Hmmm and Baptists get called dispensational. Well here is some for you. Quote: Hebrews 7:6-9 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. But without any dispute the less is blessed by the better. Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. So to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,emphasis mine
The Levitical priesthood and its mandated tithes began with Moses and ended with Christ. The author of Hebrews is proving the superiority of the Order of Melchizedek to the Order of Levi. Since Levi was in loins of Abraham when the gift was made, the inferiority of the Levitical priesthood is thereby proven. But no law is being established in these verses. Abraham gave 10% of his goods voluntarily in the absence of any law that required him to do so.
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Now here's a question for you Speratus since Christ is a priest on the order of Melchizedek, and since Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek,(Gen. 14:18-20) should we who have inherited the blessings promised to Abraham (see Gal. 3:14-18)not do the same?
Who do you propose to give these tithes to? Since the Levitical priesthood was abolished, there is no earthly priestly class to receive your tithes to Melchizedek. That is, unless you happen to believe that there are a bunch of Melchizedek priests in Apostolic Succession who offer up sacrifices for their own sins and yours in an abomination called the Papist Mass.
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OBTW lest I forget no the Levitical priesthood is done away with but does that mean the Melchizedek priesthood doesn't get tithes?
Are you saying we owe tithes to ourselves? Christ is forever our high priest after the Order of Melchizedek and we are his royal priesthood. Every Christian has direct and free access to God. The sin which formerly separated us from God has been removed by Christ.
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Well good thing we're not basing everything upon your experiences then are we? I recall many times in the ELCA church which my father and mother attended where there would be a little box of offerings and tithes envelopes with our family's name upon it. If I recall it was for either a whole month or a whole year, its been too long ago to remember clearly how many times the box appeared. But it did appear.
Well, the ELCA should not be confused with Churches of the Augsburg Confession. Do all Baptist congregations require tithes? After the Order of their Head Lawgiver, Rick Warren?
I don't agree with the practice of supplying offering envelopes. It is a confusion of law and gospel and the two kingdoms. But it's not exactly mandating a tithe if the members are free to toss the envelopes in the trash can.
The only personal example I have of a true mandated tithe was in a RC congregation. A RC friend, many years ago, told me that tithe bills were sent to his home by the local diocese. That makes perfect sense given the papist view of the priesthood. But why would any Protestant denomination wish to return to a Mosaic ceremonial law? Oh, right! Here's that Luther quote you wanted, "It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased."
