Protestants and Old Testament Law

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One thing that’s always irritated me about the different Protestant faiths I’ve ever been involved in is the way they use Malachi chapter 3 to coerce their congregation into giving 10% of their income to the church. Malachi chapter 3 was addressing the Israelites for one thing, not Christians. Besides that it was referring to the law regarding tithing as spelled out in Deuteronomy chapter 14 (which is never addressed in any church I’ve ever been in) and finally, why does the Protestant church so often like to remind us Christians that we are no longer under the OT Law? Then pastors are real quick to bring up Malachi chapter 3 when they need a new car or a bigger house. I belonged to a church once that followed Kenneth Copeland. They were real big on each member tithing a full 10% and you should have seen the literal mansion the pastor was having built for he and his family.
 
It is unwise to generalize for all Protestants. Most that I am aware of don’t have any tithing policy. Most ministers recieve a salary and housing allowance. TV evangelists and mega-churchs are not the norm.
 
The Meeting I belong to has a gardening service…does that count for “paid”?🙂
 
Okay, then I’m sorry about that. Most of the Protestant Churches I’ve been involved in have taught this and I have always taken these pastors at their word. Then one time I decided to read through the whole Bible starting with Genesis. I was fascinated when I got to Deut where all the OT laws are gone into and when I read the truth about tithing in chapter 14 I got so upset. I started doubting a lot of things then. If they lied to me on this issue what else have they lied to me on. I trusted these men as my spiritual teachers. And I started questioning other beliefs like the rapture.
I have always thought this was standard Protestant teaching so I’m truly sorry if I offended anyone with my question. I just really wanted to know how this teaching was justified.
Thanks.
 
My minister does talk about tithing but he tells us it is between us and God what we give and we should be cheerful in doing so, otherwise God doesnt want us to do it.

The CC believes in tithing–right? So why are you picking on us?😦

Actually the CC down the road from me actually calls people and tells them they did not give enough:eek:

Are you sitting for this one(of course you are you are at a computer :D)
My hubby doesnt believe in giving too much to the church(he doesnt go:( )and I give too much. Well it was a source of friction between us so I called my minister to ask for advice.

What he said next shocked me:eek: He told me that I should respect the wishes of my husband and THEN HE SAID–It is OK we dont need your money at the expense of your marriage:eek:

I HAVE NEVER HEARD A MINISTER SAY THEY DONT NEED YOUR MONEY!!!

So, instead of tithing I run a homeless ministry which is using my spiritual gift. This way I know I am serving the Lord and my hubby:D 👍
 
Well, ALLFORHIM, I did apologize. Maybe the fundamentalist groups are a bit different from the rest of Protestantism? I don’t know. I was only asking.
In all fairness, tithing is a very sore spot with me and I’ve checked into the Catholic teachings on it. I’m just coming out of the Mormon church right now and unless I PROMISED to tithe 10% of our gross income I could not become a member and be baptized. By this time I was already really doubting some of what they were trying to get me to accept. I finally, I just flat out refused their baptism and membership. On CA there is a priest (don’t know if he still is one or not) who left the priesthood for the mormon church. Eventually, he found his way back to the Catholic Church. In one of his articles he (I’m pretty sure it was he) said this kind of treatment was extortion and that the NT taught us to give as the Holy Spirit prompted us to give and to give with a cheerful heart. This makes much more sense to me. Again, I’m sorry to have offended anyone.
 
johannahw said:
Well, ALLFORHIM, I did apologize. Maybe the fundamentalist groups are a bit different from the rest of Protestantism? I don’t know. I was only asking.
In all fairness, tithing is a very sore spot with me and I’ve checked into the Catholic teachings on it. I’m just coming out of the Mormon church right now and unless I PROMISED to tithe 10% of our gross income I could not become a member and be baptized. By this time I was already really doubting some of what they were trying to get me to accept. I finally, I just flat out refused their baptism and membership. On CA there is a priest (don’t know if he still is one or not) who left the priesthood for the mormon church. Eventually, he found his way back to the Catholic Church. In one of his articles he (I’m pretty sure it was he) said this kind of treatment was extortion and that the NT taught us to give as the Holy Spirit prompted us to give and to give with a cheerful heart. This makes much more sense to me. Again, I’m sorry to have offended anyone.
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You right you did apologize.:o I was actually not really offended. I just wanted to let you know there are actually ministers out there that believe we should be cheerful givers and that it is only between God and us.😃

I am happy you are leaving the Mormon church. Now if I could only get my cousin and his family to leave.😦
 
I don’t believe anyone was offended…most Protestant churches are not nearly as wealthy as many think. Most Evangelical make ends meet.

You portrayed some abberations in the “mega churches” and “TV” personalities.

The “principle” of tithing is taught…the best 10% given to God. Usually “stewardship” is the watchword in most Evangelical groups, and the passages in Malachi are used to teach the “principle” of good stewardship.
 
The Tithe as found in the Hebrew Scriptures is part of the Mosaic Law and not required of Christians. However, 10% is still a good starting point for your giving, and that’s not JUST to Church, my charitable giving that I count goes not only to my Parish, but to the Archdiocese, Habitat for Humanity and other worthwhile causes.

When I had my 2 kids in Catholic School I had a covenant with the Parish to give a full 10% to the parish in lieu of tuition…it was a good arrangement.
 
Must be an evangelical thing. I just came from a non-denom church that teaches the same thing. The preacher just built what is one of the biggest houses in town and his wife drives a Lexus. I have seen people suffer without the basic needs of life and the church only gives them a max of fifty dollars. But they spend hundreds of thousands on a new sound system and TV studio. They also just put up high def plasma t.v.s in the foyer so people can watch the service without actually going into the sanctuary.
 
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