it to your minister instead? Are you under the belief that your minister will bless you for giving your money to him? Now, I am sure your minister also preaches the other lie, that you tithe to receive a material blessing doctrine, that God will bless you if you give your money to "your minister human organization" called a "Church". And I ask why are you wishing that I myself give to some self-appointed person claiming to represent God on this evil and adulterous planet because you have this made up belief taught by those who are fleecing the flock. Using a doctrine of men, and the evil one called tithing. Why are you trying to enslave me with this burden because you willingly submit to such unsound teaching that you yourself cannot defend without twisting the Holy Scriptures as those who peddles the word of God.
Next, you claim "the tithe was instituted BEFORE the law". Yet, you do not give any Scripture supporting this belief of yours, and your fellow gospel peddlers. The only Scripture you give to support your false premise actually support exactly what I am teaching. And that is, tithing was NOT instituted NOR commanded before the Law of Moses or after the Law of Moses. For you, yourself confess that Cain and Abel made a freewill offering, "Not A Tithe" to God as the Holy Scripture clearly states. Both Cain and Abel were free to give an offering to God of there on choosing. The Scripture in Genesis 4 never mentions the word tithing. The only thing, we can conclude from these Scriptures is that Abel and Cain made a freewill offering to God, Cain brought "some of the fruits of the soil". Abel brought "fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock", and they actually met God face to face, not some self-appointed person, gospel peddler claiming they represent God. No where in these verses is it said Cain and Abel were commanded to give these things, but it is implied that they gave freewill offerings to God. Also, the word "institute" means "to set up", where in these verses in Genesis 4 do it say God set up this offering so others would be compelled by self-appointed gospel peddlers to give them ten percent of their money.
How often Cain and Abel brought this freewill offering to God is not known? However, the Scripture seem to imply that this was their first offering to God after they became of age. How often Adam made an offering to God is not known either because it is never mentioned that Adam made an offering to God. But, the book of Job gives us a clue. I ask you did not the offering of Job happen before the law, if so why don’t you have a doctrine teaching that professing Christians are required to make offerings for the sins of their hearts because this was before the Law of Moses (Job 1:1-5)? Again, I ask you did not Jacob promise to give God a tenth of all he had if God would bring him back to his father house safely? When did Jacob fulfill this promise to God? I exhort you to meditate on these things, and may God give you knowledge and understanding, see Genesis chapter 28 through 33, but I do not wish to digress. I think you should rethink your own belief that Abel and Cain tithed to God. For the Holy Spirit never instructed any such teaching nor are you true to the Holy Scriptures when you make this private interpretation given to you by those who wish to extort money from you for their own pockets.
Your belief that Abraham was commanded to tithe is another false doctrine of men also. Yes, a doctrine of the evil one and men’s traditions used by gospel peddlers to extort a financial gain from the babes of Christianity, abusing their authority (2 Corinthians 2:17). For the Holy Scripture clearly states that Abraham made this offering on his own freewill, and Abraham did not give his own livestock to the King of Salem, Melchizedek it were the livestock of Abraham enemies, booty of war. And no other place in the Holy Scripture do we see Abraham ever giving away a tenth of his livestock again. Therefore, the Holy Scripture cannot support your doctrine of tithing, the doctrine of men and the evil one. The only thing we can conclude from these verses is Abraham gave a freewill offering to the Priest of God Most High because God had been with Abraham in battle. Therefore, Abraham gave a freewill offering, a tenth of the booty of war to Melchizedek because God delivered Abraham enemies into his hands. Just as Jacob did later gave a freewill offering in Genesis 32 after God had brought him home safely to his father house. Again, I say, the word "institute" means "to set up", where in these verses in Genesis 14 do it say God set up this offering so others would be compel by self-appointed gospel peddlers to give them ten percent of their money. According to these Scriptures, the Christian should only give ten percentage of his money when God delivery them from their enemies and bring them home safely. And we both know you and your gospel peddlers will not preach that people only tithe after God bless them. Yet, this is what the Holy Scripture clearly teaches.
You suggest that I rethink my position on tithing, and give some self-appointed gospel peddling "person" ten percent of my income, like you love to do. Now, I find that to be strange indeed seeing how you yourself have taken it upon yourself to decide who represent God on this evil and adulterous planet. I ask you again; who is God on this planet? I give you a clue, see Matthew 25. Where in the New Covenant does God say give a self-appointed "man" ten percent of my money? Where in the Old Covenant did God command every person on this planet to give some gospel peddling "man" ten percent of their money? I mean, point these so-called representatives of God out to me that are entitled to my money. Because you seem to have the ability to determine who God want you to give ten percent of your money to on this evil planet.
I suggest you rethink your position on tithing, and stop trying to convince me with the same doctrine of Satan and men concerning giving ten percent of your money to some so-called "minister" claiming he represent God. This evil doctrine of men called tithing breed greed, selfishness, covetousness, pride of life, and many more sins of men. Please, study God's Word with pray and meditation. I also suggest, you see my articles on tithing before the Old Covenant on my web site. For no person prior to the Old Covenant ever tithed under duress by men or by any commandment of God. And when the Old Covenant came along God only commanded the children of Israel that were able to tithe, God did not command the poor and those without means to support their own household to tithe. Nor was the whole world commanded to tithe only the children of Israel. I ask you one more question, if men were already tithing to God before the Law of Moses, then why did God not just say the tithe you have been giving to Me before now give to the sons of Levi from now own?
Therefore, I exhort you to go and learn from this, which is better to enrich a few self-appointed gospel peddlers? Or is it better to enrich the physical soul of those in need? Yes, you keep on giving your money to those who are fleecing the flock of professing Christians. And I will continue to expose those who are preaching for a financial gain, perhaps if God is willing I will save some from this evil doctrine of men. For I preach that true followers of Christ Jesus make freewill offerings to those who honestly teach the whole counsel of God with all sincerity. Those sincere ministers who have open money purses. And give the bulk of their funds to those who truly represent God on this planet, the poor and needy.
If you truly believe then I exhort you to learn from this: 1 Corinthians 9:15-18 says, and so do I, "if I do this willingly, I have a reward...That in preaching the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without expense [by not demanding "tithes and offerings" from you, as so many gospel peddlers do], so that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel" [as those who claim they represent God in collecting tithes from you]. For if I do not receive tithes from you, should I stop preaching the gospel to you? For as the Holy Scripture says, "Woe to me, if I stop preaching the gospel... What then is my reward?" Again, I admonish you and those who love to teach this doctrine of men called tithing to STOP and re-think your position on demanding that all professing Christians give ten percent of their hard earn money by using duress claiming God will curse them. And enticing a person to covet material things by preaching the prosperity gospel saying give the minister your money and God will give you material things. I pray that God the Holy Father in heaven will grant you knowledge and understanding. Amen. Praise God.
In Christ love,
Mr. Ron Davis, minister of Christ Jesus