Tithing in the New Covenant 10% or what is in your Heart

[Angela53510]

I have always tithed 10% and I always will. Because my husband feels it is important, and God has blessed us financially, although our income is not great. We have a beautiful home we built, which is worth 3 times what it cost to build. I also give to many different missionary groups, and support orphans abroad.

BUT, I do not believe the tithe is biblical in our day. I really am not tithing, but giving generously. Call it semantics, but I tithe to keep my husband happy, and I give because it gives me joy to give generously, after all God has done for me.

Here is a rather long link, not the one I was looking for, but close on why tithing is not Biblical.

L. Ray Smith - Tithing is Unscriptural Under the New Covenant

 

[NiceneCreed]

how on earth did you draw that conclusion from my post, I said nothing of the sort. What I did say is that if you are lucky enough to have a job, or whatever, then give what you can afford to give back to God and not neccasarily money.

My apologies; I misread your post.

Grace and Peace!

 

[ed2]

Another thing to consider about the modern day idea of tithing is all the confusion that surrounds it. And we know who is NOT the author of confusion. When I did participate in the modern day tithing system, I had a lot of sincere questions, as do many who participate in it. One question I had was do I tithe on gross or net income. I got various answers. Some said to tithe on gross. Others said to tithe on net. Others said it don't matter, pick one and stick with it. So much confusion on just one question. Now throw in all the other questions folks have. Do I tithe from the proceeds of selling my car, house, golf clubs, and whatever else you may think of? Do I tithe on alimony payments? Do I tithe on the money I have left after I pay my bills or do I tithe on what I have before I pay bills? Some people defined their "increase" as what they had left over after bills, which I think is a valid viewpoint. I could continue on but I think you see the picture of how the confusion gets compounded more and more. I think if we stick to the Bible, rightly divided, by simply seeking God in how much to give, all the confusion is removed. God lays on your heart what to give and you give it, pretty simple.

Now, if you give 10 percent and you feel that is the right thing to do, then by all means keep doing it. If you are on the fence about it, seek God. But don't let some pastor scare you with Malachi 3. Jesus redeemed us from any and all curses! Plus, the devourer in that passage is literal, not symbolic of the devil. The devourer is simply the locusts that would come and destroy the crops. I used to use this passage out of context on my congregation.

Just a side note, a pastor friend of mine visited from out of town a couple weeks ago. He hasn't been here in several years. He was looking at our building and commented on how it hasn't changed much and said if I would get back to tithing God would bless our church so we could build this or that. I took him into my office and showed him our financial books. He couldn't believe we had double the collections as his church with half as many people. He then tried to correct me on my books and point out that I didn't have a debit there for my salary. Well, I don't take a salary, I work a full time job I said. He couldn't get over the fact that we didn't use the money to build on, rather we try our very best to spend most of what we take in. Of course, we pay bills and put a small amount back for emergencies. The point me sharing this is, God blesses me abundantly on a personal level and He blesses our church abundantly on a corporate level, and we don't pay the modern day tithe. Don't let anyone convince you that God won't bless you if you don't pay 10 percent! If you are a child of God, then you have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing! Sorry for the length.

Grace to you
Eddie

 

[AgapeSpiritEyes]

Since in am a gentile I am not receiving from the Levitical ministry, Since I am gentile and born again by Faith and experiencing Jesus' power in my soul to be like Him I listen to Him and the Holy Spirit in me to give: To give freely Mt. 10, 2 cor. 9,
with a good measure(that gives enough for life) Lk.6, As God has prospered you 1 Cor. 16, Willingly 2 Cor. 8, with a specific purpose 2 Cor. 9, Cheerfully to the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 9
Willingly by your own will freely not constrained by others but by God in you with purpose, give specific, give happily cheering on the Lord with your giving cheering as in victory that others may feel good from receiving from God through you their needs to also give the Love of God. If you are rich give richly if you are not give in your means, give with out any copping of the world for example do not give that you may enter into a partnership knowingly or by inner motive with a group, church or organization so that you will receive compensation or favor back from them, or I might also say to appease God that you will control Him to give to your carnality and selfish ideas to get more by your willy investment skill or trusting in your self.

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

My Bible study group is debating this subject, I say the 10% is old testament and that we are not bound to it any more. when Jesus said it is Finished I believe he closed the book on the old Testament, I believe we give what is in our Hearts but look what Jesus has done for us, 10% I think not I will give all. Please give me your feedback it is very important to me my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

You are correct!

The Old Testament ordinance of tithing (it was an ordinance in the Mosaic Law) was for the people's of Israel only. (Leviticus 27:34) That ordinance was not given to any other nation than the nation of Israel.

According to Ephesians 2:14-15, the commandments written in ordinances were abolished by Jesus Christ. Since God's Word says they were abolished, what gives man the right to try to collect them? or demand them?

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

I was faced with this decision. I have very limited funds at this time, but one day in church I heard of an amazing cause I wanted to donate to. Unfortunately, I had to choose... 10% tithing or monthly donations to a cause I wanted?

I asked God during church and in my heart He spoke to me. I knew He wanted me to give to a worthy cause, so I decided on that instead of tithing. I do believe that tithing is important though, because the church also needs to supply for the poor as it is a huge source of supplies for them a lot of the time (or should be).

I would ask God. I maintain that if you have the money to do both, that would be great but that doesn't always happen. Tithing is important but given a choice just listen to what God has whispered in your heart.

If tithing is so important, why did Jesus Christ abolish it? If it is so important, why did the Holy Ghost and the Apostles not include it in the list of "necessary things" for Gentile Converts to observe?

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

God is the same yesterday today an tommrow an he ask for 10% which is really a little amout sence it is all his anyway... anything less than 10% is a lack of faith that God will take care of are needs this is the one thing in the bible God actually tells us to test him on... anything more than 10% is an offering annis also great...thats simiple truth... much love.

God was not asking the Church for 10%. He commanded 10% of the Priests. Jesus Christ (who was God in the flesh) later abolished the tithe.

 

[john832]

If tithing is so important, why did Jesus Christ abolish it? If it is so important, why did the Holy Ghost and the Apostles not include it in the list of "necessary things" for Gentile Converts to observe?

Uh, how do you draw that from His statements?

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Luk 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

 

[Hizikyah]

Leviticus 27:30, "And all the tithe; (that is, 1/10,) of everything from the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, belongs to Yahweh. It is holy to Yahweh."

Deuteronomy 14:22, "You must truly tithe all your income--grain, money you are paid, animals--year by year."

This first tenth goes to the work of Yahweh. We can tr to find ways out of it but then that is what the Pahrisees did, find "loop holes." We are to give our first tenth to the work of Yahweh, that dosent mean we give it to some guy who is teaching half of the truth. In my view I could take my first tenth and buy sound translations of the Holy Scriptures and hand them out, or buy "Exodus Revealed" DVDs (proving real mt. Horeb (Sinai) and Read Sea crossing) and hand those out. (just examples) The first tenth of all your increse to further Yahweh's truth here on earth. Also, no there is not a "NT" tithing and an "OT" tithing.

mATTITHYAH 22:37-40, "Yahshua said to him: You must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (Deut 6:5). This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall
love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

That dosent mean do away, hang is meaning depend on or contained in. If we don't tithe our first tenth we don't love Yahweh with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, and ALL our might.

Mattithyah 5:18, "For truly I say to you; Unless heaven and earth passes away, one yodh--the smallest of the letters--will in no way pass from the Law, until all things are perfected."

Luke 16:17, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one yodh of the Law to fail."

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

The OT tithe wasn't just money. It was 10% of crops & livestock put in a storehouse within the gate of the city, designated for the Levites, the poor, & the stranger.

Malachi 3:8-12 (KJV)
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. [SUP]9 [/SUP]Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. [SUP]10 [/SUP]Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. [SUP]11 [/SUP]And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. [SUP]12 [/SUP]And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Here Israel was robbing God because the poor, the stranger, & His chosen servants the Levites weren't being taken care of.
Nowadays, we overpay God's senior minister & starve the poor, the stranger, & the other lower ministers. It's a matter of pride, & not love.

The Old Testament tithe was never money. It could be bought back for money if the farmer who tithed wanted to buy it back (Leviticus 27:31-32) but that money was not tithe. The Feast tithe could be sold if necessary, but when the farmer and his family arrived in Israel, they were to buy back the tithe with the money and there eat the tithe. (Deuteronomy 14:22-27)

 

[john832]

Leviticus 27:30, "And all the tithe; (that is, 1/10,) of everything from the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, belongs to Yahweh. It is holy to Yahweh."

Deuteronomy 14:22, "You must truly tithe all your income--grain, money you are paid, animals--year by year."

This first tenth goes to the work of Yahweh. We can tr to find ways out of it but then that is what the Pahrisees did, find "loop holes." We are to give our first tenth to the work of Yahweh, that dosent mean we give it to some guy who is teaching half of the truth. In my view I could take my first tenth and buy sound translations of the Holy Scriptures and hand them out, or buy "Exodus Revealed" DVDs (proving real mt. Horeb (Sinai) and Read Sea crossing) and hand those out. (just examples) The first tenth of all your increse to further Yahweh's truth here on earth. Also, no there is not a "NT" tithing and an "OT" tithing.

mATTITHYAH 22:37-40, "Yahshua said to him: You must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (Deut 6:5). This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall
love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

That dosent mean do away, hang is meaning depend on or contained in. If we don't tithe our first tenth we don't love Yahweh with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, and ALL our might.

Mattithyah 5:18, "For truly I say to you; Unless heaven and earth passes away, one yodh--the smallest of the letters--will in no way pass from the Law, until all things are perfected."

Luke 16:17, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one yodh of the Law to fail."

There were actually three tithes.

 

[Hizikyah]

Deuteronomy 14:22, "You must truly tithe all your income--grain, money you are paid, animals--year by year."

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

Some more of your incomplete knowledge. There were actually three tithes...

First...

Lev 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.
Lev 27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. Lev 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
Lev 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

and again if you had read the entire passage it would be obvious how this worked. Every tenth critter that passed under the rod (Now this was not of the herd, but of those born this year in the herd, the increase over last year) was God's. You didn't give Him the best or the worst, you gave Him the tenth one regardless. Now if you wanted to keep that animal, you had to redeem it by buying it with 100% of its value plus 20%, or 120% of its value. Else you just let it go to God.

Second...

Deu 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
Deu 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
Deu 14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Deu 14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:

Notice there is no mention of an additional 20% here. That was only if you redeemed any animal of the first tithe. If you were a craftsman and did not raise animals, then 10% of your increase was tithe and that was that.

Deu 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,

Deu 12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:
Deu 12:18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
Deu 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

This is the festival tithe to keep the Pilgrim Festivals as they are called. There was also an offering taken three times in a year.

Third...

Deu 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
Deu 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

On the third and sixth year of the seven year cycle (you do know about the seven year cycles adn the Jubile, don't you?) another tithe was given to support the Levites, the fatherless and the widows. This was the system that took care of those who could not take care of themselves. Remember the tribe of Levi was not given any inheritance in the land, they had no way to grow food or generate income. Their duty was to serve God.

So there were two tithes every year, 20% of your income.

The first 10% went to God for the upkeep of the Temple andthe religious system. There was no civil government, Israel lived in a Theocracy.

The second 10% went back to you and you spent it to keep the Holydays...

Deu 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
Deu 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
Deu 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

Then two years out of seven there was an additional tenth for the Levites, fatherless and widows. This was a fair and equitable system much better than the welfare system of today.

Anyhoo, some people spout off about things they have no knowledge of.

I suggest you go back and read that Leviticus passage again. You say the animal could be bought back. God's Word says it cannot.

Some people spout off about things they have no knowledge of.

 

[Hizikyah]

There were actually three tithes.

If you noticed I said "First" tithe every time

The Second tithe is for the Feasts of Yahweh

The Third tithe is FOR THE POOR.

Law = LOVE

The diciples knew this:

1 Yahchanan 5:2-3, "By this we know that we love the children of Yahweh: When we love Yahweh by keeping His Laws.
For this is the love of Yahweh: That we keep His Law, and His Law is not grievous."

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

This is pure BS. Nowhere is this stated in scripture...

God said the tithe was to be eaten. I guess John thinks craftsmen ate ten percent of their wood and metal products. LOL

 

[respekt]

Hmm, I always separate 10% of my salary to God and think it is a MUST after what He gave me (good job & good life). And if I could I would give Him more.
10% of tithing can be interpreted as our time spent with God. For example, we have 24 hours in a day and we should tithe Him 2,4 hours as we spend our personal time for Him.

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

The modern day tithe (10% of one's income) is unbiblical. The tithe commanded in the Old Testament was never based on a person's income. It is a fact that the people of this day had actual incomes, so saying that tithing of produce, livestock, wine, etc. is equated to giving of income is false. Besides, not every person in Israel was commanded to tithe. The tent makers, seamstresses, carpenters, fishermen, farm hands, etc. did not tithe. The command was literal and could not be deviated from. Like someone already stated, if a rancher only produced 9 animals that year, there was no way he could tithe because the tithe required the 10th animal to pass under the rod. It was not the best 10 percent or the first 10 percent but rather simply the 10th one. I know a lot of what I just posted has already been mentioned, but just kind of backing up what some of the others have said.

I do not teach tithing to my congregation, although I used to. I had a discussion on tithing several years ago with a member and he brought up a concern that tithing was not a New Testament practice. I listened objectively and was honest with him. I told him that I had never really studied tithing and that I was just going with what I had been taught on the subject. After two months of study on the subject, I preached for 4 straight Sundays on why the modern day system of tithing was unbiblical and a man made religious duty. I apologized to everyone for putting them into bondage with this unbiblical tithing system. With that said, part of the study was on New Testament giving practices. Like some here have already stated, the New Testament instructs us to give what we purpose in our hearts. How do we, as Christians, purpose anything in our hearts? We seek God about it. He will lay it on our hearts what to give. Pastors, including me at one time, advise their members to seek God about everything, except tithing. It would seem that most pastors don't want to trust their members with seeking God about voluntary, free-will giving. At least that was the case for me, and is the case for most that I talk to about it. I will add, that when I abandoned the modern day tithing system, giving increased dramatically. I quit passing around the plate and just put in some locked drop boxes that people could drop their money in. It kind of freed people up to give in secret.

You might be wondering about my comment that today's modern tithing practice is man-made. If it is man-made then we should be able to identify when it came about, right? Well we can. I would just tell you, and you can do the research yourself, to look at the Council of Macon in A.D. 585. I don't have my notes with me, but I am pretty sure on the year, just not 100 percent. I hope this helps you in your study.

Eddie

Excellent post, Pastor Eddie! You are correct on the year and the Council.

For any that are Baptist, here is one you can also research... John Harvey Grime, a Baptist, stated in 1934 that at that time Baptist Churches did not observe tithing. This means that the monetary tithe doctrine is less than 100 years old in the Baptist religion.

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

Leviticus 27:30, "And all the tithe; (that is, 1/10,) of everything from the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, belongs to Yahweh. It is holy to Yahweh."

Deuteronomy 14:22, "You must truly tithe all your income--grain, money you are paid, animals--year by year."

This first tenth goes to the work of Yahweh. We can tr to find ways out of it but then that is what the Pahrisees did, find "loop holes." We are to give our first tenth to the work of Yahweh, that dosent mean we give it to some guy who is teaching half of the truth. In my view I could take my first tenth and buy sound translations of the Holy Scriptures and hand them out, or buy "Exodus Revealed" DVDs (proving real mt. Horeb (Sinai) and Read Sea crossing) and hand those out. (just examples) The first tenth of all your increse to further Yahweh's truth here on earth. Also, no there is not a "NT" tithing and an "OT" tithing.

mATTITHYAH 22:37-40, "Yahshua said to him: You must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (Deut 6:5). This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall
love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

That dosent mean do away, hang is meaning depend on or contained in. If we don't tithe our first tenth we don't love Yahweh with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, and ALL our might.

Mattithyah 5:18, "For truly I say to you; Unless heaven and earth passes away, one yodh--the smallest of the letters--will in no way pass from the Law, until all things are perfected."

Luke 16:17, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one yodh of the Law to fail."

According to the same Bible you quote, the tithe was for the children of Israel. (Leviticus 27:34) It was to be given to Levites (Numbers 18:24-26) who lived in 48 cities owned by the Israelites. (Numbers 35) It was also to be given to the widows, the orphans, and foreigners living in Israel. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) The Levites were to take a tithe of the tithe to the Temple Storehouse (Nehemiah 10:37-38) so that there would be food in the House of God (Malachi 3:8).

Deuteronomy 14:22 does not say to tithe one's money. It says to tithe produce.

Even if the tithe were still in effect today, those who were not living in Israel would not be required to tithe... it was for the children of Israel... no other nation.

 

[StandingFirmInChrist]

Uh, how do you draw that from His statements?

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Luk 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Uh, the abolishing of the tithe came two years after those statements. When Christ said, "It is finished." He fulfilled the Law.

Ephesians 2:14-15 clearly tell us that Jesus Christ abolished the commandments written in the ordinances. Tithing was an ordinances. The ordinances are no more. They have been cancelled by Christ.

 

[BeanieD]

I believe that what ever God lays on our hearts is what we need to give. Sometimes it requires a sacrificial gift, sometimes out of our abundance, but what ever it is, give with a cheerful heart. We never know when we ourselves may be in need.

God bless