Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. -- Galatians 5: 2-6 (ESV)
I saw someone post today that the reason why her church can barely keep their doors open is no one tithes correctly and I wondered how someone so churched could have such a poor understanding of basic Scripture. The key verses come from the Letter to the Church at Galatia, who were having a little problem. A group of former Jewish folks called the Judaizers were preaching that you needed circumcision as well as faith in Christ in order to be saved. Realize that the issue is not solely circumcision but rather being yoked back to any part of the ceremonial or civil law at all. In setting them straight Paul outlines several key points we must understand as believers:
If you insist on any part of the civil or ceremonial law, which Christ nailed to the cross, the following will apply to you:
1. Christ will be of no advantage to you
2. You will be obligated to keep the entire law
3. You are severed from Christ
4. You have fallen away from grace
Beloved, neither tithing nor not tithing counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Does this mean we are not give? Of course not. There is still a universal principle of sowing and reaping confirmed in multiple Scriptures. Here is the New Testament model for giving:
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2Corinthians 9: 6-7 (ESV)
In case you are wondering what the difference is do not overlook that tithing by definition is compulsory. Thus it violates these verses. Cheerful giving is voluntary. Now, if you leave giving voluntary to the unsaved then I would suspect you would not get much and that is the problem facing the purpose driven church. Because they have abandoned the Gospel people are not actually getting saved. They are unconverted goats being taught to behave like sheep. The things of God however remain foolishness to them so purpose driven pastors try to force them to give by ignoring these truths and twisting the poor Prophet Malachi. The truth is this. Pastors sell the Holy Spirit short by enforcing tithing. If you leave giving up to a true believer and the Holy Spirit, and your church is preaching the full counsel of God, you would get more than 10 percent. Oh, not only do you sell the Holy Spirit short but you actually yoke your listeners back to the law and you will answer for every soul you thus led astray from the grace of God.
Rev. Anthony
