Tithing??

[SarSardonic]

If you don't yet have a church (or even know what denomination you want to belong to) who do you send 10% of your income to?

Also, what if you truly can't afford it?
(Right now our family finances are really tight. Our accounts are negative and we're doing without a lot this month, as our income was decreased by about $500 when I stopped receiving disability.)

If someone doesn't have an income (as I don't at the moment), then what?

Thank you.

 

[Hentenza]

If you don't yet have a church (or even know what denomination you want to belong to) who do you send 10% of your income to?

There is no 10% tithing required of the Christian. It is called giving. One gives cheerfully and from the heart just like the widow gave from her heart. If you don't yet have a church then there are plenty of charities. listen to the Holy Spirit. He will tell you.

2 Cor. 9
6Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

Also, what if you truly can't afford it?
(Right now our family finances are really tight. Our accounts are negative and we're doing without a lot this month, as our income was decreased by about $500 when I stopped receiving disability.)

If someone doesn't have an income (as I don't at the moment), then what?

There are many ways to give. Financial is one but giving your time, for example, is equally important.

12For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,
14while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!



Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!

 

[ThePresbyteers]

I read that God uses talents or gift instead of giving money to the church one goes to. How do you think God's view of 10% apply to a person that wants to give away medical and therapy services to Christians for free, year after year?

 

[Sketcher]

If you can't give 10%, they generally will tell you to at least give something. After all, you're giving money to the grocery store, to the landlord, to the power company, to the government, and whatever else. We should also give some money to God's work.

I can also testify that there was a time in my life when it was hard to give, but God was able to take care of unforeseen emergency expenses. He looks out for you when you give.

 

[bsd31]

You can still tithe time and talent even if you have absolutely 0 income.

 

[heymikey80]

A tenth of zero income would be zero.

If you're not connected with any church, then I'd say, find a church. As you're attending, you could give a tenth from that week to the church you attend. It'd probably be a good idea to ask church leaders whether they have a diaconal ministry as well, if you begin looking around for a church. You can see the benefit of such a ministry when it's not so easy to make ends meet. Your church can be involved with any unexpected costs.

Care for your family with what you have. No sense sending your family into more need.

And no, it's not a rigorous requirement for being a Christian or even a church member. On the other hand, y'give from the heart what the Spirit of God is moving you to give. It can even be more.

 

[ThePresbyteers]

If you can't give 10%, they generally will tell you to at least give something. --

That something would be 8-10 hours per week, as long as I live, of my specialized time for mainline Christians and what belongs to Caesar belongs to Caesar. I don't see Jesus pictures on any of my coins and we also have barter systems so I'm not sure how this applies to the 21st century.

 

[ThePresbyteers]

----If you're not connected with any church, then I'd say, find a church. ----.

What qualifies as a church and they could be "home churches". Could be three people. I may see some traditions here. Who is to say who is the leader of the church?
As an Presbyteer, I'll probably wind up as a protector for a man of God in the dangerous jungles.

 

[xgel]

You really have something to give as tithe.It is not only money you can give.

 

[Peripatetic]

Yes, there are lots of ways to give. Find a reputable charity, volunteer in your community, etc. But I also suggest finding a church - not for this reason, but because worshiping with others is something unique and important. If and when you do, just give a little bit. If things improve, go from there, but there is no requirement for 10%.

 

[SharonL]

I have found that doing God's Will on many ways of helping people brings me more peace than placing money in the offering plate - since we do not have a home church right now - we help in many ways - help our neighbors who cannot do for themselves - volunteer at our community hospital 2 days a week, find a family that really needs help and help them throughout the year in whatever ways they may need help, gather necessary items needed for Hospice, battered women's shelters. Cook for neighbors who are ill.

Just tell Jesus - here I am Lord, 'send me, send me' - listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit and He will lead you in the direction you can go - God loves a cheerful giver as stated above and I am much more cheerful giving in this way.

 

[coreydstone]

Alot of tithing is God's common sense for his church. A church needs certain resources to function, especially in our modern society. People cannot reap the physical benefits of a church w/o helping to provide. It is a community. Unfortunately, TV preachers have made churches look like money-mongers, when giving should be cheerful and for the poor and needy, and it should be practical: to provide for the pastor, buildings, church giving, etc.

 

[Nathaniel Ellis]

First things First.
1. You need to Give your Life to Jesus Christ before you worry about tithing. . . this video will make it clear on how and give you a heads up on what to expect.

YouTube - How to Make JESUS CHRIST your Lord and Savior

2. Do not pick a denomination. If you truly put on the Name of Jesus Christ you cannot truly put on the name of any denomonation. There will be no denomonations in heaven just the true bride of Christ. I am not saying that the church God has you go to will not have a denomonation but you should not consider yourself to belong to any denomonation.
I am a JesusChistholic
a Jesus Christ aholic
someone fully devoted to Jesus Christ.

3. finally THE TITHE.
Tithing is extremely important and is a biblical concept.
Tithing was established by Abraham the father of us all.
in Genesis 14:18-20 Abraham gives a tenth of all he owns to Melchizedek who was a Priest of God Most High before the Jewish people even existed.
in Hebrews 7:2-9 we find that Melchizedek was not a man at all but God Himself. We also find that the Jewish people would tithe ten percent to the Levites who were priests in the temple.
Tithing has not been abolished now that Jesus Christ came to earth. Jesus said Himself that He has not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law. Jesus came to let us be counted as Abraham's decendants that means we must tithe 10%.

If you are living in the world chances are you get your income from a worldly means. You may be a slave to your Job or your Rent or your Car payment. But when you make Jesus Christ your Lord you are no longer a slave to the world and you rely on Him for all that you need. Read this scripture and decide that this is the way you will think and live. God promises to take care of us so whenever you feel stressed just read it again. It may take a wile to change the way you think but we all choose everything we believe.

Mathew 6
24"(AD)No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and [a](AE)wealth. The Cure for Anxiety

25"(AF)For this reason I say to you, do not be (AG)worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"(AH)Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27"And who of you by being (AI)worried can (AJ)add a single hour to his life?
28"And why are you (AK)worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29yet I say to you that not even (AL)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30"But if God so clothes the (AM)grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? (AN)You of little faith!
31"Do not (AO)worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for (AP)your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and (AQ)all these things will be added to you.
34"So do not (AR)worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Whenever we decide to live for God the enemy tries to stop us. Tithing is honoring God. Failing to tithe 10% gives the enemy the ability to attack your finances and the enemy allways takes more than 10%. If you Honor God with the tithe He will rebuke the destroyer.

Malachi 3
8"Will a man [a]rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In (A)tithes and offerings. 9"You are (B)cursed with a curse, for you are [b]robbing Me, the whole nation of you!
10"(C)Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not (D)open for you the windows of heaven and (E)pour out for you a blessing until [c](F)it overflows.
11"Then I will rebuke the (G)devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts.
12"(H)All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a (I)delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.


So the Tithe is the first 10% of your income. first means before taxes and bills.
The tithe goes to the church you attend, if you do not attend a church yet i would tithe to iris ministries because at least you know it is the Church of Christ.



As a Believer you can utilize the concept of Sowing and Reaping. Tithe is Tithe and anything you give above that will is something you can reap from. It is a good idea to give at least a little bit even if it is only five or one dollar a week. You should give werever God leads you to but if you do not know were to give i would give to iris ministries, https://www.irismin.org/giving-center because you know that every dollar goes to the Kingdom of God.


The more you give the more money God trusts you with and the more you can give. but be ready to go threw a testing time were you establish the Tithe and Giving when it is not ez to do.



God Bless. trust in God, there may be a wilderness to go threw but He has nothing but good plans for us. If we choose to we will enter the promised land.

 

[Nathaniel Ellis]

I read that God uses talents or gift instead of giving money to the church one goes to. How do you think God's view of 10% apply to a person that wants to give away medical and therapy services to Christians for free, year after year?

It Doesn't. Tithing is 10% of your posessions, translated into american socioty, 10% of your income.
giving time and talents is just part of Loving God with all your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind.

 

[Johnnz]

The tithe, like other Jewish laws is no longer obligatory. In an extended passage in 2 Corinthians (chs 8-9) Paul sets out principles of giving for the new community. If tithing was being practised as the norm there was no need for Paul to discuss giving at such length. He summarises with: 2 Cor 9:7-8 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV

Elsewhere Jesus criticised the Pharisees for tithing scrupulously whil eneglecting family responsibilities, parent sin this case, but the principle is relevant today in any household where money is in short supply. Mark 7:11-13 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.

John
NZ

 

[heron]

Tithing was originally the first of the increase -- like grain. Since you are not a farmer, see if there is anything you are planting in your life, that you are hoping to grow. Then give out of that area. Help someone else start their career, teach someone a musical instrument for free, clean someone's house... that sort of effort can make you feel like life is more free-flowing.

The tithe collected was used to feed priests, but also to feed the poor. You lost disability. That means you would have been one of the recipients of the tithe.

I find that tithing keeps life feeling like it's moving. When I forget to tithe, things seem bunched up, restricted. It shakes up things that are too set-in-stone. Ultimately, it helps others get through tough times.

God wants us living out of a generosity toward others. When people around us are suffering, there is a managed plan to make sure they are taken care of.

 

[Goinheix]

I noticed that every one is talking about a 10%. Every one is concern with tithing. You must understand that for Christians it is prohibited to tithe. In the NT there is few verses where we are encouraged for providing financial support for the congregation. And few, is very few. That because the original idea of a local congregation was never to have a dedicated building with a formal administration. The original concept of a congregation did not include all the expenses of a today’s church.

A congregation, a biblical congregation shall function in somebody house, or in a storage space, or a basketball court, or a barn, etc. The modern concept of a church is not is not what we found in the NT.

Tithe is part of the Law. We are prohibited to get under any one of the laws of the Law. We are prohibited to do it freely, or willingly, or with love, etc. We can not tithe, we can not give the 10%. That is prohibited. And we can not foolish God by giving 9% or 11%.

In the TN we can not found any Christian tithing
In the NT we can not found any local church tithing
In the Gospels we can not found a teaching of Jesus concerning Christian tithing
We can found strong critics of Jesus to tithing
In the revelation we can not found Jesus talking good to a church because tithing
Also we can not found Jesus talking bad to a church for not tithing
In the NT we can not found any teaching of any Apostle concerning tithing
In the entire Bible we can not found a single verse telling the Christians to tithe

Why? Because tithe is not a Christian doctrine. Nobody cares, nobody teach, about something totally estrange to Christianity. In fact, tithing was started by the catholic in de Middle Age as a financial strategy (same as selling pardon). Ironically, today the catholic don’t do it any more. But the protestants do.

 

[heron]

We are prohibited to get under any one of the laws of the Law.

We are set free from the law of sin and death, but Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law.

Mt 5:17
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

Jesus brought understanding to why God set these precepts in front of us. He taught about the heart of the Law, and challenged religious assumptions.

Along with the heart of the Law of Moses, tithing ensured that poor people were fed. Without it, the poor would be deprived and despised, and some would turn to crime.

In a community where God's Laws operated without being broken, there would be no sense that Laws were unfair. The laws protected people's rights to health, property, livelihood, and relationships.

The tithe helped support the temple workers, but it was not just about parishioners giving to their local temple. It made sure people could survive in the situations the found themselves.

So when you are thinking about where to tithe when not attending a church, look at organized efforts around you that bring good things into people's lives. Systems that are set up to manage needs, where you might have limited time to take care of needs yourself.

A community that is set up to take care of needs can have increased appreciation, safety, hope, and respect.

 

[Nathaniel Ellis]

Ok so we do not find any mention of thithing 10% in the new testiment. but what do we see. We see believers selling everything they have and giving it to the church. not by law, but volantarally. so Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Does anyone know what the Law is? What did Jesus Say was the Greatest Comandment?

so you have two options as a New Testiment believer. to volantarally sell everything you have and give it to the church, or to honor the 10% tithe established by our father Abraham.

and yes God does rebuke isriel for not tithing. check out my earlyer post.
in revelation we are called the new jeruselem. therefore we must honor our Father in Heaven as they did.

 

[Johnnz]

One of the most basic principles of biblical interpretation is the consistency. The interpretation of any one verse must 'fit in' with a) all other verses on the same topic and b) the overall teachings of Scripture.

If we take the saying of Jesus about not abolishing the law then His statement stands on contradiction to the many other scriptures that very clearly state the law is done away with. The key of course are His words 'but to fulfil it". Jesus, as Jew was still under the law at that time, and kept it "Who can accuse me of sin?.." But with his death and resurrection the Mosaic law came to an end. The Old Covenant was over, and a new one was in place, one based on a better priesthood and better promises.

John
NZ