Should the Church Teach Tithing?
A Theologian’s Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine
Rebuttal to Adrian Rogers on Tithing
LOVE WORTH FINDING MINISTRIES
http://www.lwf.org/site/News2?abbr=for_&page=NewsArticle&id=6982&news_iv_ctrl=1183
God Blesses Through the Tithe
June 4
Rogers: Sometimes when I talk about tithing, people will say, “Well, you don’t expect that little widow to tithe her pension, do you?” I’d say, “Sure!” And they reply, “You hardhearted man!”
I’d be hardhearted if I didn’t teach her to tithe; I want her to be blessed! If there’s anybody who needs to depend on God, it’s that kind of a person. You’re not smarter than God…don’t you know that God knows what that little lady needs?
And this person will say, “You’re trying to take her money from her. The church doesn’t need it.” And that person is right on the second part. No, God doesn’t need her money, or anyone else’s for that matter.
But God wants to bless. He says, “Prove Me! I’ll renew your faith, I’ll rebuke your foes, and I’ll restore your fruitfulness. Your fruit is not going to fall to the ground ahead of time. I’ll make you fruitful in all that you do.”
You’ll always do more with nine-tenths and God as a partner, than you do with ten-tenths by yourself. It’s time we began to trust the Lord!
Proverbs 3:5-10 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
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Matt 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone ?
First, Rogers does not know the biblical definition of the HOLY tithe as only food from inside God’s HOLY land of Israel. True HOLY tithes could not come from what man increased or from outside Israel. Nobody tithes today.
Second, Rogers does not know the difference between the Old and New Covenants. The Old was only commanded to national Israel who was commanded NOT to share its covenant with Gentiles. OT tithes were never used to send out missionaries to Gentiles.
Third, Rogers does not understand that the early church, in Acts 15 and 21, refused to place Gentile Christians under the law. Gentiles never were under any part of the Old Covenant Law. And Hebrew Christians continued to tithe to the Temple system per Acts 21:20-21.
Fourth, Rogers does not understand that he poor widow in the Bible was not tithing. She was giving a sacrificial freewill offering. Today many churches would not let her join afterwards because she then had nothing.
Fifth, Rogers does not understand that the “Prove me” text in Malachi 3:10-11 was part of an indivisible Law which required obedience to all 600+ commands before God would bless. Obey all to be blessed; break one to be cursed per Galatians 3:10-13. An OT Hebrew would hot be blessed for tithing if he violated any of the other commands of the law.
Sixth, Rogers does not understand that, if he teaches the Law-blessings of tithing, then he must also teach and obey the entire tithing statute of Numbers 18:21-28. As a Levitical tithe-recipient he must (1) allow tithes to be given to Levites (ushers, deacons, choir, musicians, church builders, politicians), (2) only pay ministers with 1/10th of the tithe, (3) KILL anybody else who attempts to enter the sanctuary and worship God directly and (4) forfeit all land and property ownership rights.
Seventh, Rogers does not understand that “firstfruits” and tithes (tenth-fruits) are never the same thing per Deu 26:1-4; Neh 10:35-37, etc. Firstfruits were very small token offerings which must be eaten by priests inside the Temple. In 1 Tim 5:8 Paul told New Covenant Christians that their first obligation was for essentials such as medicine, food and basic shelter. Rogers does not grasp the importance of this text.
Eighth, Rogers needs to study Church History. For the first 300 years almost nobody even attempted to teach tithing and it did not become legally enforceable until AD777. Non-state churches in the USA did not begin teaching tithing until around 1895. It is a new and false doctrine.
Ninth, Rogers does not understand that God is NOW dealing with the Church in terms of the New Covenant which does not teach tithing. He is truly “hard-hearted” when he falsely promises a blessing based solely on “vanished” Old Covenant promises per Heb 8:13.
Tenth, Rogers does not understand that the tithing system of the poor widow supplied her basic needs from a second and third tithe throughout the year (23%). She would leave the Temple with food or money and citizens were expected to give her lodging. He wants to say “bless you”, give her a stone and send her away empty handed with no place to sleep.