Another Response To Leke Alder's Gospel(The beginning of tithing in Church History).

Leke Alder, I have been carefully following you on all three parts. I must say thanks for your well researched work on tithing. One thing such debate does to the believer is to help whet his or her appetite for the word of God. However, upon taking a careful reading on part 3, I beg to differ on some of the suppositions you made and interpretations you have given to scriptures related to the subject.

#1. Melchizedek and Abraham never broke bread and had a Communion. Genesis 14:18 says " Melchizedek brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God". There is nothing in that passage showing that they broke bread. Communion is a very serious matter. If indeed the bread and wine depicted Communion,  Hebrews paid no theological or covenantal value to it (to use your own terms). No verse of scripture made reference to that assertion. (So to push it further is thus your own gospel).

#2. You claimed that tithing is a New Testament doctrine; and that 'without tithe we have no argument for the creation of Christianity'. This, with respect, is rather unfortunate. Your main source of that proposition is the book of Hebrews. Have you bothered to ask yourself why the book of Hebrews was written in the first place? Hebrews 7 never taught about tithing. Never! The main thrust of Hebrews 7, is a comparative analysis of the priesthoods of Levi and that of Christ. And how that, Christ Priesthood is superior to that of Levi. It is never about establishing or teaching the doctrine of tithing, or 'elective tithing' as you call it. The book of Hebrews was written to discourage the Jewish believers who, because of persecutions, wanted to recant their faith and go back to Judaism. See 'I Believe in Visions', by Kenneth Hagin. In page 73 of that book, Hagin recounted what Jesus told him why the book of Hebrews was written: "Because of great persecution, the Hebrew Christians referred to in this passage were tempted to go back to Judaism, but if they went back, they would have trodden under foot the Son of God. They would have counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, for they would be saying that Jesus is not the Messiah; He is not the Son of God. They turned their backs on me. This is why Paul (the author of the book of Hebrews) warned them that if they did that, it would be impossible to renew them unto repentance". (You will also see that some of the good bible translations opened with a cursory background to the book of Hebrews with the above facts therein). So you see, Mr. Alder, this is the reason the book of Hebrews was written, and that is why the author took time to show his brethren, who were Jews like Him, among other things, the superiority of the Christ Priesthood over that of Levi, which ruled Judaism. Melchizedek was only brought into the equation because the priesthood of Christ was ranked in the order of that of Melchizedek. And to further buttress this superiority, he reminded them how even their great patriarch, Abraham, paid tithe to Melchizedek and the latter blessed him. These three points: a. Christ's Priesthood is likened to that of Melchizedek's. b. Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek, and since Levi was in the loins of Abraham, by implication, Levi paid tithe to Melchizedek. c. Melchizedek blessed Abraham; were raised by the author to establish the superiority of the Melchizedek's priesthood over that of Levi. And that, since Christ's priesthood is in similar order with that of Melchizedek's, by implication, the Christ's priesthood is superior to that of Levi. So that, there is no need leaving Christ for Judaism. See also Hebrews 10:32-39. This is the thrust of the book of Hebrews. It is never, ever, about tithing in the church or in Christ.

Abraham didn't pay tithes to worship God, he was already a friend of God and a God worshipper before he had occasion to pay Melchizedek tithe. Else going by the so much importance you have attached to tithing, isn't it curious to you that the church of the Bible was never found to have practised tithing. Not even a mention of it in their service to God. When they gave by freewill, it was recorded, so, why wasn't it recorded when they tithed, so as to serve as an example for our learning n practice? I will tell you, because it was not recognised in Christ as an acceptable way, mode or means of service in Christ.

Tithing, having being incorporated in the law, became an obligated offering until Christ came and ended the legal way of doing things! Romans 10:4, Ephesians 2:15. While the law was in force, it would have been a taboo for Israelites to pay tithes like Abraham. Even their circumcision was after Moses and not Abraham. What this means is that, upon the institution of the law, the practices during Abrahamic era and before, as long as not recognised by the law, became nugatory. And while the law lasted, the death of Jesus, made the law nugatory. And brought us to a newness of life! Hallelujah! Jesus death did not take us back to Abrahamic era, so as, among other things, to pay tithes like Abraham did. That's ridiculous. Galatians 3:14 says "...that the blessings of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus...' Not through Abraham, or through paying tithes like Abraham. Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the Church. We are complete in Christ. The practises, activities and doctrines of the church of the bible which is our model had nothing to do with tithing. If you have seen one, pls kindly furnish it.

Finally, it will interest you to know that, tithing only crept into the church in the 6th century. The Catholic authorities promulgated a religious order institutionalising tithing in the church. (I will supply you the link if you request for it). Some, though in the minority, opposed such practises to no avail. Even some fathers of the Reformation Movement of the 14th - 17th centuries, like John Hus and John Wycliffe have been quoted to have opposed such practices. These are historical facts proving that the first century church of the bible never practised tithing, else there wouldn't have been need for such promulgation by the Catholic authorities. 

Concepts like tithing under grace and elective tithing, are just a 20th/21st century concepts that lack scriptural foundations.