Tithing Challenge

I made that same decision years ago and God has never failed to pay every bill and bless me far greater than I could have ever expected

 

If one looks in the OT a tithe is not ten percent. It is much more. The NT teaches giving not tithing.

 

A tithe, by definition, is 10%. In the OT there were several tithes. The NT does teach tithing, but that is a different argument.

Good job, Chipsgirl - God will honor your faithfulness.

 

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2 NKJV

May God bless you in this work of faith.

Rob

 

When I started to tithe, I immediately had more money. It seemed to come from many different sources. I was amazed.

 

I can definitely praise the Lord for providing for all of our needs when we thought we'd go under.
Just when we find ourselves in a bind over some bill we couldn't pay,I've either found out we were forgiven the debt or God provided a way for us to pay it.

If we would just be faithful with the little things, God will make sure that ALL things find resolve. He'll pour out such rich blessings upon those who are faithful.

It all belongs to God anyway,so why not be good stewards.

 

My wife and I have tithed for most of the 35 years of our marriage. At one time we were giving 50%, but it was a time when we had no children or other financial obligations except the routine stuff. We dropped that percentage to a lesser amount though our child-rearing years and started giving 15% and adding a small amount to it. At times it seemed that we just could not do it, but God always made a way and honored our faithfulness. Now that our children are grown and our financial obligations are much less, we give 15% plus. One thing we have learned is that you can never outgive God. I preach grace giving to my people...the amount (or percent) we give should be a reflection of the working of God's grace in our lives. I challenge you to try God and, whatever amount you feel led to give, give with the right attitude. Buckle your seat belt and get ready for an exciting ride!

 

Correction on previous post: We now give 20% plus.

 

God is faithful regardless of how much you give. These little testimonials are simply misplaced understanding of the character of God.

Tithing is middle class america's way of robbing God.

 

Request denied.
Years ago I did what you are talking about, except it wasn't a "Look at me-- I sure am spiritchal! God sure blessed me when I gave more money!!" kind of deal.

In reaction to the teaching that we will 'have more money giving at least 10% "to the Lord" than if we keep some of that for ourselves,' and it's presumed basis in Malachi 3, I actually did TEST God in that, as He said to do. The results: the correlation coefficient fell out and the staistical test of hypothesis failed. That leaves 2 possibilities-- that the scripture is false, or else that it is not applicable to NT Christians. The latter is the preference, as tithing in the days of ancient Israel/Judah was to support a complex system of sacrifice through one tribe which did not have their own land, and thus did not have their own crops and livestock.

I don't always say what I think-- and I don't think any of us do-- but when I hear "testimonies" like one from the elderly lady in our church who said she resolved to tithe and as a result she 'only missed 4 days by being sick in 14 years working at the cotton mill,' I think mostly of certain phrase made famous by Charles Dickens.

 

chipsgirl, I would not want to discourage you from cheerfully giving whatever is on your heart. But bad theology and bad preaching can often take this cheerfulness out of your heart. Scriptural giving is not giving to get something, but giving out of the overflowing bountifulness of one's heart. And realize, contrary to the way we've probably all heard some preachers preach it, tithers, just like non-tithers, have flat tires and car trouble, get sick, have their homes burn down, have sick children and doctor's bills - and eventually die of sickness, old age, accidents, disasters, and whatever else most people die from. If people expect that some of this cannot happen and it does, they charge God with unfaithfulness. BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL. When Paul was in prison writing that he was soon going to be offered up (in death by execution), he recounted how the Lord had stood by him and delivered him, and said "the Lord will deliver me from every evil work." That last time Paul would die for his faith, but would be delivered nonetheless. Oh, that we might get a view of Paul's vision of God's faithfulness, rather than one in which we give to get something.

 

VERY nice post, rlvaughn.

 

chipsgirl...God Bless you sister!My advice to you is give as God leads you to give out of a cheerful heart expecting nothing in return...just Give...the point has already been made that God owns it all so don't worry about the %'s or the "theology".Just do what God leads YOU to do and don't compare it to the rest of us(and don't worry about what any of us think).Just know this..you should never give to get..wrong motivation.Job lost everything even though he was a faithful man...but...in due time...God took care of all that.So you see,there may be some bad things happen before the good stuff comes to pass...but God IS always faithful.God Bless You.

Greg Sr.

 

Chipsgirl, congrats on your decision. God is faithful and has blessed my wife and I in so many ways for being faithful stewards! God bless you and thank you for sharing!!!

 

Our dear brother Job is a wonderful example! "Shouting ground" in the story is reached near the end - after Job has lost everything, had his wife advise him to curse God and die, listened to his friends philosophize on how he must have done something wrong to cause such a trageday, and has even heard from God. He is still suffering, has received no explanation from God as to the reason for his calamity, and has received no promise from God that it will get better - AND he still clings to God! Certainly in this he is vindicated of the charge made by Satan.

God IS faithful.

 

Forgive me for posting again, but this thread has turned my thoughts to a favorite scripture paragraph, Habakkuk 3:17-19.

 

I have seen people faithfully put their tithe in the plate every Sunday and then quibble over giving money out of the general fund to some children who were orphaned in our town.

Tithing is never mentioned once the new covenant is enacted.

I believe the new standard is higher than that.

The old testament tithe was a mandatory tax.

The new covenant portrays giving as a love offering to God.

Give as God leads you, not as the Mosaic law demands of you.

MR

 

Chipsgirl,
I think it is great that you want to do what is right.I want to share a testamony with you that really got me to study this whole tithing issue out. I know you don't want to turn this into a tithing debate but I think it is important that I share this with you.

I belonged to a church for 8 years that preached tithing almost as a commandment. We were told that no matter what our circumstances were that the first 10% belonged to God. Then we were to give a free will offering after that. It was decreed that anyone holding a position in the church would have to tithe.

I watched people with large families struggle with this and really go without trying to trust God for a blessing that wasn't there.

I realized something was amiss. Our ability to serve God was directly related to our tithing. People were not giving of a cheerful heart snd thereby losing the blessing. All the while the pastor would badger and chew out the congregation when the church had a light week. He would quote old testament verses and say we were stealing from God. He claimed never to look at the tithing records but people were removed from their positions because they had it rough financially. Our kids were told to tithe on their chips and soda money given them by their parents (which had already been tithed on).

The philosophy was that no matter what. Give your tithe and God would bless our finances. Trust God because you can't out give God.

Well. There wasn't a whole lot of blessing going around. Thats because after studying this out, there is no such thing as tithing in the church age. The whole robbing God concept comes from a verse in Malachi and it was the Levitical prieshood ad the temple that were spoken of. It was an entirely different dispensation. Some theologins stretch this old testament law and say that the temple transfers over to the new testament church. THAT IS NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE!

You will not find a single verse in the new testament where a church received or was supported by tithes. You will not find anywhere that anybode ever had the right to 10% of a mans wages. It is a lie.

In fact the New Testament ministry was supported solely by freewill offerings (Mt. 6:25-34; Lk 10:4-8; Acts 4:32-35, 20:33-35; 2 Cor. 8:2-15, 9:6-12, 11:8-9; 1 Jn. 3:17-18) and not by some tithing system.

In the new testament we are expected to give from a cheerful heart. That is the blessing. You give what you can and do it with a clear concience that your rent is paid, your lights are paid for and your kids are fed.

If you can give 20% do it. If you can give 5% do it and do it without feeling guilty because you didn't give enough. Because then you are being robbed of your blessing.

Also there is the issue of storehouse tithing which is the lie that your entire tithe must be paid to the church. Once again old testament and it was for the temple. Not transferable to the church as they do.

The church you go to should be supported. Don't get me wrong. But if you see a need in the congregation, there is nothing wrong with being a blessing to someone that is hurting. You are supporting God's work and can use your offering as you see fit.

Ask yourself these questions written by Duncan Heaster:

HOW is it possible to reintroduce, without a shred of NT proof, an Old Covenant financial system into the Church?

WHY is a monetary tithe apparent to ministers of various churches when it is not expressed in the Old Covenant?

WHY is tithing not in the context or even mentioned in the NT epistles? AREN'T all NT references to tithes and to tithing solely concerning Pharisees, scribes, the antiquated Levitical system? WEREN'T these references due solely to the Sanctuary, Temple, Altar, Sacrifices?

WHY do devout Jewish rabbis refuse to take, demand or accept tithes? WOULDN'T they, not being Levites, be breaking God's law to do so?

WHY don't Christian deacons gather together all the tithes of the people and then pay the ministry a separate tithe if the Levitical analogy is to be consistently followed?

WHY are Peter, James, Paul, John and Jude strangely silent about tithing? WHY don't they command, infer, mention, exhort or plead the tithe from Christians?

WHY didn't Jesus establish tithing for the Church he was beginning?

WHY does Paul speak exclusively of gifts, offerings, and contributions? WOULD not Paul have had to explain the tithing system to Biblically ignorant Gentiles?

CAN ministers prove a universal tithing law existing before Moses?

WAS there ever a universal monetary tithing law existing in ancient Israel?

WASN'T tithing purely on farm animals and agricultural products?

WHY didn't Jesus take tithes from the people? SHOULDN'T Jesus have led the way in example by accepting tithes, or in admonition or command? SHOULDN'T the ministry stop taking tithes to faithfully follow Our Lord's example?

ISN'T "giving" the principle within Christ's new Covenant? WHY have so many people been terrorised, intimidated, disfellowshipped or "marked" by the leadership of "Prosperity Gospel" churches for not conforming to tithing laws? SHOULDN'T "giving" be personal and voluntary, based upon conversion, and by how deeply moved by the sacririce of Christ the person is when he or she gives?

HOW can Christians ever build proper character, judgment, compassion under a compliant regulatory system of tightly prescribed Mosaic rules and regulations?

IF we are the priesthood of all believers, shouldn't a monetary tithe be paid to ourselves?

I know I will probably get killed on this board for this but I wanted to share with you how many christians are held in bondage to an old testament law that is a convenient way for churches to be supported.

They tell you to trust God with your finances when it is Church leadership that needs to trust God and collect their due biblically.