"ENFORCED" TITHING
-Andrew Strom.
When I speak about "Tithing" I am not just talking about 'Giving'. Giving in itself is a wonderful thing - especially if it is from the heart. I am not against that at all. But what I am particularly addressing here is the "enforced" Tithing that is so often preached in churches today. The word "tithe" literally means 'a tenth'. And today it is used as a Law in many churches to force Christians to give one tenth of their income to that church. Many are told that they are "robbing God" if they do not give at least this much to the institution they attend each Sunday.
But is Tithing a New Testament practice at all? Is it really for Christians, or is it part of the Old Covenant? Is there really a law in force stating that all Christians must give ten percent? Or are we supposed to be "cheerful givers" - simply giving whatever God has placed on our hearts?
You may be surprised to learn how little the word 'Tithing' is even mentioned in the New Testament. In fact, there is no actual Scripture telling CHRISTIANS to tithe at all. There is one NT Scripture telling PHARISEES to tithe. But in all the letters of the apostles to the church, they never say that this was for Christians. And in the entire book of Acts (-a history of the first 30 years of the Early Church) there is NOT EVEN ONE mention of tithing. There are plenty of examples of people giving money "from the heart", but NO MENTION of tithing. Isn't that interesting?
Yet people will often quote the words of Jesus to the Pharisees as though this tells CHRISTIANS to keep tithing. But it doesn't. Here is what Jesus said: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former." (Matt 23:23, NIV).
Notice that Jesus refers to these things as "matters of the law". That is what they are. They are matters of the Old Testament Law - not part of the New Covenant for Christians. Jesus Himself referred to them that way. And notice who he was talking to in the above passage. He was talking to LAW-KEEPING JEWS who were still under the OLD COVENANT. (-The New Covenant would not begin until Jesus died and rose again). So what Jesus was saying was right - FOR THEM. But not for us - and not for now.
Yet the Tithing proponents seize on the phrase: "You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former." The reason they seize on this is because it is the ONLY Scripture they have in the whole New Testament that even vaguely pushes Tithing! And yet it is talking to Pharisees! And it clearly states that Tithing is a "matter of the law".
The New Testament clearly teaches: "You are not under law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14). "But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under law." (Gal 5:1. In fact, the only other passage that really focuses on Tithing in the New Testament underlines this very point. At the start of Hebrews 7 there is a passage referring to tithing in the Old Testament. It clearly states that tithing is part of the Old Law (v 5). And then it goes on to say: "The former regulation is set aside because it is weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." (Heb 7:18-19).
The point being made here is that the Old Covenant was a covenant of "regulations" (like HAVING to give one tenth) but the New Covenant is a covenant of the HEART. And we are to give out of a heart overflowing with the love of God. -NOT because we are "forced" to give one tenth! The Old Law is gone. We live under a New Covenant today.
At this point, the Tithing people usually take on a different argement - that "Tithing came before the Law." They use the example of Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20). Therefore, they say, it still applies to us today.
Well, I have one simple question here: Isn't it true that CIRCUMCISION came before the Law also? (See Gen 17). And everyone knows that Circumcision is treated as part of the Old Law that has been done away with. It is the same with Tithing.
As former pastor Bruce Lengeman states in his article 'The Raping of the Tithe': "The title sounds harsh, but I believe it is fairly accurate due to the damage done by the erroneous teaching of the doctrine of tithing... Plain and simple, the doctrine of tithing as it is commonly taught in the contemporary evangelical, or Bible-believing church is twisted exegesis!"
HOW THEN SHOULD WE GIVE?
Today when it comes to 'Giving' we are often preached-to out of Malachi 3 in the Old Testament, which tells the Jewish people to "bring the full tithes into the storehouse" and says that they were "robbing God" and they were "cursed" if they did not do so. (Mal 3:8-10).
Many preachers love to equate the 'storehouse' with their own church(!!), so that they can apply this Scripture to themselves. But the reality is very different. As Bruce Lengeman states: "The 'storehouse' of Malachi has no likeness to the church structure of today. The storehouse was neither a place of assembly, nor a place of worship. It was merely a storehouse for tithed goods to be distributed to Levites, who had no inheritance, and also to widows, strangers, and orphans."
And when we get to the Book of Acts we find that indeed MOST OF THE MONEY that came in actually went to feed and clothe the poor and the widows. In fact, it was a common practice for the Christians to sell any spare possessions and lay the money at the apostles' feet, for distribution to the poor. (See Acts 4:32-37). What love these people demonstrated! And this was true giving "from the HEART", not from some "LAW" that told them how much to give.
There is also plenty of support in the New Testament for giving to those who minister the gospel. (See 1 Cor 9:13-14, 1 Tim 5:17, etc.) But there is a far greater emphasis on giving to widows and orphans.
What I believe God would have us do today is be led by the Holy Spirit in our giving. Find ways to give to the poor and the widows in an effective way. (-For instance, some Christian charities like 'Open Doors' support persecuted Christian widows in Islamic countries, etc). Also find effective Christian ministries to give to. We need to be free to give where God leads us - with a truly cheerful heart.
As one of my readers wrote to me recently:
"You sent an email about 2 months ago that convicted me that giving was to be based on the New Testament model -giving cheerfully as we purpose - instead of being under the law. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. I have found that since I give cheerfully whenever Father shows me to give that I have had my socks blessed off. I was always giving 10% to my local church and never seeing any great results. I became convicted that my worship leader needed the money so out of a strong conviction to give it to him I did so. I found that suddenly at work my sales went through the roof. Before I was doing so poorly I was close to losing my job. I know the only difference is following the Holy Spirit and doing what He tells me with my money based on the New Testament example."
C.H. wrote:
"Its no joke being told to tithe on a benefit raising 3 children with no support from your ex-husband and little support from my family (my mother is a widow). Yet every church I went to laid this impossible burden on me except the Anglican church... But the guilt and condemnation laid upon me by the previous churches led me to falsely believe the reason why I was always so poor was because I wasn't tithing 10% and that I had robbed God by my previous disobedience and that I needed to make it up.
All the testimonies of miraculous provision and my lack of them always kept me bound into believing that 1) It was my lack of faith, 2) I wasn't being obedient to the law of tithing, 3) I was under a curse. Try telling your hungry children why the church was getting our money and they were always going without. This went on for years. It wasn't until I stopped going to church over a year ago that I prayed and asked God to show me where to give and how much and he showed me Tear Fund Microenterprise Trust which lends money to poor people (usually widows) to get them started into business, etc, and they pay it back and someone else borrows it. And its not 10% I give but I can give freely and cheerfully to those who really need it. I feel the tithe I gave was a curse indeed - but to me for being under the Law... It never really produced fruit except occasionally the church would pay for my children to attend a camp. The provision I have needed over the years for my children was poured into church salaries and buildings and while they all lived in comfort we went without. 10% isn't much when you earn $1000 a week but it is the difference between buying food or paying a bill when you get $450 to feed, house and clothe 4 people.
Occasionally some kind folk would secretly slip me some money, but generally I was treated like an inferior (it was obvious God wasn't blessing me their way so I must be at fault). This caused me to feel such shame that I stopped mentioning my financial needs. I just got into debt on a credit card as this was the only way to make up for all the shortfall of my pay. This whole matter stinks if you ask me. Often I felt like asking the church leaders if they would like to 'live in faith' weekly for their provision for their churches like I had to for my family."
FURTHER BIBLE STUDY:
Deut 14:22-29, Matt 23:23, Rom 6:14, Gal 5:18, Heb 7:5, Heb 7:18-19, Gen 14:18-20, Gen 17:9-11, Gen 2:3, Col 2:13-14, Col 2:16-17, Rom 14:5-6, Gal 5:2-4, Acts 15:22-29, Acts 4:32-37, 1 Cor 9:13-14.
God bless you all.
