Tithing!

[Ave Maria]

Tithing was an Old Testament thing and it is not a part of the New Covenant. That said, we are still called to give of our money to the Church when we can. Some may call this tithing but it is not really tithing.

 

[GaryArnold]

Tithing is giving to the Church the 10% of the income. Tithe is also guvig any %.

Since the word tithe means a tenth, giving any % can't possibly be a tithe unless it is exactly 10%. The word tithe doesn't mean give, it means tenth.

 

[ARBITER01]

Tithing is from the OT not the NT.

It was never carried over, nor is it symbolic of what we are to be doing as Christians. Giving is the Christian method discussed by our apostles.

For instance,..

1Co 9:11 If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?

1Co 9:12 If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

Point made here is the object of "sowing spiritual things" unto the congregation. Paul and others are divinely approved to receive of the body of Christ materially, that is,... if they are sowing spiritual things, not just making a show before the congregation and expecting to be paid for their entertainment.

Many is the church today that sows only discord and flesh, and the body of Christ is worse off because of it. If we are tithing, then that fleshly church lives on because of the continued influx of money.

The Holy Spirit gave us as Christians the ability to vote with our feet also, we should exercise it more often.

 

[Sieben]

Tithing is great! Unfortunately though that the scriptures used to get people to tithe are misplaced. An example would be the tithing verses in the book of Malachi. This was to the people of Israel and what they would be tithing is food and other various food related items. You see the priests did not work for a wage. They survived off of the tithes and sacrifices the people would bring. This is why you would occasionally read in the law books such as Leviticus, that they would eat the food they sacrifice at times (I am not specifying anything other then that they eat sacrifices, not all sacrifices) But anyways as I was saying! Tithing in the new testament is always used to help further the gospel or to help each other in our times of weakness! There are some verses showing in the NTs that they needed to support those who could not work for money in another church. That by doing this they too can support the church that supported in the future when they cannot work because of governmental problems or any other reason.

Tithing is meant to support one another, not to make one rich. You support one another mainly because a Christian belongs to God and God takes care of his own even within his own household. So I suppose if you want to relate the Malachi verses to this it is subtle but somewhat relevant. Tithe so his house has food in other words.

Of course then there is giving to the needy and poor, which isn't considered tithing. But just being genuinely good.

 

[GaryArnold]

Tithing in the new testament is always used to help further the gospel or to help each other in our times of weakness!

Tithing doesn't appear in the New Testament after Calvary except in Hebrews 7 where is shows in verses 7:5,12,18 that the tithe was disannulled. In other words, THERE IS NO TITHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

If you think otherwise, please give some scripture to back up your comments. Remember, tithe means tenth. Tithe does not mean give.

 

[Sieben]

Tithing doesn't appear in the New Testament after Calvary except in Hebrews 7 where is shows in verses 7:5,12,18 that the tithe was disannulled. In other words, THERE IS NO TITHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

If you think otherwise, please give some scripture to back up your comments. Remember, tithe means tenth. Tithe does not mean give.

I understand that it was a tenth. Did not realize the word meant tenth. But nevertheless i didn't answer wrongly in that regard. It's not like we're giving a set amount. We're giving our all

 

[GaryArnold]

But nevertheless i didn't answer wrongly in that regard. It's not like we're giving a set amount. We're giving our all

With give "our all" when it comes to ourselves. We don't give "our all" when it comes to money.

 

[BeforeThereWas]

LAtely I have not been "tithing" because some folks here convinced me that it MIGHT not be a good thing to do.

The goodness or badness of tithing really is a non-issue.

Whatever you purpose in YOUR heart to give, whatever percentage it is, then do it.

Additionally, the DIRECTION of your primary giving also indicates the condition of your heart.

For example, those who hand over the largest, primary portion of their giving in support of an organization from which they reap direct benefit, rather than meeting genuine needs, they have a heart problem.

We reap no direct benefit when we give to meet needs, so handing it over to an institutional (so-called) church organization is no different than what Elk, Moose, and even Masonic Lodge members do. They too reap direct benefit from what they hand over to their respective organizations.

(went through the same thing with tongues a few years
back too. Stopped praying in tongues because of what
people here said )

It's sad that you gave up what may have been a great edification to you. I don't pray in tongues, but those who do may very well do so because of it being a gift from God. Nobody has any right to touch the prayer life of another.

Those who uphold the principle or requirement for tithing can't produce one verse from the OT scriptures upon which they can build their case where wage earners (those who didn't own producing lands, herds and/or flocks) were required to hand over any portion of their wages as a tithe.

That's when the chirping of the crickets gets REALLY loud.....

BTW

 

[BeforeThereWas]

No, Jesus Christ did no such thing.

Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
42 “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 11:39-42

That same Jesus also told a man He had healed to go and offer up burnt offering of thanksgiving for his healing.

Those who uphold tithing on the basis of Luke 11 must also uphold burnt offerings of thanksgiving.

See you at the altar.....

BTW

 

[Strong in Him]

Up until recently, I had tithed for the past 20+ years.
LAtely I have not been "tithing" because some folks here
convinced me that it MIGHT not be a good thing to do.
(went through the same thing with tongues a few years
back too. Stopped praying in tongues because of what
people here said )

I'll put in my 2 pence worth in a minute. But this saddens me. Don't worry about what anyone on here says, if you believe before God that it's right for you to tithe, then you do it. Similarly with tongues - it's your relationship with God that's important, not what anyone on here says. If speaking in tongues is how you praise God/pray/get closer to him; go for it. I wish I could; I'm sure it is a very beautiful, intimate way to worship the Lord. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss out on that just because of a few people on an internet forum.

Right, tithing.
In the OT the tithe was 10% of their produce - crops, oil, wine and so on. The only place in the OT I see money mentioned is if they had such a great harvest or the temple/appointed place was so far away that they could not carry their 10% to it. Then they could exchange it for money. When they got there, they would buy food with the money that had come from the sale of their 10%. But the outcome was the same - they would then eat the food, in thanksgiving to God, not forgetting the priests, who had no allotments, and the poor.

Tithing is not mentioned as a practice in the early church, in fact the believers sold all they had, lived in a community and gave the money to the poor. Jesus did not instruct his disciples to tithe, oir carry on tithing, after his resurrection, and Paul says that God loves a cheerful giver.

Practically speaking, for me anyway, what does it mean to tithe? As there are no guidelines laid down in the NT and we cannot tithe as stated in the OT - there is no temple; how do we do it?
Give 10% of our money? Yes, that's a good starting point, but it's not compulsory; some may give only 5%, others 7.5%, others 20%. And where to we give it? To the church? A Christian charity? Missions? All these things are from and for God and need money.
What about time, service, goods etc? Is that as well as or instead of?
Personally I give some money to my church and some to Christian charities. It probably is about 10% altogether, though only part of that is for the church. But I sometimes buy tea, biscuits, flowers etc and rarely claim the money back.
I also make greetings cards, some of which I give to the church for use or to sell and make money. I never claim expenses. I have sent huindreds of pounds buying puppets and visual aids which I use in my services to proclaim the gospel. I've given some away too. I help with fundraising for the church when I can.
Some people help with decorating the church, baking cakes, donating items, gardening and so on. I would guess that most do this voluntarily.

I'm not saying this to show off, justify my giving, or whatever. I write it only to show that imo there are many ways in which we can give to God's work. And no one should feel, or be made to feel, guilty if it's not 10% because there is no lawe in the NT that it has to be.

 

[BeforeThereWas]

Tithing was an Old Testament thing and it is not a part of the New Covenant. That said, we are still called to give of our money to the Church when we can. Some may call this tithing but it is not really tithing.

You must define "the Church" differently than most in this thread.

The (C)hurch is people (ALL believers), not buildings, lawn care, unfathomable quantities of jewels and gold stored in monastary vaults, or religious workers referred to as priests, et al.

Perhaps you were referring to an organization with followers who consider it to be the THE (C)hurch, but in reality it's just another (c)hurch organization among many.

Antiquity doesn't make something any more legitimate than any others with which it competes.

Support of (c)hurch organizations should be secondary to our primary responsibilities toward one another and toward the needy in our respective communities.

BTW

 

[Jesus3:16]

As it has been stated, tithing was an OT commandment.
You shouldn't feel bound to tithe. We should give heartily and of course support our church. But I don't give to ministries where the pastor is filthy rich and uses money in a worldly manner.

 

[sunlover1]

As it has been stated, tithing was an OT commandment.
You shouldn't feel bound to tithe. We should give heartily and of course support our church. But I don't give to ministries where the pastor is filthy rich and uses money in a worldly manner.

That would not be good stewardship.

 

[Frogster]

I know a working mom who tithes, but she had better remember that her kids will need aloooot of money in the future. The pastor does not have to be mega rich to be wrong in taking money, often he is far better off than his 'tithers".

 

[BeforeThereWas]

Ahh, yes.

Organized religion and its CEO's (so-called pastors) remain front and center in all the culpritry of the tithing scam.

I have no problem with a group of people supporting their institutional staff and communal facilities.

The problem is in the people handing over to those men the primary, largest portion of their giving in support of facility expenditures and staffing costs. That is such a robbery of God.

BTW

 

[Rick Otto]

"hirelings"
John.10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

 

[tturt]

We're to be surrendered to Christ in every area. If this doesn't include our money (100%), He doesn't have all of us.

While Jesus was on earth, He watched the offering plate and noted who gave and how much. (NT).

 

[New_Wineskin]

We're to be surrendered to Christ in every area. If this doesn't include our money (100%), He doesn't have all of us.

While Jesus was on earth, He watched the offering plate and noted who gave and how much. (NT).

None of those have anything to do with tithing with respect to the Scriptures . This is why a thread should always include what the OP defines as tithing .

 

[New_Wineskin]

I'll put in my 2 pence worth in a minute. But this saddens me. Don't worry about what anyone on here says, if you believe before God that it's right for you to tithe, then you do it. Similarly with tongues - it's your relationship with God that's important, not what anyone on here says. If speaking in tongues is how you praise God/pray/get closer to him; go for it. I wish I could; I'm sure it is a very beautiful, intimate way to worship the Lord. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss out on that just because of a few people on an internet forum.

Right, tithing.
In the OT the tithe was 10% of their produce - crops, oil, wine and so on. The only place in the OT I see money mentioned is if they had such a great harvest or the temple/appointed place was so far away that they could not carry their 10% to it. Then they could exchange it for money. When they got there, they would buy food with the money that had come from the sale of their 10%. But the outcome was the same - they would then eat the food, in thanksgiving to God, not forgetting the priests, who had no allotments, and the poor.

Tithing is not mentioned as a practice in the early church, in fact the believers sold all they had, lived in a community and gave the money to the poor. Jesus did not instruct his disciples to tithe, oir carry on tithing, after his resurrection, and Paul says that God loves a cheerful giver.

Practically speaking, for me anyway, what does it mean to tithe? As there are no guidelines laid down in the NT and we cannot tithe as stated in the OT - there is no temple; how do we do it?
Give 10% of our money? Yes, that's a good starting point, but it's not compulsory; some may give only 5%, others 7.5%, others 20%. And where to we give it? To the church? A Christian charity? Missions? All these things are from and for God and need money.
What about time, service, goods etc? Is that as well as or instead of?
Personally I give some money to my church and some to Christian charities. It probably is about 10% altogether, though only part of that is for the church. But I sometimes buy tea, biscuits, flowers etc and rarely claim the money back.
I also make greetings cards, some of which I give to the church for use or to sell and make money. I never claim expenses. I have sent huindreds of pounds buying puppets and visual aids which I use in my services to proclaim the gospel. I've given some away too. I help with fundraising for the church when I can.
Some people help with decorating the church, baking cakes, donating items, gardening and so on. I would guess that most do this voluntarily.

I'm not saying this to show off, justify my giving, or whatever. I write it only to show that imo there are many ways in which we can give to God's work. And no one should feel, or be made to feel, guilty if it's not 10% because there is no lawe in the NT that it has to be.

Yes , thanks for showing that tithing is not giving .

 

[Frogster]

In never fails, any time a pastor, or tv preacher talks about tithe, "faith seeds", giving, it is always to them, never the poor. But they don't talk about the pastor-nchief, who while preaching and getting beat up all the time, worked not to burden the church, and said to do what Jesus actually said to do.


Acts 20;33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"