10% of Grace

To Tithe or not to Tithe...Is that the Question?

      Tithing is a simple enough concept... Right? Iwould suggest that maybe it's not as cut and dry as we so often take forgranted. This blog will challenge conventional perspectives on tithing and seekto present, what I would suggest, is a more biblical perspective of financialstewardship and God's requirements on our finances. Don't label me a hereticand stone me just yet. All I ask is that you open your mind and heart to letthe word of God speak truth and if you disagree, I would love to hear from youregarding where I am mistaken. I am far from perfect nor have I fully arrivedtheologically and I hope I never assume that I have. 

My intent in writing this is not to condemnpeople who tithe faithfully, nor is it to suggest that we have no financialresponsibility to the advancement of the Gospel. My intent, however, is to freepeople from the obligation of giving %10 and release them into the grace ofcheerful giving.  

This is not an important issue to say the least... It is only a secondary biblical issue. No one is going to hell because they do or do not tithe. 

The Bible vs.Our Prejudice

If you've grown up in the church or haveever attended church, you are probably familiar with the concept oftithing. I still remember sitting in a church service scribbling randomness ona tithing envelope. On that envelope was a pie chart with a picture of aquarter and cut from that quarter was a slice representing ten percent. That'swhen it hit me; a tithe is ten percent of our earnings. I thought I wasa genius in that moment (I was 8 it didn't take much).

I started to realize over the past few years thatmost of what I knew about tithing was second hand knowledge. That's always adangerous place to be. This leads me to ask you, "Have you ever studiedtithes for yourself?" If not, I would encourage you to begin looking intowhat the Bible teaches about tithing (it's actually very interesting). Stop reading right now and read yourBible.

Lets be honest, we have all (mostly) grown upbeing taught that tithing is a biblical principal that we are supposed touphold. If you are a Christian you should tithe. Is that really true though?What if I told you that tithing was not common practice in the church until thefourth century? That's about 75 years after the Council of Nicea. Doesn't thatstrike you as interesting that they didn't practice tithe but we do? It wasalso about 75 years after the Roman Empire (through constantine) endorsedChristianity, which was the beginning of the decline of integrity in churchdoctrine and practice.

What does the New TestamentTeach about Tithing?

Honestly nothing... It is not found in NewTestament teaching that Christian believers should give tithe. It is not evensuggested as an occasional practice let alone normative within NewTestament writing. You may disagree with that statement profusely (I would saybased on prejudice rather than scripture). Many base arguments fortithing out of Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 saying that Jesus endorses tithe,but that would require a shallow exegesis of those passages. 

In Matt 23:23 Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribesand Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and haveneglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."

Jesus is not teaching that tithe should becontinued. He is rebuking the Pharisees because their legalistic attempts atupholding the law were not enough. If you use this verse to argue that Jesus isespousing tithe, you should probably know that tithing mint, dill, and cuminwas not commanded in the Mosaic Law, but was added into the oral tradition ofthe Rabbi's and practiced by the Scribes and Pharisees. So if Jesus isespousing them to continue in this tithe (which he's not) he would beencouraging them to fence the law of God, therefore contradicting himself inother passages where he rebukes fencing the law. Jesus is not espousing them intithing, he is rebuking them for their legalism and neglect of the true purposeof the law.

It is important also to note that Jesus istalking to Pharisees here. These are men who are obligated to uphold the law.By saying they should have tithed he is simply telling people obligated tofulfill the law that they SHOULD try to fulfill the law, as it was their duty.As Christians we are not obligated to fulfill the law because Christ fulfilledit for us (Matthew 5:17). I would suggest a quick study of Galatians 5 tounderstand our freedom from the entire law and the consequences associated withburdening yourself by trying to uphold any one part of the law. 

Lastly we need to recognize that he is tellingthem they did right in upholding THEIR law, not God's law. Tithing mint, dill,and cumin was pharisaical law that went far beyond the tithe God required. Manis bound by his own conscience. Their conscience was subject to the laws theysubmitted themselves to. If your conscience leads you to tithe... then tithe!If your conscience says it's okay to eat meat sacrificed to idols... eat meatsacrificed to idols! "All things are permissible but not all things arebeneficial" (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:23). All I'm saying is you don't HAVE totithe! Unless of course your conscience makes you. 

So What's the Alternative?

So if we don't have to tithe what do we do withour money? The truth is the Bible requires a lot more than %10. An early NewTestament believer would laugh if you told them they had to give %10. Why?Because they already signed their own death sentence by accepting Christ.Throughout the New Testament we see Paul espousing christians to give as theysee fit. Perhaps the most abused passage used during mini tithe sermons is 2Corinthians 9:6-9. The funny thing is that 2 Corinthians 8-9 teaches theopposite of obligatory tithe which is... Grace. 

The fact of the matter is that we as Christiansare to give as we see fit. I would suggest that if our heart has trulyencountered the grace of God our desire to give will far exceed that of %10.This is what the early church experienced and what Paul praised the church inMacedonia for doing (2 Cor. 8:1-5). So before you start to think I'm saying weshouldn't give money to the church for the advancement of the Gospel, let mejust say that I believe we should give... and give in abundance, according tothe Grace of God in our lives. 

Just for Fun: What is OldTestament Tithe?

The Old Testament is where most churchesgather their Christian concept of tithing, more specifically from OldTestament law. The funny thing is most Christians don't even know what the OldTestament tithe even consisted of (myself included before this study). So letstake a closer  look at what the Old Testament tithe really was.

Now some of you may say that tithing precededthe law... and you are absolutely correct. Did you know though that it alsopreceded Abraham and Melchizedek and likely all biblical literature altogether?  Tithing was a common practicethroughout the middle east and was the standard method of supporting a templeor sanctuary of worship. Tithing is not and was not limited to Christianity orthe Judaic Law. When Abraham tithed to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20) it wasnot out of religious obligation or obedience to a command from God, neither was it setting an example for Gods people.Rather, it was in following the tradition and culture of the time. Why is thisimportant? By understanding the nature of Abrahams tithe we see that tithing asa Christian concept should only be debated in reference to the law and NewTestament teaching. Not extra biblical culture or practice as is displayed byAbrahams tithe. Basically... you can't use the fact that Abraham paid tithe toprove that we should pay tithe even though we are no longer under law.

So what does the Old Testament actually teachabout tithing? Your guess is as good as any other theologians, but seriously.There are things we know for sure about tithing, but in reality... It'sconfusing. There are so many different references to tithe throughout Mosaiclaw that it is hard to distinguish what is what. From this confusion manydifferent theories have arose. One example is that there were different typesof tithe, possibly in upwards of three, which add up to %23.3 not a mere %10 asis widely taught today. Beyond the speculation and assumptions what do we KNOWabout biblical tithe?

Here's a short list

- It was a requirement of the Mosaic law.

- It was intended every three years to providefor the poor, the fatherless, the Levites and a 1/10 of the 1/10 was to go tothe priests.

- It was to be from livestock and grain

- You could give thefinancial equivalent of grain plus an extra %5 if you preferred, butthis did not apply to livestock.

- It was to be taken to Jerusalem every year andconsumed there in a giant feast/party in celebration of God. 

- If Jerusalem was too far away you could sellyour livestock and grain to then purchase either food or strong drink tobe consumed in Jerusalem. 

The list goes on and on, but what I want us torealize is this: the tithe was to provide for the levites and the priests. Thekicker, however, is they would consume their own tithe at a giant party (Deut.12, Deut 14). Most Christians probably wouldn't know that (again I didn't). Thetithes were not stored up in some holy barn for Gods enjoyment. Gods enjoymentin tithing came from the people celebrating his provision by eating anddrinking. Tithing was not instituted to take care of a building, church,temple, or any other place of worship. It was to provide for those who servedin the temple and to supply a feast for Gods people.

Conclusion

I'm tired of writing about tithes so... goodbye! Be blessed ya'll