Below is a list of all 36 bible verses about tithes from both the Old and New Testament scriptures. There are many bible verses that refer to other forms of giving such as offerings, Spirit-led giving, or firstfruits; but I have only chosen bible verses that explicitly fit the definition of the tithe. I have combined the bible verses into 17 passages where it makes sense as a whole and included a general paraphrase to offer a quick synopsis of the verse(s).
You can view the Greek and Hebrew words that we to translate the word “tithe” on biblestudytools.com. The Hebrew word in the Bible most commonly used is Ma`aser. The Bible also uses `asar and `asiyriy when looking through a concordance. All these Hebrew words mean the same – to take a tenth. The Greek word used in the bible is Apodekatoo.
What are the Old Testament Bible verses about tithes?
- Genesis 14:20 – Melchizedek comes out to meet Abraham, as Abraham gives him a tithe of the spoils of his victory.
- Genesis 28:20-22 – After the vision of God’s renewed covenant, Jacob initiates a vow with God by offering a tithe of what he receives from the promised land.
- Leviticus 27:30-32 – The specifications of tithing are introduced into the law of Moses.
- Numbers 18:20-32 – The tithe is dedicated to the Levites for the work in the tabernacle.
- Deuteronomy 12:5-11 – God gives instructions for what to do with the tithe once Israel crosses the Jordan.
- Deuteronomy 14:22-29 – God gives instructions on how to disperse and exchange the tithe.
- Deuteronomy 26:12-15 – God gives instructions on how Israel should sanctify the tithe before they can ask for a blessing.
- 2 Chronicles 31:5-12 – The children of Israel do what’s right under the reign of Hezekiah, and bring the tithes to the designated places.
- Nehemiah 10:37-38 – Israel obeys God and brings the tithes to the storehouse.
- Nehemiah 12:44 – Officers were appointed to watch over the tithes in the storehouse.
- Nehemiah 13:5-12 – Nehemiah cleanses the storehouse and kicks Tobiah out of the room that was designated to store the tithe. He then restores order.
- Amos 4:4 – God commands Israel to bring back the tithe and reiterates the curse that is upon them if they don’t.
- Malachi 3:8-10 – God reprimands Israel for not delivering the tithe, and reiterates the blessings and curses that would be in result of whatever decision they chose.
What are the New Testament Bible verses about tithes?
- Matthew 23:23 – Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.
- Luke 11:42 – A parallel bible verse of Matthew 23:23 as Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.
- Luke 18:12 – A Pharisee brags about his obedience to the law and tithing.
- Hebrews 7:5-9 – Abraham’s tithe is used to illustrate a change concerning the priesthood.
it is very hard to convince me about tithing because Jesus mentioned it when he was giving a parable and during that time the law of Moses was still working. Pastor help me with just one verse that Jesus,Paul and other apostles involve the teaching of tithing. Far as im concerned only offering is mentioned in the new testament.Thank you.
Tithing was around before the law though…
Even if it was instituted as part of the law, there is nothing better in the New Testament to replace it so we keep tithing. It is more about honor and our hearts than about the money. The tenth part is devoted to the Lord. There is nothing in the New Testament that says differently than Malachi 3:10. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek way before the law and he is the father of faith. He was abundantly blessed because his heart was to always put God first. Hope this helps :) My husband and I have been tithers for many years and we know that God has blessed us abundantly for putting Him first. Many blessings in Christ.
Watch this.. In the Old Testament the commandment was only given to the nation of Isreal…in the New Testament it was commanded to the descendants of the Levites who were the Jews ( those who get a second chance at Christ,s return) in the New Testament we are commanded to be “cheerful givers”. Tithing was never commanded of us. The scripture “will a man rob God in their tithes and offering” has been an abuse mechanism by leadership over the pulpit to condemn people who didn’t tithe but that scripture was talking about the priest who were stealing the best of the tithes ( not the Israelites who were tithing). If ppl want to live under the Law then they must abide by the whole Jewish law….Christ came in the New Testament because all the Laws couldn’t be fulfilled by man so we are now under Grace. I have been a cheerful giver (according to the scriptures KJV) and I have never been a borrower but a lender, been on my same profession over 30 years and I’m not even 50 yet. The scripture that holds a lot of weight is….First seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the other things shall be added unto you. Your tithes is not what gets you your increase but it’s you cheerful giving and obedience to the true word of God.
My beloved brother, we must follow the steps of Abraham (Rom 4:12) our father, so if he tithe, why can’t you follow that step? under what law was our father Abraham or Jacob?
Are your pastors Levi? Remember Levi is a tribe, the high priest take 10% of 10% from Levi. so that should be 0.01% of your income. Again is your pastor a high priest who is clean? follow all God”s laws? NO AND THATS A FACT!! read Hebrew 12 title is gone. Also you suppose to take to the temple, tell me where’s the temple at?
Thank you professor. i have been teaching the principle of Malachi for over 10 years and no one wants to accept the fact that if they read the first 2 chapters of Malachi it explicitly tells us that God is speaking to the priests of the children of Isreal. in my years of ministry I have found that most Pastors have a problem just like the scholarly priest in biblical days with change when it comes to addre3ssing the finances they feel belong to them. they seem to forget that we live in a time when most pastors and preachers work or come from a working background and don’t require the same needs that God required the Isrealites to provide. I have a motto “the Pastor is suppose to be able to afford the church, not the church afford the Pastor”. So again thank you for your spiritual awareness in the Holy Word. BE BLESSED
Their is no justification for tithing as a believer of the death and resurrection of Christ, tithe is the greatest ecclesiastical fraud in the history of the Church.
As a faithful giver of tithes I have been greatly blasted.
Tithing is a choice. But not being a cheerful giver has its consequences. You can’t serve two masters eather God or mama.
Giving is really an issue of the heart. If you really love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, there’s really nothing you wouldn’t do for him. The Bible says God loves it when we cheerfully give, and I want to please God- so I cheerfully give. And because I know my Father is capable only of good because that is his nature, I know that giving is good for me. My giving furthers his kingdom. It supports missionaries and programs that help the poor and it takes God’s word not only to my little town, but to all the nations. It is my honor and my privilege to give.
Today’s TITHING is UNscriptural
http://trthndcptn.punt.nl/category/view/today-s-tithing-is-unscriptural
In a nutshell:
Tithing only applied in these cases:
Abraham on the spoils of war, once in his life
Israelites living under the Old Testament Law: on agricultural products and livestock for the Levites
Pharisees did it on their on their spices! A man made tradition.
Tithing in its essence is about honoring God and giving Him first place by keeping the fact that HE IS YOUR SOURCE ever before you through obedience. Ps.3:9-10.
Now, Col.3:2-3 means that all we are and have belongs to Christ. 2Cor.5: 17-21.
Every time you earn or receive increase in your life of money or material goods (quantifiable), FIRST OF ALL, take out a portion (a percentage will represent the whole lot…HOW ABOUT STARTING WITH 10%?) and set it aside to be used as God instructs you.
If you are not immediately clear on hearing from God about what to do with it, then send it to a church that is true (THE ONE YOU ATTEND PERHAPS?).
We open bank accounts for our businesses, education, vacations, salaries, retirement etc….important things.
We claim we love God and that His kingdom is important but how many of us have a bank account into which we pay a percentage of our income regularly; a dedicated kingdom account?
SO THAT AT HIS REQUEST we can be a blessing to the church, the poor and to strangers who do not know our Master’s benevolence.
I would like to make a few comments on Carolyn and Anyam’s views on tithe:
Jews of old did not tithe because Abraham gave a tenth of spoils to Melchizedek, but because it was commanded them by Moses. It was not Abraham’s habit to tithe so there was a reason he did it this one time. It was the exception rather than the rule. It is most likely he was actually paying a “war tax” to the Jebusite King of Ur Salim (Jerusalem) under whose jurisdiction (Kingdom) Hebron fell. In fact, if Abraham was tithing, then the time he should have done so was when he and Lot returned from Egypt so rich that they had to split to their different ways to find pasture for their animals. In any case, Abraham did many other things in his life other than tithing yet we do not do them. If we were to do what Abraham did, then it is Circumcision, on which his Covenant with God was based, that we should insist on. If you read Acts chapter 15, you will see the great debate which established that it will neither be a pre-requirement nor compulsory rite for non-Jew Christians (Read Gentiles as the Jews called them). Tithing is a requirement under the Law of Moses given at Mt. Horeb specifically to Jews. Deuteronomy 26:16-19 is very clear that the Law was for Jews only to the exclusion of all other peoples in of the world. Indeed, an excerpt of the Horeb Covenant that Moses tells reads to the Israelites says that: “…today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people”. Note “His Special People”. Anyone not a Jew wishing to follow the Law of Moses has to become a Jew first (The same Law explains how). Our (Christians) Covenant with God was signed at Calvary NOT with blood of animals as Moses did at Mt. Horeb but with Jesus’ own blood. So let us follow the Word, Gospel/Good |News of Jesus Christ.
Jesus came liberate us from rigidity of the Law and tediousness of ceremonies. He did not agree with and often castigated the Jews generally and the religious leaders specifically (Pharisees, Sadducees etc.) who insisted on the laws and tedious religious rites and ceremonies. Our relationship with our Father is not reciprocity. It is not a transaction. It is not true that: “There is nothing in the New Testament that says differently than Malachi 3:10.” He taught us to be freely charitable. He taught us that it is doing good to fellow human beings that we serve God. Jesus wants us to do good because of the goodness originating and flowing from our hearts not because a Law or Laws compels us. He gave the example of the Priest and Levite who would leave a suffering man by the roadside perhaps because stopping would have made them late for some ceremony. He told of how the Samaritan postponed all his businesses to attend to the man who was hurt. At the end of the narration, Jesus tells us; “Go and do likewise”. (Luke 10:37).
The narration in Matthew 25:31-46 that tells us how Jesus will conduct Judgment on his return is very informative on how he wants us to be generous to him. What he is telling us is that what we do to other humans is really to him that we do it. Judgment will not be on whether we tithed or not! It will be on whether we were merciful to fellow human beings.
On the claim that tithes offered to church go to help poor, I have never seen that. What happens in the Church that I am familiar with, is that Tithes as all other offerings go to church kitty for such uses as paying quota to the Diocese, paying workers etc. Whenever a congregant or other people in the community fall into problem e.g. their house getting burnt, lack of school fees, hungry, aged abandoned and destitute, sick etc., the church conveniently forgets that it has collected tithe and go back to the same congregation requesting for contributions. If your church uses the tithe to help the poor, then it does not matter what name you give it so long as you are fulfilling Christ’s Command of minding your neighbour. You do not have to sit and calculate 10% because it a charitable work you will be doing not fulfilling a law. I can assure you that God will bless you mightily whether you called your offering tithe, whatever or no name at all!
I quite well understanding why many Christians few obligated to pay tithes. Apostle Paul said it of Jews in Romans 10:1-3 “…I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” This same applies to the present day Christians. To these, Jesus would say the same he said of Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:23-24: “Woe unto you, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe … and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye… strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” What more can I say except that you become more zealous in understanding the Gospel (The Good News) of Jesus Christ and stop pretending to be Jews which you are not!
God bless you for sharing this. I have had the same convictions about tithing for a long time now. This is truth!!
Nice write up, the preachers of tithe don’t know the truth hence, they are blinded with greed,they use malachi 3v8-10 to manipulate those that lack understanding of the tithing system, they will never read malachi from chapter 1, or read other teaching on tithe in the bible, Jesus said “all my is thine and all thine is my” yet pastor tell there members to give God 10% and take 90%,Jesus said,”i have set before you this days an open door which no man can short” pastor’s are taking people back to malachi about open windows.a tithe taker and payer lack understanding of CALVARY DEAL of CHRIST.
The arguments for and against tithing is endless. Personally I think tithe is a leveller. In tithing, no one pays higher than the order. At the bank of tithe, we have equal amount in our accounts, a tithe. We who pay tithe never complain. We are called fools, we are happy to be. We never try to persuade non-tithers to pay. It is the other way round. Those arguing the can give more in offering than tithe are just telling lies. If it is difficult for you to pay tithe, it will be impossible to give greater offering. If you belong to a church that believes in tithing, it is safer to leave the church if you do not believe in tithing and join one that does not believe in it. There you can eat all your income and give as you wish.
I do not have other verses other than the ones given. God is not a taker, but a giver.
I believe in tithing. My church does not have to stress it always. We just know our tithes belong to God. We pay our tithes and give our
Well said Michael.
I totally agree with you. I have never begrudged tithing or offerings, it’s how God pays for the running of His church.
Jesus said in Mark 12:17 ” Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”
In other words pay your taxes to the government and your tithes and offerings to the church you attend.
Taxes are what the goverment uses to run the country and tithes and offerings are what God’s servants use to run the church.
Like you said Michael it is never us happy tithe payers who complain, it’s those who have a love for money who complain and then come amongst those of us who are giving cheerfully and try to pervert our way of life. I know who will rewarded in heaven.
First understand what tithe is then give your opinion!
One problem that keep recurring on this board is contribution by people who have not taken time to understand what tithe hence confuse it with other offerings. Worse, is that while arguing the base their opinions on a premise of ignorance and confusion they assume a holier-than-thou vantage from which they can castigate those others who do not do their holy acts. That is what I see in this particular contribution in which the writer thinks that tithe is a collective term for all offerings given to church. It is not! Tithe ordered by Moses in Deuteronomy 14: 22 reads as follows:. “You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored, and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the LORD your God. Now the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored might be a long way from your home. If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds and take the money to the place the LORD your God chooses. When you arrive, use the money to buy anything you want—an ox, a sheep, some wine, or beer. Then feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and celebrate with your household. And do not forget the Levites in your community, for they have no inheritance as you do.”
So the question is: Is that what this contributor and the others who hold same opinion as his do? I doubt and therefore suggest that he and them first understand what it is they are advocating for, before offering their opinions to the public.
Further, because I suspect that these contributors are Christians, I suggest they look in the Gospels on Christ’s take on tithing and why he said it is hypocritical to be obsessed with tithing while ignoring the more important matters. If they understand what those “important matters” are and endevour to perform according to our Lord’s (Jesus not Moses) commandment, the will see the light. They will know that when Jesus returns to give his reward, it will not be to those who tithed dutifully but to those who loved their neighbour as they loved themselves! As John 5:39 says, reading scriptures and fulfilling the laws in then but ignoring what Jesus commanded you, will not give you salvation. But then as we have seen many wants the windows of heaven to open not so that they get salvation but prosperity! That is why tithing is so popular and mercy and justice so neglected!
Do me a favor…. The bible was very exact who it told to tithe. In the Old Testament it said….”I command ye oh Nation of Israel. In the New Testament it says…” I command ye the descendant of the Levites” ( Jews, those who get a second chance at his return). Now try to find for me where it says I command ye “Gentiles”. This was a Law on under the Law of ….if a woman was caught in the act of adultery then she was suppose to be taken to the street and stoned. Now why offend the law of tithing but do away with the law of stoning a women caught in adultery??? The bible says if your guilty of one law, your guilty of them all. We are no longer under the Law of man but under Grace. We were commanded to be cheerful givers in the New Testament…your blessings don’t come through your unscriptural tithing but it comes from being a cheerful giver and being obedient to the true word of God!
I’d like to add an observation from my 25 years as an income tax specialist. Income tax and tithe are often seen as mandatory taxes, if you will. I will use tax as the first analogy, but please stay with me.
Technically, income tax is an illegal, voluntary and unconstitutional requirement, but I’m still a tax payer. In all my dealings with tax protesters who insist on the unconstitutional aspects, I’ve never met one who was opposed to tax for the honor and integrity of the constitution. They were opposed because of greed and their desire to have control of all their earnings.
Most (but definitely NOT all) Christians who oppose tithing do not do so for the sake of integrity to the scripture, as they will freely violate other issues such as unbelief, gluttony etc. It most often comes down to greed. How much can I keep, rather than how much may I give? When I stand in judgement I’d rather be guilty of giving more of my Lord’s resources, than of withholding them.
I personally see tithe as being the first-fruits. The first and best go to He who is most worthy. He is Lord. Just like the landlord has the rightful expectation to receive rent which is our acknowledgement that he owns the property, so our Lord rightfully deserves our first and best.
Now, my second observation from tax work. Whenever a Christian was plagued with financial, health or relational distress, almost without fail, they had little our no charitable contributions to deduct. They were not givers. So, generous persons were predominantly happier and less stressed.
With your experience, i can see how you’d come to those conclusions, but with my experience monitoring this website for 10 years, you would have witnessed quite the opposite. Many were like me; wherein we were merrily tithing when we stumbled upon the truth. Many of us then struggled to believe the truth and release our grasp on tithing. It took me quite some time to trust God’s word over the guilt of my conscience. My pride was in the way because i couldn’t believe how wrong i was for so long.
I would consider seeing first-fruits biblically rather than with your personal opinion. The First fruits and tithing had nothing in common and were not synonymous in any way. What was given, how much was given, when it was given, why it was given, the quality that was given, and what it symbolizes are all drastically different from another. God strictly and clearly said in Lev 27 that the tithe was not to be the 1st or best. It was the 10th one that was counted and also it was the 2nd offering given after the first fruit offering which was given weeks before. Also, God said do not separate the good from the bad.
Financial gluttony and stinginess always grow from the same seed of covetousness. So that’s why you always have financial distress with non-givers. They cannot control their spending, so why would their covetousness have an anomoly allowing them to be generous with their giving? Basically, i’m asking you why lack of giving as opposed to overspending would cause financial distress?
just a question, as a Christian, what does it remove from your body if you if you pay your tithe, is there any place in the bible that condemns you as a tither? just asking
Have not read this?: “Woe to you, hypocrites! You pay tithes but disregard the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should practice the latter, without neglecting the former. You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel (Matthew 23:23-24) It was said by Jesus when he addressed Scribes and Pharisees who were obsessed with not just tithing but fulfillment of laws rather than with being merciful to other human beings. It is the same today. So many Christians seem to overemphasize and overlook the cardinal law “love your neighbour as you love yourself”. While Jesus did not specifically tell people to tithe or not to tithe, he specifically told us to go mind our neighbour. When he had told the parable of how the Good Samaritan had helped the needy man, he ended with the words, “Go do likewise”. Tithers ignore this direct order from Jesus, of whom God the father says: “This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35). Instead they endevour to fulfill a law just because it does not remove something from their bodies! Amazing!
I would like to make a few comments on Carolyn and Anyam’s views on tithe:
Jews of old did not tithe because Abraham gave a tenth of spoils to Melchizedek, but because it was commanded them by Moses. It was not Abraham’s habit to tithe so there was a reason he did it this one time. It was the exception rather than the rule. It is most likely he was actually paying a “war tax” to the Jebusite King of Ur Salim (Jerusalem) under whose jurisdiction (Kingdom) Hebron fell. In fact, if Abraham was tithing, then the time he should have done so was when he and Lot returned from Egypt so rich that they had to split to their different ways to find pasture for their animals. In any case, Abraham did many other things in his life other than tithing yet we do not do them. If we were to do what Abraham did, then it is Circumcision, on which his Covenant with God was based, that we should insist on. If you read Acts chapter 15, you will see the great debate which established that it will neither be a pre-requirement nor compulsory rite for non-Jew Christians (Read Gentiles as the Jews called them). Tithing is a requirement under the Law of Moses given at Mt. Horeb specifically to Jews. Deuteronomy 26:16-19 is very clear that the Law was for Jews only to the exclusion of all other peoples in of the world. Indeed, an excerpt of the Horeb Covenant that Moses tells reads to the Israelites says that: “…today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people”. Note “His Special People”. Anyone not a Jew wishing to follow the Law of Moses has to become a Jew first (The same Law explains how). Our (Christians) Covenant with God was signed at Calvary NOT with blood of animals as Moses did at Mt. Horeb but with Jesus’ own blood. So let us follow the Word, Gospel/Good |News of Jesus Christ.
Jesus came liberate us from rigidity of the Law and tediousness of ceremonies. He did not agree with and often castigated the Jews generally and the religious leaders specifically (Pharisees, Sadducees etc.) who insisted on the laws and tedious religious rites and ceremonies. Our relationship with our Father is not reciprocity. It is not a transaction. It is not true that: “There is nothing in the New Testament that says differently than Malachi 3:10.” He taught us to be freely charitable. He taught us that it is doing good to fellow human beings that we serve God. Jesus wants us to do good because of the goodness originating and flowing from our hearts not because a Law or Laws compels us. He gave the example of the Priest and Levite who would leave a suffering man by the roadside perhaps because stopping would have made them late for some ceremony. He told of how the Samaritan postponed all his businesses to attend to the man who was hurt. At the end of the narration, Jesus tells us; “Go and do likewise”. (Luke 10:37).
The narration in Matthew 25:31-46 that tells us how Jesus will conduct Judgment on his return is very informative on how he wants us to be generous to him. What he is telling us is that what we do to other humans is really to him that we do it. Judgment will not be on whether we tithed or not! It will be on whether we were merciful to fellow human beings.
On the claim that tithes offered to church go to help poor, I have never seen that. What happens in the Church that I am familiar with, is that Tithes as all other offerings go to church kitty for such uses as paying quota to the Diocese, paying workers etc. Whenever a congregant or other people in the community fall into problem e.g. their house getting burnt, lack of school fees, hungry, aged abandoned and destitute, sick etc., the church conveniently forgets that it has collected tithe and go back to the same congregation requesting for contributions. If your church uses the tithe to help the poor, then it does not matter what name you give it so long as you are fulfilling Christ’s Command of minding your neighbour. You do not have to sit and calculate 10% because it a charitable work you will be doing not fulfilling a law. I can assure you that God will bless you mightily whether you called your offering tithe, whatever or no name at all!
I quite well understanding why many Christians few obligated to pay tithes. Apostle Paul said it of Jews in Romans 10:1-3 “…I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” This same applies to the present day Christians. To these, Jesus would say the same he said of Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:23-24: “Woe unto you, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe … and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye… strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” What more can I say except that you become more zealous in understanding the Gospel (The Good News) of Jesus Christ and stop pretending to be Jews which you are not!
It amazes me what proclaimed Christians will come up with. Read John 1:1. It was Christ who created this world and we call him God. Scripture states “Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever.” Also “I the Lord God change not.” God put in perfect laws for perfect reasons and they do not change. Paying thithes is a gift and God has always blessed my family by paying thithes first. I did as Malachi said and have lived in God,s blessings.
Firstly, let’s agree on the changelessness of God. True! God is changeless! But does that mean He does not change His mind? If He does no change His mind, then how can we then explain these words from (Exodus 32:14): “Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened”? Mark the word “relented”! Doesn’t “relent” mean change mind and not do something one had intended to do? What of 1Samuel 15:11 where God says: “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King”? Does not “repent” mean change of mind and regret something one did? These excerpts tell us that God actually changes his mind and does things differently from what He had done before. Now we can safely go into the question of tithe. Tithing was a part of the Law that God gave to Moses at Mt. Horeb so he could teach it to the Israelites. It told them how God expected them to behave when they reached Canaan. Tithing, how, when and why it was to be done was explained in (Deuteronomy 14:28). Years later, when the Israelites had settled in Canaan God saw that the Law was not working as He intended. He said He would send Jesus to come and teach us how to correctly perform His Will. St. Paul in Galatians 3:23-26 explains that the Law was only temporally and was to end when Jesus came to teach us the way to correctly do God’s will. He says: “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” This tell us that we Christians, unlike the Jew, do not have to continue being under the Law which Jesus came to free us from. In 1Timothy1:5, Paul instructs not do things including tithing just so as to fulfill the Law but because of “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” In verse 9, he says that: “We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious.”
Lastly, being Godly is not only about tithing! In Matthew 23:23-24 Jesus compares one tithing while omitting to do the weightier matters of mercy, and faith to one who strains a gnat only to swallow a camel.” Ridiculous, isn’t it? Jesus says that fulfilling the law cannot make you perfect before God but if you insist on doing it, then you have to fulfill all of them! So, brother: I do not dissuade you from tithing if that is what you want to do: All I can tell you is that, it will be of no use if you do not fulfill all the 600 odd laws given to Israelites by Moses and expounded on by other Prophets such as Malachi. You need to go into the Old Testament and extract all the 600 odd laws and fulfill each one of them. I hope you will manage and Good luck to you! But then I ask, as a Christian, why would you be trying to be a Jew!
Dagirathi, M?rutwo wa Jesu
you have divine wisdom , the simplicity of the Cross of Calvary in the eye’s of certain person makes it hard to understand the Gospel of the KINGDOM.telling a believer to tithe is an insult to the sacrifice Christ made in CALVARY.
That’s right I know sowing good seeds work
I will say two things, One,I have never known anyone who tithed and offered loyally who has struggled financially. Two, God’s law was never changed or altered, only written on our hearts. You have to twist scripture to believe the instructions of God were changed by being “nailed to the cross”. Reading scripture in CONTEXT will show you it’s only the law of sin and death (Genesis 2:16, Romans 5:12, 8:2)that we are no longer under. That being said, Tithing does not seem to apply/translate to the followers of Messiah.
Tithing. A hot topic for many. But, should it be?
We find it interesting how that the majority of ministers today say that the law is no longer for us to follow, yet they are quick to say how you should still pay your tithes. All the while knowing that tithing is straight … from The Law. The very thing they say we no longer have to follow. Yet, this particular instruction … well, you know, it still applies.
So… let’s address the big question right off the bat … Does tithing still apply today? The big answer … No, it doesn’t.
It is generally believed that the tithing system was set up for the Levites and the Priests. And this is true … In part. As we will find in this teaching, there were other tithes that were not designated, to go to the Priests in general.
Scripturally speaking, there are basically four types of tithes …
– The Levitical Tithe
– The Festival Tithe
– The Poor Tithe
– And the Priest’s Tithe
We will go over these with a basic understanding of them, but it must be understood from the beginning that all tithes were intended for either the Priests, Levites or simply brought to the temple for other purposes. Since there are no Priests, Levites or Temple in existence today, biblically speaking, you can’t tithe. In obedience to the command, anyway. This is not to say that one can’t willingly give 10% to a ministry, or even split it up among several ministries. It simply means that one cannot obey these instructions as directed in the Scriptures. Ministers have no Biblical foundation to say that the paying of tithes has been transferred, and is now to be paid to the modern church.
Here is a teaching on the tithe. http://c96e50a40991046dcbfa-71bc4c8fd3e50b4ee0e248e517d3026f.r87.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/t/0e4616954_1445626791_tithing-transcript.pdf
I don’t really buy that statement. It feeds into the doctrine of the health-wealth gospel – We will never struggle financially. We will never have sickness or pain. Sow the seed and God will bless it.
God promises trials and tribulations. Without fire, there is no purification. Without struggles, there is no growth. I’m not saying that we can’t ask God for things or financial blessings because we are true to his word.
Chapter 19 of the Book of Exodus tells us that, in the third month of the Children of Israel leaving Egypt on their return journey to Canaan, when camped at Mt. Sinai, God came to introduce himself to them as their God. In Exodus 19:17 reads: “Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.” But God came out so fiercely with smoke, thunder, and lighting and sounds that the Israelites were greatly afraid and fled. Exodus 20:19 tells us that the Israelites did not want to come near and listen to God. They said to Moses: “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” God accepted what they had said and in Deuteronomy 18:15 responded: ‘What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.” So, for the time being, Moses and the priest and prophets after him would teach the Israelites God’s commands. This went on until Jesus Christ came with God’s Word “in His mouth” thus fulfilling the Promise. In Matthew Chapters 5, 6 and 7, he explains that Religion had not been taught according to the way God intended. Referring to the teachings of the Jewish religion severally, He said “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time……But I say unto you…” By this he told them what they had been taught till then, and then taught them the correct way. The correct way was to do things not because they were enforced by law and the fear of being punished by God when we failed to do so, but because we had Faith in God. Everything we were to do henceforth because of our faith in God. St. Paul in Galatians 3:23-26 explains it this way: “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”
So Jesus our later day tutor, taught us among many other things, to give, not because the law demands it but because we are sons of a loving father. His apostle, guided by the Holy Spirit, in 2 Corinthians 9:7 told us that: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
It is a curious thing, that Jesus Christ the Son of God came to teach us the way God wants us to conduct ourselves as faithful Christians (John 1:14), yet what He tells us and cling to the old ways he came to correct. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). What a shame that Christians chose the law of Moses over the Gospel of Faith in Christ Jesus.
What a shame!
Correct, I feel that when we help others tithe do the right things in your life and God will reward us openly but in the Old Testament the tithes and gift were flock, lamb, wool and so on but in Malachi states it’s money 10% so I don’t know but I know sowing my seeds to the lord on whatever I have works but I do know you sow more you reap more
Paula Lee,
1. Can’t you just give out of charity rather than planting to get more? Is what you do charity or commerce?
2.I do not know which Bible you read in which Malachi asks for money. What I have read is “food in my house”. Which Bible version do you read?
What scripture in Malachi states it’s money??? Please show me and the rest of the readers…. Our assumptions are irrelevavent. We can not assume that they are finances because we are held accountable for what we spread to ppl.
Men always trying to twist the gospel for their backing,do what Jesus commands you to do,that’s the gospel,four words here matter not you nor your backings and debates and they are JESUS.
Why are we focusing on the law of the old testament (Law of Moses) as being the originator of tithing? Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20)and also Jacob paid tithe to God (Gen 28:20-22)Both men were not under the law of Moses in fact they existed before the law of Moses came to be. Is is just a mere coincidence that God adopted 10% as tithe measure in the Law of Moses as Abraham and Jacob did? God’s natural and moral laws never change despite the Cross. Also come to think of this, the Lord Jesus christ was made High Priest FOREVER after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) not after the order of priests in the law of Moses. Therefore, If Melchizedek received tithe from Abraham and God approved it, why is it out of place for new testament believers to bring tithes to the Lord whose priesthood has been ordained after the order of Melchizedec?
Leave Patriarchs out of this: Do what Jesus commanded you to do!
That Abraham and Jacob did actually tithe is debatable. In Abraham’s case, there are two points that makes it doubtful that he actually tithed. Firstly, it was a rule in the day that one returning victoriously from war would pay tribute to the King. Abraham paying Melchizedek, the Jebusite King of Ur Salem whose Kingdom most likely covered Hebron, ten per cent of the booty he recaptured was more likely a war tribute than tithe. After all, the property was not even Abraham’s in the first place. Can one tithe other people’s property? Secondly, tithing is not something that Abraham did on regular basis. There is no other recorded instant that he tithed: Not even when he and his nephew Lot returned from having so much wealth that they had to part ways so as to stop quarrels over grazing land. This would have been the perfect time to tithe yet there is no mention of it! As for Jacob, his promising God a tenth of his wealth was on condition that God makes him rich first. Genesis 28:20-22 records it this way: “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey … so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God … and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” There is no evidence that he actually did honour this vow. However, notwithstanding this debate and assuming that these acts were actually tithes, the questions remain first on who said that we choose to emulate something that these patriarchs did? Have we a Bible reference which commands “Do likewise?” Not in this case but I’ll come to something else we have been told to do it! Secondly, even if we were to choose an act of these patriarchs to emulate, why of all their many deeds would we choose tithing which they did only one time each? Since Abraham had Sarah and Keturah as wives and Hagar as a and surrogate mother, isn’t that a more significant act! Similarly, Jacob had sisters Leah and Rachel for wives besides their maids who he turned into concubines and part mothers of his twelve sons! Isn’t that more significant than a promise he made? What about circumcision which was the main feature in the Abrahamic Covenant? Isn’t it a much significant act than that assumed tithing? So, since we are Christians, let me go back to the command I alluded to earlier. Why would a Christian go through scriptures looking for something to emulate when overlooking Jesus’s direct command “Go do likewise!” which he gave after telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan. He meant like he Good Samaritan, “Go do unto others as you would have them do for you’ if you were in their place! He meant go “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”! He said that on the Day of Judgment, he will reward those who in their earthly lives minded the welfare of the needy. In Matthew 25:40 says of that day: “The King Jesus will say those who minded the needy: ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’
As for tithers, he called them “Hypocrites!” because they are so obsessed with tithing to God who is in heaven yet turn a blind eye to their needy neighbours! Yes! Like the Priest and Levite who left a dying man on the roadside so that they look good not missing Church, tithers today take money to their rich churches and/or priests while ignoring the needy around them!
Lastly: Tithing was instituted by God NOT so that anyone emulates the good acts of the Patriarchs. He instituted is so that there is “food in my house” (Malachi 3:10) for feeding widows, orphans, homeless! It was charity food brought to the house of God for feeding the poor, not money to enrich the churches or he priest! So, if your church uses tithes for the welfare of the poor, then by all means go ahead and tithe. The King will include you with the ones He rewards on the last day. On the other hand, if you tithe to a church and/or pastors who ignore the poor and use tithe for other purposes, then know that it is what God in Malachi 3 refers to as: “You are robbing me.”
Note that Christianity is not your opinion, even good opinion! Christianity is what Jesus commands you to do. He has commanded you to go emulate the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan did not tithe but did good to the unknown helpless man he found on the roadside. He postponed all his business and did not spare his time and money until he had done the right thing. Jesus is giving you a direct command: “Go do likewise!”
That is the only verse that I know that talks about testing God.One thing that I know-God will NEVER lie.He is the source of our income,our everything,he is the manager of our funds too.Why can’t we honour him with this one lil’ thing?After all it’s not a force matter because God loves a cheerful giver.I have been returning tithe,I live in Zimbabwe and here things are tight but God has openned the flood gates of heaven for me.I am not struggling financially for he is with me.
It is good you have so faithfully paid your tithe. Hopefully, you have not neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness for you should practice tithing without neglecting these! (Matthew 23:23).
Also, keep this conversation between Jesus and a young man who claimed to have observed all the laws of Moses since his youth: “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21).
Brother Mnqobi Dlamini, continue with your good work but I have no idea why testing God should be so important to you just because it appears on one verse in the Bible. Also, I suppose that you are a Christian and therefore you should be more concerned with fulfilling the commands of Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour more than those of the Prophets. According to Jesus, your first obligation is not to your church but to your needy “ neighbour “ as explained by Jesus to the Lawyer with the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. At the end of the narration, Jesus says that you should behave like the Good Samaritan: “Go do likewise”. However, even if you are so keen to follow the Old Testament (The Jewish Bible), still you should remember that God will bless you for helping the needy in your neighborhood equally with tithing. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 reads: “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother…Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.” I therefore do not see why you emphasize on tithing more than alleviating the poverty in your neighbourhood. May it be that you really are not a generous person and the only reason you tithe is the expected return of riches that God, who as you put it does not lie. This would be most unfortunate because Jesus says that tithing alone does not work the miracle if you do not fulfill the more important matters of mercy, love and justice! If you insist on fulfilling that one command, you should read Deuteronomy 28 which begins with these words: “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” The Chapter then goes on between verses 3-14 to describe the blessings receivable for following “all the commands”. From verse 15, it describes the curses that will accrue from not obeying the commands and starts with: “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you.” So, my brother, I shall ask you not to try to be perfect by fulfilling the Law (given to Israelites by Moses) and accept this message given by Apostle Paul to Christians:“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” (1Timothy1:5). Be blessed brother Mnqobi Dlamini.
wow…I love the contributions
but thus is the little I have to add,…Christians are commanded by Jesus christ to give more than 1/10th of our blessings. if not we are not worthy of his kingdom
read: Matthew 5:20
Mark. 10:20
It seems, and I hope it is not so that Awodu Boye referring to Matthew 5:20 understands that by righteousness Jesus meant is measured with how much money one gives. If that is your understanding Awudu, read further and see that Jesus was comparing the doctrine as taught by the Pharisees from the Old Testament (Jewish religion) with his own doctrine,(Christianity) the Gospel as recorded in the New Testament. The Jews taught “Thou shalt not kill”. Jesus taught that even mere hate amounted to killing. He was putting a higher goal of righteousness, not of tithing, on Christians. On the matter of Mark 10:20,again Jesus was not talking about money. He was talking about the futility of trying to get to heaven by being perfect in fulfilling the law. He compared the impossibility f that with a camel trying to get through the eye of the needle. That is why in verse 26 his disciples asked “Who then can be saved.” Jesus answered that the only way to do that is rather than try one owns perfection, it is better to take God’s alterative. That alternative is to let Jesus pay your debt for
you. That way, you have no need to try to prove your righteousness to God. You do not need to bribe him with a tenth of your earnings so that He can be good to you. Just plead the blood of His Son and you will be alright with him. Jesus is the way to heaven. He gives it freely. Do not try to pay your way there with tithe or anything. You can’t. It is as impossible as a camel trying to get through the eye of the needle. Unfortunately, many Christians who are bent on fulfilling the Jewish religious laws have been taught, and they believe it, that you give money to God to get to heaven. Read 1Timothy1:5 then hopefully, you will get the point.
I have tithed for years but right now my son is going through a rough time and he has his daughter to raise. I need to help them a lot!! It is hard to tithe right now plus help them. I am retired and on a fixed income plus have some debt myself. Is it wrong to stop tithing to help my family??
1. If you read Luke 21:4, you will understand that God appreciates the heart of the giver more that the size of the gift. Jesus praised the poor woman who gave her little money more than the rich who offered big monies out of their abundance.
2. Deuteronomy 16:17, “Every person shall give as s/he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.”
3. Your family are your first responsibility and you should not deny them help because you want to take your tithes and offerings to church: 1Timothy 5:8 says: If anyone does not provide for her family, she has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
4. Mark 7:11 says that if anyone money they intended to give to God, but their family became needy; they should use the money for the family and not take it to church . this means that you should not leave your family to starve just so you fulfill the Old Testament Law and look holy to people or to your church. God will not be pleased with you if you neglect your children.
5. 1 Timothy 5 says that that a woman’s priority is to her children and grandchildren, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
6. Lastly, remember that in Micah 6:8 God says instead of making many sacrifices to Him, he wants you to to be just, to love and to show mercy to everyone starting with your own family.
When it comes to giving, there is always problem. When it is comes to blessings, no one in the nays camp.
the argument that churches are greedy holds no water.
the church is the body, while Christ is the head, the church stretches the hands to receive tithes on behalf of the head to prosecute his Kingdom projects. It is what church members willingly agree to. Non tithers are threatened by our resolve to tithe. Through this the work of God progresses.
Just imagine you belong to a club, and the club makes it mandatory to pay levy to run the affairs . Would you be allowed to continue membership if you willingly refuse to pay? Or worse still, as is the case with non tithers, discourage willing members? Absolutely no. What you dare not do in the world, you do in the church.
if the church membership agrees to pay tithes of their profit. You do not agree, quit the church. Lookfor other ones that wont ask for it.
Dear Awalade Michael,
Your starting sentence implies that giving and tithing are one and the same thing so that then, that non-tithers are not givers. That is not true. The difference is that tithing is fulfilling the law of Moses (with the expectation of being paid back according to Malachi) while giving is a spontaneous act from the heart without expectations of payments. What I as a Christian is against is not giving but tithing. The reason is that being a Christian, I do what Christ bid me do.Christians do what Christ commanded.
When you want to make decisions based on personal opinions and consensus, you can pass any laws on how to run your church. However, that will not be Christianity. To tithe or not to tithe should be based on the teachings of Christ!
If a statement is made that so and so is a “good citizen” the question that will follow is “of which country?” The reason is that someone cannot be a good citizen of any and every country. The indicator and standard of good citizenship is adherence to the constitutional and legislative laws of a country. Since these differ from country to country, then one must endevour only to adhere to those of his/her country of residence. Similarly, people who by Baptism became Christians but then reverted to Old Testament as their standard of being Godly are in the wrong premises. Jews, Muslims and other religions think themselves a “Godly” too but with different indicators and standards from Christianity. If they tithe and give alms, they do so according to the dictates of their religions! Christians therefore should give not because it is a law given in the Old Testament but because Christ requires it of them.
I do not base this on my own opinion but on the “Christian” scriptures. In 1Timothy 1:5, Paul tells us not to do good deeds so as to fulfill the Law but because of “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. The verse reads: “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” While the Old Testament is the foundation on which Christianity grew, reading it and following what it says does not make one a Christian. It is the words of Jesus (The Word/Gospel of Christ) in the New Testament that makes one a Christian. Paying tithe as Commanded by Moses and Malachi is neither an indicator nor a standard of Christianity. Loving your neighbour and helping the poor as commanded by Jesus is! As He said, He will judge people on “what you did for the least of these my brothers, you did it for me”: Not whether and how much you tithed! (That is especially if you are a member of one of those churches which uses tithes for church projects rather than helping the poor.) Jesus instructed us to mind our needy “neighbour” but at no time asked us to go into commercial enterprises for him. In Matthew 7:23, Jesus warned that he will deny those who engage in such works in his name. He will say: ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of inequity.’
The whole of Christianity, as Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 5:14 is completed in this single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you do not fulfill this one, however much you preach, testify, tithe, pray, praise etc, you still fail as a Christian. Christ is love therefore He cannot abide in you. Love is the Testimony that Christ abides in a Christian.
In John 14:23-24 Jesus says: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words.” In John 15:14 He says: “You are My friends if you do what I command you.” And in John 8:31-32 he says: “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” You will not know the truth and be free by fulfilling the laws of Moses!
Read the New Testament and know what Jesus wants you to do and do it. It is what makes you a Christian and is the standard by which Jesus will judge you. He will not judge you on your own opinion or the consensus of your church.He will not judge you on what Moses, Malachi or other prophets commanded. So, give freely as need arises and do not calculate percentages. Read what the Good Samaritan did and “Go do likewise!” That is what Christ asked you to do. You are a Christian not a Jew!
Never be carried away by people’s Opinions, wait upon the Lord in prayers with fasting for his revelation behind tithing, we talk as if our Lord Jesus is dead, no he is alive, speak to him let him give you the rhema! Test and see that the Lord is Good those who pay tithes by Faith in Christ Jesus, are richly blessed. Don’t be decieved,they are alot of men and women of faith who has cought the revelation of paying tithes above 10% and they are enjoying the benefits. Till date Israelites are still the most prosperous people across the world in all cities they live, why because they have an understanding of Gods commandments. They are many Christians who hide behind the grace of Calvery for selfish motives,If you really love the Lord is 10% of your income to big to be given towards the spreading of the Gospel? We are to prepare for the second coming of Our Lord, this means more money is needed to spread the gospel, if you have not been tithing test it for a while and compare the difference.
You start by discouraging your readers from being carried away by peoples’ opinions yet you proceed to give yours which have no scriptural backing. For example, when you say that “If you really love the Lord” you should make a payment of “10% of your income” is that in the scripture or your own opinion? Jesus never said that! His words were: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.” As a matter of fact, Jesus castigated tithers and called them hypocrites for disregarding justice, mercy and faithfulness which are the weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23). Rather than emphasize on tithing, Jesus in Matthew 22:39 commands that you love your neighbour as you love yourself. As He has indicated in Matthew 22:39 he wants you to care for the poor in your society. He says that what you do for the least of these my brothers, you do it to me! (Matthew 25:40). You see, the problem with Christians these days is that they think that they can neglect those suffering around them yet get God’s blessing for tithing! This shows God that you really are not good people and the only reason you pay tithe is so that you get returns and become prosperous! You want to make tithing a trade with God where you bait him with a little so you can get much! Isn’t that why you point out how prosperous Jews are and imply that if you tithe like they do you will get equally prosperous? James 4:3 says: “Your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.”
Though you are a Christian, (not a Jew) fulfilling the Law of Moses seems to take priority over following the commands of Jesus to his followers. Why would you do this when God Himself in Mark 9:7 orders you to heed His Son? Jesus had taken Peter, James and John on the mountain where he was transfigured. Two long dead prophets appeared so that Jesus stood side by side with Elias and Moses. It was then that God showed His choice when He spoke for a cloud and said: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!” If He had wanted us to continue listening to the prophets, He would He not have added “and the prophets too!” But He only said that we list to “ “My beloved Son!” What more are you expecting when you say, “wait upon the Lord in prayers with fasting for his revelation” when God has already spoken!
Lastly, you say that people should tithe so that there is more money for spreading gospel “to prepare for the second coming of Our Lord”. Where in the scriptures did you read that tithes are for preparation of the Lord’s Second Coming? Moses in Deuteronomy 14:28-29 tells the Israelites to tithe so that there is: “…enough food for the Levites, the poor, the orphans, the widows and foreigners to eat, then the LORD your God will be pleased and make you successful in everything you do.” Similarly, the prophet in Malachi 3:10, tells the Israelites to tithe so that there is enough “food in my house” These scriptures are clear on what tithes are to be used for. Use of tithes for preparation of the Lord’s Second Coming is your own opinion!
I agree with you that Christianity is not and should not be confused or mixed with peoples’ personal opinions. That is why I have included the scriptural verses I quoted. Kindly do the same when you write next.
So where is the “food in my house” that tithes buy?
Why do we overlook who and why Malachi 3:10 is addressed to? This now most famous verse in the Bible reads: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” So who is it addressed to and why does God want food in His house? We can get the answer if we go back four verses back to Malachi 3:6 which reads: “So you, the descendants of Jacob …ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.” Who are the descendants of Jacob God is addressing? It definitely is not the whole world at that time and not Christians who did not exist in times of Malachi. The descendants of Jacob were Israelites! Why was God addressing them about tithes? It is because among the many decrees in the Law of Moses, God had asked the Israelites to tithe. Deuteronomy 14:28-29 reads: “Every third year, instead of using the ten percent of your harvest for a big celebration, bring it into town and put it in a community storehouse. The Levites have no land of their own, so you must give them food from the storehouse. You must also give “food” to the poor who live in your town, including orphans, widows, and foreigners. If you bring to the storehouse, enough food for the Levites, the poor, the orphans, the widows and foreigners to eat, then the LORD your God will be pleased and make you successful in everything you do.” So, in Malachi 3:10, the prophet was reminding the Israelites to bring 10% of the 3rd year harvest so that there may be “food in my house” for the Levites and for the poor who live in your town, including orphans, widows, and foreigners.
So: Does your church a solace for the poor, the hungry, the sick and the orphaned, the refugee? Does your church use tithes to build shelters where the homeless can sleep? Does your church have a running kitchen where the hungry can come in and have food for free? Does your church look after the sick, the orphan, the destitute and abandoned aged? If not, what does your church use the tithes for? So where is the “food in my house”? If tithes have not been used to make the house of God a solace for those in need, what are they being used for? Are those the things God has commanded they be used for? Who is s robbing God; the congregation, the church or both? If your Priest overlooks the fact of to whom Prophet Malachi was addressing himself and insist that you (though are not descendants of Jacob) pay tithes, does it then insist on using the same tithe for the purpose God intended. Isn’t that why your Priest conveniently overlooks Malachi 2:1-9 which accuses him of dishonoring God and so loves Malachi 3 by which he wants to make the congregation feel guilty. Now, who is robbing God? Who is the accursed: The Priest or the congregation: The blind leader or the bling led?
Christians are not descendants of Jacob! Christians do not tithe! Christians give freely, cheerfully and spontaneously without calculating percentages!
i think you must first understand the relationship that is there between old and new testament, then you can understand what to do with other things you are quarrelling about..
We, the Gentles, we are sons and daughters of Abraham spritualy which means we are Esrialites spritualy thru faith in Lord Jesus Christ. So the old testament works as the shadow to our book which is the new testament.
The Law is still there but it can not affect us because the one who gave the law is now living in us
The one that is living in us is the one who was pleased by Abraham and He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We can not see Him until we look to his word.
The same way that Abraham worship God is the same way he is being warshiped today, but now it is being done through the heart.
e.g:they where being circumsised in the flesh but now the circusision must be done in the heart.
So now the same God we are worshiping was being pleased by tithe….bcoz he said if we pay tithe and offering He will bless us.
This was commanded to the isrialites ofcoz and we as the sons of Jacob by faith in Jesus if we pay tithe in our hearts he will bless us more than the jews bcoz those Isrialites were doing it by the law yet we the gentles must do it by faith and grace.
There is nothing in the old testament that has taken away but it has fulfilled.. Remember it is said tithe and offering. Tithe is for the house of the Lord yet offering is defferent from that. you dont have limitations in paying offering thats why it is said free offering. But tithe which is suporse to be given to the pastor/priest must be ten persent of your incomes. and tithe is for your pastor/priest, not for charity.
Offering can be for anything.
If you understand that old testament is the examble to the new testament then you will pay your tithe.
And also be aware that all laws that took a change in the new testament where writen. If it is not written dont try to take it off by your own understanding.
Firstly, let me apologise if I seem to be quarrelling with anything or anybody for there is nothing further from my mind and heart when I write on matters concerning the gospel of Christ my Lord and Saviour who is as He says in John 14:6 “the way and the truth and the life” and that no one goes to the Father except through Him. All other prophets can promise anything else, including the windows of heaven being opened when people tithe, except that! Since my goal is to go to heaven, it is Jesus who is the way, the truth, the life and the one through whom I shall go to the Father that I shall hear! “Hear ye Him” not Moses, Elias or Malachi!
Secondly, you correctly say that we Christians are the sons and daughters of Abraham according to the promise! Note that it is not according to any Covenant but according to the Promise given to Abram (later Abraham) by God as recorded in Genesis 12:3. It reads: “…and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Note not to Israelites but to the “families of the earth!” This is the truth but it is not true that Covenants made between Israelites, God’s “Special people” until the coming of Christ were for all families of the earth. Neither were all families (Nations) that were on Earth at the time God and Israelites made the Covenant (Deuteronomy 26:16-19) that made Israelites God’s “special people”, nor those who came after them until this very day were or are part of it. However much the Christians would wish that it included them or applies to them, sorry but sorry! It does not! The Covenant between God and Christians was signed by Jesus with his old blood at Calvary. This is the Covenant that ended the “special people” status of Israelites and fulfilled the Promise God made to Abraham concerning “all the families of the earth.” As Paul puts in Galatians 3:26: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” You Christians are Abraham’s “spiritual offspring” hence “heirs according to Promise”. The Promise was given to Abraham and not to Jacob the father of Israelites. It is therefore not true that we Christians are children of Jacob (Israel). I do not know on what premise you make that assertion because it is not Biblical!
I can only assume it is your own opinion.
Lastly, it is the Bible not me which says that Jesus came to free us from all encumbrances of the Law that was the hallmark of Jewish religion. Galatians 5:13-14 says: “For you, brothers were called to freedom…The entire Law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you refuse this freely given freedom and try to be perfect by insisting on fulfilling the Laws of the Jewish religion, that is up to you but do not for one moment think that Jesus has called you to do that. As I conclude, let me quote Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy in 1Timothy 1:5-11 where he says: “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that… the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious,—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.”
Be blessed with understanding.
Thank you for these bible texts. I had stopped tithing to revisit in my personal devotions what God is requesting of me financially. We often refer to the blessings that God gives us when we tithe or give offerings. From my studies what God is desiring is that by willingly giving to God first the blessings are abundance. This abundance is not necessarily material or financial as many Christian groups like to suggest (prosperity ministries) It is the blessing that Christ becomes king and lord in our lives and money, finances and material possessions lose their hold on our lives. This is the blessing, by giving financially, our relationship with Christ is enriched and we draw closer to Christ because we learn to rely on Him for all our needs and recognise that ALL that we have earned or gained came from God in the first place, even our ability to earn is a gift from God
What does “giving to God” mean to a Christian?
You have said: “From my studies what God desires is that by willingly giving to God first the blessings are abundance.” So let’s take the words “giving to God” and discuss what they mean to you as a Christian? Is it the same as “taking money to church?”
In Micah 6:7-8, God says He would rather extend your generosity to your needy neighbour than take offerings to Him. The exact words are: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” Proverbs 19:17 says “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.” This promise has been proved true in various Bible narrations of which I shall take a few as examples here below.
The first is the story of Abraham and Sarah’s generous hospitality to three visitors who came to them by the oaks of Mamre is told in Genesis 18. When Abraham saw three strangers pass by his gate, he ran to them and said: “Do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way”. They agreed and so Abraham and his wife Sarah hosted them to a hearty feast. It turned out that these happy visitors were not just ordinary beings but angels of the Lord and when they were about to depart, one of them turned to Abraham and said: “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” You see? Sarah had been childless throughout her life and now in her old age, her and her husband’s generosity had been rewarded with a promise of a baby son! This is why in Hebrew 13:2 in the New Testament we are told that: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it”
The next is narrative in 1 Kings 17. It tells of another woman who lived in the town of Zarephath in Zidon during a time of great famine. She had depleted her store to the point of having just enough flour and oil enough for one more meal for herself and her son after which they would starve to death. When Prophet Elijah asked her for bread and she obliged in spite of her dire situation, he said: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.” His words proved true and so she and her son survived the famine!
Yet another is the story of the woman of Shunem in 2 Kings 4:8-37. It says that the Shunamite woman built a house for Prophet Elisha to lodge free of charge whenever he passed through her town. This woman didn’t do this to “get” anything but out of her generosity. For this, she was rewarded with a son and many miracles later on.
Acts 9:36-41 tells of a woman named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); who lived in Lydda near Joppa, was always doing good and helping the poor. When Peter came and all the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made and given to them while she was still with them, he sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive!
Acts 10 tells of Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment who he and his family gave generously to that in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision in which he distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said,
“Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”
Coming back to tithes, we have not even one Biblical example of a person who was blessed for tithing. Why? Jesus in Matthew 23:23 said that tithing can only be effective in the Malachi promise of opening windows if the tither also fulfills the weightier matters of the law. He castigated the Pharisees and called them hypocrites and blind guides. It means that tithers are guided to do so by blind people! It started at Shilo with Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli (Read about them in 1 Samuel 1 and 2) and it has continued to this day! Note that in the much quoted Malachi 3:10 was reminding Israelites what Moses in which Deuteronomy 14:28-29 commanded the Israelites bring into the house of the Lord enough food for the Levites, the poor, the orphans, the widows and foreigners to eat, “then the LORD your God will be pleased and make you successful in everything you do.” It was never money for church projects or for the priest to enrich himself as is the case today! Do not imagine that God will bless you if you tithe in church while the needy are starving around you! In Matthew 22:39 Jesus is quite emphatic that what you do for “the least of these my brothers, you do it to me!”
The reason your church priest will never teach you the above is because he, like Hophni and Phinehas, wants to keep the tithe for himself!
Now do you understand what “giving to God” means?
If you want blessings like all those generous people narrated above, help the needy in your community. That is what “giving to God” means.
There is enough Old Testament Scripture that point to the principle of tithes and offerings before the law was instituted. I feel that New Testament Christians should tithe based upon Biblical principle. I pose the following questions for those that do not believe in tithing today.
How is the house of God, the church supposed to function without the tithe? Should the pastor be responsible for all of the expenses of the local church? If your answer is through offerings, then I would say that your offerings would equate to more than the 10% tithe.
Circumcision, slavery, animal sacrifices, clean meats were all before the law too. Saying something is a ‘principle’ is a bit vague. I consider a principle to be a law in which other laws are based. Tithing is a standard, not a principle. Love and sacrifice are principles.
There are thousands of non-Christian organizations that operate without a tithe and you think the Holy Spirit is too powerless to lead born-again people to give freely? Don’t be so closed-minded.
Even in the Old Testament, priests never tithed to anyone. Peter says all believers in Christ are priests (I Pet.2:5,9). Every time you pay tithes to some preacher who takes it up on God’s behalf, you deny your own priesthood. Abraham paid ONE tithe out of the spoils of war, not out of his own income or personal wealth. They practiced polygamy and animal sacrifice in Abraham’s day too, so are Christians obligated to keep these customs? The Bible teaches that believers are spiritually united with Christ. Does He tax the members of His own body? Nonsense!
The real reasons most people tithe
There are people who say that Christians should tithe because Abraham and Jacob tithed? I ask in return: Why emulate this particular deed and not all others? Would they encourage us for example to sleep with our maids like Abraham did with Hagar? Would they encourage us to marry two wives (sisters) and take their maids as concubines as Jacob did? I am sure no Christian would do that! Then there are others who tell us that because to tithe is God’s law and go on to point out that God does not change, so that what He commanded the Israelites of long ago goes for all humans today. To such, I just like them to read the whole narration of God meeting with Israelites at Mt. Horeb. They will note that the Covenant was between God and the Israelites who became His “Special people” exclusive of all other peoples of the Earth! However Then there are still others who say that Jesus did not directly oppose tithing. True! What He said is that it is hypocrisy to be obsessed with tithing yet not observe the more important laws of justice and mercy! All these are meant to hide the real reasons why most people tithe. The real reasons are first that, it is and indicator and proof to themselves and others that they are good Christians. It gives them that good “holy” feeling of the Pharisee who went to the Temple to tell God how good he had been and the lawyer who went to Jesus to boast that he had fulfilled all the laws since his youth. However, more than anything else, they want to reap the rewards promised in Malachi 3:10 which says: “Test me on this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Yes! They want the floodgates of heaven open and wealth come flowing down to them! They also want the protection promised in verse 7. They therefore think of tithing as an act of transaction with God in which they invest a little so as to rib much! They also see tithe as bait or a bribe to make God give them wealth and as a talisman that keeps harm away! In that first viewpoint they do not consider the blood of Jesus as the all potent protector and in the latter, Jesus as the name in which to ask the Father for all they need! They put tithe before Jesus yet they call themselves Christians!
Because their selfish desire, nay; craving for wealth and self-preservation is so strong, you can forever continue to convince them that Christians are called to mind their needy neighbour without calculating percentages but they will continue taking money to their rich church and pastor who ostensibly receive tithes on behalf of God instead. They know this is the truth but h because they do not want to admit it, they will always give reasons such as following after the footsteps of the patriarchs etc. Plain lies! No wonder Jesus called them hypocrites who are obsessed with tithing yet ignore the more important matters of minding the welfare of the needy: Mercy and Justice! Poor souls! Never cease praying for them. It may be that at least some will be saved out of this craving, see the light and save their souls.
One thing I like about all your responses is the scriptural references! People just comment without scriptural backing! God bless you richly and through this I have learnt to read my bible and do according to what Jesus said we should do rather than earthly pastors!
The Spirit of Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 tells us that, God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation and that He did so, so that He would not hold trespassers guilty of their trespasses. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away.” So like Christ, we too should preach the massage of reconciliation. We have an example of the Apostles in Acts 15:1, where we learn of a great controversy that came in the newly founded Christian Church. The controversy started when: “Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers that: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This teaching completely divided the church between the proponents and opponents of this teaching. After this debate went on for fourteen years Galatians 2: tells us that the “Pillars of the Church” , James, Cephas and John who were proponents gave their “right hands” meaning reconciled with the opponents, Paul and Barnabas. Apostle Paul in verse 8 says that the two parties agreed that the: “God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also the same God who was at work in Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles.” The narration ends with the following words in verses 9: They agreed that: “we (Paul, Barnabas and Titus) should go to the Gentiles, and they, to the circumcised. Verse 10 tells us that whatever their other differences: “… we should continue to remember the poor…”
This tells us that though we Christians do not have to see eye to eye about everything, we should at least agree on the tenet taught to us by Jesus, our Lord and Saviour: “Do unto others as you would want them do unto you” if you were in their circumstances and “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”. Secondly, let us accept that we are each made uniquely hence different in our viewpoints and endowments. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 tells us that: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” All these gifts, verse 7 says are meant to complement each other “for the common good.” This tells us that we should not enforce our viewpoints on other people! Let listen to each other and try to accommodate the different viewpoints.
In the same vein, I would like during this season that we remember the Great Reconciliator to ask first that we all, proponents and opponents of tithe, accept each other (to give our right hands) and two, to “continue to remember the poor”. Let us remember that Jesus did not tell us that He will on the Judgment Day, reward either the tithers or none tithers. He did not even say that He will reward those who give much money to enrich their churches and/or pastors! What He said in Matthew 25:40 is that: ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers (and sisters), you did for me.’ He will reward those who minded the poor and say: ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Matthew 25:34).”Hallelujah!
So if you are a Christian who follows the Commands of Christ, do what He asked you to do. Mind your needy neighbour this Christmas and all times there after! As for tithing or not tithing, do according to what the Spirit directs you.
I wish you all proponents and opponents of tithe a generous Christmas and a blessed 2017.
Gee to all of you who don’t believe in tithing:-
Why do you spend so much of this blog trying to dissuade those of us that do believe in tithing.
I do not believe in prosperity teachers who teach you give to get.
I tithe because I love Jesus and acknowledge that He created everything and owns everything and I am a steward of everything He blesses me with.
Why don’t you just leave those of us alone that do believe in tithing instead of trying to indoctrinate us into what you believe and just agree to disagree on this subject. We can twist the scriptures to say whatever we want. Tithing was before the law, during the law and after the law.
God created tithing to provide for His church. The world copied this pattern by creating the Tax method of providing for nations.
That’s why Jesus said “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s (taxes) and unto God the things that are God’s. (Tithes & Offerings” Mark 12:17
Believe what You believe, and I will believe what I believe.
That’s what God gave us….a free will.
I have always found, like someone mentioned earlier, that it is never Tithers who make a big deal trying to convince others to tithe, but oh boy, do the non tithers sure make their voice heard among us trying to dissuade us that do.
Most non tithers that I have met that are like this… their root cause for not tithing is their love of money.
You will mostly find they hardly give offerings either, but they make full use of the church facilities and get fed spiritually.
I am treasurer of two organisations and know this for a fact.
Tithes and Offerings are a matter of the heart, and that’s what God looks at…our heart when we give. He loves a cheerful giver!
The saddest thing about all you VOICIFEROUS –(Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech….) non-tithers, is you do end up causing people who do tithe to doubt, which I have seen by some of the comments above.
Another thing I would like to know is how many non-tithers commenting
on this page are Pastor’s?
Dagirathi, M?rutwo wa Jesu, are you a Pastor?
You seem to be quite frustrated, disgusted even angered by those who have a different opinion from yours. One thing you need to watch out is: “In your anger do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26 NIV). Like I have always said, Christianity is not anyone’s opinion, however good (reasonable) the opinion may be. That is because I always assume that it is Christians or people who want to be Christians that I am communicating with and to. Christianity is not even to be found or founded on all scriptures. It is Jesus who castigated the Pharisees saying: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Verse 47: But ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”(John 5:39) So on tithing, it is not any contributor here who says: “Woe to you, hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.… (Matthew 23:23).
So do you want to follow your own opinion or to do what Jesus commanded you to do the weightier matters of “ justice, mercy, and faithfulness” to your neighbour? Read carefully the parable of the Good Samaritan and ask yourself what Jesus meant and wanted you to do when he said: “Go and do likewise.”
Lastly, disregard what people write here or what they write and say elsewhere as their own opinions. Let it not anger you. Believe only in the Gospel of Jesus! Do what your Lord and Savour commanded you to do. I wish you God’s blessings!
It is an inevitable question where opinions count! What you are asking is: Which of these opinions are from Clergy (meaning benefactors) and which are from the layperson (the payer). The implication of your question is that the two are protagonists: The clergy being for tithing and the lay against. Christians are privileged to be above Clergy and Lay. “Jesus has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” (Revelation 1:6). “For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners (who need go-betweens), but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household.” (Ephesians 2:19) “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5). So, what I write here is neither my own opinion nor do I do it to gain disciples. What I do is to follow my Lord and Saviour’s command: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” See? I preach the Gospel of Jesus! I do not preach the opinions of Pastors and laymen!
And now to answer your question on whether I am a Pastor: I am the person who Jesus made a king and a priest, to serve his God and Father. I am the man who Jesus sent to preach the gospel to every creature. I am the man Jesus taught the about my neighbour through the parable of the good Samaritan and then commanded: “Go do likewise!” Since I have this feeling that you are a Christian who follows neither Apollo’s nor Paul’s but Jesus alone, I would urge you to do what your saviour commanded you. If He says tithe, do it, if he says “ do unto others (all those suffering around you) as you would have them do to you, do that! If you tithe, first fulfill the more important matters of justice and mercy. Kindly don’t mind my own opinions if I have proffered any here now or any time earlier.
Dagirathi,
The reason I am asking if any are Pastor’s here is because if you are a Pastor over a flock you understand the importance of tithes and offerings, just as Jesus did as our Head Shepherd. You have a flock to take care and provide for, spiritually and sometimes physically.
How can we do the Lord’s work without provision. How can we buy study materials for Sunday School and Bible Studies etc; for evangelism.
Many Pastor’s are having to pay out of their own pockets because of the shortfall in offerings and tithes. There is a building to be paid for whether by lease rent, or mortgage. Utilities to be paid for, Rates, Insurances, musical and office equipment etc, and wages when they are able to. Many Pastors don’t take a stipend, they still work as well as Pastor.
My husband and I pastored a Pentecostal Church for many years, and yes we loved people, rich or poor, and have helped many, many, people over the years and I still continue to do so. My husband died a few years ago, and as I widow, I still continue the Lord’s work, but not pastoring. We never ever took a wage, we did it through love for the people. We often paid for things out of our own funds. But even though many of the people in the church were poor, they mostly still paid their tithes unto the Lord and God richly blessed them. We tithed from the moment we were born again which was 28 years ago, and God has provided all our needs ever since. We have had hard times in different areas, but Jesus never failed to bring us through them all.
People give less now than what they did during the depressions
But my reason for asking who was a Pastor was, because only a Pastor knows how much they give of their personal finances,time, and support to help keep a church going to help people in need.
This article is pretty good too. Here is the link :http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/what-would-happen-if-church-tithed
Jesus Knew the problem with tithing, so that’s why he lived off free will offerings from his followers? Luke 8:1-3
Your very first sentence reads: “Jesus knew the problem with tithing, so that’s why he lived off free will offerings from his followers? Luke 8:1-3”. From that I learn that there is a misunderstanding in communication not based or caused by difference in principles but by communication. It is a matter of semantics. Yes, while Jesus never shied away from receiving gifts in cash and kind and in deed asked us all to love our neighbour which really means looking after the welfare of the less fortunate, he sneered on tithes and never collected any. Like I have often written on this board, tithe is a misused word. If you ever make it obligatory that your congregation to calculate a 10th of their income and bring it to church however many and desperately hungry people he/she meets on the way there, so as to fulfill the law of Moses or so that God opens the windows of heaven for wealth to pour down, I am not with you. If you teach your congregation to out of love of God and the neighbour (the needy) to give cheerfully, generously and as are able and willing, I am with you all the way! Why? Because the former is fulfillment of law of Moses by compulsion which is not a Christian thing the later the latter is out of compassion based on love of Christ. Christianity is founded on love not law. It does things out of Compassion not Compulsion.
Because I see that you are well versed with the Bible, I should remind you of the Good Samaritan. He did not calculate 10% when helping the injured man and he did not take it to Church. That is the example that Jesus gave and said, Go do likewise!
Because you gave an example of the poor people you helped with collected money, let me say I have no problem with that. Money collected in the name of God (whatever term you give it) should go to do God’s work. When it is for enriching either the church or the Preacher, I say that is not Christian and that is what I am always againt. I have seen a lot of that from very many individuals and churches.
You are exactly right. None of the churches have the right to ask for tithing even when the ministers are paid. There is only one church that has the authority to ask for 10% of our income. It has no paid ministry. We all serve without monetary compensation. It is the true church of Jesus Christ here on the earth in the last days. It is rolling forth as a stone cut out of the mountain without hands and filling the whole earth. Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
I am unable to get what message you want to send out with the Daniel 2:44 quote. You assert that it will be the only Kingdom is the Church with authority to charge 10% but that is not in that passage! The religion that rightly demands 10% as tithe is Jewish as commanded by Moses in Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and other related passages. Malachi reminds them of it in the famous Malachi 3:10 but not before he declares the whole message in that book as a burden exclusively for Israelites. Did you imply that the kingdom will come to crush the non-tithers? If that is the case do you classify Christians as tithers, the ones who will be in the kingdom and non-tithers the ones to be crashed? As I said earlier, that is not the basis on which God’s judgment will be based.
Lastly, whatever Daniel and the many other prophets say, they are not Jesus. Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” Salvation is with the Father and only Jesus can take you to Him. In John 14:6 Jesus says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Lastly, Jesus in the Great Commission commanded Christians to ““Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 6:15.) Note “Gospel”! All other scriptures and quotes from all the prophets are secondary to the Words/Teachings/Doctrine/Good News given to us by Jesus! So, if you are a Christian, the important question is: “What did Jesus say?” Do not let me or anyone else, living now or in the past, persuade or dissuade you to tithe or do anything else that relates to Christian Faith: Do what Jesus commanded.