I don't believe in the ten percent rule

Norbert L said:

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.

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Words so easily spoken.

Monksailor said:

Words so easily spoken.

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Your response is also words so easily spoken.

The question I asked is not rocket science or brain surgery. Why would you believe I was glossing over people's deaths?

Norbert L said:

Your response is also words so easily spoken.

The question I asked is not rocket science or brain surgery. Why would you believe I was glossing over people's deaths?

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Because of your focus exclusively on money over the story of Job. I can see now that for the purpose of this discussion one could be tempted to cite Job purely for financial/blessing reasons and ignore the cost and consequences of the lesson learned. My apologies.

It should be remembered that Job was chosen by God from all of humanity as an example of righteousness in a confrontation with satan himself. That means that Job under OT/Torah parameters was probably GIVING more, much more than just a tithe to the Lord. And that mourning the death of one's child is a fate unbearable and that Job lost ALL of his and MUCH more. And he did NOT know "the rest of the story" as we.

John55107 said:

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

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Those "Christians" are to be classified alongside those "Christians" who insist that men must be circumcized to be saved.

SkyWriting said:

None of the above. You do it because it's financially sound.
You can double your savings, and double your additional charity
giving by tithing.

I can show you the math if you need it.

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Show us your account statements. That's the only proof that is acceptable. Show us where your tithes resulted in doubling your savings.

The NT seems to avoid the 10% tithe as clearly given in the OT. Rather the NT opens up the percentage to 50, 75 or even 90%.

Tithes in the Old Testament were primarily taxes for funding the national budget in Israel. Since Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a forerunner to today's income tax in which they tithed grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn of their herds and flocks. If the distance was too far for them to carry the tithe, then they were to exchange their tithe for silver, and take the silver with them and go to the place the Lord chose and use the silver to buy whatever they like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything they wish. (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11). So the total giving required of the Israelites was not merely 10 percent, but over 20 percent, which is similar to our taxation system today. All that money was used to operate the nation.

All giving apart from that required to run the government was voluntary (Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9). Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give and no specific percentage or amount was specified. In the Church age under the New Covenant, believers are never commanded to tithe 10%. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about required giving, which is the paying of taxes to the government. We in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government, which is a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel under the Old Covenant

Now if someone wants to give 10% of their income or more to their church or another Christian organization, that is fine, we cannot out give God, yet we should not turn the 10% tithe for Israel under the law into a legalistic prescription for Christians under grace. Now just because a specific % is not listed under the New Covenant for Christians to give, this does not mean we should give grudgingly either.