To tithe or not to tithe?

[DaveC519]

Anyone here read and understand biblical Greek?

houtoos kai is why the principle of the tenth (tithe) is valid in the NT.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by DaveC519

Anyone here read and understand biblical Greek?

houtoos kai is why the principle of the tenth (tithe) is valid in the NT.

No

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by DaveC519

Anyone here read and understand biblical Greek?

houtoos kai is why the principle of the tenth (tithe) is valid in the NT.

To many this is irrelevant. What is relevant is that many people do not want to give a tenth of their income, so they will justify themselves any way they can. However, I have never seen someone who gives cheerfully go without. God loves cheerful giving. And He blesses it.

[DaveC519]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

To many this is irrelevant.

That may be true. It's relevant to me because I had always paid tithes assuming it was still grounded in the Levitical tithing system. And then one day I began seriously looking at the subject in the NT, and came to the conclusion there is a tithe there, but not a Levitical tithe.

What is relevant is that many people do not want to give a tenth of their income, so they will justify themselves any way they can.

This also may be true. I've seen more than one person say they stopped paying tithes because there are abuses by those collecting it. In fact, one person told me they stopped going to church altogether because they disagreed with the lifestyle of the pastor.

However, I have never seen someone who gives cheerfully go without. God loves cheerful giving. And He blesses it.

I agree. I also know God blesses those who are obedient to his commandments. And I found in the NT where it is an actual commandment to support the ministry based on how the OT ministry was supported.

[DaveC519]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

No

Anyone else understand biblical Greek? Anyone? Bueller?

[Dordrecht]

That may be true. It's relevant to me because I had always paid tithes assuming it was still grounded in the Levitical tithing system. And then one day I began seriously looking at the subject in the NT, and came to the conclusion there is a tithe there.....

Where?

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by DaveC519

Anyone else understand biblical Greek? Anyone? Bueller?

Sorry, it's Bueller's day off.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by DaveC519

Anyone here read and understand biblical Greek?

houtoos kai is why the principle of the tenth (tithe) is valid in the NT.

Please post where this is found.
Please explain the context of the scripture(s) you are quoting.

Personally, I regard tithing as Biblical-- but can't adequately explain why.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Is it anyone else's experience that the Lord seems to provide more, bless more, etc when you practice tithing?

Does anyone personally know a person who tithed and gave offering regularly to become flat broke, without income or adequate income for the rest of their lives?

Is there anyone willing to say that they honestly believe that there is NO BENEFIT to tithing to the Lord?

The Lord has always blessed us because giving IS an OT and NT principle.

Whether you give only your 10% or whether you give 15% and beyond, and call it tithing, God will bless, because it is giving.

Whether you choose to just give to those in need around you, and to charitable organizations who are using every $$ to help the poor and those in need, you are giving.

God blesses GIVING, not tithing per se.

II Cor. 9:7 "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

If you give of necessity (think the tithing mandate) this is not true giving.

But if you purpose in your heart, giving cheerfully as each man has purposed in his heart... this is cheerful giving.

Giving dutifully 10% is not "purposing in your heart" but it has become a duty, and a necessity. This is not true giving. True giving is when you purpose to give to a need, whatever it may be, and do it cheerful and as the Lord has prospered you. This is giving, and God loveth a cheerful GIVER.

We stopped "tithing" a couple of years ago, and began to practice giving. In fact, we give in such a way that we can't even claim it on our taxes, and receiving it "back" from the government. (All those years, had we really been truly tithing? Giving to the church, and then claiming it on your taxes, and receiving part if not all of it back? I think not.)

Although, all the years we tithed, we did give it as unto the Lord, and the Lord did bless our giving.

We stopped giving in such a way as to claim our giving to the government as charitable donation, and actually receiving some or most of it back on our taxes. How is that giving, when you get it back? Hmm.

Since we have stopped supporting a pastor whose affluent lifestyle was far above and beyond any of the church people, and started giving to those who have next to nothing, and doing it in such a way that they don't even know we gave... God has blessed us.

Our bills have been paid, we have had plenty of food on our table, and we have had more than enough to give to those in need around us... that including our elderly parents who are in complete poverty after working their whole lives, and dependent on a few dollars from the government that is not even enough to cover their basic expenses in living, let alone all their medical bills. So we help our parents. We help those in need around us. We give to those who are ministering to the homeless and helpless. We give, and we don't receive it back from the government.

And God has continued to bless us.

Why? Because GIVING is the principle established that God blesses, not tithing.

[Jacob's Ladder]

Originally Posted by hometown guy

Tithing was around before Moses was around.

Animal sacrifice pre-dates the Mosaic law too. Shall we continue sacrificing?