Should a Christian tithe, what does the Bible say

[john832]

Yes
So there are obvious questions:

What commands does the Bible record God giving to Abraham?
What commands does the Bible record Christ giving to us?

The example of physical circumcision - commanded to Abraham, not commanded to Christians - makes it obvious that we cannot assume every place we see the word commandments it is always talking about the same thing. Or sacrifices commanded to the children of Israel, this is not the Law we are given, so obviously just because we read 'commandments' we can't jump to the conclusion that it means for example everything in the Torah. For example tithe. Never recorded as commanded to Abraham, never commanded to Christians.

What commands did Jesus give to the church, when was He talking to Israel under the Law and when does He speak to those under His new covenant? We have to ask these questions and we have to seek out the true answers.

What Commandments have we from the beginning?

2Jn 1:5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Here is an interesting assignment for you to study, find all ten of the Ten Commandments either stated or in practice beginning at Gen 1:1 and ending at Ex 19:25. It makes for a very interesting study. I'll help you out with two of them.

#4 - Ex 16:4-5, 21-30

#7 - Gen 20

 

[john832]

Here's a list describing Abraham's obedience. No mention of the law of Moses, however.

He:

• left Ur of the Chaldees upon GOD's order
• left Haran upon GOD's order
• believed GOD's promise
• sojourned as a stranger in the land of Canaan upon GOD's order
• circumcised himself and his house as commanded by GOD
• offered Isaac as commanded by GOD

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So, when God says this...

 

[john832]

Here's a list describing Abraham's obedience. No mention of the law of Moses, however.

He:

• left Ur of the Chaldees upon GOD's order
• left Haran upon GOD's order
• believed GOD's promise
• sojourned as a stranger in the land of Canaan upon GOD's order
• circumcised himself and his house as commanded by GOD
• offered Isaac as commanded by GOD

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So, when God says this...

Gen 26:5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

And then this

Mal 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

He really means that He does change and He is really not the same yesterday, today and forever? His Laws change all the time?

If that is the case and the Ten Commandments were really just temporary then He really didn't mean this?

Mat 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

If the Law that Abraham kept was different than the Law given to Israel at Sinai and that is different than the Law Christ said to keep, then what is the Law for today and how do you know that it didn't change last night?

 

[Slayer]

I recently heard a sermon on tithing at a Reformed Baptist Church, where I have applied for membership.
The pastor made it clear that we are all to tithe because that's what God wants us to do. He said, if we don't give generously of our finances that God will not bless us.
He presented many Bible verses showing that it is Biblical and that God expects us to obey it.
We can't claim to be believers, then only pick and choose the parts of the Bible that suit our lifestyle and ignore the parts we don't like.
Below is a link listing 20 Bible verses showing that tithing is something all of Gods people must do if we are to be obedient to His Word

https://echurch.com/20-bible-verses-about-tithing/

I know that nobody will argue with Gods Word, so this is only a reminder of our obligation to tithe. I will say in advance that anyone who tries to argue against it is arguing against sound Biblical teaching

Giving generously is what Christians are expected to do, it doesn't need to be a tithe of 10%. Jesus said that lady who gave her last coin was more generous than those who gave a larger amount out of their abundance.

Most people don't mind giving generously if the money is going to the extension of Gods Kingdom. Nobody likes giving if the money is going to fund a pastors lavish lifestyle.

 

[mikesmilestoday]

What that means is Christians are not under the condemnation or penalty of the Law if they have repented, been baptized and received the Holy Spirit.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Christ plainly says this...

Mat 19:17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Saints (Christians) are described thusly...

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

John tells us this...

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Some writings of Paul...

Rom 2:13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

Rom 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?

The Law describes sin...

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."

The Law is not the problem...

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Last half of the verse shows us the problem. We have met the enemy and he is us.

Paul understood this....

Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin

He intended to keep the Law but still stumbled and sinned because he was still human. He understood that conversion was a process and that we are not perfect at conversion. It is a lifelong process...

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

We spend our life rooting out sin and becoming more converted...

2Pe 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

How did Paul feel about the Commandments?

1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

Well said! Thank you.

 

[posthuman]

What Commandments have we from the beginning?

2Jn 1:5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Here is an interesting assignment for you to study, find all ten of the Ten Commandments either stated or in practice beginning at Gen 1:1 and ending at Ex 19:25. It makes for a very interesting study. I'll help you out with two of them.

#4 - Ex 16:4-5, 21-30

#7 - Gen 20

love one another is not among the 10

 

[Dino246]

What that means is Christians are not under the condemnation or penalty of the Law if they have repented, been baptized and received the Holy Spirit.

Since you're fairly new around here, I don't know whether you mean to refute what I wrote or simply expand on it. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. However, I would ask, what other kind of Christian, in your view, is there besides the one described in bold?

 

[mikesmilestoday]

love one another is not among the 10

Many of the Ten Commandments are actually teaching us how to love one another and what that looks like.

 

[posthuman]

Many of the Ten Commandments are actually teaching us how to love one another and what that looks like.

all the scripture testifies of Christ ((John 5:39)) and we know love because He shows it to us ((1 John 4:19)) -- from that i'd say every bit of the Law teaches about loving, how to, what it looks like. and not only the Law but the prophets and wisdom and history --- but that doesn't mean that to keep the written code is to love. love in all the scriptures - Christ's love, God's love for us revealed in the Messiah, revealed in all the scripture, is seen by Spirit -- and it is by His Spirit that we walk, in love.

i think that if we look for how to love and what love looks like in the scripture, and we find the Law - even the 10 commandments - and call this 'how to love' we don't find love. we find a written code that can give an outer appearance of love.
but if we look in the scripture and find Christ, and see Him in it, then we fond love. we find the Spirit of God opening our eyes and our ears and our hearts to Him, and He is Love, and finding Jesus in all these things, and believing, Love enters into us.
and following Him, we keep all the righteousness of the Law.

i'm often skeptical of preaching the 10 commandments as behaviour modification, under threat of judgement. i don't think it produces redemption. i think Jesus Christ in the scripture should be preached instead -- that we should seek Him first.
yes, He is found in the 10 commandments. He is found in all of the books, from Genesis to Revelation.