For some time i have been pondering on why Xtians need to tithe. Why cant God feed his workers as he fed the Israelites with manna in the wilderness?

Most churches are now run like massive ponzi schemes offering fraudulent spiritual returns and grwar financial returns for the people at the top.

Who agrees with me

@OP..Stop bastardizin the word Tithing by comparing it with a ponzi scheme..they are two diffrent issues..We Give to God becos we love Him and not becos we re xpecting returns on investment.

Bidam: @OP..Stop bastardizin the word Tithing by comparing it with a ponzi scheme..they are two diffrent issues..We Give to God becos we love Him and not becos we re xpecting returns on investment.

He doesnt need what we give so why give to him? How come it isnt distributed to the poor and needy. The tithe money goes to the church aristocracy to spend as they wish and only God can judge them

Wouldnt you like to be at the top end of such a lucrative ponzi scheme. There are no life sentences if you get caught out. You can just blame Satan for tempting you

Atheist:-D:


He doesnt need what we give so why give to him? How come it isnt distributed to the poor and needy. The tithe money goes to the church aristocracy to spend as they wish and only God can judge them

Wouldnt you like to be at the top end of such a lucrative ponzi scheme. There are no life sentences if you get caught out. You can just blame Satan for tempting you

Ofcos am aware He doesn't need them...we love Him cos He first loved us...He said silver and Gold is mine...and our giving is an act of worship to Him...u err by thinking d leadership as aristocratic..They will give account...just becos there are counterfeits doesn't mean genuines one are not out there..read ur bible

Bidam: @OP..Stop bastardizin the word Tithing by comparing it with a ponzi scheme..they are two diffrent issues..We Give to God becos we love Him and not becos we re xpecting returns on investment.

Who told you that god needs anything from you? Does god need your money to run the universe? is the universe expensive to run these days? How did he manage to run for 14 billion yrs before you came along?

If you love god so much that you feel to a need to add to his creation, why not dedicate part of your time, and part of your income to helping the people that need it most in the poor and wretched part of god's creation?
Look around you. The needy are great.

Unless, ofcourse, your giving to god is just a veiled or sub-concious attempt to bribe god to cover your personal inadequacies.

plaetton:

Who told you that god needs anything from you? Does god need your money to run the universe? is the universe expensive to run these days? How did he manage to run for 14 billion yrs before you came along?

If you love god so much that you feel to a need to add to his creation, why not dedicate part of your time, and part of your income to helping the people that need it most in the poor and wretched part of god's creation?
Look around you. The needy are great.

[size=18pt]Unless, ofcourse, your giving to god is just a veiled or sub-concious attempt to bribe god to cover your personal inadequacies.[/size]

The truth in bold

plaetton:

Who told you that god needs anything from you? Does god need your money to run the universe? is the universe expensive to run these days? How did he manage to run for 14 billion yrs before you came along?

If you love god so much that you feel to a need to add to his creation, why not dedicate part of your time, and part of your income to helping the people that need it most in the poor and wretched part of god's creation?
Look around you. The needy are great.

Unless, ofcourse, your giving to god is just a veiled or sub-concious attempt to bribe god to cover your personal inadequacies.

spiritual principles are just wat they are..spiritual principles.

What the #$@& are these spiritual principles and what do you know about spiritual principles?.
Giving to god by taking care of the needy does not qualify as a spiritual principle?
But giving money to a pastor to live large and do whatever he wishes, to you is a spiritual principle?

See what I mean?.
The clearest case of moral schizophrenia.

I tire. As for 'reaping'...
Some claim it's selfless, yet they call the process 'sowing and reaping'. And it's not reaping for the benefit of others mind you, it's for themselves. They look you in the eye when they try to sell it as a selfless act as well. It's a bit similar to how we say "no, no I don't personally rob people with a gun, that would be wrong. I steal wholesale government money, it's cleaner that way" without any compunction.

And on another note, what's the difference as far as the reasoning is concerned between 'reaping' and other rituals? Like those which demand human heads and Instruments? They ask for something, claim they would do something spiritual for you, then reward you usually materially, but could be in a variety of ways. Look pretty much the same to me. You're paying for a spiritual service, price just varies somewhat dramatically.

/rant

wiegraf: I tire. As for 'reaping'...
Some claim it's selfless, yet they call the process 'sowing and reaping'. And it's not reaping for the benefit of others mind you, it's for themselves. They look you in the eye when they try to sell it as a selfless act as well. It's a bit similar to how we say "no, no I don't personally rob people with a gun, that would be wrong. I steal wholesale government money, it's cleaner that way" without any compunction.

And on another note, what's the difference as far as the reasoning is concerned between 'reaping' and other rituals? Like those which demand human heads and Instruments? They ask for something, claim they would do something spiritual for you, then reward you usually materially, but could be in a variety of ways. Look pretty much the same to me. You're paying for a spiritual service, price just varies somewhat dramatically.

/rant

Funny indeed.
I offer a goat to Amadioha for good fortune, the christian offers cash to his pastor for the same good fortune, yet he deludes himself that he is somehow morally and spiritually superior.
Human nature, I guess.

Tithing is nothing but a Sin tax , or , you can call it a Bad Conscience tax.
Just another form of the old catholic scam called Indulgences.
Your ticket to heaven with bonus reward points,the only cavaet being that you have to die first.lol

Funny enough I don't see where tithing is in the Bible. I can understand giving to God but the fact is I am not sure the scriptural backing usually given for tithing is concrete.

This paper will address itself to the issue of tithing, and more specifically, " The Law of Tithing." It is my hope and desire that this brief look into the Christian principles of tithing will stimulate your interest in studying and ultimately becoming obedient to the Word of God - the Bible!

I am not going to give you 1,001 reasons why you should tithe on your income. I am not going to try and "sell" you on tithing. Rather, I am going to present the Word of God to you and believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will be obedient to God's commandment to tithe!

The way in which you handle your finances will mark your spiritual commitment to God! It has often been said that more could be learned about a person's commitment to Christ by looking at his checkbook rather than his prayer book. We are no farther along in our walk with God than the point to which we have learned to trust Him with our tithes and offerings.

There are so many books, tracts, tapes, and teachings today attempting to convince the Christian to tithe that it is amazing. Many of them are excellent, but many are nothing more than weak compromises trying to gloss over the issue.

For example, I visited a church where the pastor had written a tract entitled, "Moving Towards the Tithe." The tract encouraged people to move in a positive direction to give 10% to God. It later emphasized, however, that the believer need not concern h imself with the consequences of not tithing, which was an obvious contradiction of the subject of his tract. My question is not whether or not you are moving towards the tithe, but rather, WHY A REN'T YOU TITHING?

I realize that many people do not tithe simply because they have not had the proper teachings about tithing. Then there are others who know they should, but willfully don't. My main concern is with the latter group - those who are w illfully rebellious a nd disobedient to God's commands. Jesus clearly taught us that if we love him we will keep his commandments. Clearly that includes tithing and giving!





We have all seen the bumper stickers that say,

"HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS!"

Recently, I saw another bumper sticker that said,

"TITHE, IF YOU LOVE JESUS...ANYONE CAN HONK!"


PRINCIPLE OF DIVINE OWNERSHIP
VERSUS
THE PRINCIPLE OF DOMINION

Many Christians have not learned the concept of Divine Ownership nor that of Dominion. As a result, they have a distorted view of the purpose of their finances. Here is an explanation of these two important principles.

THE PRINCIPLE OF DOMINION

GENESIS 1:26
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all th e earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (NKJ)


GENESIS 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

GENESIS 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living t hing that moves on the earth." (NKJ)






The word dominion comes from the Hebrew word radah , meaning to rule over, to reign over that which is owned by God. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance < /B>

<H7287> radah, raw-daw'; a prim. root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate; spec. to crumble off:-(come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule, (-r, over), take. In other words, God has given us the ability and the command to rule and reign over his property and to become faithful stewards.







The Law of Tithing

God has given mankind the exclusive right or dominion to rule over His property and world. We have not only been given the right of dominion, but we are also "free moral agents," able to make our own decisions and to determine our own actions. Therefore, man can bless God with his actions or cu rse God with his actions. Obedience blesses God, while disobedience is a reproach unto God . Tithing blesses, while not tith ing is obviously a reproach.


DIVINE OWNERSHIP

If this principle could finally be understood in the hearts of all Christians, then the problems associated with giving and tithing would be over. Therefore, I will quote several scriptures to support this principle. Please take the time to read each sc ripture, in fact, underline them in your own Bible for future references.

GOD OWNS EVERYTHING!

PSALMS 24:1
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein . (NKJ)

PSALMS 50:10
For every beast of the forest is Mine , And the cattle on a thousand hills. (NKJ)

PSALMS 50:11
I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine . (NKJ)

HAGGAI 2:8
`The silver is Mine , and the gold is Mine ,' says the Lord of hosts. (NKJ)

EZEKIEL 18:4
"Behold, all souls are Mine ; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine ; the soul who sins shall die. (NKJ)


ROMANS 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's . (NKJ)

1 CORINTHIANS 6:20
For you were bought at a price ; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (NKJ)

1 CORINTHIANS 10:26
For "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness ." (NKJ)

God owns everything and we are merely stewards over His possessions!

Based upon the above scriptures and many, many others, it is clear that the entire earth, world, gold, silver, animals, and all people are God's! The principle of divine ownership teaches us that there is nothing that does not belong to God Himself! Whereas, the principle of dominion teaches us that mankind has been given stewardship over God's property.

I believe that this is a very timely message and teaching for the Body of Christ today! Especially living in a world of intense greed, selfishness and hedonism.
I am reminded of the very famous quote from the late president John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country."

So many Christians today fail to realize that God has asked and even commanded them to give and to tithe! It is a very disappointing fact that 80% of the finances of any church is given by only 20% of the people. What can you do, wh at can I do for Chris t's church? TITHE!!!!!

Christian maturity is not based upon the concept of "God, what can you give me?" Rather, it is an attitude which expresses gratitude to God and a thank you, Lord, for what you have done for me, now what can I do for you in return? Mature Christians see the need and fill it. They see their responsibility and respond to it.


One of the greatest injustices that many pastors have done to the church is to insist that God demands one-tenth of our income and one-seventh of our week. The implications are that the other nine-tenths of our income an d the other six days of the week are ours to do as we please. The real truth is that everything belongs to God! Not only the tithe, but everything else: 100% belongs to Him. We are simply stewards being obedient to our Heavenly Master - Jesus Christ , our LORD and Saviour. The tithe is simply the basic starting point in our Christian financial commitment.


TITHE
The definition of tithe is derived from the Hebrew word, asair , which means to give the tenth part of. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

<H4643>. MA'ASER, MAH-AS-AYR'; OR MA'ASAR, MAH-AS-AR';AND (IN
PLUR.) FEM. MA'ASRAH, MAH-AS-RAW';FROM 6240; A TENTH; ESPEC. A TITHE:-TENTH (PART),TITHE (-ING).

<H6237>`asar, aw-sar'; a prim. root (ident. with 6238); to accumulate; but used only as denom. from 6235; to tithe, i.e. take or give a tenth:- x surely, give (take) the tenth, (have, take) tithe (-ing, -s), x truly. < BR>
Let us look at several scriptures that relate to the tithe. Once again, I challenge you to read and meditate upon each of the following scriptures. Mark them in your Bible and use them for references. When you do so, tithing will be come a Rhema word to you from God.

MALACHI 3:8
"Will a man rob God ? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, `In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings." (NKJ)

MALACHI 3:9
You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me , even this whole nation. MALACHI 3:10

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse , that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this ," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you th e windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it . (NKJ)


MALACHI 3:11
"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the Lord of hosts;

MALACHI 3:12
And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the Lord of hosts. (NKJ)

Did you notice God's response and question to the people who did not tithe in this passage of scripture? He asked the rhetorical question, " Will a man rob God ?" ; I don't know about you, but if I were going to rob someone, the last person that I would want to rob is God! Yet, that is exactly what He said the people were doing. What a serious indictment!

How can you and I literally rob God ? How can you take from the one who owns everything? Malachi 3:8 says, "... in tithes and offerings ."< /code>God is specifically telling us that if we do not tithe our 10% unto Him, then as far as he is concerned we are robbers or thieves. Then He proceeds to explain that as a result of our disobedience we are under a curse!



SACRILEGE

ROMANS 2:22
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commitsacrilege ? (KJV)

It is interesting that Paul refers to sacrilege in this passage of scripture. In fact, the word sacrilege only appears once in the entire Bible. The Greek word for sacrilege is hierosuleo , to rob a temple, to rob God, to commit sacrilege. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

<G2416>HIEROSULEO, HEE-ER-OS-OOL-EH'-O; FROM 2417; TO BE A TEMPLE-ROBBER (FIG.):-COMMIT SACRILEGE.

<G2417>HIEROSULOS, HEE-ER-OS'-OO-LOS; FROM 2411 AND 4813; A TEMPLE - DESPOILER:-ROBBER OF CHURCHES. Sacrilege is theft directed against God himself.
Rousas John Rushdoony: This was Font/Pitch 8,10 - Off. This was Font/Pitch 5,10 - On. LAW AND SOCIETY Volume II of the Institutes of Biblical Law, This was Font/Pitch 5,10 - Off. This was Font/ Pitch 8,10 - On. p. 28. Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 1982.

Those who have a true understanding of God's Kingdom must come to the conclusion that the tithe is clearly His basic Kingdom tax; while the offering is the evidence of our love and gratitude for His care and mercy toward us.

Paul asks several, very important questions in Romans 2:22. He states their position not to commit adultery and then asks"...dost thou commit adultery?" Then Paul goes on to state, < B> "...thou that abhorrest idols," or, you who abhor, detest, and hate the false worship to idols, the giving and sacrifice to idols, "...dost thou commit sacrilege ?".
John Calvin: This was Font/Pitch 8,10 - Off. This was Font/Pitch 5,10 - On. Calvin's Commentaries, This was Font/Pitch 5,10 - Off. This was Font/Pitch 8,10 - On. Volume XIX, p. 106, Gran d Rapids, MI, 1984 Paul is basically saying, "Practice what you preach!" He tells the Roman Christians that it is unjust to condemn the heathens for their worship and commitment (their service and sa crifices) to their false gods and idols, and then proclaim to serve the t rue God of the universe and rob from His temple or to commit sacrilege.

What a challenge for the church! Shall we continue robbing God through sacrilege? Shall we continue to justify our non-tithing and non-giving, and then use the tithe for our own personal pleasures?

Malachi clearly teaches us that the absence of tithes and offerings results in God's curse. I know there will be some who will ask the question, "Why do I emphasize the negative of not tithing instead of the positive of tithing?" The answer is because almost every book you will read that has been written in the last 25 years emphasizes only th e positive nature of God, while ignoring the judgement of God. It is through obedience and l ove for God that we tithe. The blessings of tithing are the by-products.

I think it is quite interesting to note in Malachi, Chapter 3, that the curses from not tithing relate directly back to man's first rebellion against God in the garden.

GENESIS 3:17
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of th y life; (KJV)

GENESIS 3:18
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (KJV)

GENESIS 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return. (KJV)

Failure to tithe aggravates and develops the curse that originally came to man in the garden. Whatever our profession, work, or call is, life becomes marked by increased frustration and trouble to the non-tither.

When rebellious man realizes his sin and seeks restoration with God through redemption and sanctification, God, in His mercy, provides a life of blessings. In fact, Deuteronomy 28 shows us that as we obey the Word of God, not only wil l we be entitled to blessings, but they will overtake us !


Let us look at Malachi, Chapter 3, Verse 7:

MALACHI 3:7
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them . Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return < B> ? (KJV)

MALACHI 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (KJV)

The premise of God's reproof in verses 8 - 12 was the fact that the people were amazed that God wanted to return to them. They hadn't even realized that He had left them and wanted to return! They asked God, " Wherein shall we return?" (v.7)


As far as these people were concerned, they were good people who loved God and assumed they were in fellowship with Him. The same is true today. We have thousands of Christians who assume their relationship with God is okay. They li ve their lives as if tithing were not important to their LORD.

Peter challenges the church in Acts 5:29

ACTS 5:29
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men . (KJV)


CHRIST IS KING!!!

The Christian declaration that "CHRIST IS KING!" is one of absolute authority and power! When you accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour you were placed within His Kingdom.

COLOSSIANS 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (KJV)

Every king has the power and the right of taxation; every king commands his kingdom. A king does not have to plead for support, he does not have to send out appeal letters. It is his right! The option to pay the tax does not come to the people for a vo te! It is not a matter of their choice. It is their obligation to their king! Paul supports this position in Romans 13:7.


ROMANS 13:7
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. (KJV)

If we are responsible to render our dues, tribute, custom, fear, and honour to earthly kings, how much more so of our Lord Jesus Christ! In the simplest terms, if we are members of Christ's Kingdom, then we must pay its taxes - the ti the!

The Church must understand its responsibility to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Much of the nonsense we have seen in recent years can be directly attributed to the lack of committed Christians who tithe. Is it any wonder why a recent poll in U.S.A. Today indicated that 40% of Americans believe that "very little Christian fund raising is either honest or ethical."

Recently, the church's image has been soiled by the constant appeal for money. Fund raising is filled with gimmicks, and many times outright lies! WHY? Because we have become a people who truly do not fear God! We do not tithe to our local churches. We do not support missions. Yet, we want and expect God to help us, heal us, protect us, etc.



HOW DO I DETERMINE THE AMOUNT I SHOULD
TITHE?


The word tithe literally means 10 %. The amount we should tithe is 10 % of all our increase. This includes any and all increase in the value of the original capital investment. All capital gains from the sale of houses, real estate , stocks, bonds, mach inery, etc. All increases based upon our wages or salaries, including fringe benefits: employer paid health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, retirement contributions, etc.

LEVITICUS 27:30
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. (KJV)

LEVITICUS 27:31
And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. (KJV)

LEVITICUS 27:32
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. (KJV)

God has commanded us to tithe on all our increases. Whatever you receive, whether it be from gifts, earnings, inheritances, etc. are to be tithed.

Those who tithe usually have little difficulty tithing on their gross wages. However, many fail to take into account the sales and profits from houses, cars, boats, etc.Whenever we receive an increase above our original inve stment, we are to tithe!

Sometimes I am asked the question, "What happens if I lose money on a investment?" My response is always the same: if we have an increase, God expects a tithe!

WHERE ARE WE TO GIVE OUR TITHES?

One of the most frustrating and damaging teachings in the Body of Christ today is the concept that our tithes can go to any ministry we choose. For example, it is common practice for radio and TV evangelists to ask for the people to send in a "portion" o r "all" of their tithes to support their air time. Another false concept is that of sending our tithe to evangelistic ministries, orphanages, paying school tu itions, etc. While these are good and important, scripturally they are not to receive the tithe! The tithe is to go to your local church and nowhere else!

I would like to point out that it is your option to send your offerings and special gifts to ministries that do, in fact, bless you. I personally send money to many ministries and am happy to do so. In fact, our church has often rec eived special collect ions for other ministries.


MALACHI 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse , that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, tha t there shall not be room enough to receive it . (KJV)




Storehouse Concept

The concept of the storehouse in the Old Testament plays a very important part in our understanding of New Testament tithing. The people, being primarily agricultural, would bring their tithes of the land, cattle, grain, fruits, vege tables, etc. to the l ocal Levites who were responsible for the ministry in their local community. The Levites had a storehouse in which the grain, meal, cattle, etc. would be stored for later consumption and use. Notice that God said we were to bringall the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. His house was in reference to what we call today the local church. It was that place in which people would be able to receive their ministry and care.

Unfortunately, TV evangelists lead many people believe they are being ministered to exclusively by them. In fact, if the TV evangelists would come in line with New Testament authority, they would be supported and sent out by the loca l church. Many times I have received phone calls from people who have not been attending church services and I know are not tithing to a local church, only to hear, "Pastor will you please come over and pray for me? Will you visit my mother in the hospital? Will you marry us ?" I have wanted to say, but I have not as of yet, "Why don't you call Bro. TV Evangelist, or such and such TV program to come and help you?" You see, it is the local church that is responsible for the daily ministry of the saints of God. It is the local shepherds who the Bible says are to lay down their lives for the sheep. It is the local church who must baptize, marry, counsel, and b ury the individuals. Therefore, God's plan is for the local church to receive the tithe for its services.

Again, there is absolutely no scriptural support for the idea that the tithe is to go anywhere but to the local church.

I CORINTHIANS 16:1
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. (KJV)




I CORINTHIANS 16:2
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (KJV)

Notice the concept of laying in store for the first day of the week, Sunday. Now I realize that this verse is referring to the offerings that were designated for the suffering saints in Jerusalem, but I wish to point out the principl e of storehouse and w eekly giving in the New Testament setting.

The sole and primary purpose of the tithe is to support those who are in the ministry and their families. The tithe, as we will see, is not to be used for paying church mortgages or electric bills, but is to go towards the support of the ministers on sta ff in a local church.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:14
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. (KJV)

1 CORINTHIANS 9:14
In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. (NIV)

LUKE 10:7
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (KJV)

1 TIMOTHY 5:17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. (KJV)




1 TIMOTHY 5:17
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (NIV)

These, as well as other scriptures, show us that the ministers are not to live in hardship, just barely getting by. As ministers are faithful to the Lord and as their ministries grow so should their support financially.

NUMBERS 18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. (KJV)

NUMBERS 18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inh eritance. (KJV)

Verse 24 shows us that the Levites were to tithe, and that tithe was called the heave offering. The heave offering was used to support the priest that supported the Levites.





NEW TESTAMENT TITHING

Some critics of tithing try to maintain that tithing is an Old Testament law and not subject to New Testament obedience. However, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour maintains the principle of tithing in Matthew 23:23.

MATTHEW 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not t o leave the other undone . (KJV) (KJV)
Also see Luke 11:42

LUKE 11:42
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done , and not to le ave the other undone. (KJV)

LUKE 11:42
"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone . (NIV)

Clearly Jesus is telling the Pharisees and scribes that they were to tithe on their increases and possessions ! The emphasis was not that they were not to tithe or that we are not to tithe, but that they sh ould understand judgement, mercy, and faith. Whatever we do today is in vain if it is not done in faith and love. But, please do not overlook the fact Jesus expected them to continue tithing !

"Pastor, tithing is Old Testament and we are no longer under the law and I am not going to tithe!"



Tithing was not initially instituted in the Mosaic law. In fact, it was a Biblical principle instituted by God before the Law! Let us take a look at Abraham who tithed unto the priest Melchizedek.

GENESIS 14:18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (KJV)

GENESIS 14:19
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (KJV)

GENESIS 14:20
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all . (KJV)

This passage of scripture clearly shows us the principle and the law of tithing hundreds of years before the Mosaic Law was given.

Another example of tithing before the Mosaic Law was Jacob in Genesis 28:20-22.

GENESIS 28:20
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, (KJV)

GENESIS 28:21
So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: (KJV)




GENESIS 28:22
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee . (KJV)


Jacob made a vow unto God to serve Him and to tithe on all that the Lord would give him. Let us look at the end result of Jacob's life as a result of his tithing unto the LORD.

GENESIS 33:11
Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it . (KJV)

I heard one man say, "I am not going to tithe. I live strictly by the New Testament and I don't believe tithing is New Testament!"

I then proceeded to shout, "Praise the Lord! Let us look at the New Testament!"

MARK 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and fo llow me. (KJV)

ACTS 2:44
And all that believed were together, and had all things common ; (KJV)

ACTS 2:45
And sold their possessions and goods , and parted them to all men , as every man had need. (KJV)


ACTS 4:32
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common . (KJV)

ACTS 4:33
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (KJV)

ACTS 4:34
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, (KJV)

ACTS 4:35
And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (KJV)

ACTS 4:36
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, the son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, (KJV)

ACTS 4:37
Having land, sold it , and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. (KJV)

I then proceeded to tell the man that if he were strictly New Testament, he would have to sell all that he had and bring it into the church, to the apostles' feet. After reading these scriptures, I was surprised at how quickly this man changed his theolo gy regarding the law of the tithe.


PROVERBS 3:9
Honour the Lord with thy substance , and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (KJV)

PROVERBS 3:10
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine . (KJV)

Tithing is the means through which God is released to bless his people. Scripture after scripture shows us that it is God's desire for us to prosper and be in health. The Bible also tells us that whatever we give shall be give n back to us good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. It teaches us that God will open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that our storehouses will not be able to contain.

The question is not whether you can afford to tithe, but rather, how in the world can you afford not to tithe?

Tithing is one of God's means of bringing us into maturity and prosperity.
Tithing honors the LORD!

Tithing demonstrates our faith in God's power to supply all our needs. We receive peace of mind knowing we are obeying God's Word.

Tithing is an act of our faith because it allows God to bless the remaining 90% of our income.

Tithing blesses the church by enabling it to carry out a greater ministry to the world.

Through our obedience to God in tithing, we become good examples of financial stewardship in God's Kingdom.

Please let me remind you that we are the stewards and not the owners of our possessions. GOD OWNS ALL !

TITHING IS NOT AN OPTION IT IS
GOD'S COMMANDMENT!

You can tithe without loving God with all your heart, but you cannot love God with all your heart without tithing!

I'm like mindf.ucked at the moment. Or maybe even mindr.aped

I'll be on my way now

@Bidam.

OMG.
Congrats. You are now the current record holder for writing the biggest piece of crap on NL.

1. Why does god need your money?
2. How do you give god the money? Do you wire it directly to heaven or do pay to his self-appointed financial secretaries who call themselves MOGs?
3. Most importantly, what do these MOGs do with god's money? Do they buy silver and gold safekeep for god until Jesus comes to collect, or should they use the so-called god's money to help the millions of god's children who desperately need help?

These are the questions you should address yourself to.

plaetton: @Bidam.

OMG.
Congrats. You are now the current record holder for writing the biggest piece of crap on NL.

1. Why does god need your money?
2. How do you give god the money? Do you wire it directly to heaven or do pay to his self-appointed financial secretaries who call themselves MOGs?
3. Most importantly, what do these MOGs do with god's money? Do they buy silver and gold safekeep for god until Jesus comes to collect, or should they use the so-called god's money to help the millions of god's children who desperately need help?

These are the questions you should address yourself to.

if really u re intrested in the so called crap i wrote take time and read the post...it has answered all ur questions..i don't think u had the patience to read the write up, do you? Patience is a virtue my friend. Meanwhile other viewers are benefiting from the write up..not only you.

Bidam: if really u re intrested in the so called crap i wrote take time and read the post...it has answered all ur questions..i don't think u had the patience to read the write up, do you? Patience is a virtue my friend. Meanwhile other viewers are benefiting from the write up..not only you.

These are your words.
"Tithing blesses the church by enabling it to carry out a greater ministry to the world".

In the same mouth, you make us understand that tithing goes way back before the christianity and the church.

So which church or ministry did the Israelites need tithe to carry out to the world?
Are the Jews still paying tithe today? If so, to whom, and if not when did they stop and why?

plaetton:

These are your words.
"Tithing blesses the church by enabling it to carry out a greater ministry to the world".

In the same mouth, you make us understand that tithing goes way back before the christianity and the church.

So which church or ministry did the Israelites need tithe to carry out to the world?
Are the Jews still paying tithe today? If so, to whom, and if not when did they stop and why?

Tithing predates the law because Abraham,isaac and jacob tithed..remember it was jacob who later became isreal..the jews paid their tithes to the temple levi who are ordained as priest to collect the tithes..they were under the law(mosaic law)..presently i can't say for sure wether the jews pay their tithes(judaism)..But during Jesus era..He never condemned them not to pay tithes cos they were hypocritical about the law(Matthew23:23). In mordern day christianity tithes are to be paid to your local assembly where you are being fed with the word of God..remember Jesus called us Sheep and pastors are shepard..But jesus is the great Shepard of the sheep.

Bidam: Tithing predates the law because Abraham,isaac and jacob tithed..remember it was jacob who later became isreal..the jews paid their tithes to the temple levi who are ordained as priest to collect the tithes..they were under the law(mosaic law)..presently i can't say for sure wether the jews pay their tithes(judaism)..But during Jesus era..He never condemned them not to pay tithes cos they were hypocritical about the law(Matthew23:23). In mordern day christianity tithes are to be paid to your local assembly where you are being fed with the word of God..remember Jesus called us Sheep and pastors are shepard..But jesus is the great Shepard of the sheep.

As long as you agree that you are sheep and pastors are shephards, that says it all.

plaetton:

As long as you agree that you are sheep and pastors are shephards, that says it all.

I agree with the word of God because it is my manual for Living..moreso it is clearly stated in John 10 that we are sheeps.

Bidam: I agree with the word of God because it is my manual for Living..moreso it is clearly stated in John 10 that we are sheeps.

You mean you are all Sheeople.

plaetton:

You mean you are all Sheeople.

jude1:18-19, 2peter 3:3.

It doesnt explain anything. Just lots of bible passages asking us to tithe or "give cheerfully".

Even though i think with Catholics you give what you can (i dont think they do tithes), i dont understand why we have to pay anything at all.

So let me put my questions in points so good old Bidam can answer each briefly in his own words:

1. Why do we need to tithe?

2. How does tithing bless us?

3. What statistics or evidence is there to show that ppl have been blessed by tithing?

4. Why is the tithe used for the church? Why cant God provide for the church?

plaetton:

Who told you that god needs anything from you? Does god need your money to run the universe? is the universe expensive to run these days? How did he manage to run for 14 billion yrs before you came along?

If you love god so much that you feel to a need to add to his creation, why not dedicate part of your time, and part of your income to helping the people that need it most in the poor and wretched part of god's creation?
Look around you. The needy are great.

Unless, ofcourse, your giving to god is just a veiled or sub-concious attempt to bribe god to cover your personal inadequacies.

-Try and giv some respect to our Creator by typing,"God"and not "god"-which symbolizes idol

I definitely see it as a giant ponzi scheme. Especially when the money collected is not being re-invested in the communities of the congregation. If "The Church" was what they claim to be (holy and righteous) why not more transparency?

They should make their ledgers and accounting books open for all to see how much is being accumulated and on what is the money being allocated for.

Also, what stops the reinvestment of 80% of the tithe into charitable works.

Tithe should also not be compulsory.

@Poster
There is nothing spiritual or even christian about tithing. True christians who have come to the knowledge of truth don't tithe as it is preached in churches today and most tithers tithe becos they are ignorant of the truth. That asides the tithe scam has absolutely nothing to do with proof that God exists as God never required tithes of believers in the first instance.

Pastor Kun: @Poster
There is nothing spiritual or even christian about tithing. True christians who have come to the knowledge of truth don't tithe as it is preached in churches today and most tithers tithe becos they are ignorant of the truth. That asides the tithe scam has absolutely nothing to do with proof that God exists as God never required tithes of believers in the first instance.

It is proof God does not exist... check this out:

These pastors collect tithe fraudulently and hence damage Gods reputation as well as the religion. Does God stop or punish them? No. They become even more successful and bigger. They even boast that their success is testament to the fact that they are doing Gods work.

Either they are doing Gods work and being blessed or God does not exist and hence they are not being touched. Why is it that no dodgy pastor suffers from any spiritual problem? Why dont they ever come out to confess and ask forgiveness? God is not there. He cannot tackle them because he does not exist.

Atheist:-D:


It is proof God does not exist... check this out:

These pastors collect tithe fraudulently and hence damage Gods reputation as well as the religion. Does God stop or punish them? No. They become even more successful and bigger. They even boast that their success is testament to the fact that they are doing Gods work.

Either they are doing Gods work and being blessed or God does not exist and hence they are not being touched. Why is it that no dodgy pastor suffers from any spiritual problem? Why dont they ever come out to confess and ask forgiveness? God is not there. He cannot tackle them because he does not exist.

God's ways are not our ways and his thinking is not like ours. God would surely deal with them in his own good time. Judgement day awaits all, he doesn't have to give them instant judgement.