House Church Talk - Tithing in Home Church

[Glenn Frank]

Hi Dan,

Personally I find no real footing for a "Tithe" in the church. I see
freewill giving as the pattern... But I realize that is not your point.

You asked what is the lesson God is trying to point out in OT tithing.

Personally I think it is equivalent to us rightfully paying taxes today to
the government... Knowing that it is our duty and command to contribute to
the support of the community - to honor the king.


The ONLY time Abraham 'tithed' was a ONE TIME tribute - 10% of all he had --
ONE TIME --. And he lived some time after he paid the tithe... So did he
forget to tithe on the things he earned and gained later in life? There is
no indication of this. He simply paid it to honor the King of Salem.

The OT tithe was more than 10%... They paid other things too... And they
were all for the support of the community/temple/needy.

Jesus told us to give to God what is God's and to Caesar what is Caesar's.

The main thing I see about tithing is that is it is a mandate (we should pay
our taxes to the government) that God calls us to be honest about and to do
as an obligation.

Freewill giving is also talked about in scripture and is to teach us to be
giving people and to be a way we express love for our fellow man.


So, regarding your family wanting to give money to this local church because
they are being blessed by it... I think they should be giving to the church
to be a blessing to them... and this is fine... But I would not think they
should feel obligated to give a 'tithe' (as if they were paying a due that
they owed for a service rendered).

In the home church setting... I see no real need for a home church to
collect money, unless the intent is to give it as a group to some need. The
only reason (in my opinion) that typical churches continue to claim the
tithe is legit in the NT church is because they have needs such as a
building, a staff, and bills to pay. All of which are really not
necessities. 

However, the money God's people 'tithe' to churches for these 'extraneous
expenses' takes away (in many cases) what could be done in the name of God
with the money that Christians WANT to give. Imagine what might happen if
God's people gave their money and resources to meet needs and to further
causes for the kingdom rather than paying the mortgage on the church
building and the electric company for providing the electricity for the
building.


Glenn Frank


On 1/8/04 2:06 PM, "Dan Beaty" <dlbeaty at copper.net> wrote:

> Perhaps the group here might offer some insights into the subject of
> tithing. When I was in the traditional church setting, I believed in giving
> to the local church and the system that was in place at the time.
> 
> In time, however, I began to question the system and how the money was
> administrated. Eventually I abandoned the eldership, which I as a part of,
> and the whole concept of the church as I understood it then. We now see the
> church as more a family than an organization. Giving continues in our HC,
> but more on an individual and personal basis.
> 
> Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for omitting the weightier matters, judgment,
> mercy and faith, not for tithing. But later when the temple system was
> destroyed, and the Levitical priesthood replaced by the "Royal Priesthood,"
> something had to change in the way the tithe was understood.
> 
> Giving to the poor, and the missionaries who are to "have their living of
> the Gospel" was not abandoned in the New Covenant. But I cannot find where
> these and other works are connected to tithing as in most churches today.
> 
> This question comes up because my son and his wife recently began attending
> a church in our area that is definitely helping them spiritually and
> naturally. They are excited about the principle of tithing, which I do not
> plan to discourage. What they see now is to put God first in everything,
> including their finances, to which I agree.
> 
> Has anyone found a Biblical basis for the tithing in the NT Church, and how
> it is to be practiced?
> 
> Personally, I do not have a great phobia of Old Testament truth, or that we
> are in great danger of coming under the law of Moses if we look into these
> things. I have more concern that people tend to take the path of least
> resistance - self indulgence when speaking of freedom from past practices.
> 
> So, instead of asking why tithing is not for today, I am looking for what
> God was teaching us in this OT practice, and how it can help us grow in the
> grace and knowledge of Him.
> 
> Dan Beaty
> 
>    
>   
>

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