tithing

[artsylady]

I know most churches say that you should give 10 percent to the church and if you want to give more than that elsewhere, fine.

My question, is this biblical?

We do give our church quite a bit, but I feel much more led to feed the hungry and hopeless. Does it really matter where the 10 percent goes, as long as it's going toward God's work?

[Catsmeow]

Boy, this is a hard question for me. Lately, I've felt that money is just wasted at church and I'd rather see it go to the poor and needy.

We have increased charitable giving in place of tithing..either to the immediate needs of brothers, to our child sponsorship in Kenya and to the Leprosy Mission and sometimes to David Wilkerson's ministry at Times Square, (he has a special mission to help widows and orphans).

I want to see the money go to relieve suffering rather than buy bigger, fancier buildings, fatter salaries for pastors or fancier "programs" .....

I'd much rather see Christian love in action...

James  1:27

Pure and undefiled religion in  the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit  and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the  world. 

[Guest shiloh357]

Actually tithing is really an Old Testament law. There is no New Testament commandment to tithe. The New Testament standard is giving according to how you feel led. 10% is a good benchmark, though. I personally feel that you should give to your church if your church has ministered to your needs. If the Holy Spirit is leading to give elsewhere, I would be obedient.

[Catsmeow]

Amen!

[Guest LadyC]

shiloh is absolutely correct. we're not required to "tithe" ANY amount. i once found an excellent article once that lists scripture after scripture contrasting old testament tithing with new testament "giving". i'm trying to find it again. i've run across several, but none that are as easy to read while being straightforward as the one i found months ago. when i find it, i'll post a link.

[Guest LadyC]

while i keep looking for that article, i thought i'd post the following scriptures, which sum up the essence of how Christians are to tithe:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:1

For if there is first a willing mind, it (your offering to God) is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. 2 Cor 8.12

2 Corinthians 9:6-7: Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Matthew 23:23

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Artsylady,

Lots of great answers from everybody! I agree that tithing is passe. We need to give as the Spirit leads us. HOWEVER, that said, we must always understand that a "worker is worth his pay", and the Lord gave this to me personally: "You pay where you eat!" I do not go to a restaurant and eat dinner, then go pay at another one. If we avail yourself of someone's ministry, who does so to the fattening of our soul, then by all means we should support that person. But if we are attending someplace and we are not getting "fat in the spirit", and if we are NOT paying tithes there, then I would ask WHY are you going there at all?

Blessings to All,

Dad Ernie

[jmelrok]

Okay I would like to add to this question. Does anyone feel they gain more from God by giving 10% or more each pay check? Do you feel more love??

[Guest LadyC]

i recall once giving 10% of my income tax return, and feeling "proud" for having done my "duty". i won't say that God didn't honor it, but i will say i have felt far more blessed when, out of my last $40, i bought a sandwich and two bottles of water for a homeless bum. why? i suppose because i gave from my heart, not from a sense of obligation.

[irishcowboy]

all i know is what I see and have read,

I know this man, after he accepted Jesus as his Savior, he was reading and learning and came across the bit about tithing, and what it ment....

it was explained to him, and he started... after a while, the 90 % that he was keeping stayed the same ( the amount ) but the percentage decreased.....

after a while, faithfully giving, and any increase he added to ( not percentage but actually added the increase ) he was keeping 10% and giving 90%..... the 10 % that he was keeping was the same amount of the 90 % that he started with.....

something else to think about, is ...... who does it belong to in the first place????? if we are truely followers of Christ, who owns what we have? that would include our house, cars, trucks, cloths, shoes, furnature and yes, our money..... and our lives....... do we use it to furthure the works of God? or do we bury it?

is our life worth 10 % of what we earn????

I do know that when I was stuggling, with a debt that I could not repay, i was encouraged to give 10 % ..... even if i did not know how i was going to make it to the next week, or pay the house or utilities.....

you know.... it works.....

being that this buisness, house, truck, car, cloths, everything about me is owned by God, even thou I have control of it, it was turned over to God, I am nothing more then the steward of these things, I do give it all to God, and God gives it back, as I need it..... for the last year and 9 months, i have not been with out, God has seen to it that all the needs are met...... has there been extra? yes, and has it been used for God ?? yes, being that it belongs to Him....

something i have found out also, is that if it belongs to God, and you mis use it, it will not be replenished, but if it is used as God sees fit, then it will be replenished in due order...... as a steward of His stuff, we are to ensure it is used for His Glory, not ours.......

do our tithes have to go to the church that we attend..... that is a good question, one that would have to be set before you and God as to what He wants you to use this moneys for......

one church i know of, if every active member gave 12 dollars a week, all the annual budget needs would be met, that is not those that are members and inactive, or, those that are active that are not members...... and yet, they could not meet their needs...... wow, what is wrong with this picture? they struggled to meet the utilities...

as was taught to me, I will pass on to you.....

pay day comes..... and here is the order of pay out from your check......

God 10%

you 10% *savings, retirement, stash away *

shelter,

food,

utilities,

transportation,

cloths,

extra's...........

unfortunatly, most people do the extra's first, which include movies, cable, phone, computer, eating out, and things such as this...... and then God gets what is left over because they still have to pay the rent, and utilities... they usually have great stereo systems in their cars, and big screen tv's..... but cant buy food, so go to the churches for assistance, or to the food bank or food stamps.....

PRIORITIZE and you can do it with Gods guidance...

mike