Is it okay to use 10%(tithes) this way...

[johnthebaptist]

14 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

So I wanted to get back into volunteering and I was thinking if it was okay to use 110% of tithes to buy donation items like clothes, shoes, food items and what not and give it to the facility doing the donating.

 

Is this okay? or should tithes strictly go to church?

 

what do you think?

I don't think tithes need to go strictly to the church.

[JohnD]

14 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

So I wanted to get back into volunteering and I was thinking if it was okay to use 110% of tithes to buy donation items like clothes, shoes, food items and what not and give it to the facility doing the donating.

 

Is this okay? or should tithes strictly go to church?

 

what do you think?

Tithes were Old Covenant. But tithing predated the Old Covenant, is the argument. Yes, I know.

But there are several extenuating factors to be considered here.

Those who receive the tithe in the Church do not live as the Levitical priests did. 

If you insist on others tithing to you, you should live like a Levite (which is extremely meager by modern standards).

Also, unlike the Old Covenant, we are ALL priests of God in Christ (Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10, 1 Peter 2:3-9). 

The Jews WERE supposed to be as well (Exodus 19:6) but they fell into temptation to undo everything God had done

up to that point in Exodus 32. ← This was where and why the Levites became the priestly tribe.

Now, I am not saying give the tithe to yourself to have a bigger car or more frequent stops at McDonalds...

BUT we are SUPPOSED to be in ministry ourselves: our unique gifts in ministry participating in the over all

calling of GLOBAL evangelism to every generation. In whatever capacity the Lord has called and equipped us. 

THAT is where our resources SHOULD go (10% ? No. 100%).

He wants it all.

Knowing people as he does, he is not deluded into thinking we will seriously consider this... most of us.

So the Apostle Paul said give willingly or don't give at all.

 

[Figure of eighty]

5 hours ago, enoob57 said:

The tithe belongs to God...

Can you give a detailed explanation? 

 

[Figure of eighty]

1 hour ago, johnthebaptist said:

I don't think tithes need to go strictly to the church.

I kind of feel the same. I do understand tithing where you're being spiritually feed but I recently this thought. For a long time i just tithed solely to church I never thought abt putting my tithes into a facility Im volunteering at putting it into food and giving it to the less fortunate. I feel God wouldn't mind this. At the very least I could split the tihes, one half for church the other half for donations and the poor. 

But I will pray about it as Im very interested in this.

[Figure of eighty]

6 hours ago, Neighbor said:

 What do I think? What does it matter what others think is what I think.

Read up within the Bible on gifts, sacrifices,  giving, and compassion, for yourself. Pray, think, read again, and then do as you feel led . Do not seek the recognition nor the approving nod of other members of the body  of Christ, for doing that will only end up putting  you  on a guilt trip of rules others have set for themselves to tell yet others to be doing.

Do your own work on this one.

I am. Im just simply asking a question and engaging that's all.

[lftc]

4 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

I am. Im just simply asking a question and engaging that's all.

And a reasonable question to ask as well.  You are doing your own research by asking a group what they think.

Here are some more things to add to your research, working backward from the New Testament.

First, tithe refers to "the tenth".  If you had 10 cows, the one passing through the barn door after cow number 9 is the tenth one.  This is why people refer to it as 10%, if you have 10 things, 1 of them is ten percent (derived from the latin  10 out of 100).

Christian Giving is the concept of taking money that you are not required to give and giving to others because you love them.  The New Testament talks about this in a few places, some of which previous posters referred to. Such as the Cheerful Heart passage in 2 Corinthians 9.  The context here is Paul is talking about collecting money from one group to take to another group to help with a famine they were experiencing.  Paul had already promised help, and wanted to make sure people responded out of their love for each other.

Jesus referred to giving the tithe when he was scolding the Pharisees (the very careful keepers of the law) for keeping the Law but not having Mercy. Matthew 23:23-24 Note that Jesus accurately stated that they give the Tenth of their Mint, Dill and Cumin. And he stated that they should continue to to that.  He did not say their money,, but stated the items that they would grow as non-farmers.  This is in perfect alignment with the Law of Moses.  This passage is often used as a proof that giving a tenth is still required today.  This story takes place before Jesus died on the Cross.  The Cross changed the game.  But at this time in his ministry, Jesus would in no way encourage anyone to break the law.  His point was not about the Law of Moses, but about the other more important things the Pharisees were missing.  And even if other people miss the point about proper understanding of the Law of Moses and you decide that Tithing is still for today, then this passage indicates that it must be done according to the Law.

The Law of Moses has extensive very precise rules about Tithing: Leviticus 27; Numbers 18; Deuteronomy 12 and 14 and 26.
As others here observed it is a tenth of produce only, not other forms of gain, it is not money earned as a wage.
It is to be delivered each year in Jerusalem - strict rule.
The man paying the tithe is to use the tithe to buy food and drink and eat it while travelling to Jerusalem, enforcing the glad heart idea.
What is left after getting to Jerusalem and enjoying the vast feast with people you love is to be given to the Levite priests.

So my opinion is the New Testament (New Covenant, starting at the cross) specifcally is about giving out of love, not tithing out of requirement.
I suggest that you think about the people you are loving (those coming to this ministry in need) and then give to help them because you love them.  If you don't love them yet, you are forgiven for that, but work towards that goal first before worrying about giving. Only give when you can't wait to see them enjoying the gift.

Be blessed, miss graduate.  Your baby is lucky to have you as a mom.

[Blood Bought 1953]

Tithing is not for Christians.....Tithing is Law.....Some say you can be cursed for tithing today ....if you see the tithe giving as a means to be saved or secure your Salvation, you are putting yourself under the Law .With That Law automatically comes “ the Curse Of The Law” That curse being if you decide you have to keep just ONE — you are required to keep them all.Paul never mentioned tithing and his instruction were so clear about      New Testament Giving I don’t understand why it ever needs to be mentioned.Go with your New Heart when it comes to giving......The early New Testament Christians gave EVERYTHING they had.So much for one tenth.

The Jews were ordered to give THREE tithes.....one to the Priest, another to set aside to pay for their 3 trips to Jerusalem every year .....the other to give to the poor every other year.

The tithe belonged to God and you were cursed if you did not pay it. It was demanded and IT came FIRST.....NO exceptions. The other type of giving is called Charity.....entirely separate from tithing and of course, that is expected also....

Here is the main thing about giving .....John Wesley gave 90% and kept 10% to live on.Now, If I Give a mere 10% who do you think will get the bigger reward when we get to the Bema seat?This is what Jesus was talking about when he said “ Store your Treasure in Heaven”. The bigger the Sacrifice down here, the bigger reward you get “up there”. 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Blood Bought 1953

[R. Hartono]

This is a very good link about tithe, the writer has a very profound knowledge :

http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/

 

http://www.piney.com/Tithe2.html

[Wayne222]

On 9/12/2019 at 5:32 AM, enoob57 said:

The tithe belongs to God...

Tith was to the levites under the law of moses. We give from the heart any amount we can afford or even beyond to help. When you give to the poor it's a gift to God. We should give to the church but any per cent. It's not commanded in the new covenant. Thanks. 

[enoob57]

Abraham an Melchizedek was before the law