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The doctrine of tithing, in many churches today, has reached the level of a modern scandal. While on the one hand, most seminary-level textbooks and church theologians omit tithing, on the other hand, the practice is quickly becoming a requirement for church membership in the very denominations who insist on solid Bible-based doctrines. There is also increasing evidence that lay persons who question the legitimacy of New Covenant tithing are usually criticized as being troublemakers or weak Christians.
Modern Tithing is Based on Many False Assumptions
One denomination’s statement on stewardship is typical of what many others teach about tithing. It says that "tithing is the minimum biblical standard and the beginning point which God has established that must not be replaced or compromised by any other standard." Let me repeat this false statement: "tithing is the minimum biblical standard and the beginning point which God has established that must not be replaced or compromised by any other standard." They add that the tithe is from gross income which is due to the church before taxes.
The following points of this essay contrast the false teachings used to support tithing with what God’s Word actually says.
Point #1. In God’s Word, the Tithe is Always Only Food and Never Money!
The false teaching is that biblical tithes include ALL sources of income. This is the Webster Dictionary definition and it is not the biblical definition!
Settle this question once and for all! Open a complete Bible concordance and you will soon discover that the false definition is wrong. This is very important. **True biblical tithes were always only food from the farms and herds of only Israelites who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel.**
There are 15 verses from 11 chapters and 8 books from Leviticus 27 to Luke 11which describe the contents of the tithe. And those contents never, I repeat, never included money, silver, gold or anything other than food! Yet the incorrect definition of "tithe" is the greatest lie being preached about tithing today! (Lev. 27:30, 32; Numb. 18:27, 28; Deu. 12:17; 14:22, 23; 26 12; 2 Chron. 31:5, 6; Neh. 10:37; 13:5; Mal. 3:10; Matt. 23:23; Luke 11: 42).
Point #2. Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek is Not an Example for Christians.
The false teaching is that Abraham freely gave tithes because it was God’s will.
However, for the following reasons, Genesis 14:20 cannot be used as an example for Christians to tithe. (1) The Bible does not say that Abraham "freely" gave this tithe. (2) Abraham’s tithe was NOT a holy tithe from God’s holy land produced by God’s holy people. (3) Abraham’s tithe was only from spoils of war common to many nations. (4) In Numbers 31, God only required 1% of spoils of war. (5) Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek was a one-time recorded event and Abraham moved often. (6) Abraham’s tithe was not from his own personal property. (7) Abraham kept nothing for himself; he gave everything back. (8) Abraham’s tithe is not quoted anywhere in the Bible to endorse tithing. (9) Genesis 14, verse 21, is the key text. Since most commentaries explain verse 21 as an example of pagan Arab tradition, it is contradictory to explain the 90% of verse 21 as pagan, while insisting that the 10% of verse 20 was God’s will. (10) If Abraham is an example for Christians to give 10% to God, then he should also be an example for Christians to give the other 90% to Satan, or to the king of Sodom! (11) Since neither Abraham nor Jacob had a Levitical priesthood to support, they had no place to bring tithes during their many moves.
Point #3. The First-Tithes Were Not Received by Priests.
The false teaching is that Old Testament priests received the first tithe.
The truth is that the "whole" tithe, the first tithe, did not go to the priests at all. Instead, according to Numbers 18:21-24 and Nehemiah 10:37, it went to the servants of the priests, the Levites. Next, according to Numbers 18:25, 26 and Nehemiah 10:38, the Levites gave the best tenth of this tithe which they received to the priests who ministered the sin sacrifices and served inside in the holy places. Priests personally did not tithe at all.
It is also important to know that, in exchange for receiving these tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Numb. 18:20-26; Deu. 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezek. 44:28). Also, the Levites, who received the first tithe, were prohibited from ministering blood sacrifices under penalty of death (Numb. 18:3). There is no continuation to the New Covenant here.
Point #4. The Phrase, "It is Holy to the LORD," Does Not Make Tithing an Eternal Moral Principle.
The false teaching is that Leviticus 27:30-32 proves that the tithe is an "eternal moral principle" because "it is holy to the LORD."
However, these false teachers must ignore the stronger phrase, "it is MOST holy to the LORD," in the immediate preceding verses 28 and 29. This is because verses 28 and 29 are definitely not eternal moral principles in the Church.
In its context, the phrases "it is holy to the LORD" and "it is MOST holy to the LORD" cannot possibly be interpreted "eternal moral principles." Why? Because almost every other use of these phrases in Leviticus has long ago been discarded by Christians. Similar phrases are also used to describe all of the festivals, the sacrificial offerings, the clean food distinctions, the old covenant priests and the old covenant sanctuary.
Point #5. There are Four Different Tithes Found in the Bible.
The false teaching ignores all other tithes and focuses on part of the first religious tithe.
In reality, the first religious tithe, called the "Levitical tithe," had two parts: again, the whole first tithe was given to the Levites who were only servants to the priests (Numb. 18:21-24; Neh. 10:37); the Levites, in turn, gave one tenth of the whole tithe to the priests (Numb. 18:25, 26; Neh. 10:38). According to Deuteronomy 12 and 14, the second religious tithe, called the "festival tithe," was eaten by worshipers in the streets of Jerusalem during the three yearly festivals (Deu. 12:1-19; 14:22-26). And, according to Deuteronomy 14 and 26, a third tithe, called the "poor tithe," stayed in the homes every third year and was used to feed the poor (Deu. 14:28, 29; 26:12-13). Also, according to First Samuel, chapter 8, the King collected the first and best ten per cent for political use. During Jesus’ time Rome collected the first ten per cent (10%) of most food and twenty per cent (20%) of fruit crops as its spoils of war.
One wonders what "churches" are trying to hide when they only single out the one religious tithe which best suits their purposes and ignore the other three tithes.
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