Tithing - YES or NO?

Hi Latter,

This is another item that has been furiously debated on the BB.

Here are some facts:

No where in the NT are we told to tithe.
In the OT the tithe was on the increase of agricultural products of the land of Israel.
Wage earners were not required to tithe the earnings of the wage.
The tithe was to be brought to the Temple storehouse to the Levites (The IRS).
The tithe was for Temple upkeep, national defense, widows, etc (A national income tax).
If one couldn't make it to the storehouse then one was allowed to buy food, strong drink, etc and throw a party (make sure to invite priests and the destitute).

Most/many Christian wage earners have at least a tithe deducted from their paycheck by the government.

My opinion
Should Christians tithe?
Yes and no.
Yes if it is a faith decision with the knowledge that it is not required.
...whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
No if it is extracted by intimidation or a "call to duty".
2 Corinthians
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.

No, if it is to the neglect of one's family.

1 Timothy
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the
faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Acts 15
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with
words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

HankD

[ July 26, 2002, 09:54 AM: Message edited by: HankD ]

 

No.

Scarlett, read the N.T. The verse in Malachi is in connection with the Old Covenant.

 

Latter,

Yes, we tithe to our church, and it is a minimum of 10% of our gross. Over and above is our offering, and that we can decide how to have it distributed, with prayer of course.

A side note: We tithe and give offerings out of conviction and Love for our Lord. The government takes it.

 

Dear folks,

I didn't say we shouldn't give tithes but that they are not required.
And if you do, please consider giving them according to the NT principles of faith.

Another principle:

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of
men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

BTW If you tell the IRS is it a secret?

RE: Malachi

Malachi 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

To what nation is God speaking here?

Just some opinions (except for the Scripture ) and an opinionated question.

HankD

[ July 26, 2002, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: HankD ]

 

YES
if worthy (soul) our Christian Bro/Sis.

I don't think need tithe pay to Mormon-LDS any more,
because bad worthy or not saved Jesus yet.

I support tithe to Baptist for saved Jesus work at first.
no matter build Church or people (Christian).

Bro Rockwell Butler

[ July 26, 2002, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: ormond ]

 

Well, here's my 2 cents worth.
Tithing is something we should all do. I don't care if you want to use verses in the OT or not, tithing just makes sense. When you think of what Jesus did on the cross, giving his ALL for sinners like us, I just think it's sad, that we can't spare some of our money for God's holy work.
Yes, I understand there are times when we are in tough financial state and can barley get by just paying basic bills. You may say:"Well if I give my tithes this week, I won't have enough to pay my bills," and so forth. But do you realize we don't have to worry about that? God promised in the Bible he would provide for us, so even if you are having money problems, give in faith and God will provide.
Wasn't there a woman in the NT who was poor and a widow, and yet she gave her mite to the Lord? She gave her all, and Jesus said she had the greater reward.
Have you ever thought that if the church members don't give, who will? Who's going to keep your home church up if you don't? who is going to pay the bills to keep on the power and water, heating and air?
Who's going to see that the pastor and his family is taken care of?
And what about missions? How do the missionairys stay on the field with out that monthly suport? How are they going to win souls to the Lord if they have no income?
The love of money is evil. Money is most certianly needed, but it shouldn't be what our life revolves around. Eternal souls are MUCH MUCH more important than having enough money to go to a ball game or to go shopping for a new outfit.
Tithing makes sense. After all the blessings the Lord has given us besides saving our souls, why can't we spare 10% for the church and money for missions?
By the way, wasn't tithing done in the NT church? I mean why did Ananias and Saphira die anyway? did they not keep back some the money that belonged to the Lord?
~Abby
ps, our church has these little envolopes you put your money in, and you check the thing you want the money to go to. ie: church upkeep, food comittie, van payment, pastor's upkeep, missions, and so on. So that way you know where your money is going.

[ July 26, 2002, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: saved by grace 1999 ]

 

A tithe is not given. A tithe is paid. An offering, however, is given.

My understanding is that we're to return the 10% to God. That doesn't necesserily mean to the church. It means that the money should go to a godly purpose. If you wanna give 5% to your church and 5% to Habitat for Humanity, by all means do it. Let God worry about the money after you've let go of it.

 

What Hank D. said is true. Tithing was an Old Testament before Grace principle. It was still being paid at the time of Christ because the temple was still standing. The Jews quit paying tithes when the Romans destroyed the temple in 70 A.D. Tithing was a Levitical law and yes Abraham did give and so did Isaac and Jacob but this was not a mandatory thing with them.

There are a lot of churches that demand this out of their congregation. People who do not pay tithes are treated shabbily. This is not scriptural. Also God blesses his children. We all know that but giving unto the work of the Lord is supposed to be with a good heart not with expectations of return from God. That is what I believe is very wrong with the tithing concept. Preachers get up and make promises that if a person give 10% God will pay you back a 100 fold but logistically God is not a bank and tithes is not interest. I know a lot of people who pay 10% every paycheck and they never succeed financially.

I also know there are pastors who think that the 10% belongs to them. That is ridiculous. It should be used to help pay the salary but not the whole enchilada.

Did you know Jewish rabbis laugh at Christians who tithe. They will tell you the the levitical Law was given to support the priests and the temple and there are no priests and no temple.

 

A tithe is not required. In the Old Testament the tithe(which actually ended up being 23 1/3% when you add it all up) funded the tabernacle(temple), Levites, and their government.

We do not have the same setup in the New Testament church. Besides that, the church in the New Testament didn't have buildings, vans, property, etc., etc,. etc. Offerings were basically for those in need, for missonaries, for full-time elders. They didn't have all of the infrastructure that churches have today. Perhaps there is a lesson in that for us today.

Ken

 

saved by grace 1999

Not tithing, but spontaenous giving!

AC 5:3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

The punishment was NOT for keeping some of the money (vs 4), but for lying & indicating that ALL of their proceeds were given to the church; as others before them had done. There was no demand, coersion, pressure (maybe a little peer pressure?) etc for A & S to sell & give the money to the church. But obviously A & S decided to sell for (?)10,000 shekels, and give (?)5,000 sheckels to the church AS IF this (5,000) were the total price they received. In essence, they wanted to be "generous" like their compatriots, but wanted to keep a little under wraps for their own use.
IE get the glory of generosity AND still keep some of the money!!

 

I think we can't see the forest for the trees.

My wife and I have had 11 children (yes, all one family with no multiple births).
I have always made a good living in the computer industry and we would give them all an allowance.
I had one daughter who seemed to never have any money, when I asked her about it she always had no answer as to where her money went.

She had saved her allowance for 6 months to buy me a birthday present. The other kids bought me the usual shirt, pens, etc (and I appreciated them).
Now the money was all mine that she bought me the present with but you know I'll keep that present forever.

Duty or love?

HankD

 

my concept..:



Bro Rockwell Butler

[ July 26, 2002, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: ormond ]

 

Well now, since no one seems to come close to my beliefs on this thread I suppose I'll let everyone know where I stand. My wife and I tithe. We have all our married life (and before). We have taught our 4 sons to tithe and are pleased that they practice what we have taught. Our church does not demand tithing. This is left to the individual.But whenever I have an opportunity, I express my views.

I believe as surely as salvation by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus is thught in the Old Testament that tithing as a means of financing the Lord's work is taught in the New Testament.

HankD says that tithing is not taught in the NT. In 1Cor 9:7-14 Paul teaches on this very subject. He does this by using examples of things very familiar to the Corinthians and to us. We all know that when a man serves in the army he doesn't have to furnish his own uniforn, food or weapons. Likewise, we understand the example of the husbandman and the shepherd.

There is really no need to review all these verses. The meanings are obvious when we understand the 14th verse. In the 13th he reminds the church of the law of Moses relative to the tribe of Levi. The 14th begins with the words "Even so". These two small, often overlooked words ties the teacings on tithes in the Old Testament and what Paul is teaching here. "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel" These words "Even So" ties the Old and the New Testament together, the law and the gospel together. Tithing in the Old Testament and tthing in the New Testament.

 

my concept..



Bro Rockwell Butler

 

Just curious...

1)Do those of you who tithe, because you think you must, give the two tithes per year and the one extra tithe every third year that was commanded in the Law of Moses? That's 23 1/3% per year on average.

2)The apostle Paul said that to be acceptable we must give willingly and cheerfully. If a person tithes but is not cheerful about it is he sinning? If he gives 9% and does so cheerfully, would that not be sinning, in your view?

Ken

 

no tithe = stole money