Biblical tithing

[CS1]

There is a lot of false preaching out there about tithing. Folks feel guilted into giving money into what most often is NOT God's church but a congregation mislead by worldly people who don't understand spiritual things.

If the preacher is talking more about sowing seeds to get earthly rewards like good health or money, instead of how Jesus died and paid for it all...you might want to pray for him and read your bible more.

I don't want to spend too much time focusing on what's wrong with the world, but would rather talk about what God has taught me is right and true.

I would rather talk of light and hope God gives us, than what those in the shadows try and steal from us.

So Biblical tithing is about giving your wealth to God.

Wealth is not just money but how you spend your time also.

Do you have talents? find a way to do it that glorifies God.

How have you used the gifts God has given you?

When my kids were young, I didn't have money to give to the church. However I had time and love. So I volunteered to do various things and help as I could.

I just wanted to say tithing is not just about money or time.

Now my kids are older and I am working full time. I don't have time to lead women bible study, attend prayer meetings, watch kids, tutor at the local schools, etc.

So I have instead set up a direct payment to my local church for $23 each paycheck. Not because the pastor said I had to, but yo help support the church expenses (building cost, utilities, staff pay, missions.)

Our church is transparent in where all the money goes and there is a committee that decides the yearly budget.

We support missions here and overseas that are meaningful. Locally we are part of a network of church's that house homeless people once a week during the coldest parts of the winter.

So my question is

"Do you tithe to your local church and do you feel that your church is a good steward of your time and money?"

Also how does the church use the tithing to spread the Gospel that God loves them so much that He sent Jesus died for their sins?

my giving is a form of worship to God. God who is in control, of all, has given me 100% of what I have, make, and receive.

Giving is a great way to show those many blessings do not have me as they were given to me to get through me.

God loves a cheerful giver, there is a blessing in giving. Jesus said freely it has been given to you freely give.

BUT how much and to who is between me and God and the local fellowship I'm plugged into. All I can say Is a desire to do more and give more and I will.

 

[Absolutely]

My mother was a strict tither.
She was always in the red and we bailed her out a million times.

She was disabled,could not attend church and was a hermit in a distant town.



The church she tithed to and once attended NEVER ONCE checked on her in 3 years.

We FINALLY convinced her to stop.

I even asked them to check on her. They never did.

 

[Scribe]

I tithe. All my needs are always taken care of and unexpected income comes my way right when I need it. I do it to support my church believing that if each member does it it will work out. I don't get weird about it. I don't give thinking I am going to reap a harvest of finances.

 

[CS1]

I tithe. All my needs are always taken care of and unexpected income comes my way right when I need it. I do it to support my church believing that if each member does it it will work out. I don't get weird about it. I don't give thinking I am going to reap a harvest of finances.

if every believer just gave what they could many issues in the church and community would go away:

Homelessness
feeding the hungry
taking care of the widows
mentoring young men

 

[mustaphadrink]

Tithing Testimony

My Mother’s Testimony

When I started university, we decided to attend a Charismatic Church, where we were informed of the importance of tithing. My mother started tithing for many months. She also frequently watched Televangelist telling her to “sow a seed” and she gave to them money as well. I also “sowed seeds” and I tithed the pocket money that I got. We both started having doubts about tithing and decided that it was a money making scheme by Charismatic pastors and that they were the only ones profiting. And therefore my mother decided to stop tithing.

A few weeks later after making the decision of no longer tithing, she was chatting to someone about a non-religious subject and without a reason, then the person started talking about tithing and the importance of tithing. It happened again on two other separate occasions with two other people several weeks apart. She thought that the conversations were very odd because on all three occasions, the person would digress from the topic of discussion and all of sudden and start talking about tithing. Furthermore, during the many decades that she had been a Christian, no one had spoken to her about tithing before she started tithing and no one spoke to her about tithing while she was tithing. Now people are speaking to her about tithing when she had stopped, which was strange.

After a few months, all our appliances started to make strange noises. The kettle first broke, then the microwave, and other appliances started breaking one after the other and she had to purchase new appliances within at least 1 month apart and got others repaired. Then afterwards she would almost get into car accidents and cars seem to be attracted to her car and wanted to bash into her. She was convicted that these things were happening because she had stopped tithing and she asked God for forgiveness and started tithing again. Everything came back to normal and the appliances stopped making strange noises and stopped and no one was trying to bump into her car.

My Testimony

When I finished university, I naturally started tithing because of my mother’s experience. I faithfully tithed my monthly salary. In the first company that I started to work for, we would occasionally receive a travel allowance for going to a client depending on far the client was from the office. My mother told me that I should also tithe the travel allowance. I refused and stated that my salary is what I got every single month. The travel allowance is what I occasionally got and it was not a lot of money and would not be a big deal especially since I was tithing my gross salary and not my net salary. I worked for three years in this company and stubbornly refused to tithe the travel allowance, although I would sometimes have a nagging thought that I should.

I started working for another company and when I returned home one day, my mother told me that she had listened to a sermon about tithing and the pastor said that God expects us to tithe all that we get and that our debt is not cancelled of our unpaid tithe. To avoid unnecessary arguments, I decided to return the tithe of the travel allowance for over the three years and fortunately it was not a lot.

I had my resume on a career website and shortly after tithing the travel allowance, I received a phone call from a recruitment agent who said that they saw my resume on the career site. I told the agent that I was interested in looking for another company to work for. I was hired in this third company and the salary that they give me was almost twice the amount that the second company gave me for the same position and responsibilities. I did not negotiate to get a higher salary. The hiring manager just said that based on my experience, they believed that I deserved a lot more than the second company was paying me. I believe that this favor and blessing is because I had tithed my travel allowance. I was completely shocked when they gave me the offer and it helped me to pay off a loan I had in a shorter time than expected. Since this personal experience I tithe everything that I get.

it is unwise to base your understanding of scripture on your own personal experience unless it supports what the scripture teaches.

 

[CS1]

it is unwise to base your understanding of scripture on your own personal experience unless it supports what the scripture teaches.

that was funny coming from you.

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

I'm not a farmer, and don't grow crops, nor do I have flocks, or herds. I am a bond servant, given wages for my labour. I have nothing to tithe.
I have however obtained some land and plan to grow some vegetables and some herbs, to which I will give to the those who have need, but there is no temple so I can't take it there for sacrifices nor to eat it before the Lord, however I will eat before the Lord in my home. Which I don't think qualifies as a tithe but it will have to suffice.

 

[CS1]

I'm not a farmer, and don't grow crops, nor do I have flocks, or herds. I am a bond servant, given wages for my labour. I have nothing to tithe.
I have however obtained some land and plan to grow some vegetables and some herbs, to which I will give to the those who have need, but there is no temple so I can't take it there for sacrifices nor to eat it before the Lord, however I will eat before the Lord in my home. Which I don't think qualifies as a tithe but it will have to suffice.

are you saying that when Jesus sat at the offering plate and the old woman who gave all she had as Jesus said worked the land and sold the crops to put in the plate? Are you saying your local fellowship if you attend church I am going to guess maybe not, doesn't need money?

Can you explain why then the book of Acts says chapter 4: 32-35:

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

are you saying that when Jesus sat at the offering plate and the old woman who gave all she had as Jesus said worked the land and sold the crops to put in the plate? Are you saying your local fellowship if you attend church I am going to guess maybe not, doesn't need money?

Can you explain why then the book of Acts says chapter 4: 32-35:

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

Yes, she the generous widow gave into the offering box all that she had. Into the offering box that is to feed the widows and orphans, not equal to a tithe, what she did was far greater, and you insult her sacrifice, by calling it a tenth of her prosperity.

As for the fellows in acts

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Acts 4.
They were living as a community together, and all were contributing and it was distributed to those who had needs.
Still not the tithe or a tithe of any sort.
It was contributions to the well being of all. Not even close to the same thing.

 

[CS1]

Yes, she the generous widow gave into the offering box all that she had. Into the offering box that is to feed the widows and orphans, not equal to a tithe, what she did was far greater, and you insult her sacrifice, by calling it a tenth of her prosperity.

As for the fellows in acts

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Acts 4.
They were living as a community together, and all were contributing and it was distributed to those who had needs.
Still not the tithe or a tithe of any sort.
It was contributions to the well being of all. Not even close to the same thing.

I disagree, the application is very much relevant and more than close.

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

I disagree, the application is very much relevant and more than close.

Have ya ever bothered to read the law concerning the tithe. Your comparing apples to seagulls.

 

[CS1]

Have ya ever bothered to read the law concerning the tithe. Your comparing apples to seagulls.

have you ever read what Jesus said about giving?

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

have you ever read what Jesus said about giving?

Yep, I also read what he said about tithe. When he spoke to the pharasees he spoke of them tithing of their herbs, from their herb garden, not money. When he spoke of giving he was talking about to the poor.

 

[CS1]

Yep, I also read what he said about tithe. When he spoke to the pharasees he spoke of them tithing of their herbs, from their herb garden, not money. When he spoke of giving he was talking about to the poor.

Please show me where Jesus spoke on it?

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

Please show me where Jesus spoke on it?

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Matthew 6:3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.6.3.ESV
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.6.38.ESV
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.10.42.ESV
And of coarse you know of the widow and her gift.

Jesus on tithing,

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Luke 11:42 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.11.42.ESv

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Matthew 23:23 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.23.23.ESV

 

[CS1]

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Matthew 6:3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.6.3.ESV
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.6.38.ESV
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.10.42.ESV
And of coarse you know of the widow and her gift.

Jesus on tithing,

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Luke 11:42 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.11.42.ESv

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Matthew 23:23 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.23.23.ESV

none of the scriptures that you have provided say "do not tithe". Tithe is a form of giving as is offerings and many other things.

 

[Dino246]

none of the scriptures that you have provided say "do not tithe". Tithe is a form of giving as is offerings and many other things.

Tithing is an Old Covenant LAW designed to support the Levitical priesthood. Given that Christians are NOT under the Old Covenant Law, we are not required to surrender our tithes. It really is that simple.

Further, as others have noted, tithes were not payable in money. If someone wanted to give money instead of agricultural products, they had to add one-fifth of the value, making it twelve percent, which is not a tithe.

There is no biblically sound way to make tithing a requirement or even a practice among Christians. At best you can point to the OT tithe and say, "They were required to surrender a tenth; I will give a tenth." Even then, you can't make it incumbent upon other Christians and have it biblically defensible on any grounds.

There is plenty of instruction in the New Testament regarding giving. If Christians would follow the guidance found there, they would do right in God's sight.

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

none of the scriptures that you have provided say "do not tithe". Tithe is a form of giving as is offerings and many other things.

There is no way you are that thick. You have to be being obtuse.
You claim to have read the law, and you have read what Jesus has said about giving and the tithe, yet you can't see the differences. No you're bring an antagonist, quarrelsome, and divisive. You can join the ranks of those who I don't interact with.

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

I don't mean block either, I mean scroll on by

 

[CS1]

Tithing is an Old Covenant LAW designed to support the Levitical priesthood. Given that Christians are NOT under the Old Covenant Law, we are not required to surrender our tithes. It really is that simple.

Further, as others have noted, tithes were not payable in money. If someone wanted to give money instead of agricultural products, they had to add one-fifth of the value, making it twelve percent, which is not a tithe.

There is no biblically sound way to make tithing a requirement or even a practice among Christians. At best you can point to the OT tithe and say, "They were required to surrender a tenth; I will give a tenth." Even then, you can't make it incumbent upon other Christians and have it biblically defensible on any grounds.

There is plenty of instruction in the New Testament regarding giving. If Christians would follow the guidance found there, they would do right in God's sight.

What I find interesting is Giving has not gone away. Why do those attack it?

Giving has been a way of worship and clearly seen in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.
The Bible doesn't say "not to give" but gives instruction on how to give:

1. WE SHOULD GIVE CHEERFULLY.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2. WE SHOULD GIVE FROM A SPIRIT OF LOVE.
1 Corinthians 13:3
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

3. WE SHOULD GIVE FROM THE TOP, NOT FROM OUR LEFTOVERS.
Proverbs 3:9
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.

4. WE SHOULD GIVE WITHOUT EXPECTING CREDIT
Matthew 6:2
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

Jesus said to give,

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Giving should be as natural as breathing. To say there is no sound way to make giving(tithing) a requirement or even a practice among Christians is very interesting because it was the normal practice of all the Patriarchs and early church.

Cain & Able
Noah
Abraham
Issac
Jacob
Moses
Joshua
the Kings gave, priest, rulers, and prophets
even ungodly kings gave:

Nebuchadnezzar
pharaoh


In the New Testament Acts chapter four 32-35

To think that some say well I will grow crops and give to God my tenth is a mockery and scoffing. Remember even if you think the tithe is not required today God still judges those who gave the sick the lame and blind to HIM. and HE said I will rub your face in what is known as the AWFUL and dung. The tithe was serious to God back then So just maybe you might want to some of you be careful how you scoff at what God said to HIS Priest which you are supposed to be now of your homes that offend HIM.