Is the tithe for today

[Guest]

Steve,

I heard you a few times speak on this, and was talking to a brother about whether the tithe was just for the old testement, and not for the church today.

He indicated that it is a commandment from the old testement, and just because the new testement isn't very clear, he said that it doesn't mean that the commandment was obsolved.

He also mentioned a passage (I forgot) in the new testement when Jesus spoke to this.

PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.

[Guest]

Hi Soldier4Christ,

I'm not Steve, but I've studied the topic of tithing pretty thoroughly and written out my conclusions in an essay on my blog. Rather than paste it here, I'll just provide the link which you can go to if you're interested:

http://instantsermon.blogspot.com/

The essay is entitled "Tzedakah!"

I *think* it generally falls in line with Steve's views, though I might be mistaken.

[Guest]

I don't believe the OT concept of tithing applies to Christians today for the following reasons:

1. Local church is not the equivalent of the Jewish temple.
2. We don't have 10% of our population as clergy (Levites) to support.
3. Jesus nor the apostles ever commanded it.
4. Paul said to the Corinthians:

2 Cor 9:6-8
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
NKJV

Maybe, that's out of context since it was a specific need he was addressing, but I think the principle can be applied to the body of Christ in general.

5. The quote by Jesus in Matt 23:23 that you're referring to is addressed to the Pharisees who were still bound by the law and it was therefore appropriate for them to "tithe" everything. Christians are not under the old covenant but the new.

6. The Christian is not called to forsake 1/10th of everything, but ALL that he has. (Luke 14:33). We should be willing to give as much as God leads us to give up to and including everything, even our very life.

Just my thoughts.

[Guest]

When Peter was directed to take up a "collection" in Acts 5, I guess it technically wasn't tithing. It was more like a free will gift.

Am I saying that right?

[Guest]

Not much for me to add to the above. I would suggest, though, since there never was any command in the Bible ever to bring the tithe elsewhere than to the temple for the Levites—and neither temple nor levitical priesthood exist today—that there is nothing in the Bible at all to suggest a Christian's obligation to tithe.

[Guest]

Not much for me to add to the above. I would suggest, though, since there never was any command in the Bible ever to bring the tithe elsewhere than to the temple for the Levites—and neither temple nor levitical priesthood exist today—that there is nothing in the Bible at all to suggest a Christian's obligation to tithe.

Thank you Steve for taking the time to respond. Do you have a list of scripture that I can use also?

[Guest]

Here are Paul's instructions to the Corinthians about contrubutions for the saints. He states in the following passage that he gave similar instructions to the churches of Galatia.

Now concerning the contribution for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that contributions need not be made when I come. I Cor 16:1,2

This doesn't sound at all like tithing. They were to give "as they may prosper". Thus the very rich would give perhaps 90% of his income, as Mr. Le Tourneau did (who designes earth moving machines). Others various other percentages according as they prospered.

If everyone gives 10%, this would be unfair. A person whose income is a million per year, would still habe $900,000 (minus taxes) for himself.
But a person whose income was only $15,000 per year, might suffer hardship if he were to give $1500 of that.

Furthermore, the disciple of Christ has "left all, denied himself and followed Christ"! He has given 100%! He is a steward of His Lord's possessions. But in the tithing mentality, the tither gives his 10%, and regards the rest as his own.

Once, I even saw a cartoon for children in Sunday School which depicted a smiling man with a huge moneybag in his left hand and a much smaller one in his right. The small bag was labelled "The Lord's" and the huge one was labelled "Mine". I thought that cartoon really illustrated the tithing mentality.

[Guest]

He also mentioned a passage (I forgot) in the new testement when Jesus spoke to this.

If he means Matthew 23:23 that says:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."

I would point out that Jesus was speaking to scribes and Pharisees, not the disciples. And He was speaking to them about the law. The scribes and Pharisees were under mozaic law and should have tithed that's true, but we are under a different covenant were the law has changed.

I hear this passage used a lot in favor of Christians tithing. It's perplexing to me how it can be seen to promote tithing for Christians.

[Guest]

Thank you Steve for taking the time to respond. Do you have a list of scripture that I can use also?

Dear Soldier4Christ,

There are some verse references in Steve's write-up on Tithing on his website.

http://www.thenarrowpath.com/topical/Ar ... 0Today.htm

[Guest]

What did the early Christians say about tithing?

Also, what arguments do people use in defending tithing? The only arguments I think of can be shot down pretty easily.