After having listened to a series of teachings from a variety of preachers who all strongly believe that people should 'join a local church' (ie theirs)........come and be fed (ie by them) ....submit to the leadership (ie them)....and of course, pay your tithes to 'support the work of God' in that place (ie where they determine how the money will be spent)....I was asking God if I needed what they were offering.

Many times in churches today the lesson of what Jesus was teaching is missed…..as literalism gives way to a legalistic interpretation which results in God’s people being put under a burden which they cannot keep….and then ending up being crippled with guilt and condemnation.

John 6:63

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.    NKJV

So how does the teaching of 'tithing' in the church today match the revelation of God in Christ Jesus in the New Testament.....that of GRACE and TRUTH?

Have you ever noticed that the teaching of tithing is almost never presented with 'Grace'

and

"Spiritual abuse is that which uses God's name as a tool to control others and get people to obey a set of rules or follow a behavior which God himself does not specify as a requirement"

Our salvation is by faith in Jesus' completed work for us on the cross....and the relationship with God that gives us....it does not require additional input such as church membership, tithing, and service in the local church!

Our relationship is with GOD directly (Heb 8:11) and NOT through our 'pastor'

The ministry in many places worldwide has become a 'gravy train'...some call it getting into 'the river of God'...others call it living in 'the blessing'

The issue of whether we as New Testament believers are under the Law as believers is something that most preachers agree on....BUT usually only when it comes to the Law of tithing and the 10 Commandments. The bible however teaches that the Law IS a composite whole....it is ALL 613 commandments ...or nothing!

but lets look at what Jesus taught

The ‘Confusing’ start

The test that the bible gives us as to whether someone is a Christian is NOT that they preach powerfully....it is NOT that the prophesy and have great knowledge....and it is NOT even that they have great faith that can do mighty miracles (1 Cor 13:1-3)

It is that they LOVE the brethren!

John 13:34-35

Many today are teaching that 'tithing' is applicable under the New Covenant because it is a 'spiritual principle' which existed before the Law.

This is no more than a deception which is NOT taught in the bible but extrapolated by covetous preachers and which results in God's children being put under the requirements of the Law by stealth!

Is 'Stewardship' teaching which is heard in many churches today scriptural?

The thrust of this teaching is that we do not ‘own’ anything because we are merely stewards of what God has ‘given us.’ This is totally misrepresents what the scriptures teach. YES God created the world and owns everything....BUT HE sanctions personal ownership of that which we work for and EARN as a fundamental individual right in the Ten Commandments! (Ex 20:15 and 17)

The key is in the ‘first mention’ of Melchizedek ....he was BOTH a KING AND A PRIEST. He was actually a historical king who reigned over the city of Jerusalem.

There are many preachers who claim that Melchizedek was an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. This however conveniently overlooks the fact that Melchizedek physically reigned as a KING of a real historical city at the time of Abram.

Gal 5:11-12

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. NKJV
 

Many people have been told that the reason they were not healed, blessed, etc was that they had not tithed.

This is nothing more than manipulative nonsense... and a tool of WICKED deceivers. Paul rebuts it in the scripture below

Gal 3:5-9
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you,
does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? —  6 just
as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

This is one of the most common arguments presented in support of tithing today.

A simple examination of the context and what the scripture actually says dispels most  claims or concerns about this referring to New Testament believers

Matt 23:23-24

Family

Jesus rebuked the religious institution of his day for claiming that 'giving to God' came before the responsibilty to look after our families.

Mark 7:9-13

So what is this incident about?

It is certainly not about tithes...or first fruits. They gave the majority of the proceeds of the sale of the property and only kept only some of the money.

Peter makes it clear that the problem was not in how they handled their money ...

Acts 5:4 While it remained, was it not your own? (there was NO requirement to give as others had)

Was the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil'  in anyway related to first fruits? Why did God forbid man to eat its fruit?

What the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' was, is revealed when it is compared to the 'tree of life'.

We must also remember that the Old Testament is a type and a shadow which points to Christ....as revealed in the New Testament.

I sat listening to a minister suggest that Achan's disobedience (in Joshua 6 and 7) in taking the 'accursed things' was similar to a Christian today failing to tithe.

The suggestion was further made that one person no tithing could cause the whole church to be in 'sin' in the same way as the whole of Israel came under God's judgement for Achan's disobedience.