I don't believe in the ten percent rule

[NBB]

How i met the Holy spirit and God, involved tithing somehow:

I was far away from God, and didn't know him, didn't think he could interact closely with people,
but one day i decided to give the 10% of some money i received, i don't know it was like a burst of generosity, so later i got a job, and i thought God had blessed me because of this, and i went to church to thank him, the next thing is that he manifested to me in church and i was stunned that God could do this kind of things, and that he was a personal God and can interact with people, i thought before that God was a far away thing, judging people far away in the sky etc.
With that revelation, from that day i made a compromise to follow God closely and i could never doubt he exists and that he is good.

 

[Curtis.Hilliker]

I gave a lot more than a tithe for the better part of a decade, now my wife and I are borderline poor. I don’t know where I’m going with this other than don’t expect to be financially blessed just because you give.

 

[Ricky M]

In the Old Testament, God commanded we START by giving 10%.

In the New Testament, Jesus commands us to dedicate it ALL (100%) to Him.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

There's not enough evidence in the Bible to support giving 10 percent of your income, but only a few verses. Alot of Christians go off of those verses and say your supposed to give 10 percent. We're not supposed to give because we have to, the Bible says to give out of a joyful heart. That means if we give 10 percent were pressured to give because if we don't we won't get blessed. If you want to give a certain amount, that's ok. That's a good strategy. We don't need to earn God's favor, we already have it

The giving model in the new covenant is according to how God prospered us. 10% can actually be kind of stingy for affluent people.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

A Christian can compile wealth on Earth as long as it is NOT the one thing that they lack in following Jesus. Making money isn't automatically a sin, it depends on who you are in relationship to God. In the biblical book named after him, Job's issue with God wasn't his desire to compile wealth, in fact he practically doubled it after he saw his sin and repented of it.

Making money isn’t Inherently sinful, but I stand by my original statement. Also, Matthew does tell us NOT to store up treasures on earth so would be interesting home the prosperity folks address this.
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Treasures in HeavenA)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23302A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,B)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23302B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> where moths and vermin destroy,C)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23302C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,D)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23303D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.E)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23303E" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Any Christian with a —->desire<—- to compile wealth on this earth doesn’t understand why they are here and what the point of their life is.

that’s why prosperity gospel lies must be addressed as false teaching and named as such wherever they pop up. The world is watching and anyone talking about how to double your money by giving is not speaking from the truth.

 

[dqhall]

I gave a lot more than a tithe for the better part of a decade, now my wife and I are borderline poor. I don’t know where I’m going with this other than don’t expect to be financially blessed just because you give.

Kenneth Copeland collected much in offerings. He has a mansion, jet collection and an airport runway next to his house. One report mentioned his vacation homes. Does he not care for the flock?

Paul worked with his hands to try to help fund his missionary work.

I thought I should give some to those helping the poor. I looked for Christian organizations to help. I made sure to save money for myself. I got a lawyer and made a will. If there is money left over, it may be distributed then. One is less employable as old age sets in. Health problems forced early retirement.

 

[sea5763]

nvm

 

[Quasiblogo]

Ten percent has worked for me. Not merely the percentage but the act forced me to live within the "gross means" God was allowing. This took me from aggravating debt to responsible living as finances are concerned. Plus, it is an amount embedded in an act that serves as a witness and passed down to my children. I can't imagine, "Just tithe. Amount? As you are led." There is something about uniformity of instruction and glad conformity to a specific principal that binds individuals, families and generations to the Lord. This also helps to finance Kingdom-work in a sensible way.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

If you read the OT then you will find they gave far more than 10%. The 10% related to certain things but there were other required sacrifices and giving as well. So those quoting 10% are actually getting it wrong.

I do believe God is faithful to those who give out of the right motives which is essentially because they want to.

Somewhere I think that I heard that it was
25 -- 30% back then?

Give what the heart tells you.
Shouldn't walk away from the tithing basket
feeling sheepish.

M-Bob

 

[Monksailor]

While we are on the topic I thought I'd throw in my "two cents" worth. A somewhat famous traveling evangelist came to our church once. He was VERY, VERY different from his famous brother who has world famous musicians and "positive thinking" writers in his "crystal cathedral." Anyway, what Phil Schuler challenged us with on one point was the idea that if we give the government a percentage of our GROSS earnings where are we placing God if we only give to Him calculating from our NET earnings. And He is our Creator and Provider and Protector. What we do to earn any money was given to us by HIM.

 

[Monksailor]

A Christian can compile wealth on Earth as long as it is NOT the one thing that they lack in following Jesus. Making money isn't automatically a sin, it depends on who you are in relationship to God. In the biblical book named after him, Job's issue with God wasn't his desire to compile wealth, in fact he practically doubled it after he saw his sin and repented of it.

Yes, but MOST of all of the loved and cherished PEOPLE in his life to that point were DEAD. Don't gloss over people's deaths with mere money. Even if God gave Job more sons and daughters he STILL had those beforehand to mourn and miss.

 

[Norbert L]

Yes, but MOST of all of the loved and cherished PEOPLE in his life to that point were DEAD. Don't gloss over people's deaths with mere money. Even if God gave Job more sons and daughters he STILL had those beforehand to mourn and miss.

Why would you believe I was glossing over people's deaths? I've known a number of widows and widowers who have remarried, they hope for the future not the past.

 

[RaymondG]

if we give the government a percentage of our GROSS earnings where are we placing God if we only give to Him calculating from our NET earnings. And He is our Creator and Provider and Protector. What we do to earn any money was given to us by HIM.

Would you be doing me any favors by taking money from my wallet, buying me a gift and when calling yourself generous by doing so? The Earth IS the Lords and the fullness thereof....the world and they that dwell therein. God wants only what you believe you have full ownership of, at the present.

Giving benefits you....whether by the praise you receive from doing so, or the rewards your reap in secret.

 

[RaymondG]

I think that by giving God will give you blessings but those blessings aren't necessarily money

If you have a desire to give money away, you will be blessed with money.....Period.

If we ask for bread would HE give us stones instead?

 

[Steve97]

There's not enough evidence in the Bible to support giving 10 percent of your income, but only a few verses. Alot of Christians go off of those verses and say your supposed to give 10 percent. We're not supposed to give because we have to, the Bible says to give out of a joyful heart. That means if we give 10 percent were pressured to give because if we don't we won't get blessed. If you want to give a certain amount, that's ok. That's a good strategy. We don't need to earn God's favor, we already have it

What is in your heart when you give? That is the question.

 

[RaymondG]

There's not enough evidence in the Bible to support giving 10 percent of your income, but only a few verses. Alot of Christians go off of those verses and say your supposed to give 10 percent. We're not supposed to give because we have to, the Bible says to give out of a joyful heart. That means if we give 10 percent were pressured to give because if we don't we won't get blessed. If you want to give a certain amount, that's ok. That's a good strategy. We don't need to earn God's favor, we already have it

Those who preach the 10% tithe, are the same as those who preach against it. You are both using the bible to regulate how much you give, dont give, must give or mustn't give.

You are both on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet both equally misguided.

It profits you nothing to gain the world and lose your soul. Yet Preaching against giving 10% does nothing to help another gain their soul....and could possibly hinder blessings.

There are many who shun the Constance preaching of tithes in church, yet would welcome a constant reminder that you dont have to give more than you desire to give......" a breath of fresh air" some would deem it. All because of the importance of this very one thing, common to the prosperity preachers, poverty blessing preachers, tithe preacher and no-tithe preachers alike...............: Money.

 

[Archivist]

I give more than 10% to charity. More than half of what I give goes to my church, but I also give to several local food banks and rescue missions, a Christian college, several Christian international programs as well as to charities that care for feral cats and that work to clean up the environment. I don't think that you have to give a full 10 percent to your church.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Yes it is. There are more than 2300 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Jesus spoke about money roughly 15% of his preaching and 11 out of 39 parables.

It was his most talked about topic.

If one says money can't buy you love, are you talking about money or are you actually talking about love. Is the story of the talents about money ? or is it about working to maximize whatever you have for the glory of your master i.e. God? How many times when Jesus used money in a parable was the point that He was making actually about how to handle one's money? It seems to me he was rarely speaking about the financial value of or the way to distribute money and mostly using money as an allegory for something else. Maybe because so many people seem to be obsessed with money, who has it, how they can get their hands on it and why others have more than they do. He may well have used words like money or coin or denarii more than other words but I don't think that just using a word often when one is telling stories to make a point means that that is the topic point one is making.

 

[RaymondG]

It seems to me he was rarely speaking about the financial value of or the way to distribute money and mostly using money as an allegory for something else. Maybe because so many people seem to be obsessed with money, who has it, how they can get their hands on it and why others have more than they do.

I agree. I believe many see money in the bible and argue for or against it because of the high level of importance they place on it.

Yet I find no fault in it.......just want a few to see that, for instance, one who collects money and deem themselves blessed by God for doing so......is the same as one who shuns money and deems themselves blessed by God for doing so......

 

[Hank77]

Many churches teach that we as Christians, under the New Covenant, are commanded to give a minimum of 10% of our income to our church. Others teach that preachers of these churches are turning the 10% tithe in the Old Testament into a monetary, legalistic prescription for Christians under the New Covenant.

And they don't teach it with honesty either. The only tenth, tithe, that was allowed by God were things that God had created, livestock and plants.
Some pastors will say that it was an agricultural society but it's different today so a money tithe is the same thing. Well they aren't being honest, are they? There isn't any mention of the tithe ever being money, in fact, it was disallowed. There were carpenters, stone masons, tentmakers, fabric weavers, etc. who are never called on to tithe. The farmer who had only 9 sheep didn't tithe either, only every 10th one that passed under the rod was given as the tithe.