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So Who Teaches The Tithe Is Necessary?


DaveW

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My church matches Kita's position. I do believe that 'the tithe is the Lord's', and that as it predates the Law, is not necessarily bound by the law. Frankly, though, I don't see it as an area of separation (I'd be more likely to separate from a church that took it directly off your paycheck!), as long as the principles of giving to The Lord and supporting the pastor are in place.

Faith Promise is an area that's a bit grayer. We do it, but I tend to consider it more of an organized giving to missions than actually believing/acting on the faith promise principle. Guess I don't have much faith...

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I would appreciate your thoughts about these two articles on tithing.  My personal beliefs on this subject were partly formed by these two articles and their scripture references, that the tithe is a commandment.

 

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." 

 

 

http://www.baptistchallenge.org/challenge/09augtbc.pdf

 

http://www.baptistchallenge.org/challenge/10aprtbc.pdf

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My church matches Kita's position. I do believe that 'the tithe is the Lord's', and that as it predates the Law, is not necessarily bound by the law. Frankly, though, I don't see it as an area of separation (I'd be more likely to separate from a church that took it directly off your paycheck!), as long as the principles of giving to The Lord and supporting the pastor are in place.

Faith Promise is an area that's a bit grayer. We do it, but I tend to consider it more of an organized giving to missions than actually believing/acting on the faith promise principle. Guess I don't have much faith...

Our church handles missions 3 ways: 1) some missionaries the church has obligated themselves to support for a set amount monthly, 2) some are supported by Sunday School classes that have decided to do so (amount may vary month to month), 3) some missionaries are supported by individuals who have obligated themselves (they give designated to such missionary and the church cuts check at end of month, if they don't give it the church is not obligated, if they leave they have obligated themselves and should have the character to continue in their new church -- their former church is not obligated to continue it), then we have missionaries sent out through the church who handles the support as it comes in.

 

Sounds complicated but actually works smooth.

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I would appreciate your thoughts about these two articles on tithing. My personal beliefs on this subject were partly formed by these two articles and their scripture references, that the tithe is a commandment.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."


http://www.baptistchallenge.org/challenge/09augtbc.pdf

http://www.baptistchallenge.org/challenge/10aprtbc.pdf


with the greatest of respect, could discussion on these articles be done in it's own thread.

A quick look at them seems they are worthy of discussion.
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I teach giving as the Lord prospers, and according to your love of the Lord and His work, not a tithe. We live in a very small and depressed community-many of our folks are either unemployed, due to lack of employment, or on a fixed income due to disability or retirement. And by retirement, I don't mean they hit 50 and stopped working, but I mean, like 85 years old.  Still people give as they can and in many different ways, and some in both financial as well as time and labor.

 

I believe the tithe was claerly OT, Abraham and Jacob gave because they chose to, and Abraham gave, not of his own, but of the spoils of war, and is never seen 'tithing; again. Jacob said he would give, but with the condition that God would first do for him-not exactly what we would consider biblical tithing today. As well, OT tithing was not just 10%-there was one that was 50%, and that was spent on food and drink for a big shin-dig with the rest of Israel. Again, not what we would normally consider a 'biblical' tithe, as some are encouraged to give today.

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I do not think the tithe is a NT necessity simply because the verse already quoted (2 Cor. 9:7) states that we are not to give out of necessity.  If I teach it is a necessity to give 10%, I have added my word to God's Word and they contradict. 

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I believe in, and practice tithing, and I have been exceedingly blessed. (whether tithing has anything to do with it or not, God has seen fit to bless my family).  I do it partly because of a verse in 2 Cor. 8 that says we should give equallly: (percentage-wise)

 

2Co 8:14  But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

 

It used to be that most Baptists tithed, without questioning the veracity of the tithe.

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Really, you have one person who obviously has a bitter root about tithing that started all these various threads.  It has already been stated that they believe in giving, whatever you want to call this terminology would seem to be semantics and word games really.  It would appear that what each of us does regarding giving is working for us.  

 

It would appear that just from the "opinions" given in this thread that the context of the OP are incorrect, that the majority of IFB churches don't teach tithing.  While they may not use the term, they teach the principle.

 

You asked for opinions and this is mine.  Everyone should give to the church and we all agree on that point. 

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But tithing is certainly a safe place to start, as long as the pastor is encouraging it for personal Christian growth rather than personal gain.

 

Amen, tithing, giving, offering whatever you want to call it must be of the heart, giving back to God of what He has given us.  Without this love nothing much will happen.

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I see no issue with people giving and being taught to give-but I have seen the issue of tithing too often used as a demand for someone to give, always give, even to the detriment of their family.

 

One example: I attended a church where the pastor taught tithing from a very legalistic point of view. One Sunday and man come to him and tld him of a particular money ssue he was having. Now, this man always gave, so he couldn't be pointed at as an example of 'God will take His tithe one way or another', which is a concept I disagree with, anyways. So, he tells the pastor that he can't give that week, and the pastor tells him, Give your tithe as you are supposed to, and see me after church, and I will give it back to you'.

 

Now, we see here the legalistic position many IFB churchesd have taken with the tithe-ths pastor probably learned this somewhere. He was a graduate of HAB-maybe there? It had basically been an issue of apearance-not even trusting God, since he knew, in putting it in, the pastor wuld give it back. Legalism. We give as we are prospered, not as we hope to be prospered. Jacob gave as he was prospered, Abraham in his one example of tithing, gave as he had been prospered, neither of them in their want. This follows the Bible. 

"Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." (1Cor 16:2)

 

It goes to follow that, if one has not been financially prospered that week, that month, if one is going through some financial difficulty, has lost a job, has illness come upon them, there should be no expectation of laying up in store for giving. The teaching of the tithe, as is taught in many places, seems to turn it into a leglaistic and burdensome thing.

 

 

Hope this didn't hijack the thread. I agree with the above comment, Ohio Patriot, except this is why I believe the terminogy is important, as well-because it teaches, or at least implies, legalism.

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Hope this didn't hijack the thread. I agree with the above comment, Ohio Patriot, except this is why I believe the terminogy is important, as well-because it teaches, or at least implies, legalism.

 

Ukulelemike,

 

I agree with all of your post, even the last line as well because we all won't have the same ideas.  

 

I understand the premise regarding using tithe as a term, and normally don't use this as a synonym for offering.  However, in reality what is being discussed is very similar to politically correctness.  Some don't like the term because it denote's legalism and necessity,  If we understand the Bible then really this should not be an issue at all to the individual, giving should be a heart matter, then if a person understands their Bible and tithing is viewed as legalistic, it becomes a heart matter of another sort.

 

So yes I agree with the context of what you say but view the reason for viewing as legalism from a different viewpoint, perhaps.

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Ukulelemike,

I agree with all of your post, even the last line as well because we all won't have the same ideas.

I understand the premise regarding using tithe as a term, and normally don't use this as a synonym for offering. However, in reality what is being discussed is very similar to politically correctness. Some don't like the term because it denote's legalism and necessity, If we understand the Bible then really this should not be an issue at all to the individual, giving should be a heart matter, then if a person understands their Bible and tithing is viewed as legalistic, it becomes a heart matter of another sort.

So yes I agree with the context of what you say but view the reason for viewing as legalism from a different viewpoint, perhaps.


This is exactly the point.

Even among those who use the term here there does not appear to be one who promotes it as an essential doctrine.
I think every one has suggested it needs to be of a willing heart, and therefore not tithing under the law even if they Use that terminology.
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Our church (and I have no other man with whom I am so like minded as my Pastor) teaches that the tithe, not being abolished through the start of the New Covenant, is the responsibility a man owes to his God. Being this man's responsibility, it is preached. What each individual member does with this preaching is between him and God. Furthermore, we believe that a Christian is obliged to give to God above that ten percent as an offering.

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Our church does not teach tithing as a mandate. We don't even pass a plate. There is a box at the door and you give when and as you feel led, it is completely personal. I would also add that the Offering Box (and that is what it is called) is not even mentioned in 90+% of our services.

 

I personally like the concept of the tithe (i.e. 10% of gross) as I find it a convenient starting point for giving. Faith Promise and other offerings can be added as the individual is led. I see all the argument about the various terms as nothing more than semantics and a waste of time. If people are being led astray by those that mandate tithing then perhaps they should read their Bible instead of taking everything their pastor says for granted.

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How convenient to teach that their is no responsibility in tithing.  It matters not what people say "most" IFB churches teach, in todays world they also teach other things that are questionable, and those have been discussed here over and over again just as tithing has.

 

By the way, that box in the back of the church sounds like MacArthurs teaching who also swear by the NIV, and has denied the blood in the past.  He practiced that, and calls it "grace giving" as if giving out of our "increase" (We are increased by our income, or doesn't that count?) is not of grace.

 

call it "modern giving" if you will be more correct, and not tithing.

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