Temples and Tithing
A Look At Old Testament Practices Today
Introduction
When I was studying my Bachelor of Divinity we were set the essay question "What is the authority of the laws, precepts and principles of the Old Testament in the life of the Spirit-filled believer" (or words to that effect). That question was a time bomb ! It got me researching and thinking and asking questions and years later I too have set it to my students. Now I am writing a book about it.
This actually started out as a book on tithing - because of my grave concern at the way tithing sermons regularly misuse Scripture. The book soon expanded as I realised that the problem was more than just tithing. Similar errors were being committed in a wholesale manner in many other areas of church life. I'll still be using tithing as my starting point partly because as soon as I talk on this topic someone soon asks "but what about tithing". Also because it focuses the argument around a practical and controversial point just as Martin Luther used the sale of indulgences as a springboard into Romans and justification by faith.
I am deeply troubled by the way the distinction between law and gospel has been blurred by so many of today's preachers. Proper systematic interpretation of the Scriptures has been replaced by a homogenising of the OT and NT. The sharp differences between the two covenants and why there was a need for a New Covenant in the first place seems lost in much pulpit preaching and church practice. There seems to be a prevailing cynicism towards theology, commentaries and good hermeneutics and a feeling that "if its in the Bible I can preach it" . Preachers are imposing rules on their congregations without regard to what the rest of Scripture, particularly the gospels and the epistles reveal about that topic. Along with this we have seen a resurrection of what can only be called "Christian superstition". A revived concern with holy days, vegetarianism, curses and blessings and even "Christian astrology" and numerology. Much of this comes from still thinking that we are in the OT era with its very different way of spiritual operation. However I don't want this book to be all negative. As well as demonstrating the folly and perils of imposing the Old on the New I would like to point out the wisdom, glory and wonder of what God has done in Christ.
Now I'd like to say straight out that I value the Old Testament. It’s "the Bible Jesus read" as Phillip Yancey says. I also want to say that I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture in the original manuscripts and its authority and inspiration for the Christian. That's my starting point. However I believe that Scripture contains within it some very valuable clues about how it should be interpreted and how much of the Old Testament - if any - is binding on Christians today.
So yes, this is a book about tithing and Christian finances but its also a book about circumcision, diets, the Sabbath, festivals and rules in general. Above all it’s a book about Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross. You should come out of it with a very clear understanding of the differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament, law and grace, faith and works and a powerful appreciation of the amazing yet radical nature of the gospel.