Should Christians tithe 10%?

[Spud]

This has been on my mind because of a church in London where they put pressure on members to tithe 10%. I've never thought it necessary to give this amount unless perhaps one is not paying tax, rent and bills.

I thought I'd give a link by John MacArthur which shows how Israelites were actually required to pay over 20%, and that what they gave was used in a similar way to how the money we pay in tax is used.

http://tinyurl.com/ndxhy4f

In some ways I do agree with the 10% rule, since Abraham gave this amount to the priest Melchizadek.

But according to J.B.Jordan, who teaches that 10% is correct, the government should never charge over 10% in tax so that the biblically correct amount can go to the church.

This is an unlikely situation, however. So for a democracy where taxes are over 20%, and where the individual is able to have a say in how his taxes are used, the money we give to the church should really be the voluntary amount, where a person gives what his heart moves him to give. Eg Exodus 25:2.

Is this correct, or should someone who's paying over 20% in taxes still tithe 10%?

[~TW~]

Hi Spud with so many dodgy churches in this country today that have no gospel message water down scriptures,you must look at the question.Is my church living up to biblical doctrines and standards.And take it from there.

    ~TW~

[Spud]

Hi TW, thanks. This is the church concerned:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5JchQS9L-cg

I haven't been to it but I am concerned about it, they seem to be trying to take Christians away from their churches. Apparently they say to members that if they don't give 10% of their income to the church they are not saved. That is not living up to biblical standards if you ask me.

[DaveM]

Hi Spud,

In my view tithing is part of the law and as such is not incumbent upon Christians. I think Jesus' words in Matt 23:23 make it quite clear that tithing is one of the' lesser' parts of the law but is nevertheless required of those living under the law.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 is an interesting passage on the issue of tithing.  I have yet to find a group which advocates tithing who include these instructions in the way they practice it.

Abraham giving Melchizadek a tenth of 'all he had' is an interesting one as it predates the law and is sometimes used to justify a requirement for Christians to tithe.  But when reading the passage it is clear that what Abraham gave was a tenth of his war loot.  And he kept nothing of this loot for himself.

One last thought.  Have you noticed that throughout the OT the requirement to tithe applies only to the produce of the land.  Hence that most quoted Malachi passage about  'bringing the whole tithe into my storehouse that there may be food in my house'. I am not aware of any exceptions to this in the OT.  One might well argue that it is the 10% principle that is important and that it should extend to cash income as well.  But as far as I can tell cash was only involved in items such as freewill offerings, votive offerings and the temple tax.

Cheers, Dave 

[Hope]

Spud, I think that your OP sort of misses the point.  The Christian isn't compelled by Christ's teaching to give any money to the church, but we give it in the same way that we give God our worship.  We do so because we want to in response to the love that God shows us.

[Hope]

One of my friends who is a Christian reckons the 10% refers to the days when there was no " social security " etc to help the poor.

Nowadays you already give some in your tax, so it's down to what you feel you can afford.

I don't know how many Christians would agree with my friends POV but it sounds sensible to me.

I would disagree with the 'tax or tithe' idea; but I would agree somewhat more with the idea that 'it's down to what you feel you can afford'.  However, its rather more 'it's down to what you feel you ought to afford'.

[DaveM]

The Christian isn't compelled by Christ's teaching to give any money to the church, but we give it in the same way that we give God our worship.  We do so because we want to in response to the love that God shows us.

Hi Hope, I am basically in agreement with your views.  However, we cannot ignore the fact that a significant number of churches insist that tithing is a Biblically based requirement for Christians.  So I would suggest that your approach needs to be the consequence of a detailed study of what the Scriptures have to say on the subject of tithing.  It is only after coming to an honest conclusion that tithing is not Biblical imperative for Christians that we can adopt such an approach. 

[Anchorman]

I'm not sure one can apply tithing to cash.
Remember that the tithe system was in place before coinage or a cash economy; barter was the main way people traded goods.
To apply tithing to a twenty first century set up would be an almost impossible task.
The CofS has a 'get out clause' for those joining it.
The vows of membership ask the new member to give
   'a fitting proportion of your time, talents and money' to the work of the Kingdom.
What 'a fitting proportion' is is up to the individual.
One presumes that, should one give as an act of worship - and giving IS part of worship - one would give what one could afford -in every way - as a thank-offering.

[Spud]

DaveM
Thanks for your comments, and everyone else's.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that a significant number of churches insist that tithing is a Biblically based requirement for Christians

And some very good churches (imo) included, which is partly why I wanted to discuss this.

[~TW~]

Hi TW, thanks. This is the church concerned:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5JchQS9L-cg

I haven't been to it but I am concerned about it, they seem to be trying to take Christians away from their churches. Apparently they say to members that if they don't give 10% of their income to the church they are not saved. That is not living up to biblical standards if you ask me.

 Thanks Tim I looked at the you tube link,Tim what ever they are doing Tim you have a choice leave well alone or join them,your bible will give you the answer.Remember Jesus walks among the churches {Rev 2:1}and he is the victor where in scripture does it say give 10% or die.

       ~TW~

[Hope]

Hi Hope, I am basically in agreement with your views.  However, we cannot ignore the fact that a significant number of churches insist that tithing is a Biblically based requirement for Christians.  So I would suggest that your approach needs to be the consequence of a detailed study of what the Scriptures have to say on the subject of tithing.  It is only after coming to an honest conclusion that tithing is not Biblical imperative for Christians that we can adopt such an approach.

I have been a member of, or at least regularly attended, several churches over the years and have yet to hear a sermon stating that one is Biblically required, as a Christian, to give 10% (or any specific proportion) of one's income.

Yes, the passages used as the starting point are often the OT references, but as Jim points out, many churches today would argue that any 'tithe' should involve more than just money.  There will be times of the year when my wife and I give far more than 10% of our income - for instance during our annual 'Gift Day' period, or when there is some emergency we are collecting for - the 2004 tsunami, or the Nepal earthquake come to mind as examples.  On top of that, we give to other charities as well - some specifically Christian, some not.

This opportunity to give to Christian work outside of the church is not something that would have applied in OT times so we need to be honest and sensible about how we give.

[Anchorman]

Wot Hope said.
Were the local church the only source of welfare - as iwas the synagogue system in Hellenic and Roman times - then yes, tithing would be a vital part of the worship of any individual.
However, since there are many Christian charities (and other charities doing work which is Biblically sound, though not necessarily faith based), demanding our attention, then I suspect that many believers give MORE than 10% of their cash income to churches and charies combined.

[ad_orientem]

No, tithing is not obligatory for Christians. What we give to the Church left to one's conscience and what one can afford. Here in Finland both the Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church have the status of national churches and so their members pay a church tax which is usually between 3-5%. When I belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, which does not have national church status, no tax was taken but we were asked to contribute a similar amount or as much as one can afford.

[Anchorman]

When we look back at the first century Church - without the rigmarole of flummery which came later - did those first Christians tithe? Iknow there's evidence, as per Acts, of collections for the situation facing believers in Rome - a forerunner of the work of Open Doors or Barnabas, perhaps?
But is there any evidence of actual tithing as per the Pentateuch formula?

[Outrider]

No, tithing is not obligatory for Christians. What we give to the Church left to one's conscience and what one can afford. Here in Finland both the Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church have the status of national churches and so their members pay a church tax which is usually between 3-5%. When I belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, which does not have national church status, no tax was taken but we were asked to contribute a similar amount or as much as one can afford.

I recall hearing about this before - is this a tax that one can somehow opt out of? Is it only imposed on people registered as adherents of those faiths?

I'm curious, it's just that, in the main, we hear positive stories about the social and political systems in Scandinavia, and this sounds out of kilter with that Utopian image (at ,east, it does on first hearing it, that's why I'm curious about the details).

O.

[ad_orientem]

No, tithing is not obligatory for Christians. What we give to the Church left to one's conscience and what one can afford. Here in Finland both the Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church have the status of national churches and so their members pay a church tax which is usually between 3-5%. When I belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, which does not have national church status, no tax was taken but we were asked to contribute a similar amount or as much as one can afford.

I recall hearing about this before - is this a tax that one can somehow opt out of? Is it only imposed on people registered as adherents of those faiths?

I'm curious, it's just that, in the main, we hear positive stories about the social and political systems in Scandinavia, and this sounds out of kilter with that Utopian image (at ,east, it does on first hearing it, that's why I'm curious about the details).

O.

Only those who are members of those two churches pay the tax. If you do not want to pay the tax then you have to leave the church.

[Outrider]

No, tithing is not obligatory for Christians. What we give to the Church left to one's conscience and what one can afford. Here in Finland both the Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church have the status of national churches and so their members pay a church tax which is usually between 3-5%. When I belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, which does not have national church status, no tax was taken but we were asked to contribute a similar amount or as much as one can afford.

I recall hearing about this before - is this a tax that one can somehow opt out of? Is it only imposed on people registered as adherents of those faiths?

I'm curious, it's just that, in the main, we hear positive stories about the social and political systems in Scandinavia, and this sounds out of kilter with that Utopian image (at ,east, it does on first hearing it, that's why I'm curious about the details).

O.

Only those who are members of those two churches pay the tax. If you do not want to pay the tax then you have to leave the church.

Thanks, A-O

O.