Tithing Is Not A New Testament Principle

So what if the economy was based mainly on agriculture. The farm workers didn't tithe, only the land owners tithed.


The tithing law itself proves they had both money and a marketing system for buying and selling their crops and animals (Deuteronomy 14:24-26).

THE PURCHASE OF LAND WITH MONEY BY ABRAHAM - Genesis 23:15-16

THE PURCHASE OF LAND WITH MONEY BY JACOB - Genesis 33:19

JOSEPH WAS SOLD TO THE ISHMEELITES FOR MONEY - Genesis 37:28

A MONEY OFFERING TO BE USED FOR THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE - Exodus 30:14-16,


By the way, being Spirit led, I find myself giving far more than a mere tenth of my income. Tithers seem to think the 90% is theirs to do with what they please. Not so. We are to be good stewards of 100% of what God gives to us. If you are Spirit led instead of blindly follow a false tithing doctrine, you may find that God wants you to give 20%, 30%, 50% or even more of your income.

Gary,

I fully agree with this statement, as this is where I am at.

I start by setting aside 10% of whatever total income I have been blessed with by God.

Then from that point, I can be led specifically by The Holy Spirit as what and who to give to other giving and needs.

I can't tell you how many times I have given by The Spirit to specific people and specific amounts that were exactly what the person needed.

This type of giving has changed peoples lives and builds their faith in God.

I have a ministry account that is for storing our money that is set aside to God for this purpose.

In addition, we raise livestock and process them for food distribution.

This is more efficient that giving money for groceries.


JLB
 
JBL - you seem to ignore the fact that God commanded three different, distinct tithes, each with its own definition, purpose, and rules.

THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take to the yearly feasts.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

The first tithe could be redeemed for money. The tithe was not the money. It could be bought with money.

The second tithe could be sold for money, then the money was required to be used to buy food and drink for the feast. The tithe was the original crops that were sold.

The tithe itself was never money, and never came from anyone's income. The farmers made their income by selling and/or exchanging their crops and animals. They did not tithe from that income.

The first tithe is the ONLY tithe that God claimed to be His. It is the ONLY tithe that God said was Holy.

When God gave the Israelites the promised land, He RESERVED, for Himself, a tenth of the crops and every tenth animal (Leviticus 27:30, 32). They NEVER did belong to the Israelites. In other words, the tithe was from God's increase of FOOD, not from man's income. It was a way to distribute FOOD to the Levites and priests who did NOT inherit any land.

You are totally incorrect about the money changers. Jesus overturned the tables because the money changers were exchanging "regular coins" used in day to day purchases for "Temple coins." Every Hebrew man, woman and child was required by the Old Covenant Law to pay an annual poll tax, or head tax, which was used to maintain the Temple and pay for sacrifices for the nation (Exodus 30:13). It is extremely important to realize that the Temple shekel had only images of Temple items and Hebrew – both Holy. Roman currency was not allowed because it had the image of Caesar on it along with a Roman superscription in a pagan language.

You can start your giving with 10% of your income if you wish, but there is absolutely NOTHING in the scriptures that requires or even suggest doing that. NO ONE, in the scriptures, tithed from their income. The Biblical tithe came from GOD'S INCREASE - true increase. Man cannot make a seed increase into fruit. Only God can. The increase came from God's labor, not man's labor. God gave us the ability to work and make a living. God NEVER asked or required man to give to Him a tenth of what man earns. In my opinion, it is an insult to God to call a tenth of man's income His Holy Tithe.
 
Roads - Please consider the following:

Matthew 5:17-18 states Christ came to fulfill the law and not abolish it.

This is where some education in law is useful. What does fulfill mean? What does abolish mean?

Let me give an example. A legal contract is enforceable under the law. Let’s say you hire a contractor to build a swimming pool in your back yard. Once the contractor has completed the job, and everything in that contract has been completed, the contract has been fulfilled. The contractor’s job is to fulfill the contract, not abolish it. He fulfills it by completing the terms, bringing it to an end.

Consider:

Hebrews 8:13 (KJV) - In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Colossians 2:14 (KJV) - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Galatians 5:18 (KJV) - But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Galatians 3:19 (KJV) - Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. In other words, until Jesus came and fulfilled the law.

Galatians 3:23-25 (KJV)
23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Galatians 3:10-14 (KJV)
10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
 
A priest, a minister, and a rabbi were chatting and the subject of how each divided their church income came up.
The priest said "in my offic there is a circle on the floor, I throw all the money up in the air and whatever lands inside the circle is mine, whatever lands outside is for the church". The minister said "I have a circle also, but what lands inside is the church's and what lands outside is mine". The rabbi then said "I use no circle, I throw it all up in the air and whatever God wants He can keep".
 
There's a missing thought going on here and it is in the nature and purpose of the Mosaic Covenant. We know that because under that covenant anyone who would be the High Priest would have to descend from Aaron and be a Levite. Yeshua is disqualified from this office because He is of the tribe of Judah. That fact alone dismisses any argument for tithing on the basis of the Law of Moses.

The reason I do not like the argument for tithing taken from other examples pre - Mosaic Law such as with Abraham is because it hides a very important area we as believers need to understand in terms of God's rule of life in this, the church age.

God gave the 613 provisions of the Mosaic Covenant to Israel as a temporal and conditional covenant. It was conditional meaning if the people followed those commands God would bless them. If they failed to follow those commands God would judge them. They failed and God placed the entire nation into the Babylonian kingdom and decreed that instead of the kingdom of Israel leading the world there would be 4 gentile kingdoms that would rule the world until Messiah comes.

It was temporal in that it served its purpose of leading man to acknowledge his need for a savior.

It appears that Messiah failed in this mission but actually God planned for two comings. One for the atonement and one for judgment. This is where we can get lost in our personal daily devotional walking before God.

Up to the cross God's holiness was revealed thru mainly the Hebrew prophets, kings, and statesmen. Only 11 chapters and the book of Job are revelations outside of the examples of Israel. We are not part of Israel, we are part of the Body of Christ, the church of God.

We do not need to be tutored by the tutor that Paul taught was the 613 provisions or commandments including the ten etched in stone. We don't need them. They were given as a temporary testing teaching influence to reveal man's inability to produce righteous living under the restraints of the Mosaic Laws. Because we are now no longer in need of a school master or tutor ( the law of M), we can live mature sanctified holy lives by putting on Christ. A father in Greek culture signified the child becoming an adult by placing the adult toga on his child and dismissing the tutor. Paul says Christ is that adult toga, we are to grow up and put on Christ.

Under Mosaic Law men were required to give the minimal amount. Like children they had to have a standard set for them to follow.

Under the Law of Christ we are to give EVERYTHING. Why? Because our citizenship is in heaven and not in this world. We are to live our lives in that way. Paul wasn't thinking of retiring in a villa in Rome some day, he couldn't wait to get to the next location to start another local church, our lives are the same as Paul's and not Abraham's or David's. We have entered into exciting times in God's timetable. Those of the Old Testament desired to know what we know and to live how we live with the permanent indwelling power of the Spirit of God, with Christ in us. Everywhere we go, every encounter we come into, we bring Christ's presence there. Those of old did not have that capability.
 
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Under the Law of Christ we are to give EVERYTHING.

We are to give OURSELVES, and we are to be generous givers. We don't "give everything." Rather, we are stewards of everything that God allows us to have. We should strive to be good stewards of everything that God allows us to have.
 
Thanks.
The laying aside on the first day of the week in order to give to God financially is different than writing a check for 10% and mailing it to the Temple. I don't think we are to give everything that God prospers us (the income exceeding our weekly/daily needs) to the church. Most of it should support our elders and church missions but its not a direct deposit. By setting aside a separate account we can give as The Lord leads. We can make mature spiritual decisions on how and where and when to give back to God what He has prospered us with. I agree with giving ourselves but also see instructions in the NT regarding financial giving too.
 
Thanks.
The laying aside on the first day of the week in order to give to God financially is different than writing a check for 10% and mailing it to the Temple.

You are correct. But we need to understand when Paul said to lay aside on the first day of the week, it was FOR the saints (for the poor), NOT for salaries, a building, etc. etc. It was a collection for the poor. You won't find ANY NT scripture where they took a collection for a church building, etc.

Giving to the local church is NOT giving to God. It is giving to an organization doing business as a church. Jesus told us the ONLY way to give to Him is to give to the poor/needy.
 
Roads - Please consider the following:

Matthew 5:17-18 states Christ came to fulfill the law and not abolish it.

This is where some education in law is useful. What does fulfill mean? What does abolish mean?

Let me give an example. A legal contract is enforceable under the law. Let’s say you hire a contractor to build a swimming pool in your back yard. Once the contractor has completed the job, and everything in that contract has been completed, the contract has been fulfilled. The contractor’s job is to fulfill the contract, not abolish it. He fulfills it by completing the terms, bringing it to an end.

Absolutely. I agree with your explanation of the distinction between fulfillment and abolition.
 
Ok, I can see that. Also tho there is a responsibility to bless those who are feeding us spiritual food. Maybe the elders need not be building churches that cost a lot and could just be paid by the members of the local body. It is not however a violation of scripture on their part if they do build churches.

The churches in acts didn't have one CEO or head pastor, they operated under the plurality of elders model.
 
You are correct. But we need to understand when Paul said to lay aside on the first day of the week, it was FOR the saints (for the poor), NOT for salaries, a building, etc. etc. It was a collection for the poor. You won't find ANY NT scripture where they took a collection for a church building, etc.

Giving to the local church is NOT giving to God. It is giving to an organization doing business as a church. Jesus told us the ONLY way to give to Him is to give to the poor/needy.


I would be great if you could give us the scripture for this statement; Jesus told us the ONLY way to give to Him is to give to the poor/needy.

I am sure you believe that the ONLY way to give to God is giving to the poor, but could you give the scripture that states this.

I agree with you on several things that you have said, but so far, you have NOT given me any scripture that validates the things you have said, for the question I have asked so far.

I do agree with the statement You won't find ANY NT scripture where they took a collection for a church building.


Thanks, JLB
 
Ok, I can see that. Also tho there is a responsibility to bless those who are feeding us spiritual food. Maybe the elders need not be building churches that cost a lot and could just be paid by the members of the local body. It is not however a violation of scripture on their part if they do build churches.

The churches in acts didn't have one CEO or head pastor, they operated under the plurality of elders model.

I think it would be really helpful to generally have a lot more discussion about church models. I think churches should ultimately decide on their structure as a response to the particular needs in their community and congregation, and be willing to continue to evaluate themselves, and adapt as needs change. If a church group decides that they need high-cost elements like their own building and full-time salaried staff for particular reasons, I don't see anything unbiblical about that, agreed. Alternatively, lots of churches rent spaces or use free spaces when they meet. If physical space is limited, some churches will respond to growth in numbers by looking for a bigger space, but if there are enough mature Christians to lead multiple groups, some may respond to growth by splitting into smaller groups. Here in sunny Queensland, there are a number of open air churches, who meet outdoors in public spaces, which is awesome to see. Some churches share leadership responsibilities among a core team, whose members may all have full time employment as well. There are a lot of ways we can organise ourselves. Lots of traditions were probably originally started for good, practical reasons that may still make practical sense in some circumstances. But no tradition will make sense in every circumstance; I don't think it's healthy to do things in traditional ways simply for the sake of those traditions, and sometimes traditions are taught as Biblical commandments, which is dangerous.

Personally, I would really love to hear from people about how their particular church is organised, and why they've chosen to organise themselves that way.
 
I would be great if you could give us the scripture for this statement; Jesus told us the ONLY way to give to Him is to give to the poor/needy.

I am sure you believe that the ONLY way to give to God is giving to the poor, but could you give the scripture that states this.

Thanks, JLB

The scripture is Matthew 25:34-40. If you can find any other scripture where Jesus tells us how to give to Him, please tell us. Maybe I should have worded my statement, Jesus only gave one example in the scriptures how to give to Him.
 
The scripture is Matthew 25:34-40. If you can find any other scripture where Jesus tells us how to give to Him, please tell us. Maybe I should have worded my statement, Jesus only gave one example in the scriptures how to give to Him.

The perception being, that Jesus "identifies" Himself with His people. Not that He ONLY "identifies" Himself with poor people or people in prison...

Hence the phrase; "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

Here is what The Lord set up as a model of His Kingdom on Earth as seen just after the Day of Pentecost -

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:31-35

This is the process as to how, "on Earth as it is in Heaven" will be implemented.

This is the dynamics of "Governing" by the authority of God's Kingdom whereby each and every person has what they need.

Anything that threatens this operation, [once it has been implemented] and the integrity of it will result in the following consequences -

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. Acts 5:1-5

Each and every person in this equation above, is identified with The Lord.

This is the giving structure that is acceptable and authorized by the Lord.


JLB
 
This is the giving structure that is acceptable and authorized by the Lord.
JLB

I believe your interpretation is incorrect.

The problem with Ananias and Sapphira is NOT they they kept part of their possessions, but rather they lied about it.

Regardless, that is NOT what is being taught in today's church.
 
I believe your interpretation is incorrect.

The problem with Ananias and Sapphira is NOT they they kept part of their possessions, but rather they lied about it.

Regardless, that is NOT what is being taught in today's church.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Their lie was in fact keeping back what they had dedicated to the Lord.

They never "said" anything, they simply KEPT BACK what they had originally dedicated.

The lie was the act of KEEPING BACK a portion for themselves.

The IS the pattern that the scriptures have laid out for the New Testament lifestyle.

You have yet to give a scripture that backs up "your theory" that states the ONLY way to give to Him is to give to the poor/needy.

This is a false statement!

The Lord "identifies" Himself with His People, as it is written -

"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

When you are led by the Spirit in your giving, THEN you are giving to the Lord.

The Spirit led them to do this certain thing, they both knew it was right, they both then KEPT BACK a portion, they both died as a result.


JLB
 
Any scripture to back up your statement?

The scripture I just quoted is not good enough?

And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? Acts 5:1-2

This whole operation began when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost.

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, THESE are the sons of God.


JLB
 
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