Tuesday, June 12, 2007

TENTH (TITHES)

Tenth is a familiar term for Christian. According to the Bible history tenth is started since Abraham gave his war produce result as amount 10% to the king of Salem, the Most High God alias Melchizedek

Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and also a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram,

Gen 14:19 blessed him, and said, "May the Most High God, who made heaven and earth,
bless Abram!

Gen 14:20 May the Most High God, who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!" And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot he had recovered.

That was the first tenth be given to God by His people noted in the Bible. Perhaps, before Abraham the people had given the tenth to God. The story about the tenth continue when Jacob made a vow to God, in which we can see at this verse

Gen 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow to the LORD: "If you will be with me and protect me on the journey I am making and give me food and clothing,

Gen 28:21 and if I return safely to my father's home, then you will be my God.

Gen 28:22 This memorial stone which I have set up will be the place where you are worshiped, and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me."

Then God made this tenth confirmation become rule from heaven, which is officially conducted to all Israelites. This rule was given while the Israelites were in the desert

Deu 14:22 "Set aside a tithe---a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.

This official confirmation/ rule is valid and came from heaven. Not one verse in the whole Bible canceled this tenth. Upright now the question is 'Have we give our tenth?'

In the New Testament story about tenth never been written clearly, that makes people deceit that tenth only applied in Old Testament. Well, that is human, they make so many reasons just to avoid to pay tenth.

In New Testament, there was a story told that Jesus gave a parable
about a Pharisee who prayed

Luk 18:12
" I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income." .

If this tenth confirmation is not valid anymore it's impossible Jesus told a parable about the Pharisee gave his one tenth of his income. This means that the tenth confirmation is still valid, even when Jesus was still live and was being in the world

Do you want to know more about tenth? The previous parable is told by Jesus, now I'll tell you a true story. Do you remember, there was a rich man came to Jesus and said

Luk 18:18
"A Jewish leader asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?" Remember, this man had done all the commandments in his life",

but what Jesus said? in Luk 18:22

"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is still one more thing you need to do.
Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven;
then come and follow me."

Now it's clear, right, that the concept about tenth is refer to New Testament, too. Which one you still follow? Give tenth felt too hard for you? Then how you would give all of your wealth? all what you have?

Actually, if we have the right concept in our hearts about the wealth we have, we must thank God for only ten percent (one-tenth) of His wealth/properties which is entrusted to us must be given back to Him. Remember !! All what we have is God's. Nothing we have. You don't believe this ?

Tenth is asked by God so that we share our income with our brothers/sisters who are not get God's blessing like we are.

Let's see...... when people die do they bring their wealth/ properties together to the grave? Come on ...... is there anyone burried together with their car, houses, fixed deposit, etc ..... if there any please tell me.

Job said in Job 1:21 :
"He said, "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The LORD gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!".

Psalm 24:1
"The world and all that is in it belong to the LORD; the earth and all who live on it are his."

Tenth is asked by God not because God is poor, so that He take tax from us. No brothers, .... tenth is asked by God so that we share our income with our brothers/sisters who are not get God's blessing like we are. God wants us to become a social creature who will help their fellows.

God wants us to always give thanks for all His blessings to us and also in order to have hearts to share, especially to our brothers/ sisters in faith who suffer from poverty/ lacks. Many people feel hard to give tenth. They give reasons that their income is small ,"For my own living it's not enough, how can I share to others ?".

Our God is not God who wants us to live in poverty. No brother/ sister !........ when you give tenth with all of your heart and without bragged (fanfare), God will repay/give multiplied reward.

Excitedly Christian often take this verse to avoid pay tenth

2 Cor 9:7
" You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly"

Hmm .... it's a nice verse, you are smart to avoid pay tenth. The problem is : the tenth is God order ratified by the Heaven Advisory Assembly and conducted to all of earth inhabitant, so if we don't give our tenth God will take back the tenth from us by Himself.

How ....???? Maybe through illness, so that we must spend money for medicinal treatment, or another various incidents or cases (damaged house, broken down car , accident, etc). Well, if we want to live in composure, been blessed by God more, please, try to give tenth.

Remember, the Words that come out from God never come back in vain, so if there had Words about tenth already, is it possible that the Words is canceled?

Jesus loves you and all your family

Article in Indonesia

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