If Jesus made a new covenant and we can now eat pork - Then why do we still have to tithe?

Question

I read that Jesus came to fulfill the laws not destroy them but people insist that Jesus said it is ok to eat pork because he made a new covenant and died for our sins. I also understand that the 10 commandments should still be followed but what about tithe? How do you determine which laws to keep and which laws not to keep? Seems like people just pick and choose which laws to follow to satisfy their own urges. What are your thoughts on this?

I agree. I do not eat pork, catfish, shellfish, clams. rabbit, no ot it. This is just the argument I get when I ask others. That is where this question came from - seems like people pick and choose what laws to follow and if it is somthing that they do not want to stop doing then they say Jesus died for our sins. I think that is bogus. Either you is or you ain't. But that is just my opinion!

Answer 1

Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says this:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."

so until heaven and earth disappear jesus wants everyone to do exactly as the laws insist! that is ALL of leviticus and the cleanliness code; pork, hair lengths, etc.. all.... another proof for this is the fact that after jesus died and supposedly ascended, his disciples continued to practice their jewish traditions!!!

Answer 2

It is true that scriptures such as Leviticus 11:7 prohibited the consumption of pork. This new situation would, naturally, be unfamiliar to the Jews who became Christians. Paul himself acknowledged the fact that there would be scenarios wherein opinions varied. Thus he helps them to get the proper understanding when he writes at Romans 14:2: “One man has faith to eat everything, but the man who is weak eats vegetables.”

However, that Law was no longer binding after Jesus died. Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14, So while it is true that at Matthew 5:17, Jesus says he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, this is precisely what he did – fulfilled the Law. When he here says “if anyone breaks the least of these and teaches others to . . .” it must be remembered that at this point in the stream of time, the law covenant was still in effect. It had not yet been done away with. Thus, his apostles (Jewish men) were obligated to keep the Sabbath, attend the festivals and so on. But three and a half years after Jesus’ death, an angel told the apostle Peter that from God’s standpoint no food should be viewed as defiled. See Acts 11:7-12. So Matthew 5:17-20 cannot be used to teach that the law covenant is still in effect.

That being said, what about the tithe? Again, the law requiring tithing was part of an exclusive covenant between God and the nation of Israel. See how Exodus 19:3-8 and Psalm 147:19, 20 bear this out. Only the Israelites were bound by that law. And while it is true that, according to Malachi 3:6, God never changes, sometimes His requirements do. The Bible states categorically, as mentioned in Ephesians and Colossians above, that the sacrificial death of Jesus, in 33 C.E., “blotted out,” or “abolished,” the Law – and that includes the “commandment to collect tithes.”

You are right - many professed Christians treat the Bible like a salad bar and pick and choose. Those churches which teach that tithing is required seem to be "picking" the scriptures that command tithing - but they do so to the exclusion of those scriptures that clearly teach otherwise. Hence, they are motivated by something that finds no basis in God’s word the Bible.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 3

Where did you read that Jesus said it was ok to eat pork? That must have come from a book other than the Bible. Jesus did make a statement, which folks abuse, that it is not what goes into one's mouth that defiles but that which comes out. However, a little thought will quickly tell you that to use this to justify eating pork would be just the same as using it to justify eating ANYTHING. How about a little poison? What?! You don't think that would harm you?

To the contrary, pork was never considered fit for consumption throughout Bible times, nor is it healthful now. Jesus made no such change to the law. Malachi 3:6 says "I am the Lord, I change not."

Answer 4

The new covenant church that Jesus founded was given all power and authority over these matters ... not the BIble.

It is the church that makes the rules for Christians in today's world, and the church which rules on things like whether to eat pork, to tithe, or whatever.

In so far as tithing is concerned, there is no new testament requirement to tithe. Christians are expected to contribute time, talent, and treasure in support of the church, but tithing, which means giving a tenth, is purely voluntary.

One may choose to give more or less, depending on one's circumstances and inclination.

This used to be clear before the Protestant reformation, when there was only one church ... the Catholic (universal) church, in existence.

Now, varous people theorize various ways about this, that, and the other thing, but it always comes down to the God-given authority of the church, which finally and definitively rules on these matters.

Answer 5

Here's what I think as far as eating pork is concerned: Jesus said it is okay for people to eat pork because it is not what goes into a man's mouth that condemns him, but what comes out of his mouth is what condemns him. I have heard that you should not eat pork because pigs do not have any sweat glands, so they have no way of releasing any toxins in their body so all the toxins just get stored in their muscle and fat, which is what we eat. But it not a sin to eat pork.

And as far as tithing goes, I don't think it is mandatory that you tithe, but God does ask that you give 1/10, or rather one tenth, of your total income to Him. In other words, if all you have is $100.00, then you are to give $10.00 of it to God. But that does not mean that you have to always put something in the offering basket every Saturday or Sunday at church. Some churches don't even pass the offering basket around because they feel it is used in the wrong way. My family and I think that a much better way of tithing is to give that money to someone we see that can really use it. I don't even know how many times we have passed homeless people on the street and have given them some money and God has blessed us everytime we did it. One time we saw this guy and his wife and they were homeless and living in a little school bus and when we went to find them and they were gone. Then we saw them while in the mountains one day and all we had was $44.00, so my dad gave them $40.00 of it. The very next day, we received a check for $4400.00 from a guy that my dad was doing a landscaping job for. That check was a blessing and we know it's because God blessed us with it because we helped that man and his wife and their little girl. So, I definitely think there are better ways of tithing than the offering basket. I think that if you want to tithe by putting something in the basket, that's fine, but if you would rather see that your money goes somewhere else, that's fine as well.

Answer 6

Well I really don't know the answer to that question, but I have found that when I do tithe that I do get blessings in return. And when I dont tithe when, something always happens to make me wish I had. And tithing is not a part of getting money into churches, because before money people sacraficed animals and offered other goods to God. Now tell me what would the church get out of that. It's to show God that nothing comes before him, I believe, and money is definitley the toughest thing to give up for most people.

Answer 7

During the time of Jesus, the tithe was a temple tax. The New Testament is silent about the early Christians paying a tithe to their Church. What is written in the Acts of the apostles is they shared their things in common.

Answer 8

The tithe is something many churches use to ask for money and back it up with the Bible. You are correct. It is no more necessary then not eating pork or wearing scriptures attached to your forehead. We give a little more then ten percent because we want to, not because we have to.

Answer 9

Because God has a crack addiction and always needs money.