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Naugrith · 2025-03-02T08:18:58+00:00

Yes, much of the Bible, especially the older texts, were written by people who believed in the simplistic theological idea that good things are a result of good behaviour (such as tithes), and bad things are a result of bad behaviour. Basically they believed in a version of the modern prosperity gospel. This was actually an extremely common belief, even among prophets and wisdom writers.

However as time went on other writers started challenging this idea, and we start to see a more nuanced and mature theology develop over time in response to the flaws in this worldview.

The best counter to this is the poem of Job (if you can ignore the rather weird and problematic framing prose - which is clearly an addition). In Job his friends all parrot this simplistic idea to him that his misfortune is due to his sin, and if only he'd repent and live more righteously, then God's blessings would flow again. And Job points out that this idea is not only complete nonsense, but actually harmful to those who are suffering.

Then, in the New Testament we also see Jesus and the Apostles all countering this as well, pointing out that actually, counter-intuitively, those who do good and follow Christ should sometimes expect to see even more misfortune and persecution than those who do bad.

Its important to remember the Bible is not univocal, it is a collection of many different voices, all in conversation with each other, often challenging, expanding, reinterpreting, or correcting each other.

Churchy_Dave · 2025-03-02T07:33:59+00:00

Context is key. The context of the verse and the book and the Hewbrews at the time of Malachi, etc... not every promise or instruction to one people at one time in history can be applied to anyone at anytime.

Strongdar · 2025-03-02T12:05:22+00:00

If you're relying on technicalities, that promise was made to the people of Israel, not to you.

louisianapelican · 2025-03-02T07:21:05+00:00

Hmm, that's one possible interpretation.

I'll use my church as an example. I give to my church. My church uses that and other giving to run our Hope House, which provides free meals, clothing, and other assistance to the poor and unhoussd.

My giving to the church has opened up blessings for those in need. Personally, this is my own interpretation of it.

We give to our church not so much to earn blessings for ourselves but to allow the church to bless the community around us.

That's just my take!

germanfinder · 2025-03-02T10:53:08+00:00

So on face value, we can say this guarantees blessings for those who donated grain to the storehouses 3,000 years ago.

There is no evidence that this does or does not apply to financial tithes to your church today

longines99 · 2025-03-02T17:38:59+00:00

Taken out of context and weaponized in certain denominations.

Overemphasizing this view makes God transactional and no different that pagan gods and deities in history: you're rewarded for doing good, punished for doing bad.

2025-03-02T13:13:53+00:00

I had family that literally called tithing "buying pieces of heaven". I do think this and some others can be read that way, but then do you pick and choose which parts of OT to keep, etc

Personally I am more worldly oriented maybe, because I think my church does good work feeding the hungry and ministering to the sick and homebound, and i realize that takes time and overhead costs so I financially support it.

TanagraTours · 2025-03-02T17:43:54+00:00

I would first ask if those tithes were part of their covenant or other larger literary unit, did that covenant promise blessing, and are the blessings similar in some way? Also, was this individual or for the whole people?

Nothing in the New Testament reiterated tithing for the church. That said, Jesus taught that giving resulted in being given to. That idea is reiterated in a different way in various New Testament passages.

BIG YES BOMB!!!!!

Sunday, March 02, 2025

Doesn't Malachi 3:10 heavily imply that every time I tithe, I am essentially buying future blessings?

Doesn't Malachi 3:10 heavily imply that every time I tithe, I am essentially buying future blessings?

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