Tithing - Yes or NO - Part II

[John Toppass]

This thread about the tithe comes up quite a bit here at the BB.

Yet precious few quote the NT Scripture principle of giving.

2 Corinthians 9

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.​

Nowhere is the tithe required of the children of God in the NT.​

However that does not mean you shouldn't or that you can't tithe or more.​

God will bless you in His measure of proportion but there are conditions:​

As you "purpose in your heart".
Not "grudgingly".
Not out of an obligation.​

RE: Malachi Chapter 3:​

This is a message to the Levites. They were not bringing all the tithes (plural) into the temple storehouse (agricultural produce from the land).​

They were robbing God. The tithe was the federal income tax of Israel (a theocracy) and was to be used by the government workers (Levites) as their pay (Guildelines are in the OT, like meat from the sacrifices). Other tithes and offerings were used to purchase and make armaments, support widows, orphans, the poor, etc...​

In addition the wage earner was not required to tithe, only the landowner and only from the increase of the produce yielded by the landowner in like kind (cattle, crops). In some cases it could be turned into cash (gold, silver and given to a the local priesthood) but ideally brought to the Temple.​

The government takes its "tithe" or more from you without asking.​

Those things called "FICA" and "Federal withholding" and "State Tax" are used in the same manner as the tithe collected from the citizens of Israel under the law (except it is taken from the wage earner).​

If you are going to put yourself under one point of the law as obligatory where does it stop?​

Giving (as all that we do) should be by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God and that which is not of faith is sin.​

But to repeat: That doesn't mean the children of God shoudn't or can't tithe, just that they are not under any obligation to do so.

The just shall live by faith.​

HankD​

If one uses the excuse that the government takes more than a tithe then I would guess that person's God would be the government

We as Christians can use all the excuses we want. What it actually boils down to is how much faith do you have in God and how much are you willing to give back cheerfully. BTW don't forget that Jesus gave us his all.

 

[Alcott]

If one uses the excuse that the government takes more than a tithe then I would guess that person's God would be the government

Who was the ancient Israelites' god? The government? judges? priests? levites?

We as Christians can use all the excuses we want. What it actually boils down to is how much faith do you have in God and how much are you willing to give back cheerfully. BTW don't forget that Jesus gave us his all.

Do you give your ALL? Every penny of your increase? Every second of your time? If not, why are you so without faith?

 

[Beth]

I completely agree

This thread about the tithe comes up quite a bit here at the BB.

Yet precious few quote the NT Scripture principle of giving.

2 Corinthians 9

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.​

Nowhere is the tithe required of the children of God in the NT.​

However that does not mean you shouldn't or that you can't tithe or more.​

God will bless you in His measure of proportion but there are conditions:​

As you "purpose in your heart".
Not "grudgingly".
Not out of an obligation.​

RE: Malachi Chapter 3:​

This is a message to the Levites. They were not bringing all the tithes (plural) into the temple storehouse (agricultural produce from the land).​

They were robbing God. The tithe was the federal income tax of Israel (a theocracy) and was to be used by the government workers (Levites) as their pay (Guildelines are in the OT, like meat from the sacrifices). Other tithes and offerings were used to purchase and make armaments, support widows, orphans, the poor, etc...​

In addition the wage earner was not required to tithe, only the landowner and only from the increase of the produce yielded by the landowner in like kind (cattle, crops). In some cases it could be turned into cash (gold, silver and given to a the local priesthood) but ideally brought to the Temple.​

The government takes its "tithe" or more from you without asking.​

Those things called "FICA" and "Federal withholding" and "State Tax" are used in the same manner as the tithe collected from the citizens of Israel under the law (except it is taken from the wage earner).​

If you are going to put yourself under one point of the law as obligatory where does it stop?​

Giving (as all that we do) should be by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God and that which is not of faith is sin.​

But to repeat: That doesn't mean the children of God shoudn't or can't tithe, just that they are not under any obligation to do so.

The just shall live by faith.​

HankD​

I completely agree with you. We did (before my husband got laid off) have a separate bank account where ten percent of my husband's paycheck was automatically deposited...but that was something we purposed in our hearts since we do believe tithing is part of the Old Covenant. Our giving always exceeds that, depending on the needs of the work...food for folks in the congregation, providing meals, purchasing Sunday School materials and snacks on our own, a love offering for an unexpected missionary speaking at a night service.....

You explained the circumstances and the purposes of the tithes very well, Hank. It is also important to note that the Levites were not given a land heritage. They did not have land to work, crops to reap, their own animals to slaughter for food....their heritage was to be the Lord Himself...so the Lord provided for their physical needs through the offerings and tithes of the other tribes of Israel.

Beth

 

[John Toppass]

Who was the ancient Israelites' god? The government? judges? priests? levites?

I believe the bible says God was their God. Tho at times they did a poor job expressing it.

Do you give your ALL? Every penny of your increase? Every second of your time? If not, why are you so without faith?

I give according to what God puts in my heart to give. I do know if I ever give less than my tithe, things just don't seem right. I never said you need to give what I do, I did say you should give cheerfully. Just do not use flimsy excuses not to give God what is due him. If you do that there is not a need to make excuses for why you do not give or what you do give.

 

[HankD]

NKJV

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


HankD​