ON TITHING FOR NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS

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On Tithing for New Testament Believers

~ L.D. Oxford

For most of my adult Christian life, I have always believed in giving to God, and to help others. Not out of obligation, but because God placed the desire within me to be a generous person whenever I am able to do so. When, I lacked, I probably did less than at other times. When, I abounded more financially then, I would desire to do over and above what I did before.

I do believe in extravagant giving when it comes to serving the Lord, and it is not so that I can get something back, or to receive some special recognition from others, but simply because it is the best choice for me, and know that it is the right thing to do. Giving of our time, labors, and finances is certainly a part of our worship and honor towards God. When we love and honor God in giving of ourselves and resources then, we will also love and honor people as we should, as well.

Friends, the truth is, there is not one supportive scripture that commands, or even suggests in the New Testament that believers should tithe 10% ...or to tithe any percentage, period!. Jesus spoke about selling all, giving money to the poor, and the blessing of giving. But He never taught His disciples tithing of money, as an obligation anywhere in the gospels. Remember, this was also before the birth of the early church.

Then, a little later on after Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and the birth of the early church, there was still no evidence of tithing being taught by the Apostles to the early believers either. Therefore, it is only New Testament giving out of a loving and cheerful heart, but not out of a regulation of tithing. Instead of giving our little 10%, why not just give to God 100% or our lives? Then, we will truly want to become extravagant givers, not because we have to, but because we desire to, out of the Love of our hearts for the Lord, and for the people. This is the real love and obedience to God in operation, and genuine love has a spontaneous flow, and wants to give cheerfully, not because it has to, but, because it wants to.

In the book of Acts, there were those who sold their possessions and laid the proceeds at the Apostles feet so, that it could be distributed where needed. But, this was not some huge salary for the Apostles themselves. They shared as community, so that those who had needs would be taken care of. Now, that's real Church! :)

Fellowship of the Early Believers = Real Church - On Giving and Distribution

Acts 2:44-47, All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4:32-35, All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

Note: Also, they never gave "to get something back" from God, or to become rich, as we see is so prevalent in westernized Christianity today.

New Testament giving is best summed up in the following passages: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV

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Here is a second short explanation that I recently saw from John MacArthur Jr., which explains a little more perspective on tithing, and I quote:

MacArthur says: "Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (always compulsory), and giving to God (always voluntary).The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel."

"Because Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today's income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11). So the total giving required of the Israelites was not 10 percent, but well over 20 percent. All that money was used to operate the nation."

"All giving apart from that required to run the government was purely voluntary (Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9). Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give; no percentage or amount was specified."

"New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about the only required giving in the church age, which is the paying of taxes to the government. Interestingly enough, we in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government--a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel."

"The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: 'Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.'"