Tithing:

[riverpastor]

I have a question?

Why wouldn't anyone give if the utimate Giver lived on the inside of you???

To not give seems to go against God's very nature as a Giver...

IOW, allow Him to give through you in order to bring increase to both His Kingdom and into your own possession...

 

[Godzchild]

Because giving from one's increase (not limited to money) is not 'tithing'. When one preaches the 'law' of tithing they are in danger of putting a stumbling block before their brother and causing them to feel that they still have to be under the law and not under grace. And I believe that causes problems like 'self condemnation' and 'legalism' which makes people feel bound instead of free. One should feel FREE to give not BOUND BY LAW to give - one is 'offering' and 'giving' of one's increase (again not limited to money) and the other is tithing.

 

[livinit72]

I cannot find it but will look some more it is in the Old Testement and was speaking about the animals that were given for the yearly tithe. i just read it a few days ago...Hope you find it soon..Amy

 

[SNPete]

Here is a thought; Money is cheap.

My family has been blessed with financial blessings and it is no big deal to give dollars. Easy and fast. But I have been convicted that what God wants from me is not just my money, but my time. To me that is a bigger sacrifice.

This does not apply to all. To be sure for many money is an issue. But to those of us to whom God has prospered--we have much in money and it is easy to give. Not much sacrifice there!?! $1000? No problem.

But what if God says I want you to give 20 hours to My work. Ouch!

In the words of the great prophet: If the shoe fits, wear it.

A thought in Love.

 

[Andry]

The Biblical tithe was never money.

 

[Andrew]

Are you sure? The first couple of posts are definitly based on OT, 10% with a penalty tithing. AKA a God tax.

Yes I'm sure the people who tithe here aren't doing it becos they are obeying one of the laws of the OT.

 

[New_Wineskin]

The Biblical tithe was never money.

Agreed . It was about feeding the Levites and Priests . It came about because of the golden calf incident . Priests were to be from all the tribes and not just the Levites . But , the others abdicated their role .

Now , once again , we have the opporunity to all be priests .

 

[FollowingJesus]

There is a teaching going around which states that if a person fails to pay their tithes, that person is required BY God to repay the unpaid tithe PLUS a 20% penalty.

Where is the Biblical evidence to support this claim, AND IF this is a Biblically correct teaching, where is the Biblical evidence which absolutely does away with 1st John 1 vesre 9.

I read this post yesterday, and thought, "I've NEVER heard anything about a 20% penalty."

Then this morning, I'm working on the computer, and Paula White Ministries was on in the background. The program had been on for about 20 minutes, and I hadn't really heard one, single word, because I was so focused on my work.

Then my ears kind of 'tuned' in, and I hear her begin to talk about this '20%' penalty...

I'm not too worried about it, because I tithe 10%, but it will be interesting to see if this 20% thing becomes popular with more of the televangelists...

ETA
I began giving 10% this year, because I thought I was supposed to. Now I give at least 10% because I love my church and I want to support it. It needs my support.

I don't think twice about paying $30+ for a meal, or $15 for a movie (well, I gripe a 'little' bit ), so I certainly shouldn't balk about supporting the work of the Lord. He should not be LAST on my list.

 

[brotherjim]

Here is a thought; Money is cheap.

My family has been blessed with financial blessings and it is no big deal to give dollars. Easy and fast. . . .

This is why God asks some to give it all away.

jim

 

[New_Wineskin]

I'll bet a tenth of your paycheck this thread hits 5+ pages....

Ah . That's a sucker's bet . 10+ would be much harder as people start seeing that everything on both sides has been said a few times by then .

 

[livinit72]

Lev 27:30-31
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.


Yes this was part of the Law and I was confused at first myself about this, but I have studied it and just today I saw a Paula White Program about it. Tithing originally was said to be given to all the sons of Abraham that live in the Lord. We are all sons and daughters of Abraham under a New Covenant because of Christ our savior. Jesus did fullfill the law but He did not negate everything from the old Law-the ten comandments were restated in the NT. We know that Jesus himself tithed because he was allowed to enter with the Pharaisees and it says that no one was allowed to enter wo did not follow the law. furthermore, Jesus made very plain those parts of the old law that were no longer in effect by example(ie doing what had to be done on the sabbath).

Without even any scriptural reference it only makes sense that if we are truly Christians that we would cheerfully give to God because it is all His in the first place and without Him we have nothing at all. It shows that we love God more than material things and more than that-that we trust Him to take care of our needs. Just my humble 2 cents worth.

 

[Andry]

Lev 27:30-31
Without even any scriptural reference it only makes sense that if we are truly Christians that we would cheerfully give to God because it is all His in the first place and without Him we have nothing at all. It shows that we love God more than material things and more than that-that we trust Him to take care of our needs. Just my humble 2 cents worth.

Great. When was then let's tithe Biblically. When was the last time you brought your grain and livestock to the storehouse? When was the last time you brought your tithe to a place that God show you, and had a feast with it? When was the last time you brought your tithe to your hometown and feasted with the poor, homeless, widowed, prostitutes, and priests with it?

Otherwise......in the NT.....just give. And give more than 10% if you're able and happy about it.

I give more than most tithers give in their tithes and offerings. I'm not being arrogant. But I give, not tithe.

 

[flaglady]

I can't argue this biblically but as an 'ordinary' member of my church, I just give what I can because I want to see the church prosper in the work of the Lord. If that means putting in the offering, contributing to the costs of the weekly drop-in dinner, buying materials and prizes for the KidzKlub or giving new flags for the flag worship then I do it with love. Sometimes its more, sometimes less but over the year - well, who's counting! I'm not!

 

[FollowingJesus]

Great. When was then let's tithe Biblically. When was the last time you brought your grain and livestock to the storehouse? When was the last time you brought your tithe to a place that God show you, and had a feast with it? When was the last time you brought your tithe to your hometown and feasted with the poor, homeless, widowed, prostitutes, and priests with it?

Otherwise......in the NT.....just give. And give more than 10% if you're able and happy about it.

I give more than most tithers give in their tithes and offerings. I'm not being arrogant. But I give, not tithe.

The fact that you've even taken time to consider what you give, in relation to others, speaks volumes. And whether you give more or less is BEYOND irrelevant. God isn't looking at you, AS YOU COMPARE TO OTHERS. He is looking at our hearts.

I feel the poster above you expressed a better sentiment towards giving.

Note her last statement:
...if we are truly Christians that we would cheerfully give to God because it is all His in the first place and without Him we have nothing at all.

 

[flaglady]

hear hear!

 

[Fantine]

Here's a poll on tithing:

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=187

For a number of years, The Barna Group has also been following the practice of “tithing,” which is donating at least ten percent of one’s income. While Christians dispute whether tithing refers to giving the entire ten percent to churches or whether that sum may include money donated to churches and other non-profit entities, the survey data reveal that no matter how it is defined, very few Americans tithed in 2004. Only 4% gave such an amount to churches alone; just 6% gave to either churches or to a combination of churches and parachurch ministries.

A different way of considering “tithing” is by measuring whether the individual donated at least one-tenth of their income to non-profit organizations, including but not limited to churches and other houses of worship. If the data are evaluated from that vantage point, the percentage of adults who tithe is 6%. Again, the most prolific givers are those whose contributions flow primarily to churches. More than one-quarter of evangelicals (27%) fit this criteria for tithing, compared to 10% among non-evangelical born again Christians, 1% of notional Christians, 2% of adults aligned with non-Christian faith groups, and 3% of atheists and agnostics.

 

[Andry]

The fact that you've even taken time to consider what you give, in relation to others, speaks volumes. And whether you give more or less is BEYOND irrelevant. God isn't looking at you, AS YOU COMPARE TO OTHERS. He is looking at our hearts.

I feel the poster above you expressed a better sentiment towards giving.

Note her last statement:
...if we are truly Christians that we would cheerfully give to God because it is all His in the first place and without Him we have nothing at all.

If you looked historically at the tithes threads here - this isn't the first - there is a strong sentiment that "non-tithers" don't give, or give less than 10%. But sinces your < 300 posts young, you wouldn't know. There seems to be the thought that non-tithers are trying to somehow find wiggle room out of their obligation to give to their church.

Not so. In my case, hence I qualified it, I'd have a fatter wallet if I tithed instead of give. So read VOLUMES about me into this: If I was trying to find the 'easier' way, I'd try and support Scripturally, tithing as taught in most churches today. But the problem is, there is not Scriptural basis of the tithe as practiced in most churches today. So I'm a proponent of giving.

BTW, if you looked at the Scripture quoted, it was about the tithe.

Lev 27:30-31
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

So unless I'm reading it wrong, she was talking about the tithe.

 

[JimB]

I agree with you in this, however...



Since Jesus said this...“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." Luke 11:42

How do you come to the conclusion that the Tithe is not a part of the NT covenant?

Tithing is not a part of the New Covenant. Those to whom Jesus addressed those word were still under the Old Covenant and, of course, tithing is something that they “should have done”. They were under Law to do so. Our righteousness is from Christ, not from our performance. A generous heart does not need a tithing law to be generous.

~Jim

 

[Johnny Be Good]

Tithing is not a part of the New Covenant. Those to whom Jesus addressed those word were still under the Old Covenant and, of course, tithing is something that they “should have done”. They were under Law to do so. Our righteousness is from Christ, not from our performance. A generous heart does not need a tithing law to be generous.

~Jim

Now, THAT's Truth and wisdom.

 

[FollowingJesus]

But sinces your < 300 posts young, you wouldn't know.

Post count is not an indication of knowledge. The fact that you think so, once again, speaks volumes about you.

So unless I'm reading it wrong, she was talking about the tithe.

My sense is there is much that you are 'reading' (and writing) incorrectly.

Here's a poll on tithing:

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=187

Very interesting! Thanks for posting!