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SHIDHAB - Where can i find in new testament references about. Tithing , fast offering, and fast days?
JOEL -
Although there are obvious references to the law of tithing in the Old Testament (Mal 3: 8, Lev 27: 32, Num 18: 28, Deut 12: 6) there really isn't much said about it in the New Testament.
By the time Jesus Christ came to establish the gospel, the Jews had caused the true gospel plan to degenerate by supplementing it with innumerable rules, practices, and regulations based upon trivialities. They still maintained the law of the tithe, but it had also been greatly adulterated, as had the other gospel principles.
Jesus approved the old Mosaic law of tithing, but he pointed out that there were many important duties that the scribes and Pharisees were failing to observe. Following are his words on this subject:
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." (Matthew 23:23)
He explains in this scripture that while they should not leave the payment of tithing "undone", at the same time they must be better at mercy, justice, and faith. This is the only New Testament scripture where Jesus specifically indicates His support of tithing
In the New Testament Jesus also speaks of importance of fasting and giving to the poor:
"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." (Mark 10:21)
"Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14: 12-14)
"And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matt 17: 18 - 21)
"And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." (Acts 14: 23)
"Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." (1 Cor 7: 5)
The idea of "fast offering" and "fast day" are more modern day practices revealed to us by God to our prophets to help us obey His commandments to humble ourselves through fasting and helping the poor. (D&C 95: 7, D&C 109: 8, D&C 59: 13-14)
The observance of a fast day, when fast offerings for the support of the poor are to be given to the Bishop for distribution, was instituted by President Brigham Young. It was in a time of scarcity, when no one had much, and some did not have enough. He gave instructions that a general fast should be regularly observed and that the food which would have been eaten, or its equivalent, should be given to the poor.
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