Without references, here are my conclusions on the Bibles teaching on giving and tithing.
The Bible teaches us that:
- Christians should regard everything they have as being owned by God.
- Christians should give generously, sacrificially, cheerfully, and as God leads them to give.
- The Old Testament tithe was of agricultural products only. (Those who made a living through commerce did not tithe on the portion of their income that came from commerce.)
- In Old Testament times, the largest portion of an individuals tithe was not given to the priests or the temple.
- The largest portion of the tithe was consumed by the person giving the tithe (and his family) and/or was given to the poor and needy.
Historical writings teach us that:
- The Pharisees believed that a tithe should be made against all forms of income, not just agricultural income.
- The tithe was not a part of the early church.
- The tithe was implemented by the church sometime around the third century to support the churchs infrastructure and building programs.
Summary Conclusions
- The Bible does not teach that Christians should tithe.
- It is wrong to say that the Bible teaches that Christians should give 10 percent of their gross income to their local church.
- God wants to be in control of our finances, just like He wants to be in control of every facet of our life.
- For any given Christian it may be right or it may be wrong to tithe. It depends on what God wants them to do with His money.
- It is wrong to say that not to tithe is the same as robbing God.
In the next few posts, Ill restate my conclusions and give references in support of each conclusion.