What is your motivation for tithing?

[TMS]

So do you also stone the adulterers in your congregation? Do you exclude those with skin diseases and women during their monthly flow? Do you go to Jerusalem three times a year?

I doubt it.

You have three options:

1. The entire Law as given through Moses is binding upon Christians (in contradiction to Paul and Hebrews);
2. Bits and pieces of the Law are binding (but, oddly, no Scripture says which pieces); or
3. Christians aren't under the Law at all, but rather we are free in Christ and led by His Spirit in all things.

Non of the options, there is a forth option that you have not found yet.
The option.... I'm free from the condemnation of the law by grace through faith, and as a born again Christian i choose to walk in the Spirit that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in me, not to be saved but because i am saved.
.... I'm free in Christ. But just because i'm free in Christ does not mean it is okay to steal and kill. His grace does not make me free to continue in sin.

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

[Dino246]

I'm free in Christ. But just because i'm free in Christ does not mean it is okay to steal and kill. His grace does not make me free to continue in sin.

Do you consider it a "sin" if you don't surrender a tenth of your income to your local church? If so, which "law" tells you to do that? There isn't one in my Bible.

 

[Runningman]

What is your motivation for tithing?

Question is a bit misleading because it does not address the fact that there isn't a New Covenant reason to continue tithing and that Biblical tithing is an invalid practice in the present day.

 

[TMS]

Do you consider it a "sin" if you don't surrender a tenth of your income to your local church? If so, which "law" tells you to do that? There isn't one in my Bible.

I listen to the Spirit of God moving on my heart and i can do two things
- Ignore the Spirit and listen to my selfish heart.
- Listen to the Spirit and obey, which is a delight when you Love the lord.

Which law you ask? .....
Mat_6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

[Chi-town]

Do you consider it a "sin" if you don't surrender a tenth of your income to your local church? If so, which "law" tells you to do that? There isn't one in my Bible.

I don’t consider it a sin.

I do consider it wrong to give because you think you are supposed to, I believe that would fall under giving grudgingly.
If I am blessed by a teaching or a group that is attempting to help people and glorify God I will give. Old Testament was 10%, New Testament is whatever you want to give, but do it cheerfully from the heart 10, 15, 20% whatever you give you will be blessed back, that’s a promise, just do it with joy and thankfulness; you can’t outgive God

 

[TMS]

Do you consider it a "sin" if you don't surrender a tenth of your income to your local church? If so, which "law" tells you to do that? There isn't one in my Bible.

There wasn't a law when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? There was many reason to not listen to God and not sacrifice his son.

But Abraham was faithful and was willing to give his son to God, That requires trust and faith.
Sometimes it isn't easy to obey God but it is always worth it.

 

[JaumeJ]

Respectfully, no He did not. He commanded them; He did not "ask", and He did not command 10% of their annual "profits", but a tithe from the land: a tenth (fractional) of the harvest, and every tenth (ordinal) animal.

Leviticus 27:30 Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land of or the fruit of the trees, is the LORD's; it is holy to the LORD.

... 32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the LORD.

There is further instruction given in Deuteronomy 14 with regard to the handling of the tithe, but God doesn't require anything else be given as tithes.

I am not certain where I read this in the Word other than it is in the Old Testament. I reso4rted to googling it. This notion and understanding is derived by me from the Word when I used to read it fully over and over for over 40 years, but now I amnot certain how it is worded.. Using my vision helps I was, however, able to find a reference to this outside of the Word based on the Word.

This quote comes after the law of of tithing was revealed and also after the law of consecration was done away. Brother Hyde seems clear that he personally sees the definition as “surplus” and that if one spends all his gross income to sustain his family’s needs then he is not tithed at all.

 

[TheIndianGirl]

For me, I dislike the rigidity of the tithe:

- when (first Sunday of the month)
- how much (10%)
- to whom (my congregation)

For me, I feel more giving/cheerful if I can decide when, how much, and to whom. However, others may feel cheerful giving on a schedule. I think we should give more to our local church if there is a need/struggle, however if our local church's financials are relatively healthy, I think we should be able to give to other Christian causes.

 

[Dino246]

There wasn't a law when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? There was many reason to not listen to God and not sacrifice his son.

But Abraham was faithful and was willing to give his son to God, That requires trust and faith.
Sometimes it isn't easy to obey God but it is always worth it.

That has nothing to do with tithing.

 

[Dino246]

I listen to the Spirit of God moving on my heart and i can do two things
- Ignore the Spirit and listen to my selfish heart.
- Listen to the Spirit and obey, which is a delight when you Love the lord.

Which law you ask? .....
Mat_6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

If the “spirit” moving on your heart is not speaking in line with Scripture, it isn’t the Spirit of God.

 

[ResidentAlien]

my reason for tithing is love.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Giving out of love is very good. My only question is: Does your tithe go toward loving your neighbor or padding the pockets of the leadership and building big buildings?

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "—Galatians 5:14

 

[ResidentAlien]

Question is a bit misleading because it does not address the fact that there isn't a New Covenant reason to continue tithing and that Biblical tithing is an invalid practice in the present day.

Granted, but how is the question "misleading?" Are you saying I should've asked "Is tithing Biblical?" Maybe that's the question you would've asked but it's not the one I asked?

 

[Runningman]

Granted, but how is the question "misleading?" Are you saying I should've asked "Is tithing Biblical?" Maybe that's the question you would've asked but it's not the one I asked?

The question is misleading because it prompts the desired answer not the real answer. It makes the assumption that people can have valid motivations for tithing. The real answer is that there isn't a Biblical reason to tithe.

 

[ResidentAlien]

The question is misleading because it prompts the desired answer not the real answer. It makes the assumption that people can have valid motivations for tithing. The real answer is that there isn't a Biblical reason to tithe.

You certainly have a wild imagination, I'll give you that.

 

[Dino246]

The question is misleading because it prompts the desired answer not the real answer. It makes the assumption that people can have valid motivations for tithing. The real answer is that there isn't a Biblical reason to tithe.

Hence my post #2.

When people claim that tithing is biblical, I don’t disagree. However, I respond that for Christians, tithing is not biblically sound.

 

[Runningman]

You certainly have a wild imagination, I'll give you that.

Tithing was instituted under the law of Moses to support the Levitical priesthood. Now, Jesus is our high priest and doesn't need money or donations. The act of tithing is actually heresy and possibly an affront to God nowadays.

 

[Snacks]

I don’t tithe much but I give to the poor out of compassion when asked for help.

 

[Aaron56]

Tithing was instituted under the law of Moses to support the Levitical priesthood. Now, Jesus is our high priest and doesn't need money or donations. The act of tithing is actually heresy and possibly an affront to God nowadays.

See my post. It was actually before that, before the Levitical Law. We see it between Abraham and Melchizedek as a generational standard and then with Jacob as a personal declaration.

While I’ll agree there is no compulsory tithe today, the giving of tithe for the believer demonstrates maturity and wisdom. But they should take care not to give it to some ambiguous institution. Then there are gifts… and offerings… When God leads one to give he/she may fully expect Him to supply what is needed. The economy of God, when dealing with money, never includes loss.

 

[Runningman]

See my post. It was actually before that, before the Levitical Law. We see it between Abraham and Melchizedek as a generational standard and then with Jacob as a personal declaration.

It seems like Abraham gave to Melchizedek as an act of respect because he was a king.

Hebrews 7:1-2
1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

While I’ll agree there is no compulsory tithe today, the giving of tithe for the believer demonstrates maturity and wisdom. But they should take care not to give it to some ambiguous institution. Then there are gifts… and offerings… When God leads one to give he/she may fully expect Him to supply what is needed. The economy of God, when dealing with money, never includes loss.

I have a problem with the vocabulary "tithe" because pastors often appeal to the authority of old testament verses commanding to tithe. By using that kind of language they can, and often do, coerce congregations into believing they are required to give a percentage of their income to the congregation.

What I do fully support is giving or donating. It's better if we just call it giving and yes I agree mature and wise believers do give and donate.

 

[Dino246]

See my post. It was actually before that, before the Levitical Law. We see it between Abraham and Melchizedek as a generational standard and then with Jacob as a personal declaration.

See my post: tithing was not "instituted" before the Law, and there is no record that Jacob ever paid tithes.

While I’ll agree there is no compulsory tithe today, the giving of tithe for the believer demonstrates maturity and wisdom.

No, it just demonstrates a lack of understanding of Scripture. Scripture does not compel, require, command, teach, counsel, suggest, or even hint that Christians are to "tithe". It teaches that Christians are to give. They are not the same thing.