There is no New Testament command to pay tithes

Dunno about that particular case. My general observation is that churches that do tithing are well of financially and have good margins. But here's another angle of the thing: If you do tithing as a kind of demand or must or under some kind of threat, then it might work counter effective. See it primarily as a practical solution and a fair way of putting things together. There are too many churches where some people give far above 10% monthly and others far less than so. It's a way of balancing things also. It's actually a minimum of what could be expected. And if the minimum works well, how much more the maximum?

I would like to see all false teaching brought to a sudden and abrupt halt.

Seeking to obey the law, whether it be Jews or Gentiles, it had the same damning effect upon both.

People do it all the time. I hear stories of extraordinary giving from members of the church. People give money, give homes, give cars, give properties.

Y'all are cheap and greedy!!! Just kidding.

I agree that preaching the tithe from the law and telling people they are robbing from God or going to be cursed is not what Paul or anyone taught the New Testament believers.

However I do see a principle in the scriptures quoted " 2Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, "

When each member of the local church understands that God will meet needs in the church, (whether it is local needs or needs in another groups of Christians down the road somewhere,) through each member of the church, they will realize that a sudden unexpected "prosperity" came to them so that they will give a portion of it to the needs and as each member does this the collection will meet those needs. This portion should be according to their faith and with a cheerful heart.

I see in this scripture a guiding principle of a portion each week by each individual as God has prospered him. There is no reason to think that it should be only a once a year special offering for poor saints in Jerusalem. Why limit it to that? It is an example that is given that can be used to draw a conclusion that:
1) It is not relative to the wealth of the giver (every one of you)
2) the first day of the week (a routine, a habit, a consistent method)
3) As God hath prospered him, (it is through the daily transactions of or lives that income will be earned each week that maybe we did not even expect and we should think "I know why that came to me, so that I can give a portion to the church) and if everyone else is aware of this and bringing a portion as God has prospered them, then the needs of the church will be met.

If one decides to give 10% of all income that comes their way in a week, because they think it is a good method of being consistent in given a portion as God has prospered them, and they are not using the OT law to make that decision but simply thinking that it will work if all members followed that example then they should not be criticized for doing it. They are giving according to what they believe to be a biblical principle using 1 Cor 16 as their guide.

There is a way to follow these principles from scripture that is of faith and not of the law. Each must give according as to how they have determined in their heart.

What I do not agree with is any form or philosophy that results in the member of a local church not giving, or tossing an occasional few dollars in out of guilt, while spending hundreds of dollars a month on coffee, fast food, and so many other things that do nothing for them but make them fat. Some would say that salvation is not based on your giving and I agree but I propose that those who are having the mind of Christ are going to feel much better about giving some of that fast food budget to help meet the needs of their local church that they claim is so important to them.

I am not going to teach it as a law. I am not going to try and make someone feel like they are sinning if they don't give 10%. People should not give with that kind of legalistic pressure. They should give in faith. It is theirs to do with as they wish. They can give it or not give it and still be saved. Their own heart of love and interest in the things of God and meeting needs will cause them to give to meet those needs.

That being said, I believe MOST Christians involved in a local church should have given a portion from their stimulus checks to their local church. I think 10% of income is a good guide for making financial budgets. It also helps the church plan theirs. It is probably 10% to 20% of a congregation that are consistent in giving a 10% offering. Imagine the stress relieve of a church if everyone in the congregation gave 10%?

These esoterical ideas about giving what and when you feel moved upon by the Spirit to give and having no plan and no consistent amount or percentage results in a few dollars in the plate and a once or twice a year $20. So since most people don't give much without a plan, 10% would work for the church if everyone did it. They would be able to give to support poor saints in Jerusalem as well as meet their own local needs.

What is your belief about giving to support the church?
Check your financial records from the past year. That's your philosophy on giving.
Did you spend more on McDonalds and Starbucks than you gave to support the church and Gospel preaching? That is where your heart is at. Wake up. The Bridegroom cometh!

Physical circumcision was pre- law too.

Malachi 3:8 - “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. The whole nation of Israel. Malachi is written to Israel under the old covenant.

That same Pastor I mentioned in post #20 legalistically uses the 10% tithe to brow-beat people in that church with guilt. He even handed out pledge cards for people to fill out so they can pledge to give extra money on a monthly basis over a three year period above and beyond the 10% tithe directly to the "moving forward" project to build a new mega church. More than a few people have left that church because all that Pastor mainly talked about is money (primarily the 10% tithe) and building that new mega church.

During one sermon he even mentioned that a member of that church came into his office one day somewhat irate and said that he is leaving that church because he is tired of hearing about money all the time and needs to find a church where he can go deeper in the Word. The Pastor mentioned that the word "deeper" is a code word for "I'm not tithing 10%." The Pastor went on to say that he checked the records and sure enough that member of the church was not giving 10% and some months gave nothing at all and then acted like good riddance to him!

I believe that we should give money to our church and whatever amount of money that we wish to give is between us and God, but we should not turn giving into a 'legalistic prescription.'

Organization, financial management and budgeting is not unspiritual. We usually consider it part of being a mature responsible adult.

If your church suggests that each person bring a tithe of their income each week in order to support the church's mission to evangelize the community then it is a sign of an organized, effective plan to accomplish the task.

Give whatever / whenever is a bit chaotic and usually results in "I'll give later" syndrome.

When someone is committed to their local fellowship as their family that they do everything with they will see their 10% regular contribution as the same kind of communal contribution as they read about in the book of Acts. Each bringing something on a consistent basis instead of a chaotic unpredictable fashion that can't be used to budget anything on.

Lots of opinions and philosophies on this topic but when it comes down to making real life and ministry work and planning budgets a plan is necessary and 10% is a great plan. Why not just get behind the pastor's vision and together as a local church evangelize the community by funding it with 10% of each member? A 10% plan is better than no plan.

The 10% contribution from each member to support the work of the ministry of the local church to evangelize the world is a plan that is not going away. It is here to stay. In considering the theology of this plan don't you think that the love principle of joining with your brothers and sisters in a local fellowship to contribute to that plan to fund the work of the ministry and to make that local fellowship your core family and to work together to reach your community is much more important to God than whether the 10% is mentioned in the New Testament as the amount to give? Who CARES!!!! Just cooperate with your local family to get the job done!!!

If you are neglecting your involvement with the local church because they teach tithing is a good principle to follow to meet the budget of the church and you think it is not spelled out exactly like that in the New Testament you are committing a much more grievous error by neglecting the assembling of yourself with the body of Christ and violating the law of love by doing so. You might be guilty of straining a gnat and swallowing a camel.

Malachi was talking about the law of the tithe. You're more than welcome to take your grain and livestock to the temple if you can find it. While you're at it, you're supposed to present yourself 3 times a year at the temple. Have fun with that, Law keeper.

I addressed this "bastardized version of the law" in my initial post here.

However, this does nothing to negate THE FACT that Jesus currently receives tithes:

"And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." (Heb. 7:8)

Who is Jesus receiving tithes from if not from Christians?

How is he receiving tithes from Christians if they're not paying them?

Tax avoidance is robbery and is a criminal offence in most countries.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

what about the pastors that yuck around in private jets?

Runningman corruption doesn't exist in your eyes? you have very innocent eyes bless you for that - because if you are wrong then corruption has infiltrated many of the preachers of God - your eternal soul is on the line here - the enemy has passed over all the wealthy pastors, sure he has.... good luck buddy

It's like the people I've witnessed to who couldn't find it in themselves to be believers in Christ singularly because they pulled verses like the one you just quoted, removed from all context, and attempted to test it and got nothing in return.

Material wealth and spiritual wealth are two vastly different things: store up for yourself treasures in heaven where moth and rust don't destroy. Your treasure is where your heart is.

If you know of command to tithe in the new testament please share it. So far I've seen nothing that indicates any level of law keeping or owing money to anyone outside of my purposes and cheer.