Should Christians tithe 10 percent?

P

Pastor Mayende.

Yes tithe 10 percent it is in bible but under the law and Jesus saved us from law (Rom.6:14). New testament it does not talk about tithe but to give generously (James 1:5).
God bless you as you give an advise.
 
Pastor Mayende. said:
Yes tithe 10 percent it is in bible but under the law and Jesus saved us from law (Rom.6:14). New testament it does not talk about tithe but to give generously (James 1:5).
God bless you as you give an advise.
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This is one of those things that sometimes bother me. There are people that, once they pay their monthly bills, don't have 10% left. Giving should be based on "generosity" and generosity should be based on ability. So some people $5.00 is the same as someone's $100.00.

While on that subject, is serving your church considered giving? I would thing so, but not sure.

rtm3039
 
When you want to know the biblical meaning of a word you look up the first usage. That usually defines the word by context.

Genesis 14:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

The meaning has been twisted by people who made up doctrines instead of getting them from the bible. A tithe is a one-time gift of ten percent, not a holy income tax every payday. The twisted meaning is encouraged by preachers who think they have to rely on the kindness of their followers, rather than support from God.
 
God loves a cheerful giver.
I reckon God showed His people to give their first fruits and made it like ten percent because it was easy to calculate. Im sure he didnt mind if it was rounded up or down to the nearest figure. So if i had 300 potatoes I would give 30 to God. If i had 196 I would give maybe 20.
But the thing is really give Him your best. What He really likes isnt so much the amount you give Him but your praise and thanksgiving.

People these days dont have land enough to grow fruits which is rather said as we now mostly live in a cash economy, especially city dwellers. But see God doesnt even need our money. But certainly He can multiply it and put it to good use. Its never good to be in debt. We all know we can go to Him for forgiveness, even our financial debts. Its sad to see people spending their whole lives working for debts that may take a lifetime to pay off. Like a mortgage! And then they get charged interest on it as well. Terrible.
 
Pastor Mayende. said:
Yes tithe 10 percent it is in bible but under the law and Jesus saved us from law (Rom.6:14). New testament it does not talk about tithe but to give generously (James 1:5).
God bless you as you give an advise.
Click to expand...

Scripture tells us that in the Old Test. that a tithe was that part of the Israelite tax that went to support the Temple and the Levites who were in charge of it.
There’s absolutely nothing in the Bible that suggests that non-Jews are required to continue to pay this “temple tax” in the New Testament – especially since the Temple and Levitical priesthood came to an end in 70 AD.

Paul tells us that we are to be giving “generously,” “outrageously,” “not under compulsion,” “joyfully” and “as God leads you.”

But the New Testament never mentions a rule about a percentage one is required to give. IMO that means we can give as God blesses us to give. That means we can give MORE than 10%.

It is said that J.C. Penney gave 90% of his income and lived on 10%.
 
Major said:
Scripture tells us that in the Old Test. that a tithe was that part of the Israelite tax that went to support the Temple and the Levites who were in charge of it.
There’s absolutely nothing in the Bible that suggests that non-Jews are required to continue to pay this “temple tax” in the New Testament – especially since the Temple and Levitical priesthood came to an end in 70 AD.

Paul tells us that we are to be giving “generously,” “outrageously,” “not under compulsion,” “joyfully” and “as God leads you.”

But the New Testament never mentions a rule about a percentage one is required to give. IMO that means we can give as God blesses us to give. That means we can give MORE than 10%.

It is said that J.C. Penney gave 90% of his income and lived on 10%.
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Did he have a mortgage? :)

His was an interesting life.

rtm3039
 
rtm3039 said:
While on that subject, is serving your church considered giving? I would thing so, but not sure.
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The Pastor at the first church I belonged to after accepting Christ (and he preached tithing) was that 10% of your Time, Talent and Treasure belonged to the Lord, and giving started after those had been satisfied.

However, as I have studied the nature and purpose of The Law, and of Grace, I have come to realize that the number is not the point. Giving generously and sacrificialy keeps the kingdom of Christ in our mercenary hearts.
 
rtm3039 said:
Did he have a mortgage? :)

His was an interesting life.

rtm3039
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Wow tell us more. If you can live on just ten percent of your income you must be making a lot!

Of course in the OT it was people collectively giving to the levites not just one person funding the whole operation of the tabernacle/temple. Im sure God worked it out so that people had enough and the 90 percent left was more than sufficient.

In many ways it fairer than the tax rates of our own countries. In some countries the poor are taxed when they shouldnt be taxed, and the rich get out of being taxed when they have more than enough. But then some tax rates are crippling. GST (goods and services tax) in my country is 12.5% and its on most everything you buy.
 
Lanolin said:
Wow tell us more. If you can live on just ten percent of your income you must be making a lot!

Of course in the OT it was people collectively giving to the levites not just one person funding the whole operation of the tabernacle/temple. Im sure God worked it out so that people had enough and the 90 percent left was more than sufficient.

In many ways it fairer than the tax rates of our own countries. In some countries the poor are taxed when they shouldnt be taxed, and the rich get out of being taxed when they have more than enough. But then some tax rates are crippling. GST (goods and services tax) in my country is 12.5% and its on most everything you buy.
Click to expand...

Taxes are an interesting thing. It takes money to run a country. Federal taxes, state taxes (in some states), sales taxes, etc. It can add up really fast. I don’t mind paying taxes (well, kind of), but I have never liked how little influence we have on how these taxes are used.

Regardless, I go so sleep humble in the realization that many of my people go to sleep on the streets and have no idea where their next meal will come from. This makes me and my family very fortunate and a cause to be thankful each and every day.

The majority of our taxes are spent on social security, unemployment and labor; medicare and health; and our military. This is almost 76% of all taxes collected. Heck, 6% is used just to pay on the interest of our current dept. it is a hot mess.

Our average US income is a little over $56,000.00; however, the average salary for our elected officials (Congress) is over $174,000.00. That has always bothered me. About 15% of US households have assets of $1 million or more; however, more than 50% of US Congress members are worth $1 million or more. This really puts into question the title of “public servant,” but it is what it is.

In my home city (Miami, FL), the medium income is a little over $40,000.00, but the average home cost is over $322,000.00. More than one quarter of the people here live in poverty. This is a city where the difference between those that have and those that do not have is very obvious.

rtm3039
 
We have already looked at Genesis 14:20 and seen that a tithe is a one time gift of one tenth of all. The word is used 32 times in the KJV.The KJV translates Strong's H4643 in the following manner: tithe (27x), tenth part (2x), tenth (2x), tithing (1x).

Leviticus 27:30-32 King James Version (KJV)
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.
31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
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.

The tithe of the land is a tenth of the annual increase. That is not the harvest. The farmer gets to deduct his seed or costs of production, as is stated in other verses.

Deuteronomy 14:22
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

Some people sloppily speak of "tax" to support the church, but the bible uses that word only for money tributed to Egyptian or Roman government. Gifts to God or to Levites are never called a tax.

It is easy enough to look up the word "tithe" in any online bible. After you read 32 verses and whatever context catches your eye, you will know a few things. I mean things you didn't make up, like this "tax" baloney.

Oh, one more thing to remember: The name of the book, Leviticus, means "To The Levites". It does not apply to Christians. So don't "should" on yourself. The new testament says God loves a cheerful giver, so don't give until you can be cheerful about it.
 
Just last night I talked to a meeting of school-aged kids (kinda like Scouts) about counting the cost in Luke 14:33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions." I then took off my size 14B work boots and asked who would take them. And then challenged them to think about what would happen if they all took off their shoes and gave them to someone there and someone there would give them their shoes. Of course everyone would walk around with shoes that didn't fit just by trying to be Christ's disciple. So some sort of pot-latch is what was meant.

But what if I decided that my boots weren't for my personal use and pleasure, but to serve HIM, for example, by bringing me to that group of kids that night for their meeting and helping them with their activities? Ah, then it makes sense. We are called to give up the USE of all of our possessions for our personal pleasure and instead use them for God's Kingdom as a disciple of Christ. Our pleasure should come from serving Him, rather than pleasing ourselves.

But do we? No, we don't. Just another reason why we need God's grace every moment of every day to make the horrible, half-hearted attempts of being righteous somehow acceptable and useful in God's Plan.

I see the "tithe argument" as a distraction from what we should be doing.
 
Saul Mine said:
We have already looked at Genesis 14:20 and seen that a tithe is a one time gift of one tenth of all. The word is used 32 times in the KJV.The KJV translates Strong's H4643 in the following manner: tithe (27x), tenth part (2x), tenth (2x), tithing (1x).

Leviticus 27:30-32 King James Version (KJV)
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.
31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
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.

The tithe of the land is a tenth of the annual increase. That is not the harvest. The farmer gets to deduct his seed or costs of production, as is stated in other verses.

Deuteronomy 14:22
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

Some people sloppily speak of "tax" to support the church, but the bible uses that word only for money tributed to Egyptian or Roman government. Gifts to God or to Levites are never called a tax.

It is easy enough to look up the word "tithe" in any online bible. After you read 32 verses and whatever context catches your eye, you will know a few things. I mean things you didn't make up, like this "tax" baloney.

Oh, one more thing to remember: The name of the book, Leviticus, means "To The Levites". It does not apply to Christians. So don't "should" on yourself. The new testament says God loves a cheerful giver, so don't give until you can be cheerful about it.
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Yea its meant to be food, but some false preachers just take eftpos or visa instead and call it tithe, they may as well call it tax. The love of money is the root of all evil, so you kinda wonder who they trying to fool.

When they tithed their mint and cumin, or rams or fruit or whatever they had to be without blemish or spot. Because it was meant to be holy. How money can be holy is anyones guess. Even Jesus said give to God what is Gods, and to Caesar what is caesars. You dont give to God what is Caesars cos what use would God have for it?

It seems some churches dont even want your food and some will say we dont want perishable items at all so all you have to give is some stale crackers in a box made in a factory from another country and they accept that but not your sack of feijoas you grew from your own tree.
 
rtm3039 said:
Taxes are an interesting thing. It takes money to run a country. Federal taxes, state taxes (in some states), sales taxes, etc. It can add up really fast. I don’t mind paying taxes (well, kind of), but I have never liked how little influence we have on how these taxes are used.

Regardless, I go so sleep humble in the realization that many of my people go to sleep on the streets and have no idea where their next meal will come from. This makes me and my family very fortunate and a cause to be thankful each and every day.

The majority of our taxes are spent on social security, unemployment and labor; medicare and health; and our military. This is almost 76% of all taxes collected. Heck, 6% is used just to pay on the interest of our current dept. it is a hot mess.

Our average US income is a little over $56,000.00; however, the average salary for our elected officials (Congress) is over $174,000.00. That has always bothered me. About 15% of US households have assets of $1 million or more; however, more than 50% of US Congress members are worth $1 million or more. This really puts into question the title of “public servant,” but it is what it is.

In my home city (Miami, FL), the medium income is a little over $40,000.00, but the average home cost is over $322,000.00. More than one quarter of the people here live in poverty. This is a city where the difference between those that have and those that do not have is very obvious.

rtm3039
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Jesus didnt especially like tax collectors. He said treat people who dont repent as unbelievers like heathens or tax collectors. So a tax collector wasnt a good thing to be, they were notorious for embezzling money.

However Zaccheus was a tax collector who repented and saw the light. JEsus invited him for dnner. Everyone was shocked he would do this.

As for OP if a tithe is obligation to be something you SHOULD do it does become kind of like a tax. I dont agree with the should a christian tithe, even in the OT it was never one of the ten 'thou shalt' commandments. Somehow people have twisted it beyond recognition so as to justify paying a church building mortgage. I say if you cant afford it, dont have it.

God was happy in his tent the tabernacle rather than an expensive temple.

As anyone who owns more than one property might know, it cost to maintain it, plus if you dont live there yourself you still have to look after it. Rich people that own more than they can count is rather obscene considering the homes they have sit empty as they are just toys to them to have for holidays while many people around them are homeless. What they do is get tenants to pay for their own mortage and the tenants dont even own the home after paying rent for so many years while the landlord just collects it so that they can own it. And sell it and make some more money.

Even some christians I know do this, like their own family can starve and not afford anywhere to live but their parents own property and rent it out cos they want another income for their retirement. And people dont think that theres anything wrong in doing this for some reason, cos it seems everyone does it. They dont think its connected with homelessness or anything.
 
A question that has not been examined: "When you say church, do you mean the people, the building, or the corporation?" That can be a thorny question. In another forum someone asked about a beggar who came into the church asking for a gift. Wow, does that ever stir up emotions.

So are you actually giving to somebody, or paying a tax, or building your own "house of god" that you can be proud of, or are you dumping to show off that you can afford to waste resources?

Numbers 18:24
But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat 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.

God mostly commanded to give tithes and offerings to Levites, but in one case He specified to bring them into His house. When Jesus talked about giving, it seems clear enough that he meant giving to one another, or to strangers, and according to need.

Another thorny question: The US constitution singles out "institutions of religion", but corporations are created by permission of the government. What exactly are you worshipping when you talk about a church? Who or what are you actually giving to? Or are you actually trying to buy righteousness?
 
rtm3039 said:
Taxes are an interesting thing. It takes money to run a country. Federal taxes, state taxes (in some states), sales taxes, etc. It can add up really fast. I don’t mind paying taxes (well, kind of), but I have never liked how little influence we have on how these taxes are used.

Regardless, I go so sleep humble in the realization that many of my people go to sleep on the streets and have no idea where their next meal will come from. This makes me and my family very fortunate and a cause to be thankful each and every day.

The majority of our taxes are spent on social security, unemployment and labor; medicare and health; and our military. This is almost 76% of all taxes collected. Heck, 6% is used just to pay on the interest of our current dept. it is a hot mess.

Our average US income is a little over $56,000.00; however, the average salary for our elected officials (Congress) is over $174,000.00. That has always bothered me. About 15% of US households have assets of $1 million or more; however, more than 50% of US Congress members are worth $1 million or more. This really puts into question the title of “public servant,” but it is what it is.

In my home city (Miami, FL), the medium income is a little over $40,000.00, but the average home cost is over $322,000.00. More than one quarter of the people here live in poverty. This is a city where the difference between those that have and those that do not have is very obvious.

rtm3039
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~ The period of Hebrew history known as "Judges".
~ The tribes on the east side of the Rhine River, known to the Romans as Germanicus.
~ The Dutch Empire
~ The American colonies up to 1776

All these cultures had no central government. They were all stable, peaceful, prosperous, unconquerable in war, and lasted about 150 years. Then the people threw away their accomplishments and demanded a central government. After that they were conquered or collapsed from within.

In 1 Samuel chapter 8 you can read about God's opinion of central government. Even a tax rate of 10% is obscene.
 
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My sister went to visit relatives in Utah recently. She noticed that her cousin did not lock the car. Very religious area, you know.

So when they went to church, cousin locked the car in the parking lot. That seemed odd.

After the service she asked "Why do you lock the car in the church parking lot when you don't lock it anyplace else?

"If you don't lock your car here you will find it full of zucchini when you come out!"
 
Saul Mine said:
~ The period of Hebrew history known as "Judges".
~ The tribes on the east side of the Rhine River, known to the Romans as Germanicus.
~ The Dutch Empire
~ The American colonies up to 1776

All these cultures had no central government. They were all stable, peaceful, prosperous, unconquerable in war, and lasted about 150 years. Then the people threw away their accomplishments and demanded a central government. After that they were conquered or collapsed from within.

In 1 Samuel chapter 8 you can read about God's opinion of central government. Even a tax rate of 10% is obscene.
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Saul Mine,

Greetings. I did as suggested and read 1 Samuel 8. One of “issues” I have is applying some biblical teachings to today’s world. Our country, actually, the world as a whole, has become so much more complicated than it used to be. Let’s take this example of wanting a king.

We have become a very complicated global system. Now, governments are deeded to consolidate resources and equitable distribute (yes, this is stretching it a bit) them among all states and even all countries. It is no longer possible to live in an island with physical borders. What happens here today will impact Europe the following day. We have grown a society so complicated that we are barely able to manage it and I just do not see how that gets any better any time soon. So, I am not sure it is a matter of us wanting a “king” as it is having no choice.

As individual Christians, I think our goal is to establish and maintain a personal relationship with out Lord and not so much praying for this relationship at a national level.

rtm3039
 
Siloam said:
The Pastor at the first church I belonged to after accepting Christ (and he preached tithing) was that 10% of your Time, Talent and Treasure belonged to the Lord, and giving started after those had been satisfied.

However, as I have studied the nature and purpose of The Law, and of Grace, I have come to realize that the number is not the point. Giving generously and sacrificialy keeps the kingdom of Christ in our mercenary hearts.
Click to expand...

I am sorry to tell you this but your 1st Pastor was wrong. Our time and energy has nothing to do with the tithe.
 
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