Are We Required to Tithe?

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marksman

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in all the many passages on money and giving in the New Testament, tithing is never even suggested, let alone commanded.

When Paul writes to the Corinthians about giving, he carefully avoids prescribing either a set amount or a fixed proportion. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7)

So tithing is not compulsory; but we should not therefore dismiss it altogether. For how do we decide how much of our income to give away? At least the 10% figure gives us something to work from. It suggests that we should be giving a significant amount, not just the few coins left in our purses at the end of the week. We should probably be giving away enough for us to notice a dent in our weekly or monthly budget. For the less well off, this might be only 5% (or even less); but for the richer ones among us, it should probably be 20% (or even more).

Putting a figure on it is man's idea and under the law. As I read scripture the only gift that we should give God is ALL. However much God has blessed me, all of it is available to him. I don't talk in terms of percentages except one. 100%. That means I don't have to worry about what I give as I leave that to the Holy Spirit to decide and tell me.

On one occasion I had news that a Christian Village in India had all their houses destroyed by Hindus and they were living under tarpaulins on the street. The mission organisation put out a request for funds to build houses for them. They told us how much each house would cost and I knew that God wanted me to fund the cost of a house for one of the families made homeless.

So I sent the money to them, knowing that they were going to be living in their own home again. If I had sent them a tenth, they might still be living on the street.
 

Ac28

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If you want to tithe, tithe. But no Gentile during this 2000 year period of pure grace is under any requirements to do anything. However, what you SHOULD do, in order to be approved unto God, is another story. I don't think that tithing to a church, though. is on the "should do" list. It might be different if truth were taught in the churches, but, beyond salvation, it isn't. The Denominational Church system is essentially a bunch of Jewish synagogues teaching unobtainable Jewish doctrine to unsuspecting Gentile sheep. Until they start obeying 2Tim 2:15 and rightly divide God's word, and start teaching Gentile doctrine, which is found ONLY in Paul's 7 post-Acts books, they don't deserve a nickel. Even during Acts, the only money I see collected was for the poor Saints.
 
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Episkopos

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If you want to tithe, tithe. But no Gentile during this 2000 year period of pure grace is under any requirements to do anything. However, what you SHOULD do, in order to be approved unto God, is another story. I don't think that tithing to a church, though. is on the "should do" list. It might be different if truth were taught in the churches, but, beyond salvation, it isn't. The Denominational Church system is essentially a bunch of Jewish synagogues teaching unobtainable Jewish doctrine to unsuspecting Gentile sheep. Until they start obeying 2Tim 2:15 and rightly divide God's word, and start teaching Gentile doctrine, which is found ONLY in Paul's 7 post-Acts books, they don't deserve a nickel. Even during Acts, the only money I see collected was for the poor Saints.


Agreed. We are to have a "common" purse so to speak considering that the brethren are our family. Who doesn't look after their own family?

But we are also to support kingdom workers. Not a salary...but support. No man goes to war at his own expense.
 

ScottA

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Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law.
The law He DID abolish was the ceremonial law and the civil law.
Was tithing within one of these two types of law that was abolished?


Under the Levitical law the tithes were given to the Levites for their maintenance, and they in turn were charged with the paying of tithes on that which they received as shown by the words of the Lord as He instructed Moses:

Numbers 18:26
26“Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe."

The above verse shows that tithing was part of the Levitical Law, which would make it a Ceremonial Law, which was abolished.

Ceremonial and Civil Laws were abolished for Gentiles and the "new church" established by Jesus. See Acts 15:19 ..... The Council at Jerusalem decided not to "trouble" the gentiles that were turning to Christ with the old Laws of the Jews.

Paul teaches that the one who gives sparingly reaps sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. And in the next sentence he says:
2 Corinthians 9:7
7Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

It seems to me that tithing has been abolished.
Should we tithe?
Well...not "abolished"... but, He paid it all.
 
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Ac28

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It is all His. The kingdom of God knows nothing of possessing.
That's true, but the earthly Kingdom of Heaven, as preached in the Kingdom Gospel during the all-Israel Gospels and all-Israel Acts, is 100% Israel. The Kingdom of God is the all-inclusive Kingdom that will encompass, when God is all in all, (1) the earth (nation of Israel), (2) the created Heavens (New Jerusalem - the remnant, certain OT saints like Abraham and Moses, the 12, the Acts church), (3) Heavenly Places (those Gentiles today that have eliminated from their doctrine all things given only to Israel, like the rapture, and have embraced the all-Gentile doctrine, as found only in Paul's 7 post-Acts books, the only books in the Bible written TO and ABOUT us Gentiles today (since 63AD). For example, in those 7 books, we find that we have the Appearing, instead of the rapture.

The K of H can be called the K of G (and, it is), but the K of G can't be called the K of H.
 
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Episkopos

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That's true, but the earthly Kingdom of Heaven, as preached in the Kingdom Gospel during the all-Israel Gospels and all-Israel Acts, is 100% Israel. The Kingdom of God is the all-inclusive Kingdom that will encompass, when God is all in all, (1) the earth (nation of Israel), (2) the created Heavens (New Jerusalem - the remnant, certain OT saints like Abraham and Moses, the 12, the Acts church), (3) Heavenly Places (those Gentiles today that have eliminated from their doctrine all things given only to Israel, like the rapture, and have embraced the all-Gentile doctrine, as found only in Paul's 7 post-Acts books, the only books in the Bible written TO and ABOUT us Gentiles today (since 63AD). For example, in those 7 books, we find that we have the Appearing, instead of the rapture.

The K of H can be called the K of G (and, it is), but the K of G can't be called the K of H.


The church is 100% Israel by the will of God. Which is of God and which is of men....a natural birth and a supernatural birth? Which carries more value? A birth by the will of men or by the will of God?

In Christ all nations are under the same heading...the flesh...that is until a new birth in the Spirit. The kingdom of God or heaven...is about the life that is produced and lived in by the Spirit.
 

Ac28

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The church is 100% Israel by the will of God. Which is of God and which is of men....a natural birth and a supernatural birth? Which carries more value? A birth by the will of men or by the will of God?

In Christ all nations are under the same heading...the flesh...that is until a new birth in the Spirit. The kingdom of God or heaven...is about the life that is produced and lived in by the Spirit.
The Church today is Zero percent Israel by the will of God. There is no nation of Israel today, in God's eyes. Any Jew that wants to get saved must essentially became a Gentile and believe that Christ died for their sins, was buried, and resurrected after 3 days. Today, we have pure equality with the Jews, according to Eph and Col. We are now fellowheirs (equal heirs). During Acts and the Gospels, we weren't heirs at all, since we had no adoption - Rom 9:4.

The Gentiles are the chosen people today - Eph 1:4. Israel is not a nation or, even, a people, today, in God's eyes. The book of Hosea pretty much covers Israel situation today. As in Hos 1:9, Israel is now Lo-ammi, "not My people". In a few years (my guess is either 2063, 2070, or 2085), the Gentile period will end, the present Gentile church will be resurrected in the "Appearing" directly to Heavenly Places, Israel will once again be ammi, God's people, and prophecy will once again be fulfilled.

If we are now part of Israel, equality would be impossible, since Israel would still be the Head and the Gentiles would be the tail, as it was for 2000 years, until the end of Acts. The Mystery in Eph and Col is that, for the first time in History,the Gentiles are 100% separate from Israel, in that we have our very own blessings. The absolute proof of this is our #1 blessing, our Calling of being resurrected directly into the uncreated Heavenly Places, where God makes His abode and Christ now sits at the right hand of God - Eph 1:20, 2:6. Nowhere in the the Bible will you find any Jew, except Christ, that ever had or will have a Hope of ever going to the uncreated Heavenly Places - not even to visit. When things are different, they can't be the same. Israel (just those in the New Jerusalem, in the created Heavens - not those restricted to the New Earth) will be the Bride and the new church, found only in Paul's 7 post-Acts books, will be the groom, since, in this New Church, we Gentiles are Christ's actual body - Eph 5:30 -For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. We, in this Church which is Christ's actual Body, Where Christ is the Head, will always be where Christ is, which may be in all of these realms, simultaneously.

Starting in Gen 12 and lasting for 2000 years (to the end of Acts, about 63AD), God was ONLY involved with Israel. During this time, God was finding those who will occupy the New Earth and the New (created) Heavens (the New Jerusalem). Since Israel failed to accept Christ, God set them aside at the very end of Acts, thus starting an all-Gentile 2000 year period, where God is finding those Gentiles who will occupy the uncreated Heaven, God's eternal abode. The Last shall be first, and the first shall be last. By God's Infinite Genius, He is filling both the created and uncreated Heaven(s) and also the New Earth.
 
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Truth

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How did you deal with your water situation for 2 1/2 years?

Stranger

We had water available, BLM has a water station, 55 gal barrel and a 12 volt pump, we also had outhouse vault's close by. Our hottest day was 127 in the shade, it was brutal!
 

GodsGrace

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Tithing was an integral part of the Old Covenant and the Levitical priesthood. Since that does not exist any more, Christian giving has replaced tithing, and would in fact be far more than tithing. There are several passages which give us this teaching.
Agreed. Tithing was a law....
Since we follow Jesus with a sincere heart and not only to follow laws, then we are also to give with the heart...be it little or be it a lot.

Mathew 6:1-4
1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Those who sound their horn as in verse 2 already have their reward...their reward is the approval of men,,,Jesus wants us to have the approval of God instead. If we give begrudgingly, what good is it?

However, Jesus did say WHEN you give to the poor,
Not IF you give to the poor.

And is giving to the church the same as giving to the poor?
 
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Nancy

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in all the many passages on money and giving in the New Testament, tithing is never even suggested, let alone commanded.

When Paul writes to the Corinthians about giving, he carefully avoids prescribing either a set amount or a fixed proportion. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7)

So tithing is not compulsory; but we should not therefore dismiss it altogether. For how do we decide how much of our income to give away? At least the 10% figure gives us something to work from. It suggests that we should be giving a significant amount, not just the few coins left in our purses at the end of the week. We should probably be giving away enough for us to notice a dent in our weekly or monthly budget. For the less well off, this might be only 5% (or even less); but for the richer ones among us, it should probably be 20% (or even more).
Good post! I see the N.T. simply saying give from your heart from what is already Gods...money, time, resources...it could be 30% 5% or nothing at all. If not given "cheerfully" it is totally works IMHO.
 
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GodsGrace

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Tithing was actually before the law (Gen 14:20). Gal 3:15-17 explains that the law doesn't disannuall the promises given before the law. Jesus himself said we ought to tithe (Matt 23:23). Granted, it wasn't his main point. I understand that.

I know the talking points and debating ooints against these verses, but I won't go any farther in defending tithing, though I could. What I would like to focus on is the simple act of giving.

The OP gave what I consider to be the keynote scripture on why we should be a giver: the Lord loves cheerful givers. What need more be said?

Technically, perhaps tithing isn't part of the new covenent. I can give strong reasoning, but I am not sure I can give an irrefutable case for it. But I can for giving as it is discussed, asked for and commanded in every book of the NT except for maybe Jude.

Giving helps God in that you enable his ministers preach the Gospel. It helps you in that God gave certain promises to givers. It also helps Satan, but not in the way he wants. Satan actually tried to be a giver (luke 4:6) but Jesus rejected it. He wasn't even trying to give, he was trying to purchase. He's incapable of giving! We show Satan that he doesn't have the gift we have.

So giving is important. So how much? Well, as much as your heart wants to.

If being a Christian means being Christ-like, shouldn't we give like Jesus? So what did Jesus give?

Jesus gave so much in that though he was rich, he became poor (2 Cor 88:9). He left his glorious habitation for us. Not to mention he gave his earthly life for us.
In Genesis 14:20, Abram gave the King of Salem, Melchizedek, a 10th of all Abram had plundered from the Kings of the Valley of Siddim after he retrieved his nephew Lot from them and had taken all the goods the Kings had with them.

We also read in Leviticus 23:22 that some grain in the fields was to be left for the poor.
22When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"

Why do you feel tithing is not part of the New Covenant?

I believe churches do need to be maintained; but I believe 10% of a normal persons income is taking away a nice amount from a family.

I also wonder if it wouldn't be better to give directly to those who need help instead of going through a church...do we really know what happens to the money given to churches?
 

GodsGrace

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It's the letter of the Law that has been done away with but was then put under Grace.

To me Giving has got nothing to do with money at all, giving has to do with the Grace within you, such comes with abiding in the Charity of the Holy Spirit, this is the Well Spring of Christ our Lord.

Giving money does not cut it with God, that's a mans works thing, I know that most do not understand this, but truth is that charity is not humanitarianism or general amiability, it's a much wider scope than that.

Charity is the most important of all the virtues, it's summed up in the first and second commandments.

Without charity the soul is dead.

In the next life faith and hope will cease, but charity never.

1 Cor 13:13 So there abide faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

So if it is not abiding in Christ Jesus charity then such just it does not cut it, because it's not due to God.

Governments can feed but they do not feed the soul, it's the soul that needs the feeding then we can see the works of God take place.
I absolutely agree that money is not the only thing we can give.
We could share our clothes with the poor, our food..
and yes, most of all, our love; which is something we all need.

Money is necessary too however; to pay bills, to buy medicine, pay doctors.
Some end up living on the street because they have no way of getting the money that's necessary to live.

I do agree with you that it was the law and has now been put under grace...as has everything we do.
 

Enoch111

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And is giving to the church the same as giving to the poor?
The poor brethren and sisters within the church should be the first priority of every church. Paul made it his first priority, by asking other Christians to come to the aid of the poor in Jerusalem.

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. (Rom 15:26,27)

Most churches have misplaced priorities and neglect their own poor.
 

GodsGrace

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The poor brethren and sisters within the church should be the first priority of every church. Paul made it his first priority, by asking other Christians to come to the aid of the poor in Jerusalem.

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. (Rom 15:26,27)

Most churches have misplaced priorities and neglect their own poor.
I agree. I know a priest that gives to a few poor families from his own income because the church has no money for this purpose.

However, the church down in Rome is loaded and does give to charities...I can only repeat that we should take care of our own first...I see the poor he helps...
There are so many world-wide needs; it's overwhelming.

If I could do more, I would tend to want to help the poor on an individual basis.
 
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FHII

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Sorry mate but Matt 23:23 is not directed to the Christian. It was directed to the Pharisees and he was telling them off for being so parsimonious about tithing and ignoring matters that were more important.