What did Jesus Teach about Tithing to Christians ?

[Floatingaxe]

Taylor did not say God was punishing someone with poverty. You applied that to what he said and it was dishonest to do so.

Taylor implied it. It was appropriate to respond to that. There's no getting around it:

What should I tell my neighbor when she can barely afford to feed her kids? That Giddy (God) is punishing her for not thing and her kids should go hungry so the local pastor can pay the bills in the church?

There are plenty of people who are both Christian and poor. Does that mean that they are bad Christians because they don't have any worldly goods? People who are poor and have a rich spiritual life are much better off than someone who has a bunch of junk and is empty spiritually. This entire guilt trip of "pay your tithe first and then maybe God will provide for your children" is bunk. God wants us to take care of our responsibilities and obligations first, especially to our family. This entire attitude that you give everything to the church and hope God will send you a windfall afterwords to buy food and pay the gas bill is total garbage, and you insult God when you infer that people should be that irresponsible.

It isn't God's will that we be in poverty. His will is that we flourish and prosper and be the leaders in the world that he desires us to be, able to be generous givers and to do all that He calls us to do without impediment.

Put the tithe to the test. It even works for the ungodly.

Floating....

Am I understanding you correctly? Are you saying anyone who cannot or does not tithe is not a Christian?

No. Where did you get that idea?

[AnotherSinner]

Taylor did not say God was punishing someone with poverty. You applied that to what he said and it was dishonest to do so.

Taylor implied it. It was appropriate to respond to that. There's no getting around it:

What should I tell my neighbor when she can barely afford to feed her kids? That Giddy (God) is punishing her for not thing and her kids should go hungry so the local pastor can pay the bills in the church?

There are plenty of people who are both Christian and poor. Does that mean that they are bad Christians because they don't have any worldly goods? People who are poor and have a rich spiritual life are much better off than someone who has a bunch of junk and is empty spiritually. This entire guilt trip of "pay your tithe first and then maybe God will provide for your children" is bunk. God wants us to take care of our responsibilities and obligations first, especially to our family. This entire attitude that you give everything to the church and hope God will send you a windfall afterwords to buy food and pay the gas bill is total garbage, and you insult God when you infer that people should be that irresponsible.

It isn't God's will that we be in poverty. His will is that we flourish and prosper and be the leaders in the world that he desires us to be, able to be generous givers and to do all that He calls us to do without impediment.

Put the tithe to the test. It even works for the ungodly.

Floating....

Am I understanding you correctly? Are you saying anyone who cannot or does not tithe is not a Christian?

No. Where did you get that idea?

Just trying to make sure I understand. Tithing is a big issue for my family. It has also been one I have struggled with in understanding. A lot of people unfortunately, like Taylor has stated...are out there sending out a lot of false messages. Sometimes...it is hard to find the truth. Just do not want to misunderstand anything that is said. That is why I ask cause I sincerely feel you are trying to send a profound message here. Just may not be the easiest to grasp.

No offense meant FA, just trying to make sure I do not misunderstand.

May God Bless You

Dani

[Floatingaxe]

Taylor did not say God was punishing someone with poverty. You applied that to what he said and it was dishonest to do so.

Taylor implied it. It was appropriate to respond to that. There's no getting around it:

What should I tell my neighbor when she can barely afford to feed her kids? That Giddy (God) is punishing her for not thing and her kids should go hungry so the local pastor can pay the bills in the church?

There are plenty of people who are both Christian and poor. Does that mean that they are bad Christians because they don't have any worldly goods? People who are poor and have a rich spiritual life are much better off than someone who has a bunch of junk and is empty spiritually. This entire guilt trip of "pay your tithe first and then maybe God will provide for your children" is bunk. God wants us to take care of our responsibilities and obligations first, especially to our family. This entire attitude that you give everything to the church and hope God will send you a windfall afterwords to buy food and pay the gas bill is total garbage, and you insult God when you infer that people should be that irresponsible.

It isn't God's will that we be in poverty. His will is that we flourish and prosper and be the leaders in the world that he desires us to be, able to be generous givers and to do all that He calls us to do without impediment.

Put the tithe to the test. It even works for the ungodly.

Floating....

Am I understanding you correctly? Are you saying anyone who cannot or does not tithe is not a Christian?

No. Where did you get that idea?

Just trying to make sure I understand. Tithing is a big issue for my family. It has also been one I have struggled with in understanding. A lot of people unfortunately, like Taylor has stated...are out there sending out a lot of false messages. Sometimes...it is hard to find the truth. Just do not want to misunderstand anything that is said. That is why I ask cause I sincerely feel you are trying to send a profound message here. Just may not be the easiest to grasp.

No offense meant FA, just trying to make sure I do not misunderstand.

May God Bless You

Dani

I understand, but nowhere have I ever said something so outrageous as that. My husband and I haven't tithed all our Christian lives, even though we wanted to, but we felt the Lord say, "Now is the time to fully trust me in everything." So, in obedience, we put our complete trust in Him, holding back nothing financially from Him. Has it been an easy road? No. But God is the God-of-More-Than-Enough. He has proven Himself to be fully trustworthy. Tithing is a trust issue.

[AnotherSinner]

Taylor did not say God was punishing someone with poverty. You applied that to what he said and it was dishonest to do so.

Taylor implied it. It was appropriate to respond to that. There's no getting around it:

What should I tell my neighbor when she can barely afford to feed her kids? That Giddy (God) is punishing her for not thing and her kids should go hungry so the local pastor can pay the bills in the church?

There are plenty of people who are both Christian and poor. Does that mean that they are bad Christians because they don't have any worldly goods? People who are poor and have a rich spiritual life are much better off than someone who has a bunch of junk and is empty spiritually. This entire guilt trip of "pay your tithe first and then maybe God will provide for your children" is bunk. God wants us to take care of our responsibilities and obligations first, especially to our family. This entire attitude that you give everything to the church and hope God will send you a windfall afterwords to buy food and pay the gas bill is total garbage, and you insult God when you infer that people should be that irresponsible.

It isn't God's will that we be in poverty. His will is that we flourish and prosper and be the leaders in the world that he desires us to be, able to be generous givers and to do all that He calls us to do without impediment.

Put the tithe to the test. It even works for the ungodly.

Floating....

Am I understanding you correctly? Are you saying anyone who cannot or does not tithe is not a Christian?

No. Where did you get that idea?

Just trying to make sure I understand. Tithing is a big issue for my family. It has also been one I have struggled with in understanding. A lot of people unfortunately, like Taylor has stated...are out there sending out a lot of false messages. Sometimes...it is hard to find the truth. Just do not want to misunderstand anything that is said. That is why I ask cause I sincerely feel you are trying to send a profound message here. Just may not be the easiest to grasp.

No offense meant FA, just trying to make sure I do not misunderstand.

May God Bless You

Dani

I understand, but nowhere have I ever said something so outrageous as that. My husband and I haven't tithed all our Christian lives, even though we wanted to, but we felt the Lord say, "Now is the time to fully trust me in everything." So, in obedience, we put our complete trust in Him, holding back nothing financially from Him. Has it been an easy road? No. But God is the God-of-More-Than-Enough. He has proven Himself to be fully trustworthy. Tithing is a trust issue.

FA,

That is awesome. Hope that God pours out His blessings on you and your husband. Takes a lot of faith to do that. Been a while since my hubby and I were able to give something. When we did, it was all we had after bills and everything was paid. We have not regretted it either. Somehow....God always sees us through. Even when things are at their most difficult. Sorry for an misunderstanding.

Believe it or not...have had a preacher say the line of: Put the tithe for to the test it even works for the ungodly.

Then that is always followed by some alarming statement of how God gives back what is handed out to Him...but not in the way of which it might be read here. It is scary....some of the things you can hear. Think I am really going to meditate on things as simple as bible school songs such as:

Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear....

Those lyrics and more...carry so much more of a profound message than I ever realized growing up.

Thank you for sharing FA. Really appreciate that. Takes a lot of faith sometimes to step out there and give. Especially in these times.

May God Bless You

Dani

[Floatingaxe]

FA,

That is awesome. Hope that God pours out His blessings on you and your husband. Takes a lot of faith to do that. Been a while since my hubby and I were able to give something. When we did, it was all we had after bills and everything was paid. We have not regretted it either. Somehow....God always sees us through. Even when things are at their most difficult. Sorry for an misunderstanding.

Believe it or not...have had a preacher say the line of: Put the tithe for to the test it even works for the ungodly.

Then that is always followed by some alarming statement of how God gives back what is handed out to Him...but not in the way of which it might be read here. It is scary....some of the things you can hear. Think I am really going to meditate on things as simple as bible school songs such as:

Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear....

Those lyrics and more...carry so much more of a profound message than I ever realized growing up.

Thank you for sharing FA. Really appreciate that. Takes a lot of faith sometimes to step out there and give. Especially in these times.

May God Bless You

Dani

Thank you, Dani. Life is definitely an adventure! If we had to do it over again, we would certainly tithe a lot earlier in life than we did. I suppose it is a real test of our trust in God. I guess we weren't at that place, but I know that God isn't ready with a hammer---He leads us patiently to where He wants us. He is the perfect Father.

[taylor30]

Giddy is my possessed spellchecker. It was supposed to be God.

Hilarious!

Anyway, I don't think the concept of thing is as easy when you are in a cold house with a bare refrigerator. I think there is a REASON Paul never gave Christians a minimum amount. He knew thing in mien times is not realistic for everyone. Whether my neighbor is Christian or not is irrelevant. God chose to bless many people in scripture who were NOT of his people. Also there ARE pastors like Penny Hinn & Kenneth Copeland & Robert Tilton who DO teach poverty IS a sin because God wants his children rich and happy.

It wasn't up to Paul to change the amount. In lean times it is all the more important to tithe. We mustn't lean n our own understanding, but walk in faith and trust completely in God for everything we need. Tithing is that kind of situation is hard, but it reaps great rewards, spiritually.

You cannot expect an unbeliever to do what Christians do. Your neighbour can only do what her sensibilities dictate. We do what God desires , completely trusting Him.

God does want us to prosper in all ways. There is nothing wrong with money. It is the love of money that is a sin.

Once again:

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Well if what you say is true, why stop at a tithe. Why not give 100%? Jesus DID ask a young man to sell EVERYTHING and then follow him. So, why don't we simply take our paychecks down to the local church and give God 100%. No doubt according to you God will miraculously fill the fridge and pay all the bills. And what about poor countries all over Africa and Asia. I hope you are not suggesting they are poor because they don't tithe. There are no doubt Christians in the world who give far more than a tithe and yet they don't are STILL in poverty. It seems odd to me how you are so hung up on the church. According to you if I go give $100 to my neighbor soothe can not allow her family to starve, I am wrong. But if you drop that same $100 in the collection plate, then you are right. This makes no sense. That is suggesting that God is realistic and not much different than people who say God can only be worshipped church or that only their music is really Christian. Do you really think every Christian who ever gave to a need they saw WITHOUT using the church was still wrong and sinful?

By the way, I did NOT suggest poverty is a sin as Cobalt correctly stated to you. I was being slightly sarcastic based on your suggestion that she might be poor because she wasn't a Christian who tithe to a church.

[Sevenseas]

Please understand i am not making an argument for tithing or not. I happen to tithe, sometimes more sometimes less, but I do tithe on a regular basis. My church and the work we do needs it.

Concerning your comment on the OT and law, what do you make of the statement Jesus made that He came to fulfill and not abolish the law?

No worries Fez...I'll clarify....simply, Jesus IS the fullfillment of the law...but why was the law given?

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. Gal. 3:19

The entire focus of the law was not about a series of complicated actions or sacrifice, but rather what is stated above ^^^^ Since no one can keep the law,

the only purpose the law woud have would be to condem...right? However, Jesus never broke the law and in Him the law is fulfilled...He is perfect, the law

must be kept perfectly...we cannot...Jesus died in our place. We are no longer under condemnation....we are set free of the law.

That does not mean we are free to sin (as some suggest) but as the law has been fulfilled we no longer have to do so.

Again Fez, what do you make of the episode with Ananias and his wife where Peter states that ALL the proceeds from the sale of the property was theirs

to do with as they wanted?

At no time would I ever suggest we don't have to give from what we have...I also believed at one time we should tithe and was very strict about that 10%.

However, we do not actually see that rule of giving in the NT

The Bible states that God loves a cheerful giver...money is not the only thing we can give...we give of our goods, our time, whatever.

I have no problem with those who want to use the 10% rule of giving and I am sure that neither does God. I do object to being told that I must give 10% because

scirpture demands it. It just is not so. Thanks

[Sevenseas]

Those that carry the gospel should be the highest paid on earth, as that is the most important job on earth.

Hi believin ~ those who preach the gospel should not be among the highest or actual highest on earth. Not meaning to offend you,

but where did you get that from?

It certainly is not found in scripture.

I am afraid that many people who think the gospel is about monetary gain (and I realize this does not apply to your personal

situation) will have nothing but rust up in heaven.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27

There are many churches that opperate like a financial institution. That is not the gospel either.

Turning your wife away when your family was in need is not Christian. Did you know that a body of believers is under obligation to look after each other

and the member before anything else? How can the pastor of your church think it is ok to turn away a member of his own congregation and send

gajillions somewhere else? Something not right with that picture at all.....

Edited April 28, 2012 by sevenseas

[Sevenseas]

I'll add this to as a general type response in here.

NO where does the Bible tell us we are to be rich or expect to be rich or be the leaders of the world or be better than everyone else.

That is a false doctrine and one that those who believe in it, adhere to fiercely and there is no (apparent) persuading them otherwise

and especially not by using what the Bible actually states. That would be too complicated.

[Sevenseas]

Tithing was an edict given to Israel by God. It was to provide for the priests who were not given farm land when God was portioning out Zion. Tithing was food and goods which went into the storehouse for use BY THE PRIESTS. It is not necessary for today.

Remember even Paul said he took nothing from those he served...tho he was entitled. If Paul did not require tithes, then surely it is not mandatory. That is why today giving is done as freewill offerings. God loves a cheerful giver.

But to answer the original question...What did Jesus Teach about Tithing to Christians ?

Jesus NEVER spoke about tithing TO Christians.

Unfortuneatly, tithing for Christians is more rumor than fact as you so courageously point out.