Tithing is a commandment in the Old Testament Law and those that were under the Law had to obey it to be righteous before God. However, since the Christian is righteous through Christ your still in good standing before God if you choose not to tithe.
The New Testament says that each should give as he has purposed in his heart. So if you want to give, then give and if you don't want to give then don't. Just don't let a Church pressure you into giving by saying God will curse you if you don't tithe because that's not true.
Remember, God loves a cheerful giver. You're not giving cheerfully if you're being forced into it.
Tithing is a commandment in the Old Testament Law and those that were under the Law had to obey it to be righteous before God. However, since the Christian is righteous through Christ your still in good standing before God if you choose not to tithe.
The New Testament says that each should give as he has purposed in his heart. So if you want to give, then give and if you don't want to give then don't. Just don't let a Church pressure you into giving by saying God will curse you if you don't tithe because that's not true.
Remember, God loves a cheerful giver. You're not giving cheerfully if you're being forced into it.
Alan
I also say Amen to this, with the understanding that the choice to tithe or not is made in faith that comes from hearing. Our Lord regularly challenged His disciples to examine the size of their faith, and to attend to the law, especially giving. While it is unrighteous to pressure someone to tithe, we ought to exhort one another to get with God and listen to Him talk to us about what we do with our money. If we are faithful with money, we will grow spiritually. As He speaks, and we listen, confess, and step out in faith, our faith will grow, and we will be wiser with our money, our treasure, our hearts.
When cheer comes, then, we can give in a way that pleases Him. In our love for Him, and aware of His on-going grief over what He sees all around, He could stand some cheering up. So let us enter into His presence with questions about money, to listen!
The first time tithe is mentioned in the Bible is Abraham's tithe of pagan spoils of war, and Abraham kept NOTHING for himself. This was NOT an act of worship. The goods that Abraham gave the tenth from didn’t even belong to Abraham:
Genesis 14:21 (NIV) - The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
Notice in verse 21 the king of Sodom didn’t ask Abraham if he would give back to him the people, but rather said GIVE ME the people and keep the goods for yourself. The way that is worded indicates that the king of Sodom was claiming that the people and the goods belonged to him and those he represented.
Genesis 14:22-24 (NIV) - 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
Notice in verses 23 and 24 Abraham also acknowledges that the goods belonged to the king of Sodom and those he represented.
Therefore, it is clear that both the king of Sodom and Abraham acknowledged that the spoils of war did NOT belong to Abraham, yet he gave a tenth of the spoils to King Melchizedek. This would seem that Abraham did something wrong, if not even illegal, but Biblical historians agree that it was custom in Abraham's day to give the king a tenth of the war spoils. Had Abraham not given the tenth, he would have gone against custom.
Conclusion: Abraham did NOT give a tenth of his income, or his wealth. Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of war that didn’t belong to him. That is NOT an example for Christians to follow today.
Amen to this , and remember to people looking at these arguments, people who argue against tithing , it sdoesnt mean we are Stingy, or have a bad attitude or dont have the "revelation" of Tithing , we are taking it from the word of God , I used to be an AvidTither because the pastors at my church put it across very well, untile I fasted and prayed for 5 days and started looking at it for myself. Some Churchs use it as a Manipulative tool or to get their jobs done , this is not faith its business.
Amen to this , and remember to people looking at these arguments, people who argue against tithing , it sdoesnt mean we are Stingy, or have a bad attitude or dont have the "revelation" of Tithing , we are taking it from the word of God , I used to be an AvidTither because the pastors at my church put it across very well, untile I fasted and prayed for 5 days and started looking at it for myself. Some Churchs use it as a Manipulative tool or to get their jobs done , this is not faith its business.
When it becomes business things rapidly go down hill.
Amen to this , and remember to people looking at these arguments, people who argue against tithing , it sdoesnt mean we are Stingy, or have a bad attitude or dont have the "revelation" of Tithing , we are taking it from the word of God , I used to be an AvidTither because the pastors at my church put it across very well, untile I fasted and prayed for 5 days and started looking at it for myself. Some Churchs use it as a Manipulative tool or to get their jobs done , this is not faith its business.
I fasted as well, and learned that tithing to "my" church was not pleasing to God. He said to look for His storehouse. This turned out to be an individual who would covenant with me over Hebrews 13:17, who would help me learn "all things whatsoever" Jesus commanded His original 12 disciples. I learned that "churches" without a program for teaching these commandments were claiming to know the Lord, but were not keeping His commandments. The scriptures note that such are "liars, and the truth is not in them." Definitely not His storehouse. Snorehouse, maybe.
I have been talking to a very staunch Tither who said this:
Gen 14:20- Abram (not ‘ham) ‘gave him (Melchizadek) tithes of all’. If you read you’ll find that the ‘all’ refers to goods (14:16)- not crops and the like only, but material and metal, the currency of the age along with cattle. Where did Abram learn about tithing? There is no mention before this point in the Word. When something is first mentioned in the Word, we have to take its context as the best understanding of that topic. So Abram’s tithing beats the Law based rules on what is tithing. ·Gen 28:22- Jacob promises to give a tenth of ‘all’ that God gives him. What else is that if not a tithe? And Jacob didn’t only have cattle and crops. He had materials and wealth in gold etc.
The covenant of grace (that Abraham and his sons recd) and the covenant of law that the Jews recd in the wilderness are so different its not fair to compare them. The grace covenant is so much higher in thinking because it’s a covenant that God first wanted with man. When that failed with the Jews being unfaithful with the golden calf, he came up with a covenant based on works, do this and I will do that. Don’t do this and woe is you. Nowhere in Genesis is there any punishment for not walking perfectly under the covenant that Abram received. But woe to the man who broke the Mosaic law.
We can debate the issue of tithing if we choose to live under the ‘natural’ law. The law of death as the apostle Paul calls it. But as Christians we want to walk under the law of life and liberty through Christ Jesus - a far higher plane of thought. And so we give to God because of His bountiful blessings and in humble adoration and thanksgiving, not to be blessed. Its only 10% He asks for when legally everything is His to demand.
Hebrews tells us that here mortal men receive tithes (the priests) but when we give to the Church (His body whether we like it or not) He receives it in heaven! So its not the pastor or your local Church you are tithing to, it’s to the ‘High Priest forever’, our Redeemer. So I’m not worried if the Pastor doesn’t get it a 100%. The One who receives my tithe always does.
We could also look at other debating topics like: crops and animals were the currency of the Jews in the wilderness. What God was telling them was that give me 10% of that which you consider to be part of your ‘monetary’ resource. Money didn’t exist in the shape we know it till recently. Actually today most money exists in digital form and not even in notes or coins. Should God have made it clear that money transfers using the internet where no physical thing changes hands is also to be covered? Not at all. Its in the heart of the giver to see this. If we cant its because we are operating in the flesh.
"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's." -Matthew 22:21
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven." -Matthew 6:1
Tithing was a law of Israel, and is no longer in effect. You should give your money to God, but not just to your church and not just out of obligation. Christianity is not a list of chores, and tithing a thing to check off each week. The goal is to help others in whatever way you can, and not to be selfish. People who have money are obviously in a position to help monetarily. It takes money to run a church and the people who work at the church have to eat too, so money does need to be given by someone.
But if you don't have money there are other ways you can help out to. Back when I was in college I didn't really have any money to give, but I had time to give. I helped out with cleaning around the church. Vacuuming the carpets, steam-cleaning pews, re-waxing the hardwood floors, mowing lawns, patching holes in the masonry, repairing and painting fences, etc. There are always going to be things that need done around your church, just ask someone in charge how you can help.
If you have lots of money, then giving 10% won't be enough. Giving 10% and then stopping simply because you've "done your part" is not the mindset a true Christian has. There's nothing wrong with spending your money on yourself, but a Christian's mindset should be "how much can I help?" not "how much do I have to help?". God is concerned with us loving other people, he doesn't really care how much we give. If you love other people, and help when you can, then it doesn't matter to God how much you actually helped, only that you did what you could. If you don't love other people, and are only helping others in order to try and earn salvation, or in order to gain attention from others, or some other impure motive, then it doesn't matter if you've given everything you have, it still wont please God.
"Make all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can." - John Wesley.
Like the post above me, the tithe was an Old Testament law of Israel. Every person should tithe, however. Even though the tithe was an Israelite law, the same attitude of giving a portion of one's blessings back to God is very much an abundant theme in the New Testament. This, though, may not necessarily be in the form of money. To echo the sentiments of the previous post, you can tithe without giving money (that is, if money is tight). But, if you have a surplus of money laying around and you spend it on wants and not necessities, I think it is time for you to begin to tithe and do what God would delight in. Is it a commandment? No. May it be implied in Scripture? Possibly. Should we give money when we can and tithe our services if money is impossible to give? Absolutely.
For example: Money is tight with my family right now as we are getting ready to go to Portland for graduate school. I'm not working in order to finish my undergraduate courses in time. I was unable to tithe monetarily, but I tithed by volunteering as an audio technician for their services on the three Saturday of the month.
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Man's sin is in his failure to live what he is. Being the master of the earth, man forgets that he is the servant of God. -Abraham Heschel
Here is a copy of a letter I sent to about three pentecostal and/or charismatic denominations almost ten years ago. No reply was ever received. I picked denominations that mentioned tithing in their online denominational statement;
I noticed in your denominational statement that you regard tithes and free-will offerings as God’s method to support the work of the church today.
I have some questions;
(1) Did Christ not say that tithing was a lesser part of the LAW, (the weightier matters being justice, mercy and faith). Matthew 23:23 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.
(2) Didn’t Paul say in his letter to the Galatians that if any man wanted to trust in the LAW he is cursed? (He used circumcision as an example). Wasn’t the law our teacher to bring us to Christ?
(3) Isn’t it clear from reading Malachi chapters 1 & 2 that the book of Malachi (including verse 3:10 which you have quoted) was directed towards the priests? Malachi 1:6b O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? …… Malachi 2:1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
(4) Isn’t it true that Paul could not have collected any TITHES because the law specifically stated that the TITHE was to be directed to the STOREHOUSE which was situated in the temple at Jerusalem, and the temple was still around whilst he was alive.
(5) Isn’t it true that under the New Covenant, if we should be directed by anyone other than ourselves in how much we should give, that direction should come from the Holy Spirit?
(6) Isn’t it true that Paul said the Holy Spirit had directed that no other burden should be placed on the Gentile converts than that of fleeing fornication and idolatry etc. and tithing was not one of the items mentioned? If they were going to be subject to the ‘devourer’ mentioned in Malachi if they didn’t tithe (as is so often taught in churches today), then why didn’t Paul add tithing to his list of things that the gentile converts should observe?
(7) Isn’t it true that Christ told His followers just before He returned to Heaven, that they should teach all nations to observe whatsoever he had commanded THEM to observe? Can we find one instance in all of scripture where He commanded them to tithe or to teach the tithe as a New Covenant principle of giving? Admittedly in Matthew 23 He stated that the Pharisees should still tithe, but wasn’t this before he fulfilled the LAW by dying on the cross? (i.e. the Pharisees were still under the law and obligated to tithe, circumcise etc whilst the law was still in operation). Notice also that Jesus used the past tense in Matthew 23:23 ‘…… these ought ye to have done….’
(8) Isn’t it true that ancient Israel’s tithing system was a precursor to our current system of taxation, which amongst other things, provides a means of support to the poor?
(9) If we are under a new and better covenant, why do so many want to resurrect particular aspects of the old covenant which was made with ISRAEL, and not with the rest of mankind? The Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists command tithing also. If people give as they are directed by the Holy Spirit, then error would be so much harder to propagate.
(10) If in the future I pastor a church and I never ask the congregation to tithe, but instead ask the Holy Spirit to guide them in how to give, will I be breaking any New Testament or New Covenant principle? If so, did Paul break same said principle when he didn’t ask the Corinthian church for financial support but relied on tent-making and other means of support instead?
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Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
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