This past Sunday we started an interesting conversation about tithing.
What are your thoughts / beliefs concerning tithing? Should it always be a strict 10% monetarily to the church? Do volunteer efforts "count" towards your 10% even though they may not be monetary? Are there other ways that you serve that you would consider a to be a deduction from your tithing? How do hardships such as our current economic state, job loss, etc...effect your tithing? What passages in the bible do you refer to when determining your stance on tithing?
NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE pays the Biblical tithe today.
ReplyDeleteLeviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18: The First Tithe - a tenth of crops and animals and commanded to take the tithe to the Levites.
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: The Second Tithe aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: The Third Tithe aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Now, tell me. Which of the above three tithes commanded by God does anyone follow today?
The ONLY people in the Old Testament that were commanded to tithe were those who INHERITED THE PROMISED LAND WITH EVERYTHING ON IT. They got the land, house, animals, crops, etc. ALL FREE AND CLEAR. No mortgage payment or rent to pay. And THEY were commanded to tithe on the crops and animals and take it to the Levites who INHERITED the tithe INSTEAD OF the promised land with everything on it. No one else tithed. Wage earners did not tithe. Jesus didn’t tithe. Paul didn’t tithe. Peter didn’t tithe.
The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, even giving 50% of their income might not induce a sacrifice. In the Old Testament, ONLY the farmers tithed, and it was equal percentage (a tenth). The New Testament teaches the principle of equal sacrifice instead of equal percentage. Equal sacrifice is much harder to achieve, if not impossible, than giving ten percent.
I grew up in a household where we didn't tithe and weren't taught to, though we were told to be giving, especially of ourselves (because we didn't have the money).
ReplyDeleteAs an adult, when I came back to the church after being away and when I began to read the Bible, I realized that I was supposed to tithe.
I'm stingy though. I admit it. If the choice is between me and my comfort and God, I choose myself.
I still have problems "giving in faith" because I like to have a financial buffer in the savings account. I've learned there are a lot of things I can do without and don't miss too much. I can't name anything off hand as an example because I really don't miss it.
We tithe and donate in addition to that. Our donations are usually not to the church, but to organizations that serve the poor (i.e. MUST food donations) or that we're involved with outside of church that we feel promotes God in one way or another.
I have to say, Eric is the strong one of the two of us-- unwavering when it comes to tithing. When we look to cut from the budget each month, the tithe is never an option to be cut. His faith carries us, because, like I said, I like a financial buffer.
And we have cut back too. I'm a stay at home mom now. You may notice that I'm growing my hair out. That's because I just can't justify paying what I pay for a hair cut monthly or even in the last six months. I'd much rather buy a grocery cart of non-perishable items to donate. Talk about the new look of a radiant shine from doing something good for someone else. Given the amount of gray in my hair, it's also probably the last time in my life I'll want long hair.
Tithing is important and it's easy to talk ourselves out of it if we're not careful. It should be a minimum. If we really believe the money we have is from God, it makes giving easier. Learning how to do without some small things (and some big things) has taught us to challenge everything. A lot of "needs" turned out to be wants that later turned into extravagances we could do without.
Mind you, we still have extravagances. We recently took a nice (short) vacation where we got massages. Awesome. Our lives would've been just as complete without them, but it was wonderful to experience. But, we did question whether it was wise and if we should really indulge that much.
Oops, I hit "post" too soon.
ReplyDeleteI guess the point is, if you're not tithing, try it. You'll be amazed at how God will bless you-- even if it's only to change your attitude toward money. I remember when I first began tithing I got an unexpected bonus at work equivalent to what I had tithed. It proved to me that God would take care of me. While I don't think everyone will get the "money back" experience that I had, you might be amazed at how God does show up.
I have a long way to go in my attitude toward money. Part of me feels like I still don't give until it hurts. I still feel like I give from excess.
Another thing I've often pondered is what if we had to tithe our time to God? Let me tell you, money looks cheap by comparison.