Tithing & offering

[jmmagno30]

Hi , I always visit and read the general topics and message.
and There a question on my mind.
Is there any message regarding the above subject?

Manny

[Geoff]

Hi Manny,

Welcome. I am not sure what you are asking. Did you mean tithing?

hugs
Geoff

[jmmagno30]

Hi Geoff,

yes its about tithing.

[Geoff]

Well ok.

No we have never had a message, I doubt its a subject we are interested in. None of our two churches require any regular financial support, which means typically they don't have any money to do anything. To be honest, I think this has been a limitation on things.

As you probably know the Bible has some stuff on tithing, and you need to put that in perspective. In those days there was absolutely no unemployment insurance, medical insurance, disability insurance and so forth. If you could not earn a living you were as good as dead unless your family could help. So the church often helped too, and they had the funds to do that through these means. And while I don't have any statistics, simply because everywhere was smaller, I would suspect ministers had small congregations. So if 15 families tithed, the minister had enough to live on, and could support 4 or 5 more families.

Today the mega TV evangelists like Hillsong get their thousands, heck may be even hundreds of thousands of folks to tithe, and they have a mega commercial enterprise running. Their chief pastor does not stint himself either, I guess believing he is worth at least as much as a CEO of a big company on an insane multi-million dollar salary package. And in many cases these churches pay no tax either.

So what is the morality and spirituality of this? Well there is no spiritual law that says you must or should support your church, but common decency and generosity says if you are a regular at a church, you should be, along with the other parishioners keep your pastor with a roof over his head, food on the table for his family and decent clothes to wear. Joseph may pipe up here, he was a minister a few churches and his father was too. I believe they found things very hard financially.

That Bible reference is out-dated, and I would not give it any credence at all. God did not make that law. If you are in a church with 200 regulars, then clearly 10% of your income is way way too much.

hugs
Geoff

[Pamela]

Hi Geoff,

yes its about tithing.

Tithing is an Old Testament commandment. The churches today teach that it is a New Testament commandment but it is not. Jesus never taught tithing. He taught to give with a cheerful heart to those in needs.

Tithing was a commandment from God giving though Moses to the Israelites. There were 12 tribes of Israel and the people farmed back then for a living. The tribe of Levi were the priest and were called to serve in the temple. They did not farm land but they still needed to eat so God command the Israelites to tithe ten percent of their crops and farm animals to the tribe of Levi so that they would have food to eat. God promises the Israelites if they tithe that he would bless them. No where in the Old Testament did tithing have anything to do with money but farm animals and farm crops. There were different types of tithing.

There was a tithe that happen once of year where the family traveled to Jerusalem and if their tithe was too much to take for such a long journey they were allowed to sell their live stock and and buy what they needed when they arrived in Jerusalem. There they would have a Thanksgiving meal thank God for His provision.

In the letters to the epistles one of the apostles said to the churches to set a side a certain amount of money to give to the church according to what the Holy Spirit leads you to give. This has nothing to do with giving ten percent.

The Bible says if you know a brother or sister in need and you have the means to help but don't how can the love of God be in you? In other words if a sister needs a winter coat and you have three good winter coats then you should give one of your winter coats to that sister in need. If you don't then you really do not love your sister in need.

As New Testament believers we are not called to tithe but to give to those who are in need if we have it to give and to be lead by the Holy Spirit at what to give. It isn't about giving ten percent but more about the attitude of the heart in giving.

You can give ten percent from your pay check in a grudging way or you can give a dollar in a very cheerful way. There was a story in the Bible where Jesus watched people giving. A widow gave all she had from her heart and the rich gave from their riches. Jesus said the widow gave more because it was in her heart to give but the rich gave out of pride.

In a nut shell be lead by the Holy Spirit on what He wants you to give. Don't get caught up in the law of Moses on tithing just obey the Holy Spirit and you will be doing what God wants to do.

R

[Geoff]

You can give ten percent from your pay check in a grudging way or you can give a dollar in a very cheerful way. There was a story in the Bible where Jesus watched people giving. A widow gave all she had from her heart and the rich gave from their riches. Jesus said the widow gave more because it was in her heart to give but the rich gave out of pride.

Yes that is an excellent point. That which is not given with a generous heart gains you nothing at all. Not that we should be giving because of any perceived reward, but you get the message.

hugs
Geoff

[AlFike]

Well said all and although I personally am not a New Testament believer in as much as it does not reflect the basic truths of Jesus's message in a clear and concise way. Tithing is a personal matter, it is certainly not a commandment from God and God would not concern himself with such matters. Tithing is a human concern, a moral action which if you believe is the right action then by all means go for it Manny. Its your call IMHO. God bless......Al

[Pamela]

I have been persecuted by other Christians for not tithing. And even had a time when I was in need of groceries while the other tithers at a certain church gave into the offering very pridefully but never once offer to help me buy groceries for my family. My family that day went home with out any help. It was my cursing, drinking,smoking sister in law that help me with groceries that day not the church.

I left that church and find one that did help the poor.

[Geoff]

I have been persecuted by other Christians for not tithing. And even had a time when I was in need of groceries while the other tithers at a certain church gave into the offering very pridefully but never once offer to help me buy groceries for my family. My family that day went home with out any help. It was my cursing, drinking,smoking sister in law that help me with groceries that day not the church.

I left that church and find one that did help the poor.

Dear Pamela,

Its so sad that they all missed the point of Jesus' teachings while they focus on something else.

hugs
Geoff

[jmmagno30]

Thanks to all of you who answer my question.
Before I was a true believer of what so called Born again Christian, and I was blinded following their teaching.
but after I read the book from Anthony Borgia, my faith has been change. I was a regular tither which i give every week
on the regular church service. And some churches today claiming its a mandate from God as per written in the old Testament
and all of the follower abide from this. All of the churches are mega rich and all of pastor and church officer are mega rich also. But still not satisfy and they continue to ask for tithe, and some still insist to give 10% of monthly salary to church.
They are claiming that the Truth will set you free.
What will happen to them if they die?
Almost a year now that I never go to church, but I always pray everyday and ask for the
divine love and experience it while Im here on earth.
My wife and some of my friends always laugh at me, when I say about divine love and and what is life after death.
but I just smile back to them. anyway we have our own life and I will just continue to live in my faith i have now.
Im asking for your prayer, for my family and for my friends.
Thanks to all of you. Im very happy to be a part of this forum.

Manny Garcia