Comments on: Malachi 3.10 – Subverting the Faith

By: Gary Maxwell

Gary Maxwell — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:33:10 +0000

I’ve heard the argument before that the OT Law can be used to secure the blessing if obeyed–even if we are not under the curse. Or, in other words, we are redeemed from the curse of the Law but not the blessings. So, we can claim the OT Law’s requirements, meet them, and then get the blessing.

But this understanding falls short in so many ways.

Our blessings come through Christ. Period. If we go back to the Law and try to secure a blessing from o9ur works, we frustrate the grace of God and count the sacrifice of Christ as nothing! This is a very serious matter.

We are blessed as Abraham was by our Faith in Christ. The blessings come on the Gentoles through faith–not keeping OT Laws which were never even given to Gentiles anyway.

The above teaching is very popular among many Word/faith teachers. It keeps the tithe/giving coming in with the promise of a blessing which never seems to materialize.

We need to relax and bask in the realities of what Christ did for us through His death, burial and resurrection. But, we always seem to need a formula or ritual in order to get our blessings…

By: rey

rey — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:06:37 +0000

The real reason why Christians need not tithe is the same as why Jews need not tithe anymore — namely the tithing system was intended as a way to rectify the injustice done to the Levites by them alone of all the tribes being given no inheritance of land. Instead of land, they got the tithes. Since nobody has inheritance in the Mosaic sense in the land of Israel anymore, the tithing system is defunct even for Jews.

As for the saying that “The law is not of faith” — here Paul proves himself to be a total imbecile. Its the law that is the beginning of faith in God, without which Paulinism would not even have a chance of gaining acceptance, nor does anyone trust in the law as a means of salvation without faith in God who gave the law and the law’s divine origin — therefore, the law IS of faith. Further the argument “the law is not of faith because it has requirements” can be used against Paul’s doctrine: “Paul’s doctrine is not of faith because it has requirements” which shows that Paul’s childish attempt at logic is a dismal failure and everyone living their lives by this man’s rantings is spiritually and intellectually dumber than dirt.

By: Josh Marihugh

Josh Marihugh — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:59:03 +0000

This came alive to me recently. If you want to put a label on me, I am a Charismatic/WOF Christian. But I began to realize something. The New Testament consistently refers to US, the body of Christ, as the temple, or house of God. In this context, what does it mean to “bring all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat IN MY HOUSE”…if anything, Mal. 3:10 tells me that Christians should be saving at least 10%.

Laying that aside for the moment, I began using my tithe as the Lord led me. Sometimes it goes to the church; sometimes it goes into my gas tank so that I can do the work of the ministry (we do prison ministry and all three of them are a minimum of 50 miles away.)

Do I still give? Absolutely. But I’m not in bondage to put a tithe in any one particular place.

By: john clayton

john clayton — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:33:31 +0000

Doctrine, especially commandments, are made from words of the bible rightly divided in context, not from speculation, sentiment, imagination, nor air. We have a new covenant made w/better promises. All of our commandments are contained there. The law,and Mal is intrinsic to the law, was given uniquely to Israel to make them unique, a holy nation separated unto God. Gentiles were not given the law. Abram had no law but secular. We are dead to the law. We are redeemed from the curse of the law, so if we are under the curse, we can’t be redeemed. If we are redeemed, we can’t be cursed. If one keeps one point of the law, which he can’t, he is a debtor to it all. If he keeps it all but misses in one point of the 613, then he is cursed. To the extent that you embrace the law, you are blinded to grace. Going tot the law frustrates grace, is going away from the finished work of the cross, and the law is not of faith. W/o faith it is impossible to please God. The preaching of the law is not of faith. The law is the ministry of condemnation and death. At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light… The preaching of the law does subvert the faith. It appeals to human nature. The law had no means of changing human nature any more than a yardstick can make you taller.

By: Jagger

Jagger — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:44:56 +0000

I love this discussion! I have been a teacher of the tithe for many years, only because I was lead by the “blind” into the teaching. And we all know that if the blind lead the blind then both fall into the ditch. I really wasn’t interested in falling into the ditch(pit). I’ve heard the tithe taught even in the garden(God’s tree being the tithe). There is little teaching on the totality of migration from OT to NT covenant. Sadly, but the yearly sin offering of the OT is now happening every 7 days(Sunday), for many but not all. It’s so sad how Authoritarian/Dictators have assumed positions in leadership and have changed Christianity into Churchianity! I’ve also seen Mat 23:23 used talking of the scribes and Pharisees paying tithe of Anise, Cumin and mint. Jesus said,” These ye ought to have done…”. What folks don’t understand is that they were under the law when He told them this. I get the same garbage with demon possession and Christians. People say that if “Born-Again” Peter can have a demon then all of us can. Well, Peter wasn’t born-again because Christ had not yet died and been resurrected. The knowledge is increasing as was prophesied and there will be a great dissension between true believers and OT saints in a NT world.