Does the Bible teach that Christians are required to tithe to the Church?

Godward.Org ^ | Brian Knowles

[xzins]

Ping

I found this an interesting take on the question. Normally, I hear it argued from the standpoint of "Christian liberty."

This man takes it from the standpoint of Levitical privilege only. I'd never heard that.

Also, I've always thought that the tithe "could" be given if one desired but that it wasn't required. I also viewed it as a 10th of "net" rather than of "gross."

[Jerry_M]

Everything that I own really belongs to God, I am just the steward of His possessions. I have never gone wrong by investing both the tithe plus additional offerings in support of the work of His church.

He has never told me to give less, but always leads me to give more.

[computerjunkie]

"If it is a commandment, we must then consider to whom it is directed, and under which circumstances it is to be appropriately applied. The fact that a commandment is included in Scripture does not necessarily prove that all Christians, throughout all time, are bound to keep it in all circumstances."

I have a "small" problem with this! So, which of the Ten Commandments are we not "bound" to keep...and in what circumstances are we not "bound" to keep them?

We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are commanded to love each other as God has loved us. Is the author of this article saying I can just pick and choose which of these to keep based on my circumstances at the time?

I have really never considered tithing to be a requirement, although I do tithe because I love the Lord and I believe all that I have is His; I am merely a steward of that which He has given me.

I view the tithe as a 10th of the gross.

[Jerry_M]

BTW, I believe that King Jesus is ruling now, and that the people of God are the people of God, and have always been the people of God. (The writer of this piece is looking for a dispensational "out".)

Additionally, xzins, your "gross" vs. "net" argument smacks of legalism. You either give from a grateful heart, being led by the Spirit of God to invest in the work of God, or you make up lots of little rules concerning what niggardly portion God is to receive. You can't have it both ways.

[Ex-Wretch]

It is all God's. He has only asked for 10%. Check your heart if you are not being a little like Ananias and Sapphira on this matter. God loves a cheerful giver :)

The IRS uses your gross as a basis. How much more the God that gave you the health and ability to work in the first place? :)

"Offerings" are over and above the tithe. You can never out-give the Lord :)

Bottom line. God doesn't need your money. But, he wants us to rend our hearts. If your heart is right with God, this is just one more of His commands that you will be obedient to observe :)

[xzins]

CJ, you're right that we're not to pick and choose which commandments we keep. The new testament makes is very clear that the commandment we're to keep is "to love God with out whole heart, soul, mind, and strength." If we do that then all else will fall into place. It is truly as the Apostle Paul says, "we are dead to the law."

Jerry's point that God gives us everything we have is also true. And that we are to joyously give of that abundance is a well-established New Testament principle.

I, then, being free, am free to give any percentage I wish...or to not even give based on percentages. There is no "LAW" that requires me to do 1%, 7.5%, 10%, or 59.3%.

So, it isn't a matter of quibbling over "net" and "gross" in terms of MY GIVING. I interpreted it that way in terms of the OLD TESTAMENT. The OT rule was to give 10% of the "increase." If it takes me 5 seeds of corn to get 100 seeds of corn, then the increase is 95 seeds of corn. (You hold back the 5 for next year's planting.)

That's how I've always viewed the OT. Since I don't apply a legal "10th" as a requirement for Christians, then the issue of "net" versus "gross" is simply not an issue.

[xzins]

See #7

[Ex-Wretch]

Trust and Obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesussssss .... than to trust and obeyyyyy :)

[nobdysfool]

We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are commanded to love each other as God has loved us. Is the author of this article saying I can just pick and choose which of these to keep based on my circumstances at the time?

Didn't Jesus sum up the Commandments in those two statements? Actually the second one is to Love your neighbor as yourself.

Gentiles are not bound to keep the Talmudic Law, it was never given to them. But, there are certain principles and promises set forth that apply both within and without the Law. The law of sowing and reaping, for one. Several have said that they consider all that they have to be God's,and they are just the stewards of it. That is a correct statement, for "The Earth is the Lord's, and fullness thereof." If we are good stewards of God's property, He will increase it. Jesus said "Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall MEN give into your bosom." Now, the question is, do we truly believe what Jesus said? It is God who gives the increase, but he does so through men. The Word says "the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." He ain't talking about spiritual wealth, for a sinner has none. So, is it wrong to honor God with a portion of your substance, which He enabled you to have? And if you do, is it wrong to believe that He will honor that, and bless you back?

I don't believe that we can "command" a tithe, but it is clear to me that God will honor those who do. I don't know about you, but being honored by God is something I enjoy, not because I deserve it, but because it is better to honor God than to hoard that which is really not mine anyway. I have found that the more generous I am, the more generous God is to me. That's not selfishness, and it's not "giving to get", it's simple cause and effect. "The Lord loveth a cheeful giver".

[Joshua]

"I have a "small" problem with this! So, which of the Ten Commandments are we not "bound" to keep...and in what circumstances are we not "bound" to keep them? "

I think you may have missed his point on this. There are 613 commandments,not 10.

Some were directed only to the Jews. Honoring the Sabbath (Saturday) comes to mind as one we don't honor as Christians along with the tithe and many others.

[computerjunkie]

#10, #11: I had the sneaking hunch when I pointed out just those few sentences, I probably missed the overall point! But somehow those sentences just jumped out at me!

I do know that today, we are under grace, not law. But I also believe the "laws" or "commandments" God gave in the OT are very much morally relevant today.

I have this goofy little habit of typing out particular Bible verses that have special meaning for me any given day. I tape them to my bathroom mirror. One that I have taped there right now is Luke 12:48. "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

I know from personal experience, I absolutely CANNOT outgive the Lord! What a blessing it is to return to Him that which He has entrusted to me!

[xzins]

We do agree on two things, at least: (1)That's a great hymn, and (2) The message is true.

[BibChr]

You have read this, right?

The Science of Bible Reading

Dan

[xzins]

Dan, yes (respectfully) but it's been a couple months. Didn't I post it for you?

Apply it here....if that's your point.

Also, if it mentions tithing, then I didn't remember that.

[Joshua]

"I know from personal experience, I absolutely CANNOT outgive the Lord! What a blessing it is to return to Him that which He has entrusted to me! "

I totally agree.

Giving to the poor, funding organizations that distribute bibles around the world are excellent ways to give to the Lord what is rightfully his. Giving of your time is also a good way.

Giving to a church who's Pastor drives a Lexus, travels around the world,(all in the name Christ's work of course) is not being a good steward of what is entrusted to you. I've heard too many who give to these churches use the excuse that they are doing what God has commanded with a pure heart so God will deal with it. This is foolishness.

Our job is to expand the Kingdom with anything we have at our disposal, money or time. We are not to blindly give the money that God has put in our trust to fund charlatans who see religion as a lucrative career.

[Ex-Wretch]

#16 ... Amen, and ... Bravo!

[computerjunkie]

Excellent post!

[BibChr]

Also, if it mentions tithing, then I didn't remember that.

{ forehead slap }

Go to link, search "tith," and Bob's your uncle.

Dan
< G >

[RnMomof7]

BTW, I believe that King Jesus is ruling now, and that the people of God are the people of God, and have always been the people of God. (The writer of this piece is looking for a dispensational "out".) Additionally, xzins, your "gross" vs. "net" argument smacks of legalism. You either give from a grateful heart, being led by the Spirit of God to invest in the work of God, or you make up lots of little rules concerning what niggardly portion God is to receive. You can't have it both ways.

I have tithed + for many years..I do not feel "bound" by an OT law..BUT I believe that the pattern is sound and that it pleases God

One of my favorite passages is 1Ch 29:9   Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

I believe I have christian liberty in this as Paul noted

2 Cor 8:3-5 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.

It is Gods will for us that we give..and as all born again believers know it is a joy to have the privilege to give

2 Cor 9:7-8 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

As you note Jerry everything I have is His..how little he asks back