Christians, Wow! This is a big one-Misinformation No.14-"Tithing Began in the Garden of Eden" Blow my mind !

Question

Misinformation No, 14 - tithing began in the Garden of Eden"

Some people say that tending to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil without being able to eat of its fruit is the same principle as the tithe !

They want to show that Adam and Eve were tithing in the garden of Eden to prove that tithing is an eternal principle, still in effect today !. Is it ?

Father K what makes you feel going to Mass is not "whacko ?" or rather only the "whackos go to Mass ?"

The tree was the focal point for the isse of obedience to God; however, calling the tree a tithe is another distortion of the scripture. People have read something into the Bible that isn't there because they haven't understood the nature of New Covenant life In Christ and they are looking for something to validate and promote the doctrine of tithing !

SAMANTHA ! one of the best answer I've seen so far ! But its too early to vote for the best answer but you sure got my vote. I hope and prayer it's by divine revelation that you are saying it and not intellectual deduction only ?

Answer 1

In the New Testament there is no mention of believers paying tithes, nor any command that they do so. This makes sense since the Body of Christ is a spiritual kingdom, not connected to any land at all, but spread throughout the whole world, its members being neither Jew nor Greek but a new race of people in Christ Jesus. Therefore, it makes no sense for believers to pay a tithe which was largely used in the Old Testament for maintaining a system of priests, since all believers are priests and do not need a go-between themselves and God. Actually, believers are to consider that all they own and receive economically belongs to God. For example, we are told we are not our own but are bought with a price. Further, we are told that we are stewards of all that God has given us, and that He has the right to tell us what to do with our time, resources, income, etc.

It may be advantageous for a New Testament believer to decide to give the Lord a percentage of his income as a sort of guide or planned program for giving, and that percentage might be 10%. But such a plan or percentage should be arrived at through prayer with the Lord Himself, rather than an automatic acceptance of the Old Testament tithe. Furthermore, New Testament truth makes it very clear that all believers are responsible to care for widows and orphans and to extend hospitality to strangers in whatever age or social economic structure they live in. Obviously, this varies greatly depending on the individual circumstances of a Christian. At one point he might be a slave and totally unable to do much in this area, and at other times a Christian may have the freedom and capacity to do a great deal in this area.

Answer 2

I am looking at it not as a textual but as a contextual sense.Not only thru Christianity teaching but as a basic mankind teaching .

Tithing is an eternal principle provided all of it goes/spend for right things which give benefits to the needs. :
Maintaining the place to pray ( Church, temple,mosque)
Help the needs : orphans, widows, elderly peoples, poor people.

It is to show how we care for our sisters , brothers, childrens, parents -- human being.
Why should we only help them with the same religion?

2.5% of our net income (after we pay debt(s), tax) is a minimum and fair amount for/to tithe.
You can give it direct to the needs or through a foundation/organization.
Thru Foundation(s) or organization(s), you have to allow in your mind that some part of it will go to the collectors=(orgztn.foundtn) .

I dont believe that tending to the tree of knowledge is the same principle as the tithe exept for being a"must" to do which give benefit to the one who does.
Seeking for knowledge and tithing both give good impact to person in the different form to ourselves.

It maybe like going out from home, one road turn to the right the other maybe straight.

Seeking for knowledge about good and evil, conduct our behaviour.
Tithing is the behaviour , which give the feeling of self satisfaction; we feel that we mean something for others. We could feel so relief.

That is why, some people believe that tithing sweap their sin.
I dont agree that we need somebody between me and my Creator, but tithing is still very much important even until todays.

Answer 3

Not a Christian, but I think if that were true, than Adam & Eve would have been allowed to eat 90% of the fruit, and leave the best 10% for God.

But perhaps there were 9 other fruit trees in the garden, and God designated that 1 tree as the 10%.

Just guessing !

Answer 4

I know, I know....We get so tired of being blasted with tithing when personally I think it is an "old testament" rule or regulation. I stopped tithing and began giving offerings, which is by the way an old testament deal too. But, it's my responsibility to keep the church I go to strong financially. All pastors understand the need to tickle the ears of his congregation. Something "new and exciting" that they have never heard or thought of. Sometimes this sends them into the gray area of false interpretations. We are a congregation of bored audience goers.

Answer 5

Tithing is not an eternal principle. The idea that we are to give only %10 or some other portion "to God" is stupid.

We are to give %100 of us and what we have to God. Everything we do is supposed to be to God.

10% IS a good amount to start giving in support of a Church, but whatever we give and do, it's %100.

Answer 6

The creation story is a myth. So, those who want to believe that tithing began in the Garden of Eden are sorely misleading themselves and others.

Tithing is not an eternal principle, but many religious sects wouldn't still be around without it. This in itself is perpetuating the myth.

Answer 7

No, tithing was made by Abraham in thanks for the safe return of his own after they were kidnapped. He made a tithe to Melchizedek.
The Garden of Eden is irrelevant.
The tithe was to maintain the Levitical priests who had no land. Do you see any Levitical priests today?
The tithe was the first fruits and the increase the land gave. It was paid in kind.

Answer 8

I thought tithing was giving some money or labour to the church as a show of goodwill. If that tree was their church, they should have been grateful to be able to take care of it.

Also, everything in the garden, I believe, tended to itself. It was utopia beyond our current reality.

Answer 9

how is it the same principle? that's just silly. that's like saying avoiding fornication is a form of tithing. after all, there are lots of single women around here.

Answer 10

Good Lord, deliver us.

I gotta stop coming into Y!A on Sundays before Mass. Some of this stuff is just beyond wacko!