Tithing

For those of you who are church goers, do you tithe? If so, how much? Is it ten percent or the one dollar bill on major holidays? Is giving to charity or the poor guy next door tithing? What if you don't like what your church is spending their money on?

What's your view?

I think there are many ways to Tithe.
Apart from giving money to the Church or poor.
Even more important can be giving Service and time and needed skills.
Even the poorest can contribute in some way.
Often this can be more needed than a cash donation.

Terry
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Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God

Terrywoodenpic said:

I think there are many ways to Tithe.
Apart from giving money to the Church or poor.
Even more important can be giving Service and time and needed skills.
Even the poorest can contribute in some way.
Often this can be more needed than a cash donation.

Terry
____________________________________-
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God

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Here here !- we have actually benn asked not to give money to the homeless here; the rumour had got around that the South was the place to go, for easy money.

In a bid to stem the flow of people migrating from the north, we have been asked to help with mobile food kitchens,to give blankets and any clothes to the local shelters.
Oh, and of course, volunteers are needed..........

Tithing....interest subject. After much reading, I just don't believe it applies to New Testament teaching. It is part of the OT covenant law which does not apply to Christians.

I've had a number of different pastors tell me that if I want to give to the poor, send money to tsunami relief or any other charitable organization, this does not meet my tithe "obligation" because tithing means giving that 10% to the church. Bull.

The NT says nothing about tithing but a lot about the "grace of giving". It's not an obligation or a duty....but a generosity of the Spirit.

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
2 Corinthians 8:7

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7

If you feel Spirit driven to support the church, then do so, but I am tired of people telling me that I am not a Christian because I do not feel the need. When I walk into a church with its obvious show of well-to-do pews, altar, architecture, etc....I don't feel the need to donate more to this materialistic display. I feel directed to support missionaries who are out in the field teaching people not only about God's Word but also how to become self-sufficient in this changing world. I feel directed to give my money to organizations who provide medical care to those less fortunate.

If a church is teaching that tithing is biblically based...even though it's only found under OT law....then they'd better start living the rest of OT law.

sandy whitelinger said:

For those of you who are church goers, do you tithe? If so, how much? Is it ten percent or the one dollar bill on major holidays? Is giving to charity or the poor guy next door tithing? What if you don't like what your church is spending their money on?

What's your view?

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I don't believe in tything. It is basically a way for the "Church" to capitalize.....it should actually be a sin. If anything people should just be encouraged to help each other.

Tithing is ok with me...God gave me the ability to work and earn a living. I believe that finding the right church is important to feeling comfortable about giving away your hard earned money. You need a facility to go to worship ...and that takes money to support. You are supposed to give 10 percent. I personally give at least 5 sometimes 10 percent. I am a member of a church that is about 7 years in the making, they started out in an apartment with about 10 people and have grown to about 3500 members. Our current place only seats 700. We are building a new facility now and I am excited about the finishing date, people think that it's for the church but it's all about getting people saved, it's all for the people.

Tithing was a legal requirement in the Uk and Europe.
When I was in Germany in the early 50's It was still a requirement on every one, not Just church goers. Though if faded out soon after that.
Many people stll give tithes here, even to day in the form of regular giving, the churches can even claim the tax back.

Terry
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Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

sandy whitelinger said:

For those of you who are church goers, do you tithe? If so, how much? Is it ten percent or the one dollar bill on major holidays? Is giving to charity or the poor guy next door tithing? What if you don't like what your church is spending their money on?

What's your view?

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Hi, Sandy.

I tithe 10% of my gross income. I also give a monthly donation equivalent to the cost of two meals for my family for those in my congregation who may be in need.

Since I don't believe that other charitable causes should be included in the tithe (which, after all, is money donated to the Church), I also contribute (but in smaller amounts) to various charitable organizations not affiliated with my church.

I'm entirely satisfied that my Church is using my tithing funds appropriately, so I can't really say how I'd feel if it wasn't. We don't have a paid ministry, so I know this money is not going to support my Bishop. It's going to build churches throughout the world, to print copies of the scriptures, to finance Church educational programs, etc.

The way I look at it, God has given me literally everything I have. Without Him, I'd have nothing. He is allowing me to keep 90% of all I have, and is only asking that I return 10% to Him. How can I begrudge him that much?

Kathryn

Melody said:

Tithing....interest subject. After much reading, I just don't believe it applies to New Testament teaching. It is part of the OT covenant law which does not apply to Christians.

I've had a number of different pastors tell me that if I want to give to the poor, send money to tsunami relief or any other charitable organization, this does not meet my tithe "obligation" because tithing means giving that 10% to the church. Bull.

The NT says nothing about tithing but a lot about the "grace of giving". It's not an obligation or a duty....but a generosity of the Spirit.

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Hi, Melody.

I disagree. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees "hypocrites." Why? Because they paid tithing but failed to comply with the more important commandments such as to be mericiful and faithful. He said, "...These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." So I believe both are important. Why do you believe the law of tithing no longer applies? There is certainly nothing in the New Testament that says it has been discontinued.

If you feel Spirit driven to support the church, then do so, but I am tired of people telling me that I am not a Christian because I do not feel the need. When I walk into a church with its obvious show of well-to-do pews, altar, architecture, etc....I don't feel the need to donate more to this materialistic display. I feel directed to support missionaries who are out in the field teaching people not only about God's Word but also how to become self-sufficient in this changing world. I feel directed to give my money to organizations who provide medical care to those less fortunate.

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Wow! It sounds like you've had some bad experiences with holier-than-thou Christians. It's a shame people have to be so darned judgmental.

If a church is teaching that tithing is biblically based...even though it's only found under OT law....then they'd better start living the rest of OT law.

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But obviously, there are many things taught in the Old Testament that still apply today. How have you come to decide which commandments we are still to obey today and which ones are no longer required of us?

Kathryn

hey guys

im 17, and im a student, working part time for £50 a week

i give £5 a week to my church - i set up a direct debit because i found i was conveniently forgetting my money some weeks - so no escaping it now :banghead3

i dont have the money to give to charity because i support myself for education in my family - saving for university

so i donate my time when i can - but there are som many people in my church if you dont rush to sign up for something you usually miss out

however i am going over to india to do charity work for about three weeks early next january - i dont think tithing should become a simple act of giving money, i believe that it should be that you are performing a completely selfless act, and by doing so - christian or not - your soul is better for it

does anyone else feel really good with themselves when they give their time to a charity project and you get to help people?

Bradley said:

I believe that finding the right church is important to feeling comfortable about giving away your hard earned money.

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I have no problem giving away my hard earned money....but not to a church.

bradley said:

You need a facility to go to worship ...and that takes money to support. You are supposed to give 10 percent.

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No, actually you don't. A private home or, in good weather, someone's yard will do just fine.

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Matthew 18:20

By whose authority are we *supposed* to give 10 percent?

Katzpur said:

Why do you believe the law of tithing no longer applies? There is certainly nothing in the New Testament that says it has been discontinued.

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The OT laws were the covenant between God and the Hebrews....not Christians. Christians are not bound by the OT laws because Christ was the fulfillment of the law.

Tithing is not a NT (and, therefore, a Christian) principle but giving is.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7

Katzpur said:

But obviously, there are many things taught in the Old Testament that still apply today. How have you come to decide which commandments we are still to obey today and which ones are no longer required of us?

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No...the OT does not apply to Christians. The NT does. I would ask the same question of you. If you feel you are to follow OT law, how are you picking and choosing which laws you are to obey....because Leviticus is full of them.

The Lord makes us a steward over His money..He says that when we dont pay our tithes we are robbing him. If He cant trust us with the little things He cant bless us with the bigger things. Jesus said, where your treasure is there your heart will be also. I find when I dont tithe, then my finances are in havoc. But, by trusting Him to take care of me He never lets me fall. A rich man will rarely make it to the kingdom of heaven, for they love money more than they love God. But you have to want to give the 10%, it does you no good to tithe if your heart isn' t in it. Ask God to give you the strength to ignore the enemy because he always tries to persuade us to go against the will of God.

Melody said:

The OT laws were the covenant between God and the Hebrews....not Christians. Christians are not bound by the OT laws because Christ was the fulfillment of the law.

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We're bound by the Ten Commandments, aren't we?

Tithing is not a NT (and, therefore, a Christian) principle but giving is.

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But, as I pointed out, Jesus said that we should continue to pay tithes, in addition to obeying the "more important" commandments. As a Christian, I don't feel that we can ignore this.

No...the OT does not apply to Christians. The NT does. I would ask the same question of you. If you feel you are to follow OT law, how are you picking and choosing which laws you are to obey....because Leviticus is full of them.

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I'm assuming that you are referring to the Mosaic Law. But the law of tithing is much older than that. As a Christian, I do not obey Jewish law, but since Jesus said we should continue to pay tithing, I obey. Please understand that I am not being critical of you, Melody. What you give or do not give is strictly between you and God.

Kathryn

Katzpur said:

We're bound by the Ten Commandments, aren't we?

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No, that is Mosaic Law. Christians are bound by the law of Christ who was the fulfillment of the law. However, that does not mean you can go out and commit adultery, etc. because there are admonitions against these in the NT.

Katzpure said:

But, as I pointed out, Jesus said that we should continue to pay tithes,

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I know of no verses where Jesus said we are to pay tithes and there is no record in the NT of Jesus or the apostles paying a tithe.

Katzpure said:

'm assuming that you are referring to the Mosaic Law. But the law of tithing is much older than that.

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Do you mean when Jacob told God he would give a tenth of what he had *if* God would keep him safe on his journey, clothed, fed, etc.?

Where else does it occur? Abraham never tithed unless my bible is missing a few pages and he, of all people, should have tithed if this was what God wanted.

If you look at the OT tithing, only Levite priests could collect tithes. I don't know about your pastor, but I'll make a wild guess that he's not a Levite. Even when the tithe was paid, it was paid in food from the land....not money. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that tithing in the church didn't happen until the reign of Charlemagne.

Did you know that not everybody was required to tithe? If a man only had only 9 cattle, he was not required to give up one of them.

Tithes were given to the temple. The temple was destroyed. Organized religion would have you believe they are the replacement "temple". Not true. We are God's temple.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
1 Corinthians 19

God does not need our money. He needs us to give of ourselves.

Again, if you want to give to your church to support it, then by all means give, but tithing is just not scriptural for Christians who follow the law of Christ.

Hi, Melody.

This is weird. I posted a reply to your post an hour or so ago and it's gone! I hate having to type in everything all over again, but I guess that's what I'm going to have to do.

Melody said:

No, that is Mosaic Law. Christians are bound by the law of Christ who was the fulfillment of the law. However, that does not mean you can go out and commit adultery, etc. because there are admonitions against these in the NT.

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TIthing was a law prior to the time of Moses. Therefore it is not part of the Mosaic Law.

of no verses where Jesus said we are to pay tithes and there is no record in the NT of Jesus or the apostles paying a tithe.

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But I already mentioned Matthew 23:23, in which Jesus called the Pharisees "heretics" because they only paid tithes and disregarded the more important aspects of the law. He then said that both were important.

Where else does it occur? Abraham never tithed unless my bible is missing a few pages and he, of all people, should have tithed if this was what God wanted.

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Actually, I suspect all of our Bibles are missing considerably more than just a few pages! I certainly don't think that everything Abraham, Moses, Noah or even Jesus did ended up being recorded and preserved to be in our Bibles today. I am actually convinced that Abraham, as a prophet of God, did obey all of God's commandments, including the law of tithing.

look at the OT tithing, only Levite priests could collect tithes. I don't know about your pastor, but I'll make a wild guess that he's not a Levite.

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That's right, because at that time, only members of the tribe of Levi could hold the Priesthood at all. But that, too, changed when Jesus established His Church. And since my Bishop holds exactly the same Priesthood authority as the Old Testament priests did, I guess that would put him in a position to be able to collect my tithing.

Even when the tithe was paid, it was paid in food from the land....not money.

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Of course it was. And tithing can still be paid "in kind." For most people nowadays, though, money is a more convenient means of exchange.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that tithing in the church didn't happen until the reign of Charlemagne.

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That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. As you may or may not know, I believe that the Church Jesus Christ established fell into apostasy during the first couple of centuries after His death. When this happened, many of the principles of the gospel were lost -- including tithing. At some point (you say at the time of Charlemagne) the Church attempted to reinstitute this law.

Did you know that not everybody was required to tithe? If a man only had only 9 cattle, he was not required to give up one of them.

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But I'll bet that if he was an obedient man, he would have given something of equivalent value.

Tithes were given to the temple. The temple was destroyed. Organized religion would have you believe they are the replacement "temple". Not true. We are God's temple.

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Tithes were given to the temple? I'm not sure what you mean by this. Yes, the temple was destroyed, but guess what? 120 new ones have since been rebuilt! Our bodies are the temples in which our spirits reside, but temples built to glorify God are still "the house of the Lord" as they were in ancient times.

God does not need our money. He needs us to give of ourselves.

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I believe His Church needs both, which is why I try to give both.

Again, if you want to give to your church to support it, then by all means give, but tithing is just not scriptural for Christians who follow the law of Christ.

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Sorry, but I disagree. I believe it is entirely scriptural. I kind of feel as if I've pushed one of your buttons. I didn't want to do that. This is probably an issue we're just never going to see eye to eye on. I'm willing to let it drop, though, since I don't see further dialogue on the subject as being particularly worthwhile.

God bless,
Kathryn

Katzpur said:

TIthing was a law prior to the time of Moses. Therefore it is not part of the Mosaic Law.

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Where in the Bible does it refer to tithing being a part of God's law...even before Moses.

katzpur said:

But I already mentioned Matthew 23:23, in which Jesus called the Pharisees "heretics" because they only paid tithes and disregarded the more important aspects of the law. He then said that both were important.

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For the *Jews*. Tithing was still required, but this passage was not about tithing anyway. It was about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. If you feel you are bound by the Jewish laws, then why do you not obey all of them? Why do you pick and choose?

katzpur said:

I am actually convinced that Abraham, as a prophet of God, did obey all of God's commandments, including the law of tithing.

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I, on the other hand, feel that if tithing was all that important to God, He would have mentioned it at least as many times as he mentioned loving one another.

katzpur said:

That's right, because at that time, only members of the tribe of Levi could hold the Priesthood at all. But that, too, changed when Jesus established His Church. And since my Bishop holds exactly the same Priesthood authority as the Old Testament priests did, I guess that would put him in a position to be able to collect my tithing.

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Really? Now see I read nothing in the NT that says God transferred authority from the Levites to anybody who wants to start up a religion and open a church.

Katzpur said:

Of course it was. And tithing can still be paid "in kind." For most people nowadays, though, money is a more convenient means of exchange.

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:biglaugh: I can just see the pastor's face when someone shows up with a cow, a bunch of chickens or a wagon of grain. Any bets on whether they'd accept the "tithe" or tell the person that only money is accepted?

katzpur said:

As you may or may not know, I believe that the Church Jesus Christ established fell into apostasy during the first couple of centuries after His death. When this happened, many of the principles of the gospel were lost -- including tithing. At some point (you say at the time of Charlemagne) the Church attempted to reinstitute this law.

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No doubt. They probably needed money for some grand plan to build churches all over and what better way to get it.

katzpure said:

Tithes were given to the temple? I'm not sure what you mean by this. Yes, the temple was destroyed, but guess what? 120 new ones have since been rebuilt! Our bodies are the temples in which our spirits reside, but temples built to glorify God are still "the house of the Lord" as they were in ancient times.

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We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't believe any building is the "house of the Lord" and I'd almost bet that Christ would rather we gave our money to those who are starving and who have no roof over their head, than to put one more expensive chandelier in a church, or one more gold leaf on a statue since this is the same man who kicked the money changers out of the temple.

katzpur said:

I kind of feel as if I've pushed one of your buttons. I didn't want to do that.

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Yes, I will admit that this is one of my buttons since too many pastors use this tithing as emotional blackmail when the foundation for tithing being scriptural is flimsy at best.

If you want to give to support your church, then by all means do....but to say it's a requirement of God? Uh uh.

Melody,

You have posed a number of questions here, and have made a few statements in which you have obviously challenged my beliefs. What I would like to know, is would you prefer that I respond to them, thereby continuing this dialogue, or simply drop the subject as I said I would in my last post? Please don't say it doesn't matter either way. I would really like to know what you would prefer since I have some pretty strong feelings on the subject, too, and don't want this disagreement to escalate into a nasty argument.

Katzpur said:

Melody,

You have posed a number of questions here, and have made a few statements in which you have obviously challenged my beliefs. What

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And your response is???

Oh...and I don't see why it would devolve into a nasty argument although at some point we'll have to agree to disagree. Who knows....we may already have reached that point.