For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Pastor Shaun Bridgens
Greeting Saints of God
Tithing is indeed an old testament principle and when you go back and study the actual purpose of the tithe you will conclude that if we have to observe the tithing principle you will no longer give 10% but 23%.
The mega churches and even small ministries out there does NOT understand god's monetary system.
Its is because people have fallen away from the Faith and trusting in the almighty dollar sign that they use scriptures such as Malachi 3:8 to torture Christians and make them believe they are "stealing" from God.
I have long debated this topic and i agree that Paul echoes this perfectly clear.
Look at the book of Acts for an example. Look at the Churches across Asia
One such example is in Acts 11:27-29 where there was a need in Judea and the Disciples all contributed and sent relief to them.
Today we focus only on ONE THING which is money.
If we read the Scriptures properly we will see that Jesus spoke about the love of money rather than the Love for God in the last days (Matthew 24)
I would like to encourage everyone, instead of focussing on material things let us strive to walk closer to God and Serve Him in Spirit and in Truth. (John4:21-24)
In conclusion, we are no longer under the law but under Grace. Christ came to fulfill the law and as I recall His words that He came and presented us with a new Covenant, meaning the old one has been fulfilled (Matthew 26:28)
Let us not condemn those who preaches and teaching tithing for their own greed but let us continue to pray for them as they are still our fellow brothers and sisters.
Bruce Morgan
I have also heard there were two annual tithes and a third every three years, making up roughly 23% per year, plus any free-will offerings on top.
Also that tithing was practiced in many ancient cultures.
I have also heard that, just as Jesus took the OT commands and extended them (Mat 5:17-48) in the passages "you have heard it said...but I say to you..." so we should consider 100% of our money and possessions belong to God, who gave them to us in the first place.
I would be interested to hear what others think.
Larry Truelove
The very issue of NT tithing begs the question where it should go. But since the NT does not affirm a tithe suggests that it is not a NT teaching. Giving to the church is but never tithing. It was always OT, never new.
Lynn Whitmer
As a new Christian I asked a friend of mine" tithe on net or gross salary" her answer- " do you want net blessings or gross blessings" that was easy, and I agree. You can not out give God.
Heather Causey
I believe the teaching of Malachi 3:10. I believe in giving 10 percent back to the Lord. He could require us to give 90 percent and live off 10 percent. I also believe if a person is in a tough situation(financially) and can't give 10 percent of his/her income, that if they do give something the Lord will bless and provide for him/her. I do believe in tithing on anything that you make such as at a yard sale, the selling of a car, etc. Once a christian is able to give their 10 percent then that is what they should do. We must be obedient to the Lord. Be a cheerful giver.
Ike Okadigwe
Did Jesus tithe? Yes he did. How do I know? Look at Matthew 5:17-19 - 17 'Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'
Thank God that Jesus has gifted us His righteousness, so that we can become the righteousness of God. But to continue, as one responder rightly pointed out, Jesus even went beyond tithing, and gave His worldly possessions, body, mind, soul and spirit to His Father, the only Living God. This is the example we are called to follow as followers of Jesus Christ. We can only do this by the Power and Wisdom of the Holy Spirit, not in human strength and wisdom.
Larry Truelove
How could Jesus tithe without an income?
Bruce Morgan
Jesus was exempt (Matt 11:24-27) from paying. Yet He gave his all as a Freewill Offering for our sake.
The temple tax of those times fulfilled for the people the requirement that they pay to the temple atonement money, as commanded in Exodus 30:11–16. Jesus, being sinless, would be exempt from such a payment, for He needs no atonement.
Note also that the tax was not a percentage: "The rich are not to give more and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives."
Ike Okadigwe
Did Jesus really have no income whilst here on Earth though? Jesus was in public ministry for about 3 of His reported 33 years on Earth. There is indirect evidence that He must have worked, likely as a carpenter, just like His earthly father Joseph prior to entering into ministry and teaching. So it is likely he had an income for most of His adult life on Earth. Jesus has physical as well as spiritual integrity, and has experienced everything we experience, yet does not choose to sin. He spoke about the widow who gave two mites (Mark 12:41-43) to the treasury. Do we really believe that Jesus never gave to that treasury? Even during His public ministry, He had an income. Judas was documented in the Bible as man who had the bag (money box) which implies income (John 13:28-30), used for ministry. Even today, pastors employed by churches full or part time tithe and give offerings. Jesus is likely to have done the same, and there is ample evidence to be gleaned from the Bible to show that He did.
Larry Truelove
We are not told, anywhere that I am aware of, that Jesus practiced the carpentry of His father. Any profit would likely have gone into the collective family budget, unless Jedus took up the trade when Joseph died. And scripture is silent on that.
The tithe in the OT was off the produce of one's agricultural income, mainly. And His "income" was of the collective group of Him and His disciples, not individually. His income was likely from donations, a certain portion of which was barely enough to feed the group. His disciples were observed picking the heads off the grain fields and accused of violating the sabbath. That privilege was reserved for the poor. And when the Jews chastised Peter for not paying the Temple tax, Jesus sent Peter to retrieve the money from a fish's mouth, not from the collective bag from the group.
But in any event, it doesn't matter whether He tithed or not, the command to tithe was OT, never NT. So, if Jesus tithed, we are not directly told. And that would not make it a NT ordinance if He did.
Ike Okadigwe
I refer back to Matthew 5: 17 - 'Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.' This is not OT but NT. But that does not matter anyway. Jesus never talked about NT or OT, because the whole Bible is His Word, He does not pick and choose which to fulfil. I am satisfied that Jesus was tithing and rendering offerings etc while here on Earth, and that the Bible reveals and affirms it.
Larry Truelove
Not abolishing the law doesn't mean the law is still in force. It means that it got fulfilled and passed away. See Hebrews 8:13. It says it was obsolete nearly 2,000 years ago even as The book of Hebrews was being written.
Jesus never said not one jot or tittle would ever pass away, He said it would be be fulfilled before it did. Read the whole of His statement, not merely the part you like. Make no mistake, there's no temple and therefore no priesthood to tithe to, no animals to tithe with, no sacrifices. There's no Temple to keep up. You can't have merely part of the law. It's all fulfilled or none of it is.
Bruce Morgan
The words "Old Testament" and "New Testament" are not just a convenient way to separate the Bible. Just as in "Last Will and Testament" they refer to totally separate legal agreements, sealed in blood, between God and his Chosen People.
The old Covenant Contract ended with Jesus' death (2 Cor 3:14) and he instituted a whole new Covenant Contract in His blood (Luke 22:20).
The Old Covenant is completely fulfilled and ended. It does not bind God and Christians.
We are held to a much higher standard than OT laws regarding our thoughts and actions (Matt 5:21-48) summarised as " be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect".
The way we enter into this covenant is totally different (John 20:31), and we have the gift of God-in-us (the Spirit) to enable us to live up to the bargain (Romans 8:23).
We are No Longer bound by the old agreement (Act 15:1-30) and Romans 6 makes it abundantly clear we died with Christ so are no longer 'alive' to have old yokes placed upon us. However we are not free to sin (Romans 6:1-2). We are bound to God by Jesus' new Covenant.
Ferdy Mercado
Actually, they practiced even more than just tithing (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35). And those who desecrated the act paid dearly (Acts 5:1-11).
If it was not for God's mercy, there would only be a handful of Christians today.
Tithing is one's prerogative, depending on His knowledge about God's mercy. Those who experienced more of His mercy were more willing to tithe than those who were not.
Jennifer Rothnie
What is shown in Acts 2 and 4 is not tithing to the Jewish Levites for the service of the Jewish temple, but generosity within the Christian community. And in Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira were not in trouble because they desecrated some act of tithing, but because the claimed to be giving all from a piece of property but then lied about it. They wanted the 'fame' coming with a public act of charity, but to not actually have to give up all the money.
"Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”"
It wasn't the failure to give that was the problem, but the lie.
Christians today can't tithe under the OT law nor would we want to - WE collectively and individually are the temple of the Lord and we are the 'royal priesthood' in service of Christ, not ethnic Levites. I doubt any Christian today set's aside 10% of the increase of their goods to go to Levites living in Jerusalem, or saves up 10% to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
While we can take the 10% as basic framework for giving, if we want, Christ calls us to a generous heart that looks to fulfill needs, not a specific ritual or amount. And we can give to all sorts of needs - physical needs, missionary work, parachurch ministries, etc. - not just to a local meeting place.
Ferdy Mercado
The issue is not giving tithe or not, but SELF-DENIAL, which is far more important than any religious act or ritual.
mark albright
It depends...do you want God to bless you on the gross or the net? You can't outgive God.