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Christians and Tithe

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In a comment to a previous post, Kris asks whether Christians are required to tithe.  That was one of two questions and I divided them into two posts to allow for separate discussions of the question.

I don’t find tithing in the New Testament.  Now I’m not a purely “New Testament” believer.  I believe that principles God puts forth in the Old Testament can remain applicable, provided that they fit within the great change of the covenants.  It’s very easy, however, to misapply such commands when one doesn’t truly look through the Christological filter.

Tithing is such a command.  I believe that with the new covenant, God’s claim is upon all that we own, and that we are to be guided by the Holy Spirit in how much of what we retain for our use.  I prefer to express it that way over how much we give, though it is very scriptural to express it as God’s guidance to give (see 2 Corinthians 8 & 9).  Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian believers is a terribly neglected book.

There is a second point about tithing that I would like to address briefly:  Where do you give?  I don’t think we have a direct command on this, though the New Testament pattern of the church would suggest that we do all of our service, whether in labor or in finances, through our local “church of Christ” or our congregation.  I personally make it a spiritual discipline to give a certain amount through my local congregation, trusting that body to use it wisely to build the kingdom, even when I may have doubts.

In preparing to answer this question I found an essay by David Alan Black, author of two books from my company, who makes some similar points and provides more scripture.  Though I was already convinced of essentially what Dr. Black says on the topic, I was glad to find it laid out in a compact, scripturally supported fashion.

Comments

13 responses to “Christians and Tithe”

  1. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    Thank you for that answer. I find it very sound. Can I just see what your answer would be to the specific question of how should a pastor/ lead presbyter teach disciples of his to tithe? In the Old Testament law (which is the only model which gives specifics on tithing that I know of (particularly Numbers 18:1) God instructs the people that give the tithe to eat the tithe themselves, and also to share it with the priest. I think that in most modern Christian churches, the tithe is collected and all of it is used as the board of that church (or in the case of the church organization I was a minister in, the organizational headquarters board) sees fit. Yes, the church members benefit from the service of the pastor spiritually, but the people who brought tithes to the priests also benefited from the spiritual service of the priest, too, but they still partook of the food they brought to the temple as their tithe. I am not trying to be argumentative on this, and I am not trying to take either side, but simply raising that point for further examination, I hope, by us together. I hope I am not being a bother, and I appreciate your patience.

    Reply
    1. Henry Neufeld Avatar
      Henry Neufeld

      I’m answering again with a post: http://www.deepbiblestudy.net/?p=883.

      Reply
  2. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    I have to make a correction. I meant to reference the entire chapter of Numbers 18.

    Reply
  3. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    This is actually the portion of scripture that supports my claim that the tithe was actually eaten by the one who was giving it to the Lord: Deut 12:17-19
    The wave offering of the tithe I suppose was a portion of the tithe that belonged to the Levites, and then it seems to me that a portion of that (the best part of it) was then separated and given to Aaron, or over time, I suppose, whoever was the high priest at the time. However, my only point is that, according to the model given in Deut 12:17-19 a large portion (I assume) of the tithe was still used by the one who worked for those crops/ raised the animals, to feed himself, and his sons, and his servants, and maids. The only difference was he had to eat it in the temple- not at home, and share the wave offering portion of it with the Levites. My point is this: it seems that the Lord didn’t even require of him what the church at large claims the Lord requires: that we give it all to the church for the church to use as it sees fit. I hope this does not aggravate you in any way, as I very much respect your views on this, and I hope this is not taken as in a spirit of controversy, but rather an attempt at critical analysis of the Bible for the sake of a better understanding of it.

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  4. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    To add to this, I was just reminded that, although the book of Acts is, as far as I can remember, silent on tithing per say, it does say that they all ate their meat with gladness. The Bible says in Deut 12:18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose … and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

    Perhaps, because the spirit of the law is still applicable to the New Testament, and not the letter of the law, the idea that the disciples continued to practice was eating together, sharing what they had worked for with each other, and those who labored for the Lord, and those who were needy, as we are all priests in Christ in the New Testament (Rev 1:6), and rejoicing before the Lord in a place designated as a place of assembly for the purpose of worship, whether it be in a house or in a church building. The part of rejoicing before the Lord is important, and was commanded in the Old Testament, and was fulfilled by the disciples, perhaps because that was one of the purposes of tithing: to bring the best part before the Lord, and acknowledge Him for providing it for you, and to enjoy it, as you will the rest of it, but first, in a special way, rejoicing in the Lord because He has blessed you with your increase. The scriptures are very clear in the beginning of the book of Acts, that the disciples broke bread together, however, no mention of tithes being commanded or collected (that I can remember) only, as far as I can understand, collections for the poor.

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  5. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    I apologize, because I think I misunderstood your posting the first time I read it. I read it again, and I think you mean to say that you do not think tithing is a new testament command. If you don’t mind, could you just clarify?

    Reply
    1. Henry Neufeld Avatar
      Henry Neufeld

      I do not think tithing is a New Testament command. I believe that principles from tithing can carry over, but they must be implemented within the new covenant with the Holy Spirit guiding our stewardship. That new covenant says that all of us and all that we own belongs to God and we are guided by Him as we decide how to use it, always with a goal of building the kingdom.

      Reply
  6. Kris Avatar
    Kris

    Well said, if I may say so. I apologize coz I asked that last question before I realized you had moved the discussion to a different post.

    Reply
  7. Amos Akonto Avatar
    Amos Akonto

    Thanks for your publication. I pray the almighty God to give you all you need to cotinue the good work you are doing.
    Please may you explain to me the ff.
    WAS THE TITHE A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?

    Reply
  8. Amos Akonto Avatar
    Amos Akonto

    Thanks for your publication. I pray the almighty God to give you all you need to continue the good work you are doing.
    Please may you explain to me the ff.
    WAS THE TITHE A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?

    Reply
    1. Henry Neufeld Avatar
      Henry Neufeld

      Yes, tithing was a command to Israel. What I maintain is that the demand on the church is different from the command given to Israel. In my opinion, the church has an even greater demand placed on it.

      Reply
  9. Byron Avatar
    Byron

    In regards to tithing, the question is not
    what is someone’s opinion or interpretation of Malachi 3:10. The question is what does the Word of God say about Malachi 3:10 and other scriptures concerning the tithe? The Word of God is the truth and the Word of God addresses tithing. The tithe command in the Bible was part of the law, which was given by God to the Israelites through Moses. The tithe command had to do specifically with the produce of the land and the livestock (not money). The tithe can be found in the Old Testament (Leviticus 27:30-34) (Numbers 18:20-32) (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).The tithe command can be found in the New Testament (Hebrews 7:5). In Matthew 23:23, Jesus spoke of the Scribes & Pharisees tithe of the produce of the land (mint, anise & cummin). In Luke 11:42 Jesus spoke of the Pharisees tithe of the produce of the land (mint, rue and all manner of herbs). The Israelites followed the LAW which required them to tithe the produce of the land and the livestock as stated in Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and Malachi 3:7-12. There are no percentages placed upon the giver, as shown by Jesus in Mark 12:41-44 as the poor widow gave all she had to the temple treasury. The rich gave to the temple treasury out of their abundance in Mark 12:44, also proving that there are no percentages placed upon the giver. The temple treasury is where the money was given and the people gave freely to the temple treasury. There were no percentages for the giver. The tithe was a food program designed to feed the Levites, strangers to the land, the fatherless and the widows, as stated in Deuteronomy 14:29. The tithe consisted of the Israelites giving 10% of their produce of the land and the livestock. Hebrews chapter 7 verse 5 states: And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham. Numbers chapter 18 verse 21 states (God speaking to Aaron): And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. How do you give money? FREEWILL GIVING, which has NO PERCENTAGE placed upon the giver, as shown by Jesus in Mark 12:41-44 as there were NO PERCENTAGES placed on those giving to the treasury, and also stated by the Apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians 9:7, as Paul said “EVERY MAN according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver”. The Apostle Paul said that no one is to give out of necessity, which is the Greek word anagke (an-ang-kay’), which is defined as constraint, and a person is not to give out of having constraints placed on them to give. People are under no command to give any other way than as they purpose in their hearts to give as God has prospered them. The Apostle Paul did not teach the tithe and there are no records in the New Testament showing that the Apostle Paul paid tithes to anyone while following Jesus Christ, and there are no records in the New Testament of anyone in the Church of Jesus Christ paying tithes to anyone, or taking tithes from anyone. The reason that the tithe was not taught was because the tithe is not for the Church. The tithe is for the Levites, Levite priests and the Israelites and this is proven in the Word of God.

    Reply
    1. Henry Neufeld Avatar
      Henry Neufeld

      I actually agree with much of what your write here, but I take exception to your first two sentences. What you are doing is expressing your opinion about how these passages should be interpreted. I think your opinion is generally right, but that is my opinion. I wrote more about it here.

      Reply

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