Is Tithing even necessary?

[joechristianwarrior]

There are few doctrines in the church preached more universally than tithing. But, according to the Bible, is it even necessary for Christians?

This is a short video I made exploring that question in detail:

I'd be curious to hear people's thoughts after watching it, especially if they feel I have missed the mark somehow in some of the arguments I present.

In grace and peace.

 

[Tinker Grey]

No. But, you might want to ask this question in a Christians-Only sub-forum.

 

[PloverWing]

I'd say that there are lots of doctrines preached more universally than tithing. I've heard tithing sermons in some of the Baptist churches I've attended, but not that often elsewhere.

Thoughts on the video:

1. I agree that tithing is part of the Old Testament covenant, a way that the people of Israel supported the Levites and the financial needs of their temple worship. You could make a short video that says this, and then stop, and that would make your point.

2. I don't think the widow's mite story supports your argument. The idea of tithing is that it's proportional, like income tax: poor people pay a little, and rich people pay a lot. Jesus' comments on the widow are consistent with the idea of proportional giving. Use other Scriptures to make your argument.

3. The video combines two different questions: a) How much money should we give to the Jewish temple (Old Testament) or the local Christian congregation (modern day)? b) How much of our lives should be dedicated to God? These questions are different.

If you take the "100%" answer to question (b) and apply it to question (a), you'd be saying that all the church members should sell everything they have and give all the proceeds to their local congregations. I'm sure there are greedy churches that would be willing to take advantage of that, but for the most part, churches don't really want to own everybody's houses and cars and food. The church would then have to provide housing and transportation and clothing and food for each of its members, and it's maybe simpler to have the members take care of their own daily needs. Communal living is impractical outside of a very small community.

Generosity and caring for those in need are important Christian values, and I think American Christians could do much better at taking care of the poor in our society. That's a video you could make. But I think that's a different question from how much money we should contribute to our local temple or synagogue or parish.

So maybe split the video into two separate ones. Tithing? talk about how most Christians aren't Jewish, and that the temple was destroyed in Roman times. Care for the poor and others in need? talk about Matthew 25.

 

[Servus]

Necessary for what? We give because we want to contribute.

 

[RDKirk]

If you take the "100%" answer to question (b) and apply it to question (a), you'd be saying that all the church members should sell everything they have and give all the proceeds to their local congregations. I'm sure there are greedy churches that would be willing to take advantage of that, but for the most part, churches don't really want to own everybody's houses and cars and food. The church would then have to provide housing and transportation and clothing and food for each of its members, and it's maybe simpler to have the members take care of their own daily needs. Communal living is impractical outside of a very small community.

So maybe split the video into two separate ones. Tithing? talk about how most Christians aren't Jewish, and that the temple was destroyed in Roman times. Care for the poor and others in need? talk about Matthew 25.

With regard to "tithing" we have to remember that during the apostolic age, while scripture was being written, actual Mosaic Law tithing was still going on in Jerusalem. If the apostles had ever used the word "tithe," that's what they would have meant. So, they didn't use that word.

God never changed His specification of the tithe. God explicitly said the tithe is never money. Anything different from what God specified in the Mosaic Law is wrong, it's "strange incense." The destruction of the temple is why Jews today do not have any practice they call "tithing." The apostles really had a very different form of economic management in mind.

Given how we think of "property" today, 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 is an extremely scary passage. In fact, I once heard a popular radio evangelist reading that chapter aloud, and he actually skipped over those verses as though they didn't even exist. He refused to read them.

 

[JustaPewFiller]

Since this was posted in the non-Chirstian sub I'll leave out Scriptural arguments and focus just on practical matters. I've been involved in the "back office" / admin of a few churches in my day.

A church is not unlike a business in that it has expenses ( salary, supplies, maintenance, utility bills, etc). It differs from a business in that it does not charge for its product. In other words, there is no usher at the door collecting a set fee to hear the sermon on Sunday morning. The people give tithes / offerings / contributions instead. The $ collected through this (and any other fundraising) pays the bills, buys supplies, pays salaries, provides for future use (if the amount is large enough), etc.

Also, a church is like a business in that if it cannot cover it's expenses then it will have to reduce its operations or close down totally if the shortfall is great enough.

Were it not for tithes, offerings, contributions then churches would need to come up with some other way to make $ to cover expenses.

So, are tithes, offerings, contributions, etc necessary? Yes they are. Given the way the modern church operates they are primary source of funding the church uses to cover expenses necessary for keeping the doors open.

As I said, I left Scripture totally out of my arguments.

 

[timothyu]

Will there be an upswing in tithing from priests, pastors and authours who ride on the coattails of Jesus??

 

[NBB]

Tithing is no where to be found in the NT, they donated even houses sometimes, but
the bible says that you give from the generosity of your heart and not for obligation.
I don't like some churches say you are going to be less blessed etc if you don't tithe.
However i met God by tithing, so i would think that he blesses giving.

 

[timothyu]

so i would think that he blesses giving.

Certainly, as He owns all that we receive. He asks us to redistribute as needed in the Two commandments. Again that would apply to income of clergy and religious authours. Cash, not just lip service.

 

[joechristianwarrior]

No. But, you might want to ask this question in a Christians-Only sub-forum.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[JustaPewFiller]

Will there be an upswing in tithing from priests, pastors and authours who ride on the coattails of Jesus??

Of the pastors that I personally know, they all tithe.

 

[stevevw]

There are few doctrines in the church preached more universally than tithing. But, according to the Bible, is it even necessary for Christians?

This is a short video I made exploring that question in detail:

I'd be curious to hear people's thoughts after watching it, especially if they feel I have missed the mark somehow in some of the arguments I present.

In grace and peace.

I think in this day and age of materialism actually sacrificing all for Christ seems out dated. Yet it is exactly what Christ taught as the video says. I think most people have always wondered about the gap between what Christ said and how churches accumulated heaps of money and assets.

Its become such a consumer world that people can get scared of not having stuff to live and fight tooth and nail to get their share and more to ensure they have enough. Thats the complete opposite of what Christ asks of Christians.

Its a scary prospect to give up everything and trust God. But thats what putting our faith into action means. At the same time I think God never gives us more than we can handle.

I like how the video explains Gods promise and new covenant that Christ will bring full life and all we need in this life and the next if we trust in Him.

 

[Strong in Him]

There are few doctrines in the church preached more universally than tithing. But, according to the Bible, is it even necessary for Christians?

Firstly, I'm wondering if this a big thing in the US? I've almost never heard a sermon on tithing.
Secondly, in the OT the tithe was always food. They took 10% of their crops to the temple, had it dedicated/blessed then they sat down and ate all the good things that God had given - not forgetting the poor, and the priests who didn't have allotments.
The only time money was involved was if God had blessed them so much that they could not carry 10% of their crops to the Temple. Then, they were to sell it locally, take the money to Jerusalem, buy food and then sit down and eat.

So if any church insists on tithing according to the Bible - OT - all their members should have allotments. They should take 10% of their crops to church every year, have a meal after the service, inviting the clergy and all the local homeless to take part, and giving thanks to God for his provision.
THAT is tithing according to the Bible.
Not even in the OT did people take money; 10% of their salary every month, to church to put in an offertory plate. And, as you say, it is not taught at all in the NT.

Someone freely choosing to give 10% of their salary specifically to the church is different. But no church should do what a church in our area once did; talk to members about "not giving enough" to the point where they go through their finances with them to see how they could cut back and give more.

 

[Stopped_lurking]

Firstly, I'm wondering if this a big thing in the US? I've almost never heard a sermon on tithing.
Secondly, in the OT the tithe was always food. They took 10% of their crops to the temple, had it dedicated/blessed then they sat down and ate all the good things that God had given - not forgetting the poor, and the priests who didn't have allotments.
The only time money was involved was if God had blessed them so much that they could not carry 10% of their crops to the Temple. Then, they were to sell it locally, take the money to Jerusalem, buy food and then sit down and eat.

So if any church insists on tithing according to the Bible - OT - all their members should have allotments. They should take 10% of their crops to church every year, have a meal after the service, inviting the clergy and all the local homeless to take part, and giving thanks to God for his provision.
THAT is tithing according to the Bible.
Not even in the OT did people take money; 10% of their salary every month, to church to put in an offertory plate. And, as you say, it is not taught at all in the NT.

Someone freely choosing to give 10% of their salary specifically to the church is different. But no church should do what a church in our area once did; talk to members about "not giving enough" to the point where they go through their finances with them to see how they could cut back and give more.

I've never heard a sermon on tithing either. Of course I've not been to church since 1995 outside baptism, marriages or funerals. I doubt that it is common today, but I can't be sure. I also pay 1-1.4% of my gross income directly from my paycheck.

 

[Larniavc]

I don’t know anyone who gives 10% to a church. It’s normally government schemes that keep the lights on.

 

[JustaPewFiller]

I don’t know anyone who gives 10% to a church. It’s normally government schemes that keep the lights on.

I've been involved in the books of a few different churches. Of those, zero of them got any government $.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I've been involved in the books of a few different churches. Of those, zero of them got any government $.

There's a difference between European churches and US churches.

 

[timothyu]

There's a difference between European churches and US churches.

Meaning in Europe the government supports churches while in the US churches support the government?

 

[RDKirk]

I don’t know anyone who gives 10% to a church. It’s normally government schemes that keep the lights on.

Which government are you talking about?

 

[Larniavc]

Which government are you talking about?

UK.