Before I go much further in the tithe issue, let me make a few things clear. There seems to be some that might think I am saying a Christian does not need to give. If I were asked the question if a Christian should give, my answer would be absolutely yes. Giving is what I feel may be a barometer to the condition of ones heart (I will deal with this later). It is that because of some traditions and current thoughts on tithes, we have put unnecessary burdens and hardships on God’s people. Please let me explain.
First, upon good hard study of the ideal of tithe as it is taught in today’s churches, teaching 10% of cross or net income is nowhere in the Bible period. I would challenge anyone to definably find any such teaching in the Bible. Yet we are told God will not bless us or we are under some kind of curse if we do not. This is bondage plain and simple. When one looks at today statistics we have a major problem. According to Newsweek, most church members give under 2%. Then we find that it is the poor that give the most, and I will show you according to the scriptures this in its self is wrong. In the law of Mosses the poor were not required to tithe, I will show you this when I get to that part of teaching. USA Today (Oct.25, 1990) tells us that families earning less than $10,000 give 5.5% of their income to charity. Families earning between $50,000 and $60,000 give only 1.7% of their earnings. Can you see why I call it the ball and chain? The way tithe is being taught today is not working and all it does in the long run, bring condemnation.
Tithing as we have come to know it was formally recognized under Pope Adrian I in 787. It was largely due to the fact that church was growing in power and numbers as far as the clergy. Large elaborate cathedrals were being built and all this needed to be funded somehow, hence tithe and other kinds of offerings. Now once again it was not the rich that was burdened it was the common poor person that carried this load.
In the middle Ages the tithe expanded to Great Tithe and Little Tithe, all these were an expansion on the tithe. All church members were obligated to pay the tithe if not there were collectors to make sure it was payed. In 1188 an obligatory tithe called the Saladin Tithe was instituted in England
Today we have many teachers making all kind of claims of blessing for those who tithe. Kind of a snake oil salesman of the old west, give and all your woes will be over. Just the other day while channel surfing I stopped to hear a preacher tell a story during a special offering, of a illegal alien that gave an offering and how God help him from being deported. Then the preacher began to encourage all illegal aliens to send an offering and God would keep them from being deported. I could go on an on with many such stories. I am sure you have heard a few yourselves. The point is that no matter how you wrap it tithing has not changed over the centuries. So many of us have just come to believe that tithe is scriptural and when presented with the truth we fight it because of the implications it presents. Can we really come to the conclusion that we might have been wrong?
There have been times in my own life that if I were not so hard headed I could have made some of these changes much earlier in life. There was a time when I had a preacher in my life that tried to teach me a different look at tithes and I rejected him. Even though what he said made perfect since and had a good track record so to speak that showed what he was saying worked. He tried hard to get me to let go of the ideal of 10% as law and move into the scriptural ideal of free will offering and giving to the poor. He was the only preacher I met to this day that as a missionary, teaching the natives stewardship and training them in trades, sent money back to the States instead of needing money from churches. To this day that man still benefits from the generations that show gratitude for what he taught them over 50 years ago.
Let’s now go back to the New Testament and take a deeper look at what is taught about giving.
Since Paul does not say anything about tithes nor does any other writer, what is said about the law since later we will show you tithe is under the law. (Col
The Jewish leaders were demanding that the new gentile converts obey the law of Mosses. Would this not also include the tithe that was in the law? It is shown here that the law was a burden to them (Acts NKJV) “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Then the counsel that met in Jerusalem
(Gal 3:1-3 NIV) You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. {2} I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? {3} Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
The Galatians were being pushed into keeping the Jewish rituals, even after they have already received salvation through grace. If you read the second chapter Paul, after telling his story of how he became the minister to the gentiles. He tells of a meeting with some leaders and names those he met with, and only one thing was asked of Paul, that He would remember the poor (verse 10). Many scholars agree that this was an offering he was asked to collect, note no tithes is mentioned here. The church leaders of his time, which were all Jewish, were not requiring Paul to collect tithes. I believe it was because they simply understood that since Jesus the Jewish rituals of sacrifices were done away with which tithing was tied to. If the tithe was about an animal for sacrifice then where is the need for tithe.
I would encourage you to read Romans chapters, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Read the book of Galatians and how Paul addressed the law issues and how the church is free from the law of the Hebrews. Then in Hebrews chapter seven tithes is used only in showing the priesthood of Jesus, and through Jesus we are all priest onto the Lord. (1Peter 2.5-9) Since the tabernacle of the Old Testament is done away with, then so is the Levitical order. Then we should also come to conclusion so was tithe done away with since it was tied to the Temple
So the question should be what does the scripture tell us about giving? Jesus had a lot to say about giving and so did many of the New Testament writers. One might even be surprised at what is taught and what these offerings were for. If you have read some of my earlier bloges you might even begin to understand how things got so twisted around. We will take a look at how God looks at our giving and then later deal with what is truly said in the Old Testament.
(Luke 18:18-30 NIV) A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" {19} "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. {20} You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" {21} "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. {22} When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." {23} When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. {24} Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God kingdom of God
I like this one and I want to point out a few things and then move on. We find that this ruler said he was a keeper of the commandments. (Note if one were to study the commandments, tithing is not one of the ten.) Jesus was quick to point out the real heart condition of this man; his money was the indicator not the problem. Simply put the man was challenged not to tithe but give all, and not to a group or to the temple but to the poor. I believe what Jesus was telling his disciples that if one are willing to sacrifice for the kingdom of God
Despite what we may hear from some teachers today, Jesus was not a rich man. Upon historical records of his time you will find that Jesus could not have crossed those social barriers and attracted the following he did. He was raised by a tradesman, and in those days that was the lowest class of people just short of servants. Jesus would have understood what it was like to earn every penny to survive. How they would have worked hard just to make ends meet. Some writers believe that the reason Joseph is not mentioned later in Jesus’ life, might be because he was already dead. The life expectancy of the hard working class was often short. This will help us understand some of Jesus’ other teaching.
(Mat 10:8-10 NIV) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. {9} Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; {10} take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
As Jesus sent out the disciples to preach he instructs them not to do it for money. Freely they have received from the Lord and they should give it freely. Yet the ideal that one earns what they get is in place in the phrase “the worker is worth his keep” this is called stewardship as we will see later. Yet in Matt 17.27 he has Peter fish for a miracle provision, Jesus does not tell him to pay tithes but pay the taxes for them both.
(Mark 12:42-44 NIV) But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. {43} Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. {44} They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."
In the context of this scripture you will find that Jesus was coming down hard on the teachers of the law. You might notice in verse 40 the words “devour widows’ houses”. You will find places in the Old as well as New where God is very displeased with leaders that take advantage of the poor. So Jesus takes the time to commend the widow in her giving of all compared to the abundant giving of others who had much more. This was a free will offering box that was supposed to be used for the poor and Temple
(Luke 6:35-38 NIV) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. {36} Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. {37} "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. {38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
This is also a good teachable moment about giving. When we read the full context of the message we see a parallel of how we deal with others. So is Jesus just talking about money or how we give to others? Such as giving of kindness, forgiveness, mercy, as well as giving of money. The measure is not set and left to the giver, but how you give in life is how it will be returned. Let me use my little brother for example. According to how we were raised my brother missed the mark. He did not do the things the way we were taught. Even I at the time did not fully see His heart. My brother did not go to church like mama wanted him; He did not give like the church wanted him to. Yet at his death as I met all those people whose lives were touched by my brother. I heard stories of how out of the goodness of his heart gave to those who had less than he, how he took care of the widows around him. I saw his bible clearly used and marked up. Then at the visitation and funeral the place was packed and overflowing with all those my brother had touched in some way. I then saw that my brother Mathew lived the gospel according to Jesus not mamma and the church.
Let’s not stop here, wait until next week! The Bible says a lot more about giving.
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