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Tithing - is is obligatory for Christians?


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Wow! You came right out and told them you don't believe tithing is obligatory for Christians and they still hired you? I'm impressed. :smile

It's good to know there are still Baptist pastors who don't engage in "beating the sheep" (or fleecing the sheep) for tithes. I don't believe it makes for cheerful giving. Our pastor has never preached on tithing, and our local church is doing just fine. The pastor is fully supported, all the bills are paid every month, and the church as a whole is giving generously to our missionaries.


Some people just can't get it, grace came in the law went out. Under grace we obey our God & our Savior because we love Him, we also give cheerfully to Jesus' Church, giving cheerfully always winds up being more than 10 % which, or tithing, which many pastors harp on and on about. Most who believe in tithing beats the dead horse to death. And many pastors have beat it so much that they have convinced many church members that tithing is a teaching of the New Testament.

And I can tell you when I said I did not believe in tithing I had no idea how the majority in this church believe. But I found out later 100 % of them did not believe in tithing. And that they were surprised that I didn't.

One cannot be a cheerful giver under the law of tithing.

By the way, I don't get a single blessing from God because I earned it. Ever blessing that has ever came my way was completely undeserved.

Yes, I know, their are many pastors out there teach that the more you give to them, the more money the Lord will send your way.

I not worried about blessing while on this earth, I hope that I'm storing up treasures in heaven.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matt 6:20-21 (KJV)

One does not have to listen long to the prosperity and feel good pastors to tell where their treasures are, and we can see where those who follow them treasures are as well. Seems those pastors want to make everyone think being a dedicated Christians is a walk in the park, if one truly stands with Christ Jesus it will not be a walk in the park.
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If one thinks the Old Testament law of tithing is still in effect, is that one taking his livestock and/or grain to the Temple once a year? Is that one allowing the land to rest every third year and every seventh year (that is what the Bible says was commanded concerning tithes)? Is one putting that tithe in the storehouse (note, the storehouse is not the Church)?

If we are going to say the Word of God commands us to tithe, then we must be consistent and tithe according to that which the Bible says is a tithe.

btw, According to Nehemiah 12:44, the tithe and the firstfruit are not the same. Scripture clearly says the tenth cattle to pass under the rod is the tithe... not the first cattle.

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No, I don't ask anyone to compromise, but you can't say we can just agree to disagree but then say God commands we tithe, because in stating it that way you are saying those who don't tithe are disobeying God.

Scripture nowhere commands Christians to tithe.

The OT aspects of tithing were for the Jews. While I understand how those who believe in Replacement Theology get the idea the tithe applies to them, I don't see how other Christians can since the OT tithe is so obviously linked specifically to Israel and the law.

The OT was about law. The NT Christian is now under grace where we are to surrender our "hearts" to the Lord and live so that it is Christ who lives and not us. If we are born again and submit to the Lord we don't need a law to direct our giving because we will rightly give as the Lord leads us.

I've noticed that many tithe-commanding churches have financial problems because of difficulty in getting the members to tithe (and their pastors complain about this often). Meanwhile, I've noticed the churches that I'm familiar with that don't preach the tithe, but rather teach to give cheerfully and abundantly from the heart don't have a problem meeting their financial needs.

There is no Scriptural command for Christians to tithe; it's simply not there.
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One cannot be a cheerful giver under the law of tithing.


[smilie]That's a rather baseless blanket statement don't you think?[/smilie]confused002.gif
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I guess me, Jerry, and a good portion of the rest of the board must be grouchy givers then. Not to mention all those grouchy OT givers like king David. :frog Funny, I didn't feel like a grouchy giver before. :lol:

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One cannot be a cheerful giver under the law of tithing.


Your opinion only - I tithe and I do it willingly and cheerfully, because I know God will bless it and use it to further His kingdom.

There is no Scriptural command for Christians to tithe; it's simply not there.


I believe it is - and I have listed the various NT passages that mention tithing in a positive light.

Let's put it the other way: there are no NT passages teaching it is done away with; therefore still applies to us today.
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Only places tithing is mentioned in the New Testament is where Jesus commended the Pharisee for tithing spices... not money; and in Hebrews where Abram is said to have tithed the spoils of war to Melchizadek.

If we are going to push this theory that tithing was never done away with, then do it Biblically. Tithe with grain and livestock or the spoils of war.

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The Law was done away with in the NT and the tithe was a part of that. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (who were not brought up under the Law and tithe) never instructed Gentile Christians to tithe but rather always spoke of giving done out of love. When the head of the new church at Jerusalem considered the matter of whether Gentile converts had to adopt Jewish customs and adherance to the Law, their ruling didn't include that Christians had to tithe.

All of the New Testament examples of giving are done under grace, out of love and by the guidance of the Spirit; not by a matter of the Law or tithe. Even when the couple who God slew for lying about their giving were condemned, Peter made it clear that their profits from selling their land was theirs to do with as they pleased. He never stated that all they had to do was give 10% of their increase from selling the land and the rest was theirs, he stated that their money was theirs to do with as they wanted and that they were condemned for lying.

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The Law was done away with in the NT and the tithe was a part of that. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (who were not brought up under the Law and tithe) never instructed Gentile Christians to tithe but rather always spoke of giving done out of love. When the head of the new church at Jerusalem considered the matter of whether Gentile converts had to adopt Jewish customs and adherance to the Law, their ruling didn't include that Christians had to tithe.

All of the New Testament examples of giving are done under grace, out of love and by the guidance of the Spirit; not by a matter of the Law or tithe. Even when the couple who God slew for lying about their giving were condemned, Peter made it clear that their profits from selling their land was theirs to do with as they pleased. He never stated that all they had to do was give 10% of their increase from selling the land and the rest was theirs, he stated that their money was theirs to do with as they wanted and that they were condemned for lying.

Amen Bro John! :amen: Excellent points on Ananias and Sapphira! :thumb
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I have a question. Who was Paul responsible to give his tithe unto. One of the churches or the Temple? He was a Jew. Or did he owe two tithes, the one to the Temple plus one to a church?? Just a thought that went through my head.

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What if somone is poor and has very little money and belongs to a church that preaches tithing. Do they save the money to put food on the table to feed their family. Or do they go without and give the money to the church?
Its a sincere question, requesting a sincere response :)

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1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Seems clear to me. Any pastor that would demand 'tithes' be paid before anything else would be causing the poor man to disregard this verse and taking food from the table.

Tithing was never, ever money. Look at the curse many pastor's put their flock under under the law:

Malachi 3:8-10 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, , and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

But notice... it says storehouse, not Church. A storehouse was a type of barn, or silo where grains were stored.

Notice the "if I will not open you the windows of heaven." The only other time 'windows of heaven' is used in the Word of God was in reference to the clouds bringing rain upon the earth.

God promised the Israelites that if they would bring the tithe of the grain from the field to the storehouse, He would bring rain to their fields that would cause the crops to grow more food... thereby giving them a blessing.

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I have a question. Who was Paul responsible to give his tithe unto. One of the churches or the Temple? He was a Jew. Or did he owe two tithes' date=' the one to the Temple plus one to a church?? Just a thought that went through my head.[/quote']

Paul was not required to tithe. He was a tentmaker. The law only required the farmer and the herdsman to tithe.
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What if somone is poor and has very little money and belongs to a church that preaches tithing. Do they save the money to put food on the table to feed their family. Or do they go without and give the money to the church?
Its a sincere question, requesting a sincere response :)


Well considering tithes in particular are a percentage of the "increase" rather than a set amount it usually isn't a choice between food and giving to God. If for some reason it was do according to the measure of faith you have...

[bible]Matthew 6:29-33 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.[/bible]

I am quite sure the Lord will not let anyone starve because they gave to him.

As a side let me say something about this passage since someone quoted this verse:

[bible]1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.[/bible]

Shall not God, who indeed wrote this provide for his own? Truly he will. This verse was written concerning those who had the ability to care for their relatives and yet chose not to for selfish reasons. It is not saying living by faith is a sin. If it is why did Jesus say:

[bible]Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.[/bible]

Jesus had no house and from other scripture it is reasonable to assume he was the head of the household at this time.


There are times that people reject offerings/tithes to the Lord simply because they do not trust him. To those the Lord says: "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

I don't believe a health and wealth gospel, but I certainly do believe a sufficiency gospel. Further, I also believe that some people have less than God would like to give them simply because they will not let go of what he has already given them. Remember the story of Elijah and the widow? She had to trust God before he provided... I challenge anyone to find someone in scripture who gave "to much" to God. To those that truly struggle with this, perhaps the Lord is speaking this to you:

[bible]Luke 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.[/bible]
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