Do you know of anyone who has been addicted to drugs? I’ve had a couple of family members that had been on drugs for quite some time. It’s a sad thing to see. The worst part happens when they need a fix and can’t get their hands on their drugs. They break out in a sweat while worry, fear, anger, and panic overcome them. Manipulation and rage are usually the consequences of their complete dependence. For those of you who might not understand; your brother or your sister, whom you’ve known your whole life, might as well be your enemy. They will do the vilest and most manipulative things to you and your family in order to get their fix. My cousin (who is dead now), at one time, stole all his brother’s and sister’s presents on Christmas eve and sold them to buy his drugs! I don’t want to go on an anti-drug rant here, but I do want to show you the effects of addiction.
Many times, in my discussions about tithing, I get a lot of comments about how all the churches would close their doors and all the pastors would leave if we did not have tithing. They feel that the survival of the Church is completely dependent upon the enforcement of the tithing law. Without this tithing law, the church would just shrivel up into nothing. Just the thought of getting rid of tithing causes panic.
Many are so absorbed into the enforcement of the tithing law, that they do not even realize that they are many examples in the bible of ministries thriving without any signs of the tithing being enforced. As a matter of fact, there’s no sign of tithing in the new testament to support any ministry. Not that the absence of tithing is an argument for my beliefs, but the fact that people can’t believe the Church can operate without tithing is ignorance to me.
These people are so addicted to tithing that they will come up with the most manipulative things to say in order to get you to tithe. They will threaten you with ex-communication, curses from God, and even losing your salvation.
I have enough to worry about with my own finances let alone worrying about some church keeping open their doors.
Let me share a part of my testimony. I lived in a home and a church that always tithed, so as I grew up, I did so as well; even without question. So as i was confronted with the challenge to defend tithing, I began a study on my own what the bible had to say. My mind quickly changed about what I believed about tithing.
Although I knew tithing was not commanded, I struggled with the truth for a while. It took me a while to get over the shallow guilt and my conscience. As I look back, it’s sad to see the bondage that I was under. As a former addict, I truly felt that I was a slave, and now I finally feel how it is to be free.
One look at the bible and you can tell that money is an important subject. It is the most talked-about subject in the bible. Because of the bible’s emphasis on finances, and the ability for materialism and money to corrupt, i began to feel that tithing is probably the number one vice of the church. I began to see how churches were so addicted to money and the power of tithing to produce it. It is almost as if they would go through withdrawal if tithing were relinquished.
Why is the Church so addicted to money? Is tithing our way of manipulating our brothers and sisters every week so that way we can get our fix? Not that money is evil but can you and I really live off of every word from the mouth of God, or must we feed the money monster every week in order to get through our withdrawals? I don’t know, you tell me!
If churches don’t receive tithes how do they maintain the church, feed the poor and help the widows, and maintian the utilties and everrthing else that goes into running a church. You see it is not about the money it is about helping people and it takes money to help people. I don’t follow all those people you mention I know who they are. But for the most part pastors in America are true to the call of God on the life and are trying desperately to the work of God and that takes money. So agai my question is simple how do churchs maintain. I am interested in what you have to say.
Anthony,
John MacArthur does not teach and collect the tithe in his mega church in Los Angeles and his church does quite well. Just ONE example.
IF God is truly in your church, God will put it in the hearts of the members to give generously and the church will receive all it needs to fulfill its purpose.
Tithing teachers-collectors lack faith that God will take care of His own church.
Anthony,
I don’t think you actually read the article. Let me repeat somethings below.
– Many are so absorbed into the enforcement of the tithing law, that they do not even realize that they are many examples in the bible of ministries thriving without any signs of the tithing being enforced. As a matter of fact, there’s no sign of tithing in the new testament to support any ministry.
Let’s not forget the many charities that operate today through freewill gifts, and yet their doors are always open. Is the church of God, led by his Spirit that desperate to find donors that even secular organizations can conjure up?
– jared
Hi,
Dear Anthony, If pastors encourage their members to pay tithes and manipulate scriptures to meet their budgets. Its the same as dealing drugs or running prostitutes to finance the church in Gods eyes.
Please understand this, if pastors manipulate christians to get money or tithes they will manipulate to get anything they want .
God pays his own bills,if he doesnt then He will cease being God because God is not a liar.
Real christian FAITH is the answer not lying or manipulation.
Have a Peaceful day.
This is a superb article. Spot on with it’s facts. To the person who how churches maintain without tithing, it’s simple really, by the free-will grace giving of it’s members. I know of a church in my area that does not promote tithing, but has done more, has helped more and gives more then any tithing church of comporable size here. My question to the tithe defenders is, who/what do you trust more, God and His blessings, or man and his money?
Do I believe the Church is addicted to money? No. Do I believe that if the church could come up with a way to carry out ministry without money that they would, yes. Unfortunately, our society does not have such an alternative and the pastors need to be paid a decent living. However, do I think that the church is addicted to the tithe a means to persuade us to give, yes. I think the tithe is used so frequently because pastors and other church leaders are not inclined to learn a better way.
The parable of Jesus which we know as the “parable of the good Samaritan” is about the sin of monetary tithes. The law of the tithe is on the fruit of the land or the corn, oil, wine. This is poured into the wounds of the man who fell amongst thieves. Jesus uses his oil and wine (tithe) to heal the one who fell amongst those who do not despise the “gain of oppressions” Isaiah 33:15 The “hearing of blood” are the wounds inflicted. This is the reason Antipas was killed. He believed in despising the gain and was killed.
Church is part of the community and it provides a place for people to go when in need. I think if it could find another way to fund itself it would.
I thank the Lord , because I was at one point in time brainwashed with this false doctrine of tithing for the New Testament Church! The fact of the matter is many ministers are running the church ministries like a business. Salvation has taken a back seat, now I understand better, the Apostle Paul’s battle to get the new testament Church to understand the difference between law&grace. We can all agree that money is needed to a certain degree, but money can’t buy Salvation. 11 Corinthians 9:6-15 encourages us to give according to as we purpose in our heart.
Many ministers manipulate people with the book of Malachi one particular scripture abused is Malachi 3:8 this scripture is not to the new testament Church , therefore it is taken out of context
and used as a scare tactic. There is no record in the New Testament Scripture of a tithing doctrine. All Scripture is for our learning ,but all scripture is not to us.
All Preacher’s will have to answer to the Most High God concerning false teachings.
The New Testament Church Ministries should operate only on freewill offerings.
90% of Church ministries are run as a business so to teach a 10% giving of one’s income provide’s for a steady revenue of money coming into the Ministry ,it’s still not Scriptural supported in the New Testament..It’s just money hungry preacher’s bringing this Old Testament system to the New Testament! Any preacher that is spiritual &sincere& want’s to seek the Lord for Understanding will have to agree .. May the Lord Bless all of the reader’s & open their understanding to Sound Doctrine!
Min Wendell
PS my Ministry will not teach this false doctrine of Tithing, it will only teach freewill giving from the heart.
sdministries7@aol.com
No one is saying not to give financially to their Churches just because they do not support an Old Testament mandatory tithe law. Jesus placed mercy over tithing in Matthew 23:23 and he said to tithe but he was speaking to Jews still under the law and he had not died on the Cross and declared “it is finished (paid in full) Giving is an act of worship but the motive is no longer to keep a law that Jesus paid in full and fulfilled on the Cross. Sadly few Christians understand the benefits and Grace (unearned favor) we were freely given by placing our faith in the payment Jesus made on the Cross.
Galatians 3:10 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law
Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace”.
Col. 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
11 Corinthians 9:6-15 is the new testament mandate for giving…
Do you no of a church around Tampa, Fl. that does not teach tithing?
I am amazed at Christians today who do not study the word of God concerning tithes. In Malachi 3 it states you are cursed with a curse.
HOW can one still be cursed IF Jesus done away with the curse of the old law?
Point in fact: Malachi also states”Test me saith the Lord, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a Blessing that you will not have room to recieve it”.
I have asked 4 preachers this question:
Why do the overwhelming majority of people who obey the old testament Malachi mandate of tithing, NOT ever see, receive, or experience a blessing that they don’t have room enough to recieve?
Number one, you would have to be aware of a blessing that big. Number two, it would have to be so big and overwhelming that you would have to conclude that it was from God. Number three, it would have to be so big that it would be a windfall that changes your life financially and other wise.
One said, he didn’t understand why that does not happen. The second preacher said he believes it does not happen because Christians are stingy.
The third preacher said our Blessings are on the other side when we get to heaven.
The forth preacher gave the right answer.
He said, Malachi is the last book of the OLD Teastament. We’re not under the old mosaic law, we are under the NEW Teastament. There is no scripture in the new testament requiring tithes. We are instructed to GIVE as we purpose in our heart, without compulsion.
Malachi makes tithing mandatory and is a compelled law and that if you don’t your cursed.
He made so much sense and helped me become FREE from the manipulative preachers still dragging up Malachi 3 to keep people bound, obedient, and financially broke.
Ronnie, yes your right we are now
Living under a new covenant with Jesus not the law of the Old Testament, but that doesn’t mean nothing in the OT isn’t for today. Don’t you think the OT would have been removed if it had absolutely no bearing to our lives at all. Simply put, God does not need anything from us, we need him. The bible is full of references to the strangle holds of money, God knew full well how hard it would be for us to part with money and in doing so would keep keep us in bondage as lovers of self, possessions, and creates a wedge in the way of denying ourselves of this world. Seeing that the route of most sin is money, giving away our finances is for our own benefit, it frees us from the bondage that is creates over us. If you believe in Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that he could garner funds any way he pleases without our assistance. Could God almighty make someone win the power ball lotto that he knew had left all his belongings to the church, who also had a terminal illness. Of course he could, he’s god, he simply doesn’t rely on our funds for his Will. It’s a freeing and important part of Christianity to give, it proves our obedience to god, trust in his word of his promises to be our provider, and frees us from putting faith in objects that are of this world. Giving financially ties into other scripture that is to benefit us as believers. God wants us to have a relationship with him, and to come to him in prayer for everything including our monetary needs. To trust in God as our provider, but that takes faith, you know the faith of giving and not fully understanding how you will still be provided for, but believing in faith that your needs will be met. If you think giving a tithe to a church is solely for their benefit, you Sir, are sadly mistaken.