As I remember from my years in Europe (Italy), there was never a request to tithe. Collections were made at sunday services and I never saw more than few lire (now euros) being put into the baskets.
I am sure if someone wanted to support their local neighborhood church, it would be between the individual and the priest.
You’ve gotten plenty of responses, but I’ll share with you my personal approach to the topic.
First, take a moment to review the old testament instructions regarding the tithe. Deuteronomy 14:22 points out that the tithe was supposed to be consumed at a great festival each year. On the 3rd year, it was given to the storehouse for the priests and the widows and orphans.
So two thirds of the tithe was consumed, the other third went to the ministry. The purpose was as much about setting aside your first fruits in order to honor the Lord as it was about ministry.
It was a sign of trust, that you would consume 10% at one feast of worship, trusting God to sustain you on the other 90%.
I don’t think that concept is strictly Old Testament. I feel it is alive and very practical to my life today. I tithe because I trust him and I desire to honor him.
The other aspect is the character of giving. Giving is an attribute of God. He made us in His image. I give because my God is a giver and I want to be more like him. It isn’t a legal issue. It isn’t a salvation issue. It is an issue of the heart and an issue of trust in God.
Good luck in deciding how you feel on the issue. I pray God will lead you in the proper direction.
Take what he says about faith with a grain of salt, unless of course you too are a Mormon.
Remember, Jos. Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith, held that Mormons ARE NOT Christian. A cursory examination of Mormonism proves him right.
***God is about Love, Compassion and Unity.***
God is about both wrath and love. Both of which were displayed on a hilltop just outside of Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago.
Since we have all spiritual blessings; what great need do we have for physical blessings that come from tithes? NONE
If we should have bowels of charity and compassion, then we are free and not offended to give whatever we can afford. But not a tithe; this would put us back under the Law; and if we fail on thing of the Law, we are guilty of all the Law to perform it:
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all [the Law]
And WRATH and JUDGEMENT and MERCY!
Who is "us"? I'm not being taken anywhere by any man (except Christ). How did you all (and the rest of the "us" you mention) allow yourselves to get taken someplace by a mortal man?
Or was that just clumsy semantics?
What does that mean???? You're a lousy follower? Well, my friend, you need to either become a better follower or, better yet, stop following any mortal man at all. Then you won't have all the quandries you've expressed. I listen to Beck on occasion, when I can stomache him. Follow? Allow myself to get taken? No. I will give credit where credit is due, but that's it.
Tithing was never even in the Old Testament Biblical times; people gave 30% and upwards because Israel was a Theocracy.
New Testament giving involves the Heart, God is always concerned about the heart, and not some rote type giving that isn’t done cheerfully, but with a motive to be given back more in return. You can’t fool God, and there’s unfortunately too many corrupt and errant Pastors out there who twist God’s Word to fit their own evil motives.
God doesn’t need your money, whether it is $10 in the Salvation Army kettle or 10% of your income. It is an act of faith and love to give back what is not yours in the first place. But I challenge anyone to do it and see how God works in your life.
Glenn’s admonishment is completely colored by his Mormonism path. He could not get a ‘temple reccommend’ if he didn’t tithe at least 10% on the accounting books the LDS keep.