The issue of tithe, whenever it is mentioned in this forum some people are ready to fight over it. But my concern is that many of those opposing tithe are unbelievers, cultist, Satanist and people who never go to church at all. Assuming they are Christians with the spirit of GOD in them they would have said something meaningful.

The issue is that, tithe like other BIBLICAL injunctions is a spiritual matter and if you are not a Christian with the spirit of GOD you may not understand it.1Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. Because they lack spiritual understanding they will continue to oppose tithing.

But you a Christian, why allow an unbeliever to tell you what to do or not to do with respect to christian faith? I have said a number of times, if you are not convinced over tithe never waste your resource in the name of paying tithe. However, it will be unfortunate for unbelievers, occultist and people who never go to church to be the one influencing your action. It is folly for someone who does not understand what you understand to influence you. You have the spirit of GOD in you, how do you allow someone without the spirit of GOD to influence you?

I said it again tithing, is for your own good not anyone else. Those who oppose tithe, thinking that tithe is money meant for the pastors are totally wrong because pastors do pay tithe themselves. Those opposing tithe never go to church, how do they know how tithe is been used you should ask yourself?

Again ask yourself, when we talk about benefits of tithing, those opposing tithing will be quick to say that there is no benefit. How do they know if there is benefit or not since they don’t go to church and have never paid tithe? It is like saying that an apple you have never tasted is very bitter. You have to taste the apple first before you can confirm.

I am not here to tell you whether it is good or bad to pay tithe. Those who are paying tithe are reaping the benefits there of. Nobody is begging you to be paying your tithe. I am encouraging you to faithfully in paying your tithe, as your pastor may be encouraging you, so that you reap the benefits others paying tithe are reaping. Faithfully do so and confirm for yourself if there is benefit or not rather than base your action on argument by the sons of belial.

NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE pays the Biblical tithe today.

THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: 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.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

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 did not tithe as a carpenter. Paul did not tithe as a tent maker. Peter did not tithe as a fisherman.

Tithing today is for sissies. 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.

Poster your argument that "those opposing tithe are unbelievers" is fallacious. I am a believer and do not believe that the law of tithing is for this dispensation.

This topic has been discussed ad nauseam! I suggest that the Poster rereads the older posts on this topic with an open mind and read scriptures in their true context and not allegorically.

garyarnold:

NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE pays the Biblical tithe today.

That depends on if you understand what the Biblical tithes are.

THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: 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.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

Tithing did not begin at Leviticus. Those who oppose tithing often try their hardest to ignore Genesis 14.

Now, tell me. Which of the above three tithes commanded by God does anyone follow today?

Obedience for Christians is not a matter of reading the letters of the Law; rather, it is a matter of practical applications derived from the PRINCIPLES thereof.

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 did not tithe as a carpenter. Paul did not tithe as a tent maker. Peter did not tithe as a fisherman.

We've heard that redundant excuse from anti-tithers before - find a fresh one. Abraham was not a Levite, nor was Melchizedek a descendant of Levi when we read of tithes in Genesis 14. Yet, the fact of Abraham's tithes was not ignored in Hebrews 7 where even Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek.

Tithing today is for sissies.

This is how you start until you're whipped to the point of hiding your tails between your legs.

The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means.

The OLD Testament also teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means - so there's NOTHING "new" about them.

For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, even giving 50% of their income might not induce a sacrifice.

Please show me where even ONE anti-tither has ever given 50% of his or her income - show me! The hilarious thing about the empty talk of anti-tithers is the fiction in their thesis.

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.

The New Testament does not teach the fallacy of "equal sacrifice" - that anti-tithing anthem has been debunked far too many times it amazes me that you would bring it here again!

Equal sacrifice is much harder to achieve, if not impossible, than giving ten percent.

So, in your theology, your god has demanded what is "much harder to achieve", isn't it? The NT does not present what is 'much harder to achieve' or impossible for the Christian. This is why the anti-tithing campaign is all cheap talk that appeals to those who find it impossible to give anything!

@wordtalk
Kindly explain to us why christians should tithe based on Abrahams one off example of tithing war booty.
I also remember you conceding previously that tithing is an ancient babylonian(pagan) custom were Abram originated from and it was customary to give a tithe to Kings on such occasions. With this in mind can you justify the false teaching that christians must tithe of their regular income. What's the correlation or the 'principle'?

Pastor Kun:

@wordtalk
Kindly explain to us why christians should tithe based on Abrahams one off example of tithing war booty.
I also remember you conceding previously that tithing is an ancient babylonian(pagan) custom were Abram originated from and it was customary to give a tithe to Kings on such occasions. With this in mind can you justify the false teaching that christians must tithe of their regular income. What's the correlation or the 'principle'?

It is not your own preconceived conclusion that you will find in my comments; so if you've made up your mind already on the subject, then there's hardly anything you would be interested in discussing anyways. Sorry.

As regarding the so-called theory of 'babylonian(pagan) custom', I have discussed that with Gary Arnold where I made some observations and asked a few questions which he never answered (reposted below). If you do have answers, I'll be glad to discuss them.

Gary, when you asked this -

“But why do you accept that Arab custom but not accept that Arab custom was to give a tenth of the spoils to the king?”

… my first question to you would be: which king? It is not enough to just say that tithes are given to the king‘ without seeking to understand why it had to be a particular king.

This point is often ignored by those who hastily read the ‘Arab custom’ theory into Genesis 14 as Abraham’s motive. And that was why I posted that article (click here)*, where I made this observation -

“If then it was merely a matter of obeying local customs, then Melchizedek would rather not have been better qualified than would have been the ruler of Hebron at the time for Abraham’s tithes. This only shows that being a ‘king’ of one of the cities in that region was not enough to have qualified the recipient to receive tithes.”

I wonder: on what basis would you have qualified Melchizedek to receive Abraham’s tithes where it is clear that Salem had no jurisdiction over Hebron where Abraham lived? Was Melchizedek the only ‘king’ of that region, and was he ‘king’ also of Hebron? Even if you want to argue on the basis of a ‘local custom’, what is your source that shows that Melchizedek was the ‘local king’ who had jurisdiction over Hebron where Abraham dwelt?

I’m just trying to understand your persuasions on these things – and good references or sources would be appreciated in your answers.

http://givingtithes.com/what-moved-abraham-to-tithe/comment-page-1/#comment-142

* Abraham's Tithes - Why Melchizedek?

http://givingtithes.com/abrahams-tithes-why-melchizedek/

@wordtalk,
I didn't know that you could live to your I.D. name-"WORDTALK", this is because i can perceive that you are word loaded. I am sorry to say this, but it is the raw truth, it is a waste of precious time when you argue with people with mind set. There is nothing you say they can accept no matter it been a raw BIBLICAL truth. They feel that what they are saying themselves is the truth while they are in error because they lack the HOLY SPIRIT. Assuming they have the HOLY SPIRIT in them they wouldn't say what they are saying. I pray that their eyes of understanding could be opened. It is unfortunate that an unbeliever could choose PASTOR as his I.D. name unless he is a pastor in the church of satan because all his posts are anti christian and he could open his mouth to call a MOG criminal.

ogoamaka99:

@wordtalk,
I didn't know that you could live to your I.D. name-"WORDTALK", this is because i can perceive that you are word loaded. I am sorry to say this, but it is the raw truth, it is a waste of precious time when you argue with people with mind set. There is nothing you say they can accept no matter it been a raw BIBLICAL truth. They feel that what they are saying themselves is the truth while they are in error because they lack the HOLY SPIRIT. Assuming they have the HOLY SPIRIT in them they wouldn't say what they are saying. I pray that their eyes of understanding could be opened. It is unfortunate that an unbeliever could choose PASTOR as his I.D. name unless he is a pastor in the church of satan because all his posts are anti christian and he could open his mouth to call a MOG criminal.

Well, I'll not go that far with name-calling or concluding anything about anyone's salvation. We can discuss even when they vehemently disagree. Although many people forget this, yet an accusing tongue employed in accusing other people 'day and night' is not displaying the glory of God (Rev. 12:10) - which is why we should all be careful.

@Word talk

Please, what exactly is the purpose and significance of Tithing?

dare2think:

@Word talk

Please, what exactly is the purpose and significance of Tithing?

^^

. . . However, the Biblical tithes (Abraham, Jacob and the Levitical system) assume a different character and were connected with priesthood and worship, rather than with political kingship.

When God instituted the tithes into the Levitical system, it was based on the same principle of priesthood and worship. Even though they were received by the priests, Israel’s tithes were given to God Himself (Num. 18:24, KJV – “the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD“). It was God’s sovereignty that underscored Israel’s worship in the tithes.

Our giving in worship is quite a different thing from the idea of a tax system or obligation under a custom. The essential principles of worship and priesthood rise above any other consideration for those who walk in faith – and to miss these is to miss everything else.

http://givingtithes.com/abrahams-tithes-arab-tax/

@wordtalk,
May the grace of GOD be upon you ever more.

dare2think:

@Word talk

Please, what exactly is the purpose and significance of Tithing?

Ask God  ask him also why do we need water baptism.

You should also ask yourself why God would want 10% not 20 not 30. For thousands of years this has been on . There has never been any place in the bible where God gave contrary instruction against iT. As he did to other things.

Tithes and offering remains As vital part our worship of God.

^^@ogoamaka99,
May God bless you more.

---

Joagbaje:

You should also ask yourself why God would want 10% not 20 not 30. For thousands of years this has been on . There has never been any place in the bible where God gave contrary instruction against iT. As he did to other things.

Lol, Joagbaje. Although we all may not know "why" God would want certain things (compare Psalm 50:7-15); yet the highlighted in your comment is certainly not true. There were a few other occasions where giving or offerings were sometimes less or more than 10% - both in the OT and NT. Let's avoid generalizing issues.

^^

yet the highlighted in your comment is certainly not true. There were a few other occasions where giving or offerings were sometimes less or more than 10% - both in the OT and NT. Let's avoid generalizing issues.

I don't get you pls explain

Joagbaje:

^^
I don't get you pls explain

We cannot argue in a general way to say that 'There has never been any place in the bible where God gave contrary instruction against it'. Never? Any place? Not entirely true, if the 'it' you meant was concerning what people offered. Is that what you meant by "it"?

@Wordtalk
Since you were rather evasive in your response to my query I have decided to put it in bettet perspective with the article below which throws more light on the babylonian/pagan origin of Abram's tithe.

[B]The Esretu — the standard Babylonian one-tenth tax[/b]

Hebrew is a Semitic language, related to Akkadian, the lingua franca of that time. An Akkadian noun that Abraham was most likely familiar with given his Babylonian background was esretu, meaning "one-tenth". By the time of Abraham, this phrase was used to refer to the "one-tenth tax," or "tithe". Listed below are some specific instances of the Mesopotamian tithe, taken from The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, Vol. 4 "E":

[Referring to a ten per cent tax levied on garments by the local ruler:] "the palace has taken eight garments as your tithe (on 85 garments)"

"…eleven garments as tithe (on 112 garments)"

", (the sun-god) Shamash demands the tithe, "

"four minas of silver, the tithe of [the gods] Bel, Nabu, and Nergal, "

", he has paid, in addition to the tithe for Ninurta, the tax of the gardiner"

", the tithe of the chief accountant, he has delivered it to [the sun-god] Shamash"

", why do you not pay the tithe to the Lady-of-Uruk?"

", (a man) owes barley and dates as balance of the tithe of the **years three and four"

", the tithe of the king on barley of the town, "

", with regard to the elders of the city whom (the king) has **summoned to (pay) tithe, "

", the collector of the tithe of the country Sumundar, "

", (the official Ebabbar in Sippar) who is in charge of the tithe, "

Because of this standard one-tenth tax in Babylon, Abraham of the Genesis account was most likely familiar with the concept of giving up ten percent of goods as tax.

Pastor Kun:

@Wordtalk
Since you were rather evasive in your response to my query . . .

I was not being evasive - unless you did not understand your own question. The best you could have done was ask where you did not understand, not accuse me of being evasive.

. . .I have decided to put it in bettet perspective with the article below which throws more light on the babylonian/pagan origin of Abram's tithe.

I have background knowledge of the history of tithes and tithing from ancient civilizations and could give you very many sources if you care. However, the simple point here was that Abraham's tithes to Melchizedek was not treated in the Bible as 'pagan'. Anti-tithers often argue that theory into Genesis 14, whereas they cannot show from within the Bible that Abraham's actions were discussed under 'pagan' rites or customs.

Because of this standard one-tenth tax in Babylon, Abraham of the Genesis account was most likely familiar with the concept of giving up ten percent of goods as tax.

Abraham's tithes to Melchizedek were not a 'tax' - please go and find out what they actually were and give me any verse in the Bible where his tithes were called a 'tax'.

@wordtalk
Forget the diversion and kindly explain to us why christians should tithe today based on Abraham's one off example of tithing war booty. What's the christian 'principle' behind this act?

Pastor Kun:

@wordtalk
Forget the diversion and kindly explain to us why christians should tithe today based on Abraham's one off example of tithing war booty. What's the christian 'principle' behind this act?

It's not a diversion, since you were the one who brought it up. However, the question of 'What's the christian 'principle' behind this act?' has been asked so many times and I have tried to give answers already. Please allow me to repeat my answer once again - and then if there's something to discuss about it, I will gladly do so. Here is my answer:

Our giving in worship is quite a different thing from the idea of a tax system or obligation under a custom. The essential principles of worship and priesthood rise above any other consideration for those who walk in faith – and to miss these is to miss everything else.

- so, when the question rises again about what is the christian 'principle' behind this act, or its significance, etc., etc., my answer is: priesthood and worship. This goes far beyond whether the tithe is an exact number of 1%, 10% or 23.3%, etc. If there's something more than this answer to discuss, I am willing to do so.

Joagbaje:

Ask God ask him also why do we need water baptism.

You should also ask yourself why God would want 10% not 20 not 30. For thousands of years this has been on . There has never been any place in the bible where God gave contrary instruction against iT. As he did to other things.

Tithes and offering remains As vital part our worship of God.

Are these the new criteria for determining acceptable christian doctrine and practice? If so, I'd like to see some messages here from your church on the use of anointing oil since it seems to satisfy the criteria. How about Yoga?

nlMediator:

Are these the new criteria for determining acceptable christian doctrine and practice?

But is that what he meant?

@wordtalk
If that is the case, don't you think it is better for preachers to preach tithes as voluntary or as they purpose in their heart? Don't you think itself fraudulent, manipulative a sinful for a preacher to preach the unbiblical tithing from monetary income as compulsory and binding on all christians even when it is glaring from scriptures that there is no christian instruction to tithe in the bible neither was it practised by the apostles or the early church.

There are many legitimate issues you have raised in your reply - and I share some of them. However, these issues do not apply to every pastor or Christian leader who encourages and teaches tithes in their churches.

Pastor Kun:

If that is the case, don't you think it is better for preachers to preach tithes as voluntary or as they purpose in their heart?

To assure you, there are many pastors I know who teach tithes as voluntary, while others argue that it is mandatory ('mandatory' in the sense of "required" or "obligatory". This is serious enough to have led to a recent survey by the National Evangelical Association (NAE) on whether church leaders feel that tithing is "required" from Christians. The result is that 58% do not teach that tithing is "required" while 42% actually do. The interesting thing is that the President of the NAE, Leith Anderson noted on the whole that "about 95% of those who responded to our survey said that they at least tithed – they give 10% or more. So, they do tithe even though they think that it is not a requirement.” You may want to see the following -

Majority of Evangelicals Still Tithe

Leith Anderson notes that tithing from the OT is ‘the primary giving guide for modern day Christians.’ Responding to Holmes, he noted that while the keyword in the NAE survey was ‘required‘, nonetheless “about 95% of those who responded to our survey said that they at least tithed – they give 10% or more. So, they do tithe even though they think that it is not a requirement.”

http://givingtithes.com/majority-of-evangelicals-still-tithe/

_____________________________________________

Evangelical Leaders and the Language of Tithes

Comments by Alan Robinson of the Brethren in Christ Church sets this concern in context -“Tithing was an Old Testament legal model that ought to lead New Testament Christians to lives of sacrificial generosity. While tithing is not ‘required’ today, it is my view that Christian generosity will, at a minimum, reflect the Old Testament requirements of the law and should, in fact, greatly exceed it.”

http://givingtithes.com/nae-language-of-tithe/

Other independent sources and references are available. The whole point is that there is an overwhelming majority of Christian leaders in Western churches that tithe and teach it on voluntary basis.

Pastor Kun:

Don't you think itself fraudulent, manipulative a sinful for a preacher to preach the unbiblical tithing from monetary income as compulsory and binding on all christians even when it is glaring from scriptures that there is no christian instruction to tithe in the bible neither was it practised by the apostles or the early church.

There is no verse in the New Testament that negates tithing for Christians. Yet, even though the word 'tithe' is not specifically used for Christian giving, the underlying principles of setting aside a percentage from one's income is clearly found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

However, so many people who oppose tithing for Christians have argued that Biblical tithes could not have included money or sourced from one's income. That argument is incorrect and very weak indeed, because Biblical tithes included money as well as were sourced from the tither's income. This may come as a surprise to many, but a little more helpful study reveals that is the case in some other instances of tithes that anti-tithers don't like to talk about.

The one thing I would agree with you here is that tithing (or any other type of giving) should not be made 'compulsory' for Christians - and the one reason I have for that is simple: the New Testament does not teach giving as "compulsory" for Christians (except where it talks about 'taxes' - which is a different thing from giving).

@wordtalk
You indicated from your last post that biblical tithe included money, could you show us one clear cut scripture quoted in proper context were biblical tithe was money or better still an example of tithing from monetary income in the bible.

wordtalk:

There are many legitimate issues you have raised in your reply - and I share some of them. However, these issues do not apply to every pastor or Christian leader who encourages and teaches tithes in their churches.

To assure you, there are many pastors I know who teach tithes as voluntary, while others argue that it is mandatory ('mandatory' in the sense of "required" or "obligatory". This is serious enough to have led to a recent survey by the National Evangelical Association (NAE) on whether church leaders feel that tithing is "required" from Christians. The result is that 58% do not teach that tithing is "required" while 42% actually do. The interesting thing is that the President of the NAE, Leith Anderson noted on the whole that "about 95% of those who responded to our survey said that they at least tithed – they give 10% or more. So, they do tithe even though they think that it is not a requirement.” You may want to see the following -

Other independent sources and references are available. The whole point is that there is an overwhelming majority of Christian leaders in Western churches that tithe and teach it on voluntary basis.

There is no verse in the New Testament that negates tithing for Christians. Yet, even though the word 'tithe' is not specifically used for Christian giving, the underlying principles of setting aside a percentage from one's income is clearly found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

However, so many people who oppose tithing for Christians have argued that Biblical tithes could not have included money or sourced from one's income. That argument is incorrect and very weak indeed, because Biblical tithes included money as well as were sourced from the tither's income. This may come as a surprise to many, but a little more helpful study reveals that is the case in some other instances of tithes that anti-tithers don't like to talk about.

The one thing I would agree with you here is that tithing (or any other type of giving) should not be made 'compulsory' for Christians - and the one reason I have for that is simple: the New Testament does not teach giving as "compulsory" for Christians (except where it talks about 'taxes' - which is a different thing from giving).

According to the site you posted, Leigh Anderson gave this closing comment:

“Let’s encourage tithing, and especially encourage generosity. But don’t steal from grandpa’s prescription fund in order to give 10 percent to the church. Sometimes there are emergencies and situations that take a priority like providing for your family. But stick with that guideline. Try to be generous, and 10 percent is a good guideline, but it is not a legal requirement in the New Testament.”

If there’s any tithing preacher on this site or in Nigeria who believes in the above statement, I want to hear or read him say that. Not one of them I know or have heard makes any exceptions. The truth is that your discussion is out of context. When Nigerians are talking of tithes, they’re talking of something very different from what you’re saying. Using the word tithe, which you use in a different context from theirs, is not helpful.

I also have serious doubts about your conclusion that an overwhelming majority of evangelical leaders tithe. What I read is that an overwhelming majority of those who responded tithe. Unless, you’re sure that the survey got a huge response, your conclusion is without basis.

wordtalk:

But is that what he meant?

I thought one basic reason for asking questions, instead of jumping to conclusions, is to find out what somebody means? I'm ready to get some clarity on that because it is fundamental to this discussion.

So after all these years of debate, there are still a number of us supporting this false tithe doctrine

wordtalk:

There is no verse in the New Testament that negates tithing for Christians. Yet, even though the word 'tithe' is not specifically used for Christian giving, the underlying principles of setting aside a percentage from one's income is clearly found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

Setting aside something and setting aside a percentage are not coterminous. The New Testament talks of the former but not of the latter. Nor does it talk of setting aside the same thing or level every time, which is exactly what tithing of income says.

wordtalk:

We cannot argue in a general way to say that 'There has never been any place in the bible where God gave contrary instruction against it'. Never? Any place? Not entirely true, if the 'it' you meant was concerning what people offered. Is that what you meant by "it"?

I was making reference to tithing. There is no place in the bible where God spoke against it or give contrary intruction. Jesus spoke against the observation of sababath and some other things which he fulfilled . That's my point.

nlMediator:

Are these the new criteria for determining acceptable christian doctrine and practice? If so, I'd like to see some messages here from your church on the use of anointing oil since it seems to satisfy the criteria. How about Yoga?

My church doesn't believe in the use of anointing oil. Only you understand what you're posting. You started well but I can see you've joined the bandwagon of mockers.

I cor 16: is not about about tithing , it was about helps and support for sAints in Jerusalem. But I don't know if it's 10 percent they gave. Josephus will know better.

What indicates tithing in the epistles is in 1cor 9

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

@wordtalk
You also claim there is nowhere in the new testament that tithing was negated. That is far from truth, I know we've been through this before but it is very clear from reading hebrews 7:5-19 that tithing was negated except as usual you want to force your own bias into scripture.

Pastor Kun:

@wordtalk
You indicated from your last post that biblical tithe included money, could you show us one clear cut scripture quoted in proper context were biblical tithe was money or better still an example of tithing from monetary income in the bible.

Yes, I noted that 'in some other instances of tithes', they included money as well as were sourced from the tither's income. This is why I'm persuaded about the fact -

1.  'Biblical tithes' would definitely include Abraham's tithes in Genesis 14 - nobody can talk about 'Biblical tithes' by flatly ignoring, denying or rejecting Abraham's tithes in the Bible.

2.  Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek from spoils of war. These spoils of war would have included food as well as money. The reason for supposing money could have been most possibly included is because -

- (a) it was commonly understood that spoils of war in such Biblical times included money and other items/materials, such as we find in the spoils of war in Joshua 7:21 ('I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight,' etc.). We all understand that "shekels" of silver and gold are describing some form of money in that verse.

- (b) another example where money could most possibly have been included is found in the spoils taken in Numbers 31. Most people read only the earlier verses and then conclude that it was only animals; but verse 52-53 shows how much money they gave from the spoils: "all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself)."

I could go on to show more examples; but the point here is that spoils of war actually included more than food - they included money. It is not difficult therefore to understand what was involved in Abraham's tithes to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20 - "he gave him tithes of all".

3.  As regarding income, we learn first from Jacob's prayer that Biblical tithes could be sourced from the tither's income - "and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Gen. 28:22). Jacob's aspired to obtain his living from God's provision, which is not difficult to see he meant the income from whatever would be his occupation.

4.  But even more is the question of verses that show tithes from income - and there are quite a number of them. Briefly, Deuteronomy 14:22 says, "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year." The word translated as "increase" is TEBUAH - a common Hebrew word that could mean product, revenue, income, gain or yield. It pointed to the revenue procurred from man's labours or transactions.

5. It is in that sense that we can understand that the tither gave tithes from his or her TEBUAH - their INCOME or REVENUE. The problem is that many often think of 'income' only in terms of "cash" from salaries in their work or business - yet, they do not understand that "income" (tebuah) is defined more broadly in the Bible.

I would like to conclude that there are two important highlights we should never miss in this enquiry:

- the Bible does not show us anywhere that a tither gave tithes from something which did not belong to them in any way

- the underlying principle in tithes and offerings is simply to HONOUR God with the substance of our "INCOME" (tebuah), and this is essentially captured in Proverbs 3:9 - "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase (tebuah)".