Scribd
Upload
142 views

Leviticus 27:30 Numbers 18:26 Deuteronomy 14:24 2 Chronicles 31:5

Many Christians struggle with the issue of tithing and giving to the church. While tithing was required under the Old Testament law, the New Testament does not command a specific percentage for Christians to give. It instructs believers to give voluntarily according to their means to support ministry work and meet others' needs. Proper Christian giving is not done legalistically or for selfish reasons, but rather cheerfully as an act of worship to God.

Uploaded by

Neil Mayor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
142 views

Leviticus 27:30 Numbers 18:26 Deuteronomy 14:24 2 Chronicles 31:5

Many Christians struggle with the issue of tithing and giving to the church. While tithing was required under the Old Testament law, the New Testament does not command a specific percentage for Christians to give. It instructs believers to give voluntarily according to their means to support ministry work and meet others' needs. Proper Christian giving is not done legalistically or for selfish reasons, but rather cheerfully as an act of worship to God.

Uploaded by

Neil Mayor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Many Christians struggle with the issue of tithing. In some churches giving is overemphasized. At the same time.

Many Christians refuse to submit to the biblical exhortations about making offerings
to the Lord. Tithing/giving is intended to be a joy and a blessing. Sadly, that is
sometimes not the case in the church today.(nilalagyan ng consequence like going
to hell)
The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which the Israelites were to give 10
percent of the crops they grew and the livestock they raised to the
tabernacle/temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2
Chronicles 31:5).
The Old Testament Law required multiple tithes
one for the Levites, one for the use of the temple and the feasts, and one for the
poor of the land.
Some understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the
needs of the priests and Levites in the sacrificial system.
The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians
submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a
percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be in
keeping with income (1 Corinthians 16:2). Some in the Christian church have taken
the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a
recommended minimum for Christians in their giving.
Malachi 3:9-10 is often used to teach the need for Christians to tithe to local
churches today. That passage reads, You are cursed with a curse, for you are
robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that
there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a
blessing until there is no more need.
First, the context of this passage concerns the Israelites not bringing their offerings
to the temple. Because of their disobedience, God had judged them with a small
harvest. The Lord challenged them to bring the full tithe of grain sacrifices
(Leviticus 6:14-23) and see that He would bless them with an abundance of future
crops. The storehouse, mentioned in verse 10, is a place to store grain in the
temple.
Second, this passage teaches that the Jews were to give a tithe as part of the
temple worship, but it does not teach that Christians are to give to
churches. Malachi was written more than 400 years before the start of the

first church in Jerusalem. Applying its command of temple giving to the local
church takes these verses out of their original context.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day, saying, But woe to you Pharisees!
For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God.
These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others (Luke 11:42). These
Pharisees obeyed the Law of Moses in that they tithed scrupulously, yet
did not truly love God. They were challenged to do both.
The Law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17).
When the church began to grow beyond the Jewish people and reach
Gentiles, leaders struggled with whether or not to command these new
believers to follow the Mosaic Law. In the end, only a few instructions were
given for the sake of peace, but tithing was not among them (Acts 15:19-21).
The principle in the New Testament is to give voluntarily

to support the needs of others (Acts 2:45; Romans 15:25-27),


support Christian workers (1 Corinthians 9:11-12; 1 Timothy 5:18),
and expand Christian outreach (Philippians 4:15-16).

No specific amount is ever commanded, and no percentage is suggested. While a


tithe or tenth of ones finances may be a good standard to use for
Christian giving, it is clear the early church did not focus on a specific
amount but rather on meeting needs. This sometimes included giving
much more than a tenth, as some believers sold homes or land to meet
the needs that existed in the church (Acts 4:34-37). The New Testament talks
about the importance and benefits of giving. We are to give as we are able. in
keeping with income (1 Corinthians 16:2
Sometimes that means giving more than 10 percent; sometimes that may
mean giving less. It all depends on the ability of the Christian and the
needs of the church. Every Christian should diligently pray and seek Gods
wisdom in the matter of participating in tithing and/or how much to give (James
1:5). Above all, all tithes and offerings should be given with pure motives and an
attitude of worship to God and service to the body of Christ.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

You might also like