Tithing-According The Bible Only Please

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Comment by Anna on April 30, 2009 at 1:07am

Tanya:
This forum was not created to discourage anyone from giving to their church. It was founded to correct the false teaching that is being done in the churches where the pastors, elders and deacons are claiming that you owe your local church a tithe from your income, or you will be cursed! Then when they get the tithe" they refuse to share it with the other recipients to which the Bible states it
should be given.

I would like to submit these questions to all of you for your responses, which you can get from your Bible, or a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia.

1) On what items does the Bible say we should tithe?

2) To what tribe/lineage does the Almighty grant a tithe because they have no other inheritance?

3) Does our Creator ever establish another tribe/lineage to receive tithes?

4) Does our Messiah or any of His apostles ever ask anyone for a tithe? If not why not?

5) Where does the Bible say that tithes should be brought?

6) Does your Pastor qualify to collect tithes from anyone? If so in what way and what are your scriptural references?

7) Where is the store house referred to in Malachi 3? Does every local church on every street corner in the USA (or world) qualify as that storehouse spoken of in Malachi 3?

7) When the widows, orphans and strangers were to receive their portion of the tithe, who was permitted to give it to them?

8) There were years when the tithe was not due. What was the last year that you pastor told you not to bring him a tithe?

10) If a man had 9 lambs born in a year, what was the process he used to cull out the tithed animal and how would he give that tithed portion to the recipient?


MB

Comment by TANYA DOVE on April 27, 2009 at 11:25pm

WELL MEN MAY HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA BUT GOD HAS NOT GIVEN ME THE REVELATION NOT TO TITHE. I TITHE BASED ON THE SCRIPTURE MATHEW 23:23.IM SURE A LOT OF PREACHERS HAVE THEIR OWN MOTIVE BUT IM ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT OBEDIANCE TO GOD.GOD AND GOD ALONE KNOWS WHATS IN THE HEART OF EVERY MAN.

Comment by Paul Williams on December 29, 2008 at 9:10am

Churches of Christ seek to restore the New Testament pattern in giving. We are to do "all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17), that is, at his direction, because he told us to do so. We must neither add to nor subtract from his word (Compare Revelation 22:18,19). Let us therefore see what Jesus has directed us to do with our goods.

PURPOSE TO GIVE
The church of God in Corinth (2 Corinthians1:1) was told to purpose in their hearts to give (2 Corinthians 9:7). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, p. 820, says the word "purpose" means "to choose for oneself, before another thing (prefer), i.e. (by impl.) to propose (intend)." To purpose therefore is to willingly pre-determine what we will give, rather than haphazardly giving.

EACH ONE WHO PROSPERS
"Every one" who prospers is to "lay by him in store" (1 Cor. 16:2). The rich, middle class, and poor who prosper are directed by Jesus to give. Each Christian is to carry his/her part of the load (cf. 2 Cor. 8:13-15). Such was the case in Mark 12:41-44, though the poor widow was proportionately carrying the greater part of the load. Jesus praised her.

CHEERFULLY
Those who give are not to give "grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). "Cheerful" is from the Greek word HILAROS, meaning, "...readiness of mind...joyousness... cheerful (Eng. hilarious)...'to cause to shine'" (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. I, A-D, p. 184). Christians are glad rather than sad to give to the Lord. They are willing contributors rather than reluctant givers who contribute because they are obligated to do so.

AS PROSPERED
The inspired word of God (2 Tim. 3:16,17) instructs us to give according to our prosperity (1 Cor. 16:1,2). Much is required of those to whom much is given (cf. Luke 12:48). One's giving will vary according to one's salary. The more one makes the more one is required to give. If you are still giving what you did before your last raise(s), and if you were properly giving then, you cannot now be giving according to your prosperity. Giving according to one's prosperity means giving according to the number of pay checks one has received. Fifty-two pay checks means fifty-two contributions, not fifty-one or less. Fewer than fifty-two would be giving less than one had prospered. It would be robbing God (cf. Malachi 3:8-10). Christians are to give bountifully if they expect to reap bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6; Luke 6:38; Matthew 6:33). Those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly. Romans 12:8 says those who give (i.e., impart) are to do so with simplicity (i.e., liberality). Examples of God-approved givers are the Macedonians who gave beyond their power (2 Cor. 8:1-4), and the poor widow of Mark 12:41-44. God gave his only begotten Son (John 3:16). Jesus gave his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
The order Paul gave the churches of Galatia and the Corinthian Church for the collection was "upon the first day of the week" (1Cor. 16:1,2). Thus "the first day of the week" is God's pattern for the collection, not daily as some do in revivals, or through suppers, lotteries and rummage sales, or from begging friends and businesses. We also learn that the collection is to be taken EVERY week. "The first day of the week" comes around every week. The language is the same as that in Acts 20:7, and means the same - every week. We understand a banker to mean every month when he uses similar language. For example: He may say, "The note is payable upon the first day of the month." We understand him to mean each month. Too, the article "the" before week in 1 Corinthians 16:2 is from the Greek word KATA, meaning and elsewhere translated "every" (cf. Acts 14:23). Those converted on the day of Pentecost continued steadfastly in the "fellowship" (Greek, KOINONIA, also translated "contribution;" cf. Acts 2:42 and Romans 15:26).

SOME "NOTS"
We are not to be covetous (Col. 3:5). Neither are we to lay up treasures upon earth, but in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21). We are not to give to be seen of men, else we will receive no reward (Mat. 6:1-4). We are not to give grudgingly or of necessity (2 Cor. 9:6). We are not to sow sparingly (2 Cor. 9:7). Neither are we to give God the scraps (what is left over), but the firstfruits of our labors (Matt.6:33). We figure our taxes on our gross income, yet many want to give to God based upon less than their net income, or what is left after taxes, rent, food, and such like have been deducted. That is not giving according to one's prosperity. It is not in harmony with the song we sometimes sing. GIVE OF YOUR BEST TO THE MASTER.

CONCLUSION
"It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Giving is a grace (2 Cor. 8:1-7), which proves one's love (2 Cor. 8:8,9). It is a sin to know to give, but not do so (James 4:17). Let us be faithful to God to do what he has outlined, and content neither to add to nor subtract from his word. Let us do as God has directed, as did Noah: "According to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Genesis 6:22). May we give liberally so that the saving gospel (good news, Rom 10:13-14) of Jesus Christ may be preached to the lost of every nation (Mark 16:15,16; Matt. 28:19), taught to the saved (1 Cor. 14:12; Matt. 28:20), and the destitute may be relieved (Gal. 1:2; 6:10).

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