Tithing...

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88

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2016
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#21
Seems the same to me----physical building for meetings----a priesthood ---(preachers & teachers)....Grace and Peace
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
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#22
"In all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our path"
No one is called to give until they are out of a home, if we don't learn to hear His voice,
learn His way of directing us we can over give to our hurt. Might even be lapsing into
doing an action thinking we are working ourselves into the kingdom, that would be an empty work, a
work of hands and not of faith.
Mental ascent is not faith.
Been there, done that, didn't get the T-shirt
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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#23
Tithing is still impossible since the dissolution of the theocratic Israel over two thousand years ago.

If people want to call taking up a collection tithing, that is their business, but it cannot be the actual and Biblical
tithe.

If people are going to go by the tenth part in order to satisfy your collection, remember the tenth part was taken from the profit of the year, not from the gross wealth. (Some get greedy and go for the tenth part of the gross...no)

As for the congregations, a workman is worthy of his wages, therefore if your pastor is working and doing the work of God in Jesus Christ, make certain the parishoners give adequately, and also enough for the physical upkeep of your meeting place.

God bless all in Jesus Chrsit, and remember, learn from Him, from His words; He has invited us to learn directly from Him,
so accept this wonderful gift from God........

God bless all in Jesus Christ.......
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,631
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#24
learning from Him is relationship, how "He will direct our path".
He doesn't direct "our path" by only reading about Him. Reading the scripture leads us to
developing our personal, vital, and ongoing relationship with Him, then He can direct our "path",
or actions in this area of our walk as well as all others as we strive to be conformed to His image in this life
before we stand before Him and hopefully hear the words "Well done, though good and faithful servant".
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,231
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#25
Do not be hasty in insisting one formula works for all. There are many examples of people who come to Jesus Christ and immediately became disciples with varied gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Of course it is always good to study the Word and be a good steward of the Lord but there is also action for many, for all, to take according to the Holy Spirit. We are guided by the Holy Spirit, though ther are many, though they do beieve Jesus Christ do not recognize they are guided by the Holy Spirit.

The instant we know Jesus Christ is Lord, it is of the Holy Spirit for no man can be conviced except by the Holy Spirit.

Gifts of the Spirit are as simple as being an avid prayer, helping the needy, sharing the Word with whomever will hear us or simply waiting on the Lord. Not all manifestations of the Holy Spirit are quite so spectacular as healing, tongues, and all other cited gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The family in Christ I admire the most are those who are fervent in prayer. I am constantly accepting the prayers for myself when the Body Members pray for all other members. I am a member, and I accept those prayers, and right now I want to thank all who pray for all Body Members for I truly feel blessed by you each and all.

God bless all in Jesus Christ, and all who will come to Him, amen.


learning from Him is relationship, how "He will direct our path".
He doesn't direct "our path" by only reading about Him. Reading the scripture leads us to
developing our personal, vital, and ongoing relationship with Him, then He can direct our "path",
or actions in this area of our walk as well as all others as we strive to be conformed to His image in this life
before we stand before Him and hopefully hear the words "Well done, though good and faithful servant".
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,631
7,659
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#26
Great post, well said, thank you!
Bless you and all who are in your life
 

jsr1221

Senior Member
Jul 7, 2013
4,265
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#27
Our church has bills to pay, electricity, heat, snow removal.
We are not to forsake meeting together in His name, the early church members sold their excess properties and met in each others homes, looks like they were understanding about heavenly rewards being vastly more important than earthly, temporal, possessions.
What do we want waiting for us when we get there?
Exactly... They met in each other's homes. What ever happen to that hospitality? Churches can't seem to do that anymore.
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,631
7,659
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#28
that is what He wants us to get back to.
 

KohenMatt

Senior Member
Jun 28, 2013
4,021
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#29
Exactly... They met in each other's homes. What ever happen to that hospitality? Churches can't seem to do that anymore.
Both models of fellowship are good: meeting in private homes AND meeting in larger congregations and places. Israel wasn't called to offer up their own sacrifices off on their own. They were to come to the Tabernacle and then the place He chose to put His name. And the NT believers met in homes as well.

Everyone should be hesitant in making broad assumptions in claiming one to be good and the other bad.
 

presidente

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
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#30
If people are going to go by the tenth part in order to satisfy your collection, remember the tenth part was taken from the profit of the year, not from the gross wealth. (Some get greedy and go for the tenth part of the gross...no)
Mathematically, some businessmen, if they tithed the gross, would be in the red.

Where is the evidence that all profits were taxed? I consistently read about tithes of crops and animals. I see no passages about merchants being required to pay tithes of gold profits for example. God gave Israel the land. Israel was to tithe off the land.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,231
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#31
It is there, I believe the wording deals with tithing the surplus..........

Mathematically, some businessmen, if they tithed the gross, would be in the red.

Where is the evidence that all profits were taxed? I consistently read about tithes of crops and animals. I see no passages about merchants being required to pay tithes of gold profits for example. God gave Israel the land. Israel was to tithe off the land.
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
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#32
There is also scripture for first fruits, any way, that is just the beginning, it is with the heart, not the head, how much of Him do we want in our lives, knowing we are going to accountable for EVERTHING we think, say and do?
Everyone I know who went through the usual wrong baseless excuses repented and turned from their error knows they
should have always and do now tithe. Nobody lays or their last bed and wishes that had robbed G-d more.
Just sayin
blessings
 

Dan_473

Senior Member
Mar 11, 2014
9,054
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#33
I like the idea of churches meeting in houses like the early church did
also public parks
maybe a Starbucks
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
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#34
"Wherever two or more meet".
 

Marcelo

Senior Member
Feb 4, 2016
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#35
I like the idea of churches meeting in houses like the early church did
also public parks
maybe a Starbucks
It's OK to meet in houses; it's OK to meet in temples; it's OK to tithe; it's OK not to tithe; etc, provided we abide in Christ, i.e., we keep His commandments.
 

shittim

Senior Member
Dec 16, 2016
13,631
7,659
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#36
What does He guide you to do personally, in our living, vital, active relationship with Him?
It may be more than 10% if we are obedient to His direction for our every thought, word, and deed.
"My sheep know my voice" , He didn't say His sheep read His book or scroll.
Jesus was the model for how we are all to live. We are to be conformed to His image.
 

Dan_473

Senior Member
Mar 11, 2014
9,054
1,051
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#37
It's OK to meet in houses; it's OK to meet in temples; it's OK to tithe; it's OK not to tithe; etc, provided we abide in Christ, i.e., we keep His commandments.
yes

I think where the situations sometimes goes wrong

is when one person wants a church building so they try to get others on board with funding it.
 

presidente

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
9,090
1,751
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#38
It is there, I believe the wording deals with tithing the surplus..........
Can you show the scriptures you have in mind. In context, it seems like the 'increase' verses seem to do with agricultural produce. Tithing passages also deal with animals. There was a temple tax, and there were apparently ad hock spoils-of-war tithes. But I don't know of any references where money was tithed.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,231
6,529
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#39
Before I lost most of my vision I recall having read this about a tenth part of the surplus or the gain, but now I cannot see the texgt well in my Bible. I did try finding it in the online Bible with it enlarged, but to no avail.

Sorry, but I believe I have read this in the Bible, but I cannot find it now. I did do a search online and there are many references to it without a scrpture cross-reference, so I must have read it somehow, somewhere. God bless you and keep up the works..jj

Can you show the scriptures you have in mind. In context, it seems like the 'increase' verses seem to do with agricultural produce. Tithing passages also deal with animals. There was a temple tax, and there were apparently ad hock spoils-of-war tithes. But I don't know of any references where money was tithed.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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#40
Now I don't see a problem with someone who wants to give 10% or more to their church or to other Christian sources. What I do have a problem with are Pastors who brow-beat their congregation with guilt to give 10%.

I once attended a church in which the new Pastor there handed out pledge cards for people to fill out so they can pledge to give extra money on a monthly basis over a three year period above and beyond 10% directly to the "moving forward" project to build a new mega church (that they didn't really need) and to this day never built.

More than a few people left that church because all that Pastor mainly talked about was money (primarily the 10% tithe) and building that new mega church. During one sermon, he even mentioned that a member of the church came into his office one day, somewhat irate and said that he is leaving that church because he is tired of hearing about money all the time and needs to find a church where he can go "deeper in the Word."

The Pastor mentioned to the congregation that the word "deeper" is a code word for "I'm not tithing 10%." The Pastor went on to say that he checked the records and sure enough that member of the church was not giving 10% and some months gave nothing at all and then acted like, "good riddance to him!"
:rolleyes:

Many churches teach that we as Christians, under the New Covenant, are commanded to give a minimum of 10% of our income to our church. Others teach that preachers of these churches are turning the 10% tithe in the Old Testament for Israel into a legalistic prescription for Christians under the New Covenant. I even heard a Pastor make a challenge to his congregation to give 10% of their income for 90 days and if God does not bless them then he will give them their money back.

In 2 Corinthians 9:5-7 we read: Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

I don't see a "specific percentage" given anywhere for Christians to give "under the New Covenant," but I certainly believe in giving and not just to our church. I also believe that everything we own belongs to God and we certainly can't out give God.