Tithing

Sorry for the quiet on the blog-front. I've just been doing other things recently.

Our church organization sent out an update on the pledges that were made for our building. Of course, almost no one is meeting their obligations. Surprised? In it there is an "encouragement" to be working toward giving 10%. I immediately bristle at this stuff, and I refuse to go to any "fundraising" meetings. This time I have been asked by several people in our church what I think about tithing. So, me being the researcher that I am, decided to study the issue. I won't bore you with all the details, but I'll try to summarize what I found and give you a few links for your own study....

• No reference to tithing in the OT refers to money. Lev. 27:30-33 is typical of the passages about tithing. It says that the tithe was to consist of "seed of the land", "fruit of the tree" and "herds".

• Tithes were given to the Levites according to Num. 18:24. There is no temple in Jerusalem today, and no Levite priests to give the tithe to, and it is a serious stretch for pastors to claim themselves as such.

I found this very interesting! Check out Duet. 14:22ff.

Deu 14:22 You shall truly tithe all the increase of your seed that the field brings forth year by year.
Deu 14:23 And you shall eat before Jehovah your God in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first-born of your herds and of your flocks, so that you may learn to fear Jehovah your God always.
Deu 14:24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, or if the place is too far from you, which Jehovah your God shall choose to set His name there, when Jehovah your God has blessed you,
Deu 14:25 then you shall turn it into silver and bind up the silver in your hand, and shall go to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose.
Deu 14:26 And you shall pay that silver for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires. And you shall eat there before Jehovah your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household
Deu 14:27 and the Levite within your gates, you shall not forsake him, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.
Deu 14:28 At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up inside your gates.
Deu 14:29 And the Levite, because he has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Hmmm....probably won't find this passage preached on during the fundraising push.....

• So, the tithe was used to have a time of feasting and communion with your family and those who are less fortunate in the presence of God.

Here's another little preached on passage....

Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
Gen 28:21 and I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall Jehovah be my God.
Gen 28:22 And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that You shall give me, I will surely give the tenth to You.

• Instead of giving the "first tenth" as we are taught today, Jacob's tithing had a condition. God's blessing came first, then the tithe.

So, if the institutional church was trying to follow OT principles on tithing, it would still be in error teaching that you should give 10% no matter what.

( I'm not going to hit the Malachi passages that are often used to support tithing. It would take to much time and its been dealt with at length in the links below.)

The problem really comes to light because we are no longer following the Old Covenant! Jesus fulfilled the Law and sent the Holy Spirit to live in us so that we could follow HIM! We are not under a rule based system any longer, we are in a dynamic relationship with the living God!!!! Here are some of the issues that come to light when trying to maintain the rule of tithing:

• There is no temple in Jerusalem and there is no Levitic priesthood to accept the tithe. In fact, WE are the priests and the temple!!!!
  

Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out and departed from the temple. And His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, There shall not be left here one stone on another that shall not be thrown down.

Act 17:24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,

2Co 6:16 And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

• Additionally, in 2Cor. 8 and 9 Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to complete their generosity to the poor Christians in Judea. Check out some key phrases:

2Co 8:5 This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.

2Co 8:12 Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands.

2Co 9:5 So to make sure there will be no slipup, I've recruited these brothers as an advance team to get you and your promised offering all ready before I get there. I want you to have all the time you need to make this offering in your own way. I don't want anything forced or hurried at the last minute.

2Co 9:7 I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

There is more. But, it becomes clear that we are to give from our heart as we are moved by God's Spirit, not to fulfill the obligations placed on us by external means. Obligations are bondage. If you want to give, then give generously! Give what you can, not what you can't! God can still bless you if you don't give, but you will miss out on the joy of giving!!!!! There is much joy to be found too!

Here are some good links for further study:

Tithing is Unscriptural Under the New Covenant
Tithing vs. Giving of Grace
The Tithing Lie
The Truth About Tithes
Tithes and Offerings Jesus' Way