As a side note, I just want to say that i do not particularly agree with all of the answers to this test, but you should Take the Tithe Test anyways.
The Tithe Test – What Do You Really Know?
by Robin Calamaio
11/25/2007 / Finances
Is 10% of your gross income to be given to the local church for the rest of your life? What do you actually know about the Biblical teaching on the tithe? Well, here is your chance to find out! Below are twenty questions worth five points each. Normally, 60% would be a passing grade. But in this case, I want you to study this subject until you score 100% ! Why do I want this? Well, if your income averages $50K a year, after fifty years, you will have given a quarter of a million dollars to the local church. It does seem sensible to ask some questions about this – and know some answers. Actually, it is wrong for you to give 10% of your gross income to anybody without knowing for sure it is God’s will …100% sure. That’s why I want you to work on this until you are an A+ student!
So, … get your pen and paper and take this 3-minute test right now. Don’t cheat by looking at the answers. Go!
- How many Bible authors wrote commands about the tithe – its purpose, amount and procedures?
- Who are they?
- What was done with the third and sixth-year tithe? Who had access to it?
- Can you explain the “tithe cycle” of the Israelites?
- What was done with the tithe every seventh year?
- Explain Abram’s tithe. What did Abram give Melchizedek?
- Did any of the Levites tithe? If so, to whom and how much?
- How much money did the tithers give to the Levitical Priests?
- In the “to the Levites” tithing years, did all the tithe go to the Levites?
- What group did Jacob give his tenth to?
- What were the conditions God must meet before Jacob would give that tenth?
- When was the tithe “rediscovered?”
- Who is credited with that “rediscovery?”
- What was the catalyst for that “rediscovery?”
- Is tithing the number one responsibility for the Christian and his/her money?
- What kind of curse should the Christian expect for failing to tithe (Malachi 3:17-23)?
- Where did Jesus tell Christians to bring their tithe?
- Where did Paul, or the other New Testament writers, tell Christians to bring the tithe?
- When the Corinthians, and others, were making their collection for the saints, what was done with that collection before Paul and company took it to Judea?
- Can the tithe be given to parachurch ministries?
Now, before rushing down to grade yourself, let’s address one other little item. It seems reasonable to me that anyone who tells you God requires you to tithe – should be willing to answer a few questions (like … maybe twenty?). And if that person fails to score 60%, well, … where I grew up, that was an “F.” Should you be expected to yield to such “expertise?” But, even if expected … should you?
ANSWERS
To calculate the score, count the number of correct answers and multiply by 5.
1. One.
2. Moses. In Malachi, God was speaking and simply reiterated the commands in the Law.
3. It was kept in the local town. It was for the local Levite, alien, orphan, and widow.
4. Year one, two, four and five were taken to the designated place (eventually Jerusalem). Year three and six – see question 3 answer. Year seven – see below.
5. There wasn’t one. There was not one on year fifty (Year of Jubilee) either.
6. He gave him 10% of the choicest spoils of a bunch of stuff he had no intention of keeping anyway. He gave nothing of his own possessions.
7. Yes. Those Levites not of Aaron’s family gave a tithe of the tithe they received. They gave it to the priests of Aaron’s family.
8. None. The tithe was never money.
9. The tithe of year one, two, four and five were shared by the tither with the Levite in a celebratory meal when the tithe was given. What was left over stayed with the Levite. In year three and six, it appears the tither deposited the whole amount in the local town without partaking of any of it.
10. There was no “group” to give it to of which we know. If your testee responds with, “God,” count that as a correct answer. The testee is still going to flunk.
11. God had to be with him, keep him on his journey, give him food to eat, give him garments to wear, and return him safely to his father’s house. At that point, God would be his God. The tenth came (we assume) twenty years later. It was a vow fulfillment.
12. After the Bill of Rights was adopted in the United States.
13. American Theologians in the Higher Criticism of Systematic Theology.
14. The loss of the church’s ability to tax citizens (The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights) caused a financial crisis in the church. That led to this “rediscovery.”
15. No. Family obligations are number one. There is no tithe for Christians anyway.
16. There aren’t any. Christians are not Jews under Law.
17. He didn’t, because there isn’t one.
18. They didn’t, because there isn’t one.
19. It was saved … most likely at home by each contributor.
20. There is no such thing as a parachurch ministry, and there is no tithe for the Christian either. All the assumptions in this question are nonsense.
These answers are correct.
The teaching that is going around today is not the Tithe of the Bible. In fact, this “new teaching” is totally foreign to the Bible. A legitimate Biblical word and teaching (tithe) has been hijacked – and applied it to this new concoction.
God does give clear directives for the use of your money. But that design is not found in this “new teaching.” This “tithe” teaching is actually extortion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, it is not just the extortioner who will be held to account. The duped one is accountable too. It is ultimately our responsibility to learn God’s will for us – especially when it is written in black and white. And in this matter, “I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land” (Isa 45:19). God’s material on the tithe, and His priorities for our money, are clearly stated in the Bible – there for the reading.
So, how did you do? Are you comfortable with your current knowledge level on this matter?
Free, unique ebooks at http://www.freelygive-n.com/Free_Christian_Ebook_Home.html . Robin has a Master of Divinity – Emmanuel School of Religion, 1992.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
Great test, it lets me remember some info I forgot like the seventh year and the year of Jubalee. An actual attempt to apply all the complicated thinga about the tithe system to Christians of today would be absurd. Biblical Tithing is far more complicated than the Webster definition of titing espoused in the churches of a simple 10% to the local church of all income. There are so many exeptions and exemptions in the real anicent dead sysem of tithing.
There IS one historically wrong thing on the test — in the English church — the word for the church tax, since the 10th century was tithe, so if we read protestant free-church writings of the 17the century or so, we read about the necessity to abolish the tythe.
by the way thanks for commenting on my site, and introducing me to your essays.
A temporary tutor, earthly and fleshly mandate = the “Law” that was put in place to guide man who had a dysfunctional conscience and whose spirit man was still-born, not been born-again yet and waiting for the Christ to restore that spirit-man to the state of Adam before sin.
Now in this dispensation of Grace through birthing our spirit-man we as those who potentially walk in the spirit are in a superior reality of being in his kingdom and the fruits that we seek to produce are spirit in nature, the Laws we follow are through relationship, Love and Spirit and fruit of this pursuit brings eternal impact on us.
How can we submit ourselves to an inferior Law that only brings curses and blesses in the flesh and soul and cannot impact the spirit man?
Law is in fleshly and earthly realm and it’s consequences are temporal in impact.
How can we put our attention, focus and our eyes back on the fleshly and temporal
when are newer mandate is to seek those things that are above.
Should we put on the armor of the Law
or the Armor of Christ in the Spirit.
I really enjoyed your questions.
and it is great to see someone resisting the easy way out in their attempts to tithe to secure
blessings and relationship
It shows that in some cases their eyes continue to be on earthly issues and rather than getting used to hearing and obeying and being led by the spirit and walking in the spirit as to our stewardship they unwittingly attempt to manipulate Gods blessings and favor through
fleshly means.
Oh that the teachers would see how much damage it does to have the flock put their eyes back on the law, and thus damage their growth in fruits of Spirit.
Thank You Scott Costello, We finaly have some mature christians debating on this blog.
Bless you and may Gods grace and peace be multibly to you all.
Hot subject. I found you out when I was checking if there is anyone in the net who had my book title, “Whose Tithe Is It Anyway?” In this book I am exploring teachings in which the church has been found wanting in intepreting the tithe law.
I believe christians are not supposed to be bombarded by the tithing sermons. My book begins with two classical quotes, “…repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” and “…pay your tithes for the Kingdom of God is at hand”
This was refreshing. All of this is what I learned when I studied the “tithe”. I wondered how this hadn’t come to the light. One thought is that it may possibly be the reason we are discouraged from practicing the feasts and the sabbath. We would study our Jewish roots more thoroughly and perhaps learn how biblically unsound our current title system is. Just a thought.
Lynnette
Praise the Lord in your life scott Castello. Cause u really said it right. Sometimes some people twist the true meaning of God’s Word. God Bless yo more!
clarification needed. is tithe supposed to be on gross or net income? On gross income it means we are paying 10% on the money we never realised say in a given month ie taxes, social security etc.