Question / Thought of the Day !!
Are we really supposed to tithe? This must be a question on many folks minds. I say this only because I read that "Research demonstrates that the vast majority of Christians not only do not tithe regularly, but many give little or nothing at all." (Hank Hanegraaff, The Bible Answer Book)
So what is your take on tithing? Is it just one of those Old Testament things that was washed away when the New Testament and Jesus? I seem to remember Jesus being asked about whether or not we should pay taxes to Caesar and him responding with "Give Caesar what's his and God what's His". Of course you could say that Jesus means give money to Caesar and our life to God. But is not money a very big part of our lives?
Randy Alcorn, in his book Money, Possessions and Eternity, states that "tithing may well be regarded as the training wheels of giving." This is where we start. With this giving of a little, we learn how to give more and how to give cheerfully, while being blessed at the same time.
I've always thought of tithing as the starting point. Once we master this, and giving what God requires becomes second nature to us, we can go on to making true offerings. These offerings consist of giving of our money, of our time, of our words, of our abilities, of our actions, of our attitudes - basically summed up as our lives.
So, are we really supposed to tithe? Here are a few Scriptures to help guide us.
so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
Genesis 28:21-22 (NIV)
Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.
Deuteronomy 14:23 (NIV)
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Matthew 23:23 (NIV)
(What Scripture can you think of that compels us to tithe...or give in general?)
In the love of Christ,
greg
posted by Greg Hazelrig @ 8:16 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Ha ha!! No Danny, it's not pledge time, just was reading about tithing and wealth in a book.
Actually, I've never been a part of a pledge drive. That may change here since we have a pretty large debt to pay off, but never felt led to do so. Sounds like a future question of the day??
Hi Greg,
We're in week 10 of the Crown Ministries Study on giving, tithing, etc... One of the interesting things learned is that there are at least 2,250 verses in the bible relating to the handling of money & wealth.
I've been reminded many times of our Emmaus Walk when we learned that where our money goes, so goes our heart. The Crown class has been an awesome experience, literally changing everything about the way Myra & I will handle money, but most importantly in how we will give. We have been tithing together since being married, but feel much differently about the process now... letting the concept flow over into all other aspects of our lives.
Paul
Hey I am being to think you are reading my mail. In the last 2 weeks we have gotten 4 (yes 4!) letters from our church, telling us how far behind our church is in the budget.
I often wonder what these mass mailings cost. Wish they would put that $ toward the budget.
I always thought I did just fine with my giving. I give to the church I belong to as well as the one I grew up in. Although I give cash only, no envelope either. So according to church records I give nothing. I know what I give and God knows what I give. Other people maight have a problem with that, but I don't.
I believe people should give a minimum of 10%. Wesley's sermon on the Use of Money gives great guidelines for using money.
Ohhhh Father Wesley.
"Earn all you can.
Save all you can.
Give all you can."
What a concept!
now is that 10% of the net or the gross??
Alcorn's book is a terrific little read on giving. I highly recommend it.
I have heard decent arguments on both sides of the question regarding whether tithing is a New Testament practice.
Certainly 2 Cor 9:6-7 says a lot about our attitudes for giving. What I fall back to is this: If God expected the poorest Israelite to tithe, what might be a reasonable starting point for me to joyously give?
Giving is one of those things that you have to do to experience. You just can't describe how joyful it is.
Anyone reading this blog or going to your churches is probably one of the richest 2% of people who ever walked the planet, if that matters.
My wife and I haven't taken the Crown studies, but we got a lot out of their radio messages.
I feel for pastors who have a perceived conflict of interest when preaching on money (since they may benefit from it). One nice thing about blogging is that you can "preach" about giving without worrying about that, because you aren't asking for anything to benefit yourself.
I had a friend once who took his checkbook and payed all his bills first. Then if there was anything left over, he gave ten percent of that. Not the right idea!
I would say that it is ten percent of gross...before taxes are taken out...because that is what we earn.
just my two cents worth though what do others think.
Thanks "Just playing advocate"
10% of the gross. (An old joke, which has bad theology, would say, "10% of the gross. You don't want to go to Hell on a technicality.")
Having said that about tithing, one reason I don't like to push too hard on a fixed % is that it can take the joy out of giving. Might be bad theology on my part (in the OT it was tithes AND offerings, so perhaps the 10% is an obligation and the rest is the joy part).
I say 10% off the net. I am not responsible for what the government steals from me. If it doesn't show up in my pocket, then I don't 'earn' it.
You brought up some good questions and some good verses. The discussion was very good. I don't believe in tithing. but i do believe in sacrificial giving. We are to give in example of jesus' sacrifice. In turn it should cause us to be 100% stewards, not 10% cheerful givers
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