Tithe and Offering........Tithe is ten percent and offering is?

[LadyKay]

Not for sure on this. But I read somewhere that church tithing came about because people were not sure how much they should be giving. Then Someone came up with  the ideal of 10% of your income  base on  the Old Testament Law on tithing.   

[Mike Mclees]

23 hours ago, Not me said:

Before I say this, know that it is what your personal relationship with Christ is telling you, that is important here. If your heart is telling you something different “please” ignore what I write. That being said;

 I am not convinced tithing is a new covenant command. I think it was changed to “God loves a cheerful giver.”So I’m of the mind that whatever God puts on your heart to give, give. I realize sometimes this is hard to tell. This is why our personal relationship with Christ is so vital. The closer we get to Christ the easier it is to hear His Spirit.

My understanding here is. Scripture says by “dying with Christ” we have been freed from “the  law.” Now we’re under the “law of Christ” which means listening to whatever the Spirit of Christ is speaking “in you” at any moment of time.  

But there is nothing “wrong” with tithings and offering, if it’s something your heart tells you to do . But no longer a “law” for we have been freed from the law.

If this causes a issue, please ignore  what I wrote. For obedience to “your” relationship with Christ is what’s important here. 

much love in Christ, Not me

I agree with you. It no longer a command but given freely as one is able. I ministered to homeless and poor in a park near me bringing food on Sunday. These people had to go to the food kitchen every day when there was no work. How could one expect a tithe from them.. Church was intimidating because they were homeless and poor. Our passing the plate and standards of nice clothes keeps them out. We had service under a park banyan tree and I never asked for a dime.

[Still Alive]

3 hours ago, LadyKay said:

Not for sure on this. But I read somewhere that church tithing came about because people were not sure how much they should be giving. Then Someone came up with  the ideal of 10% of your income  base on  the Old Testament Law on tithing.   

I would not be surprised at all that that is what happened. 

[Willa]

The first step is to surrender ourselves completely to God, and everything we have (which God provided in the first place).    We are just stewards, caretakers, of God's possessions that He has entrusted to us.  We do this in thanksgiving for all God has provided for us---His own Son, the forgiveness of sin, adoption into His family and deliverance from the tyranny of sin and satan.  

2Co 8:3  For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,  2Co 8:4  begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 2Co 8:5  and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

We are to give as we are able out of our increase or our profits.  The poor are to be aided by our giving, not fleeced.  And when we need a job or have a set back, they are to aid us so that it all balances out.  This is speaking of the church, not of unbelieving poor.  

2Co 8:12  For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.  2Co 8:13  For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness  2Co 8:14  your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.  

As to the church, 

1Ti 5:17  AMP Let the elders who perform the duties of their office well be considered doubly worthy of honor [and of adequate financial support], especially those who labor faithfully in preaching and teaching.  1Ti 5:18  For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain, and again, The laborer is worthy of his hire. [Deu 25:4; Luk 10:7]

Some pastors prefer to work on the side and not take a wage from the congregation for as long as possible.  This is also true of missionaries.  But this is not the norm.  Paul didn't take a wife either but states that most pastors have wives.   Most churches provided a wages for their pastors who teach the Word.   It also leaves room for other paid staff.   We are to give to the Lord and to where He directs us to give.  He has put on my heart the need to support my church as well as to some missions.  But there have been times that I was unable to give much due to decreased wages.  Paul said that the important thing is the heart that wants to give.  Our desire is to obey God because HE is worthy.

 

 

 

[Realist]

I believe that the tithe amount in the old testament was 10% of the bounty that you received from the harvest of your labors and if you brought money as a tithe offering instead 30% was required.  In that era the tithes took the form of animals, land, seeds, and fruits. While land, seed and fruit could be redeemed with money by adding a extra twenty percent, animals could not.

Edited April 12, 2018 by Realist

[Mike Mclees]

I believe one can tithe by helping the poor and needy often from their own pocket without asking for outside help.

We are being taught to support a building we call church.  We are the  church as Paul said "know ye not ye are the Temple and the spirit of God is in you."

[bryan]

10 hours ago, Mike Mclees said:

I believe one can tithe by helping the poor and needy often from their own pocket without asking for outside help.

We are being taught to support a building we call church.  We are the  church as Paul said "know ye not ye are the Temple and the spirit of God is in you."

I agree.  Call it tithe, helping the poor, or simply helping when you're called to help, it all has a purpose.  If we attend a formal church with a building and such, it makes sense to help them pay to support what they're providing.   The church pastor / board / elders may have causes they support as well and ask church members for support for those.  We may be called to support those, or we may not, that's up to us and our discernment.  We may be called to support a cause our traditional church doesn't help at all.