Tithing. What are Christians suppose to do?

[FlyingDove]

Tithing GO's back before the JEWs to Abraham Out OF Haran some where around Babylon , And HE was a gentile . & he paid tithe . If we love the sinners , I think we Should tithe . The tithe is to get the gospel out to the LOST & to HIS people , Malachi 3:8 - 12 Will a man rob GOD ? yet ye have robbed ME .But ye say , Wherein have we robed THEE ? In tithes & offerings . ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robed ME . even this whole nation . Look at how much that HE paid for US. GOD BLESS.

Facts on Abraham tithing in Hebrews:

Genesis 14: Abram gives 10% (verse 20) of the best of the war spoils he'd taken. To the Priest & King of Salem, Melchizedek.

Abram gives the best 10% of the war spoils to Melchizedek. And the remaining 90% to Sodom & Gomorrah (verse 24). Abram kept NOTHING for himself!

Abram NEVER PAID 10% on his personal items (EVER!): No cattle, no oil or wine, no corn or wheat & NO MONEY! Only on the booty/spoils from the Kings he conquered while retrieving his kidnapped nephew Lot.

 

[breno785au]

The average Pastor in America is not paid enough to support his/her family. They work outside of the Church to do so.

Good, so they should.
What does a Pastor do 38 hours a week if they don't work a normal job?

 

[3angelsmsg]

I don't understand, it seems nobody is saying anything good about the precepts of God. It feels as though the 10 commandments are not appreciated. If it were not for the moral law and laws of the land. This world would be non-existant by now.

What would our world look like if there wasn't any laws to govern the poeple. Won't there be chaos all around.

God's government is also build on eternal precepts. Do you think God will trust saints who are being lawless on earth. Heaven will be breeding place for rebel again.

Law brokers will be sentenced for treason.

 

[Aerials1978]

To be clear, I don't limit my tithe to 10%

What ever your souls says you need to do, do it joyfully. From your words I’m sure you do.

 

[Aerials1978]

I don't understand, it seems nobody is saying anything good about the precepts of God. It feels as though the 10 commandments are not appreciated. If it were not for the moral law and laws of the land. This world would be non-existant by now.

What would our world look like if there wasn't any laws to govern the poeple. Won't there be chaos all around.

God's government is also build on eternal precepts. Do you think God will trust saints who are being lawless on earth. Heaven will be breeding place for rebel again.

Law brokers will be sentenced for treason.

This is why I enjoy these type of conversations. I know there are people whom will only what to argue from a legalistic or ecclesiastical position, but I can also maybe considering something I haven’t. That doesn’t mean I will take it as fact. I knew this would be controversial when I started the discussion.

 

[dodgingstones]

Good, so they should.
What does a Pastor do 38 hours a week if they don't work a normal job?

They minister to their congregation. Visit the elderly, sick and needy. Work within the community to bring in more people to Christ. There us more than one Service a week to prepare for. Foolish people do not understand how many hours of prayer and study it takes to prepare three Sermons a week. They work within the Church and/or with Outreach Ministries their Congregation may host.

They work with other Pastors from other churches and Denominations to advance God's Word in their city.

 

[dodgingstones]

Consencrated...... look it up.

Are YOU consecrated to God? How then does one not tithe?

 

[3angelsmsg]

This is why I enjoy these type of conversations. I know there are people whom will only what to argue from a legalistic or ecclesiastical position, but I can also maybe considering something I haven’t. That doesn’t mean I will take it as fact. I knew this would be controversial when I started the discussion.

Wonderful, one should be open minded aswell. And I am trying that it may not sound as if it is from legalistic point of view. I just emphasizing that if the principles of the spirit behind the law be applied it is beneficial for life. Like for instance their are health laws to protect our body and prolong our lives.

 

[dodgingstones]

Foolish people think tithes only go to the Pastor. Far from truth.

There are numerous expenses to be paid....

Loan payment on building if applicable. Insurance payment. Maintenance and upkeep. Custodial work and supplies. Electricity, water, gas bills. General supplies for bathrooms, light bulbs and such. Office supplies to produce print materials. Special funds for flowers/cards for the sick or those passed away. Copyrite payments for music materials. Groundskeeping expenses. Special event expenses such as Vacation Bible School.

And this list is not ALL.... just an idea to show the importance of tithing.

Some can be offset if members are willing to do the work for free, but most members work 40 or more hours a week, and some are elderly and not physically able.

What compensation the Pastor receives in most churches is never all or even the lions share of tithes received.

Why do people expect God to give to them if they won't give to Him?

 

[Aerials1978]

Wonderful, one should be open minded aswell. And I am trying that it may not sound as if it is from legalistic point of view. I just emphasizing that if the principles of the spirit behind the law be applied it is beneficial for life. Like for instance their are health laws to protect our body and prolong our lives.

In a culture such as mine, there seems to be a real lack of reverence. This can include family, marriage, fellowship, interactions with those whom we do not know, work, etc. It’s should be no surprise the lack of reverence is also among the things of God. Christians can also fall into this mindset. We must examine ourselves to ensure we are living in the Spirit.

 

[breno785au]

Foolish people think tithes only go to the Pastor. Far from truth.

There are numerous expenses to be paid....

Loan payment on building if applicable. Insurance payment. Maintenance and upkeep. Custodial work and supplies. Electricity, water, gas bills. General supplies for bathrooms, light bulbs and such. Office supplies to produce print materials. Special funds for flowers/cards for the sick or those passed away. Copyrite payments for music materials. Groundskeeping expenses. Special event expenses such as Vacation Bible School.

And this list is not ALL.... just an idea to show the importance of tithing.

Some can be offset if members are willing to do the work for free, but most members work 40 or more hours a week, and some are elderly and not physically able.

What compensation the Pastor receives in most churches is never all or even the lions share of tithes received.

Why do people expect God to give to them if they won't give to Him?

So basically people pay for the upkeep of the traditional model of church rather than for distribution for the needs of the saints?

I say what 'church' has become, people for the church rather than church for the people should not be so.

 

[3angelsmsg]

So basically people pay for the upkeep of the traditional model of church rather than for distribution for the needs of the saints?

I say what 'church' has become, people for the church rather than church for the people should not be so.

The tithe is holy and it belongs to God. The tithe has a purpose to fullfill.

But nothing stops you from helping someone in need. Even after returning your tithe.

And everything belongs to God. We are but stewards of God's possession. The principle behind returning the tithe is for us to forget about self. And learn to give. The blessings lays in sharing with others. The problem doesn't lay with the actions of the pastor. It has to do with a trust issue. Whom do you trust God or mammon?

 

[breno785au]

The tithe is holy and it belongs to God. The tithe has a purpose to fullfill.

But nothing stops you from helping someone in need. Even after returning your tithe.

And everything belongs to God. We are but stewards of God's possession. The principle behind returning the tithe is for us to forget about self. And learn to give. The blessings lays in sharing with others. The problem doesn't lay with the actions of the pastor. It has to do with a trust issue. Whom do you trust God or mammon?

My problem is not with giving, I love to give. But I no longer mindlessly throw away my money either.
I understand there are expenses needed to run a congregation, fair enough, that cannot be avoided. But time and time again, when I see money being spent on needless fluff, on going programs just to keep up with whatever else other congregations are doing and then continually see people in need not receiving an ounce of help from the institution they call their church home - you will not get a cent from me. I prefer to focus my giving personally with people who have genuine needs.

 

[Dino246]

Your error is trying to define tithing under the Law. Christ fulfilled the Law. Tithing under Grace us not based on the Law, but on Grace.

Tithing today is an act of love, not an act of obedience. People stand around, arms wide open, praying... gimme, gimme, gimme God... but they never bother to give to Him. It that proof of their love for Him?

Not every person who promotes tithing is a greedy creep... that's a sorry broad brush condemnation of millions of people you have never met, and it is not Christian IMO

Tithing is a complete non-issue in the new covenant. It is not discussed as even a suggestion, let alone a requirement.

 

[Dino246]

I don't understand, it seems nobody is saying anything good about the precepts of God. It feels as though the 10 commandments are not appreciated. If it were not for the moral law and laws of the land. This world would be non-existant by now.

What would our world look like if there wasn't any laws to govern the poeple. Won't there be chaos all around.

God's government is also build on eternal precepts. Do you think God will trust saints who are being lawless on earth. Heaven will be breeding place for rebel again.

Law brokers will be sentenced for treason.

Tithing is an old covenant requirement, not a new covenant requirement. It has nothing to do with the 10 commandments at all, nor about "chaos", nor about "eternal precepts".

Treason is the crime of betrayal of trust and has nothing to do with tithing; law breakers (not "brokers") are not charged for crimes that they did not commit. "Not tithing" is merely recognizing that we as Christians are not under the Law as given to Moses.

 

[Dino246]

Foolish people think tithes only go to the Pastor. Far from truth.

There are numerous expenses to be paid....

Loan payment on building if applicable. Insurance payment. Maintenance and upkeep. Custodial work and supplies. Electricity, water, gas bills. General supplies for bathrooms, light bulbs and such. Office supplies to produce print materials. Special funds for flowers/cards for the sick or those passed away. Copyrite payments for music materials. Groundskeeping expenses. Special event expenses such as Vacation Bible School.

And this list is not ALL.... just an idea to show the importance of tithing.

Some can be offset if members are willing to do the work for free, but most members work 40 or more hours a week, and some are elderly and not physically able.

What compensation the Pastor receives in most churches is never all or even the lions share of tithes received.

Why do people expect God to give to them if they won't give to Him?

Church expenses and staff salaries are paid for by offerings, not tithes. Under the Law, monetary income was not tithed!

You seem to hold to a very common error: that tithing is the same thing as giving. Check your Bible on that one; tithing under the Law was never voluntary, but giving was, as it was in the early Church.

 

[Dino246]

The tithe is holy and it belongs to God. The tithe has a purpose to fullfill.

Under the Mosaic Law, yes. We Christians are NOT under the Mosaic Law.

And everything belongs to God. We are but stewards of God's possession. The principle behind returning the tithe is for us to forget about self. And learn to give. The blessings lays in sharing with others. The problem doesn't lay with the actions of the pastor. It has to do with a trust issue. Whom do you trust God or mammon?

The purpose of tithing under the old covenant was to provide food for the Levites and priests, who did not grow crops or raise animals of their own. It's not about forgetting about self at all; that would be "giving".

Further, you are attributing all kinds of bad attitudes to those who disagree with you. Those who don't believe that Christians are required to "tithe" do not have issues with trusting God, nor do they trust in mammon. Rather, we understand what Scripture actually teaches and how to distinguish old covenant Law from new covenant practice.

 

[oldethennew]

let's not 'nit-pick' here:
tithes and offerings go into the same envelope/bucket!!!
take your pick...

 

[Dino246]

Consencrated...... look it up.

Are YOU consecrated to God? How then does one not tithe?

Consecrated: washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

How then does one rely on obedience to the Law of Moses to be acceptable to God?

 

[3angelsmsg]

Under the Mosaic Law, yes. We Christians are NOT under the Mosaic Law.


The purpose of tithing under the old covenant was to provide food for the Levites and priests, who did not grow crops or raise animals of their own. It's not about forgetting about self at all; that would be "giving".

Further, you are attributing all kinds of bad attitudes to those who disagree with you. Those who don't believe that Christians are required to "tithe" do not have issues with trusting God, nor do they trust in mammon. Rather, we understand what Scripture actually teaches and how to distinguish old covenant Law from new covenant practice.

You are looking at from the words as it is written. I am applying the spirit behind the purpose of tithing and to be honest it go way deeper than giving money or possessions which ever way you prefer. I am looking it from a wholelistic approach.

We all know in those days, they didn't work with monetary notes and coins. The worshippers brought of their crops and etc.

What was purpose of worshippers bring their tithe or first fruits to the storehouse?