Is Tithing Biblical?

[greg]

Tithing is biblical, just not christian!

[Tony R]

(04-07-2011 05:18 PM)greg Wrote:  Tithing is biblical, just not christian!

BINGO!!!
After 68 posts, we have a winner! …of course the answer was in Post #1.

Quote:Tithing, for a Christian, is as biblical as animal sacrifices!

[What'sthatmean?]

You quoted: Mal. 3:3-4 says, "He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years." The giving alone was not enough; their heart needed to be right.

I recently read a paper at http://www.visionofthechurch.co/Titheoverview.pdf concerning tithing. The following is an excerpt.

The book of Malachi is a prophetic message to the priests of Israel (not a book of new covenant Christian church operation). The priest were doing something wrong--they were offering blind and lame animals--and God was mad--so He gave Malachi this message. Since they were offering blind and lame animals (instead of the healthy animals that God asked for) they were “robbing God”. Now, does the “robbing God" verse make sense?

This paper was disturbing. If it is true, then the 10% tithe is not biblical and all our churches are using it to fund "religion and programs and big buildings and salaries." I read recently that $ .95 out of every dollar given to the church states in the U.S.A. In other words, we are not using these funds for the furthering the gospel to those who have not heard. This is both appalling and frightening.

[exIFB]

That is what is happening. 10% is not biblical. Under grace, for Abraham, it was 10% of his spoils of war to Melchizadek, and he gave the rest away to the Kings of Sodom (He didn't keep any of what he had spoiled). Under law, it was 10% of everything, at an appointed time, to the levitical priesthood, who were expected to do their jobs properly. Under new covenant, it is just giving willfully & joyfully.

[Jenni]

I'd have to agree with the "willingly and joyfully" rule. Some people like having a number so they know they're giving "enough." I don't mind if individuals want to personally commit to giving 10% or whatever, but it bothers me when churches decide that tithing is the only biblical way to give money. I had friends in my last Fundy church who got called into the office b/c they were giving cash instead of checks, and the church office couldn't keep track of their tithe that way. Their response was to reduce their giving to only 10%. It bugs me that people can take something that is supposed to be an act of worship and turn it into an obedience issue.

[leaving]

Jenni, we once had a church criticize us for how much we gave because they thought we weren't giving 10%. What they didn't know is we just made a lot less than they thought we did. So we switched from check to cash because it was none of the church's business anyway.

[GraceThruFaith]

I have a few friends up in Northern CA (I'm in SoCal) with a couple who attends North Valley Baptist Church. We had a discussion over FB recently where they mentioned that a guest preacher visited last week and talked about stewardship and the guy said that tithing is an obligation (with no reference to Scripture to support that conclusion). The guy didn't even use Malachi, but he did mention that tithing was pre-law (ie Abraham). Regardless, this pastor must not be a scholar or else he would know that Abraham's tithe was one-time, spoils from war, and definitely not an example of giving for New Covenant believers.

You can watch that particular sermon right here: http://nvbc.org/varc.asp?n=v04-10-11pm2 Start watching at 38:00 in to listen to his rant on tithing.

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

Great topic and one I have been thinking about lately. I don't believe tithe is a NT command either, but there isn't anything wrong with giving 10% if that is a number you are shooting for personally. Our finances have taken a roller coaster ride in the last few years and so has our giving. We are finally able to give again and it feels great, though we are nowhere near any 10% benchmark. I would love to get there, but it's not an option right now. However...for the first time in our lives...it is a joyful act of worship, not something we were guilted into doing.

[Annie Moose]

I don't currently have a job, so I'm not sure how I would be expected to tithe if I did follow that! 10% of nothing is... let me do the math here... nothing into nothing, carry the nothing... still nothing! But I'd still like to give a little every week, so whenever I get some cash, I lay aside a bill or two for the next week. It's usually not much, maybe only $5 or $10, but I feel the Lord cares more about the fact that I want to give than the exact amount I give Him.

...I really should get a job, though. I'm lucky enough to have enough scholarship money to get by, but it isn't much!

[JimE]

Is Tithing Biblical? Yes.
Is a Christian required to tithe? No.