Tithing

[Grace2022]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

 

[pdudgeon]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

Yes, I tithe, and yes, it works!
there are wonderful scriptures in the bible about sacrifice, tithing, and blessing.
But first we all have to realize that God gives to us each and every day, without fail.
He gives us the light of the Sun and the Moon and the stars. Even when we can't see them, they are there, nonetheless.
Secondly God knows when we are in need, He knows why, and He has a solution!
Third, we cannot out-give God!
Fourth, God gives us what we need, and He does it in various ways.
Fifth, God is incredibly kind to us. I have seen times when a bill that I couldn't pay was delayed in reaching me long enough, that God's blessings overtook it in reaching me. No one else but God could have done that.
I could go on for hours about how good God is to us, but I think that you get the idea.
What we give back to Him is our thanks, our devotion, our gratitude, our praise, and lastly our offering.
I don't know of any business or government that could survive on just a voluntary 10 per cent gift, but God does, and calls it wonderful.

 

[Aussie Pete]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

We encourage giving, not tithing. When I first joined out small group, the leader was always giving to the needy in the fellowship. I'd never come across this before. I was pretty tight with money and I never seemed to get ahead.

The Leader, named Ivor, encouraged me to give. I found it hard at times, but never did I go without. Ivor helped people when he had little himself.

Some years before I met Ivor, I heard a man I much respected say that he gave most of his income to the Lord's work. I got convicted and asked the Lord to make me like that. It took a long time to get free of my fear (and that was the problem) and learn to trust God with my finances. When I started giving, the blessings came. A pay rise, a better job, a company car when my own car started falling apart. A relative who seemed a total loser passed away. There was way more money in his account than anyone imagined and I was blessed by it. I was out of work at the time and it was perfect timing. Out of the blue, I received compensation for mistreatment at the start of my military career. It was nearly a year's wages.

I'm no prosperity/word of faith type. I do believe in God's economic system. I invested some of my (amazing) superannuation in shares when I retired. In 5 years the value has tripled. So God can bless those who give in ways that we just don't expect.

The Bible has a lot to say about giving. We call Jesus Lord. He's not Lord in reality until he has your wallet or purse.

It is easy to be sceptical. People testify because God's principle works! I know some are manipulative and after money for false motives. That does not change the fundamental principle. Give and it will be given to you. Ask God to show you where to give. Usually, it will be to whoever is teaching you the word. Also we should be helping those who are less well off, especially Christians. I've been a hoarder and a giver. I can assure you that being a giver is by far the better way.

 

[mama2one]

every church we've attended gives a yearly financial sermon stating what they do with funds, if something is needed, and then asking parishioners to give

none have said tithe

I don't know amt we give because we give to several other organizations, not just the church

 

[Hank77]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

In my understanding of the scriptures...
The tithe was only things that the Lord created, animals and plants, both in the OT and in the NT. Jesus told the Pharisees that they tithed of their herbs but forgot...
Money could be given for alms.
In the OT the 10th animal that passed under the rod was a tithe animal. If you didn't have 10 animals you weren't called to tithe, which gave the farmer with little a chance to build up his herd.

The NT under the New Covent tells us that a pastor (teacher, evangelist) is worthy to be cared for by those he instructs, (do not muzzle the ox...) and 1 Tim. 5:18.

In place of the tithe under the Law of Moses, the church under Christ has more liberty, the freedom to choose what is right in God's eyes. Paul gives us 2 Corinth. 9:6-8.

 

[Abaxvahl]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

I give a tithe and offering, in my Church we are obligated to support the Church as much as possible in your means. I consider tithing to be a good discipline to put God first whenever I gain wealth. The main benefit is the detachment from money you get and the generosity it builds in you.

 

[dqhall]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

That is akin to prosperity preaching. They tell you if you support their ministry, God will bless you with financial gain. They do not publish stories about people wiped out financially after giving to a church ministry.

In Acts 10 God remembered a centurion named Cornelius had given gifts to the poor. God asked Cornelius to invite Peter to preach to Cornelius and his household.

10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offeringbefore God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

 

[topher694]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

You are uneasy about generosity?

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

Yes, and no, it isn't obligatory. It is simply something you want to do, that you are honored to be able to do, once you understand it.

 

[tdidymas]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

Tithing simply means 10% of your income. In the OT it was much more complicated than that. Whether or not God blesses you in this natural life if you do it may be a matter of opinion, although in the Sinai Covenant with Israel, God promised to bless the Israelites if they did it. Moses' reason given for tithing in Deuteronomy was for remembering that God is our source of life and blessing.

In NT Christianity, we are looking to be blessed in eternity for helping our brethren here. But it does say that God will supply all our needs according to His riches. Jesus in the parable of the sheep and goats blessed those who helped His brothers. If we love God, we'll love others and be generous to them.

One last lesson to be learned is that once we start tithing (or regularly giving something off the top of our paycheck), it means we are putting God first, and we tend to be thriftier and spend less on frivolous things. The outcome is that we see our ability to be generous growing.

Since Jesus supported it, and the apostles encouraged generosity, we should take it to heart.

 

[SkyWriting]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing. Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.
Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

Discretionary spending averages 30% of your income.
So when you start giving 10% to God first, it changes your
spending patterns and you have another 10% to put in savings
and another 5% for irregular charity and you profit 10%, or
more charity....whichever God leads you. Or to pay your
irresponsible debts that you owe. .

 

[pdudgeon]

Simply put, tithing does several things:
1. It teaches you the importance of respecting and listening to God.
2. It teaches you generosity and kindness to others.
3. It reminds you always of where your blessings come from.
When those three things are ordered correctly in your life, then life itself becomes easier to manage.

 

[Hank77]

Discretionary spending averages 30% of your income.

Millions of people, including Christians, do not have any discretionary spending at all, let alone 30% of their income.
In the OT, O Covenant, if a person owned less than 10 sheep they weren't supposed to tithe. Why do you think that was?

Who tithed in the OT? Farmers only.
Why were only farmers instructed to tithe?

Jesus was a carpenter, did he pay tithe?

 

[SkyWriting]

Millions of people, including Christians, do not have any discretionary spending at all, let alone 30% of their income.

Yes they do. About 30%.
Yes, Jesus gave the first 10% to His Fathers work.
His life, so 100% actually. Lets say this qualifies as 110% to be dramatic.

 

[EmethAlethia]

First, all I have is the Lord's. Second, the Tithe, or 10% was for the upkeep of the temple. If you want to tithe in the New Testament, you should buy some health food with it or get a gym membership as your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. That said, we do have a new testament giving principle ...

It is called the hilarious giver ...

2Co 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, "HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER." 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

The point is, God multiplies seed for more sowing. This is not a gee, give to God and you will be a millionaire concept, but rather a I will increase what you have to give away to even further My ministry more situation.

Some more keys are to give in accordance with you have, not in accordance with what you don't have. In other words, we are commanded never to give so much that we have need. Only give to the point where all "needs" are met. Wants are a different thing.

 

[The happy Objectivist]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

I can tell you that every single church I've been to passes the plate around for donations and there were always a lot of checks in there as well as cash. I rarely attend churches anymore unless it's for a funeral or a wedding so I don't know what happens now.

As far as those stories go, I rank them right up there with the law of attraction videos and the Nigerian lottery emails.

 

[Redd5]

No. I don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where a gentile Christian is instructed to tithe. Give, yes. Regularly, yes. Make it a priority, yes. Be generous when there is a need, yes. Tithe, no. Christian giving is really well spelled out in the Bible. I mean, Paul ripped the Galatians for listening to the Judaizers and observing the sabbath etc… the modern day equivalent in today’s church would be for tithing. But that’s just my take.

Yes they do. About 30%.
Yes, Jesus gave the first 10% to His Fathers work.
His life, so 100% actually. Lets say this qualifies as 110% to be dramatic.

Who did Jesus tithe to?

 

[splish- splash]

I'm not sure whether or not we should still be tithing, to be honest. That one is a story for another day..

One thing i like though about where i'm felowshipping now is, you will never ever hear our pastor opening his mouth to say strange stuff like, "The holy spirit said you must sow a seed or pay tithes and offerings, in order to find breakthrough." People give tithes and offerings at our Church, out of their own free will and not because they are being cornered into doing so.

If someone is desperate for a healing miracle, and they get told to sow a seed for their healing, they will feel cornered and even go as far as borrowing money because they desperately need this miracle. Now I can't see our King Jesus, being a part of a scam like that...

 

[tdidymas]

No. I don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where a gentile Christian is instructed to tithe. Give, yes. Regularly, yes. Make it a priority, yes. Be generous when there is a need, yes. Tithe, no. Christian giving is really well spelled out in the Bible. I mean, Paul ripped the Galatians for listening to the Judaizers and observing the sabbath etc… the modern day equivalent in today’s church would be for tithing. But that’s just my take.

Who did Jesus tithe to?

Right, tithing is a legal term and sometimes has Sinaitic Covenant entanglements. But the church typically uses the term in the simple sense, that it means "tenth." It's just a rule of thumb, and not a legal obligation, so it's not really tithing under the law of Moses.

As far a Jesus tithing, since there is nothing about it, we cannot speculate. But I suspect that He did tithe prior to His homeless ministry period, since it's likely He had means then. However, He did pay the temple tax when asked.

 

[Hank77]

As far a Jesus tithing, since there is nothing about it, we cannot speculate. But I suspect that He did tithe prior to His homeless ministry period, since it's likely He had means then. However, He did pay the temple tax when asked.

The tithe was only things created by God, domestic animals and plants raised by farmers and others raising herbs, etc.
Jesus was a carpenter, he would not have paid a tithe. The Temple tax was actual money called shekels.