But, uh, you're there in First Corinthians chapter nine.
And we'll see here, you know, you say, well, where does the New Testament teach tithing?
You know, First Corinthians nine is pretty much the nail in the coffin.
I mean, it's, it's, I don't see how you read First Corinthians nine and walk away and say, oh, that teaches not to tithe.
Right? Look at verse one.
He says, I am not I, an apostle, am not I free?
Have not I, have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?
Are ye not my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yea, doubtless I am to you.
For the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.
My answer then to do examine me is this.
Have we not power to eat and drink?
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, which are and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas?
Or I only in Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?
Now, what's Paul saying there?
He says, have we not power to forbear work?
Is he talking about have we not power to, you know, just kick back and put our feet up and enjoy a cool beverage, you know, and just take take the time off?
That's not what he's saying.
He's talking about the working that he's talking about, the forbearing of that work, that the specific working is, you know, a secular job.
That's what he's referring to.
Have we not power to forbear a secular job and to just be full time in the ministry?
Look at verse seven.
Who goeth a warfare at any time in its own charges?
Who planted the vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof, or who feedeth the flock and eateth not the milk thereof?
Say I these things as a man.
Now, here's Paul in the New Testament, and he's about to take us all the way back to the Old Testament to make his case.
He says, Or sayeth not the law the same also, for it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.
Does God take care for oxen?
He's saying, is God put that in law because he's just worried that the poor little ox is going to not get enough to eat?
He says, Does God take care for oxen or sayeth it he altogether for our sakes?
Now, who's the hour there?
Paul, Barnabas and Cephas and the other ministers, right?
That's who he's referring to.
That's the hour.
He's saying, Look, God put that in the law for our sake.
For our sakes, no doubt this is written, that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we should reap your carnal things?
And really, that's such a powerful statement right there to think about people that get all upset about tithing.
It's a carnal thing that you're that you're upset about.
It's a very carnal thing, especially when you have a minister, when you have a church where you're being fed spiritually, when you're being given the word of God, you're giving sound doctrine.
You're being, you know, encouraged to serve the Lord and, you know, achieving, you know, you're benefiting spiritually, you know, you're profiting spiritually.
It's such a small thing that you would give something of your carnal means.
You know, you give a little bit of money.
It's a very carnal thing that we're talking about here.
Money, right?
He's saying, Look, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
You know, it's kind of a it's you almost say it's almost not I don't say it's not a fair trade, but it's a pretty good deal.
How about that?
That's a pretty good deal.
You know, I'm going to give a tenth of my income to the local church.
And in turn, you know, I'm going to have a minister who's just, you know, given to the ministry of the word of God and prayer.
I'm going to have a nice seat to sit on.
You know, if I'm homesick, I'm going to catch it on the live stream on a nice HD camera.
You know, it's going to be feeding through a high speed.
You know, all these things cost money.
They're carnal things, though.
That's a pretty good trade.
Look at verse 13.
He says, Do you not know that they which minister about the holy things live of the things of the temple and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
So here he is.
He's using a Levitical priesthood to make his point.
And people want to say that the Old Testament has done away with tithing.
But here's Paul appealing to it.
You know, and you can't show me where he where it's done away.
It's not there.
And it goes on to verse 14 and says, Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.