Simple Church Minute 42--Tithe (Part One)

42—Tithe—Part One

My name is Tom; this is Simple Church Minute.

            Today, I’m going to share with you an idea that, if this is the first time you have heard it, you’re going to say, “that can’t be’” but I challenge you to compare it to scripture.

            Most churches I know of teach the concept of tithing, and teach that is means to give the first ten percent.  Some organized churches keep records and disallow a person for leadership unless they are giving 10% of what they think that person is making.  I could fill the next two minutes with how complicated making that estimate is in our society, but that is another story.

            If one does a little research in a reference work by a believing scholar, one will find that, in the Old Testament days, there were clearly two tithes, and there may have been a voluntary, every third year tithe, therefore, 20 percent for sure, and maybe 23 1/3%.  The money supported the tabernacle, the Levites, one of Israel’s 12 tribes, who were to conduct worship, and to operate the government of Israel at times when they were a country.  Of course, by far, most of the chosen people became so by birth, not faith, so there was a large amount of Israel ignored their duty.

            Some of you may have heard this concept, some not.  God, in the Old Covenant, which ran from God making a covenant with Abraham, to Jesus fulfilling the covenant, did physical things with the physical chosen people, the Jews, not just as lessons for them, but also as an analogy for the spiritual God’s people of the New Covenant, who would live by the Holy Spirit inside us.  We, by living to honor Jesus, by the work of the Holy Spirit, allow the Spirit to speak to not-yet-Christians that they may repent and follow in the life and practice of glorifying Jesus.  More on this idea tomorrow.

            You can email me at simplechurchminute@gmail.com.  For more info on organic church*, visit http://www.simplechurch.com/ or locally at (local website).

On the recording, at this time, it says, “house churches.”  While that phrasing is OK, to say “organic church” is better.  I comment on that in blip 94.