Point - Counterpoint on Tithing

I believe tithing is for Christians today.

My view is found here:

http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2011/09/baptists-on-tithing.html

David R. Brumbelow

…says it all for me. In 2 Corinthians and elsewhere, the New Testament appeals to people to give cheerfully, not mechanically, and in no place does the New Testament command the church to give a tenth. Rather, we’re commanded to do what any smart farmer or investor does—sow appropriately with the goal of reaping bountifully.

Now I can concede that 10% may be a nice target or “gut check”—if you’re like the old joke where the dollar bills go to the collection plate, while the twenties go to restaurants, theaters, and the like, you may want to think about how bountifully you’re sowing—but the New Testament really suggests that, in light of the fact that we’re pilgrims here and not part of the land like Israel, we ought to consider how we invest more strategically than a tithe would suggest.

SBC Resolution on Tithing

http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2013/06/sbc-resolution-on-tithing.h…

David R. Brumbelow

Jews would have been familiar with the concept of tithing when they became Christians. Gentiles, on the other hand, would not. Therefore, if tithing was a requirement for the church, there should be some instruction to NT believers about tithing. There is none! Principles for giving are taught, but not in the context of tithing,

….on the part of the SBC there, as well as the article endorsing the tithe. As JohnBrian notes, the New Testament references, apart from two, are to giving, not tithing specifically, and the two references (same story) to tithing are when Jesus is talking to a Pharisee prior to the Crucifixion. To argue that the New Testament requires a tithe really requires a lot of reading into the text, sad to say.

Before the crucifixion, Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee when He said,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

Yet, I still believe it.

David R. Brumbelow

The discussion here highlights one of the most vexing questions in the church: what guidelines do we use to consistently apply God’s/Jesus’ commands issued to a specific person or group to the church body at large?

For example, is the judgment in Ezekiel 3:18 reserved solely for a disobedient Ezekiel, or does it extend to all Christians?

Virtually no Christian groups wash each other’s feet John 13:14.

Virtually no Christian groups advocate giving away all personal wealth Mark 10:21.

Even the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) had local consequence. The disciples to whom that command was given did go throughout the known world spreading the gospel. But does it apply to everyone and every church? How do we know?

The tithing issue will have its resolution through the same analysis. But alas, until Christ returns, (and maybe even then) we will all have a different set of filters we screen scripture through.

Don’t show Schreiner’s article to your congregation … unless you’re ready to get a part-time job! :)

Jim -

The way I see it, tithing is not about whether the church will be supported or not. It’s whether we are telling people to disobey God or not. It’s definitely a weighty subject.

….is that in the very verses the SBC and others use to justify tithing as a NT practice, Jesus is chastising the Pharisees for paying their tithes, but otherwise being hard-hearted and loveless in their approach to their brothers. As Jim hints at with his comment about Bill Gothard recycling OT law for his “life principles”, it can be tremendously difficult to implement them without doing the exact same thing as did they—becoming self-righteous and smug in their approach, and adding to the text of Scripture.

Now part of me must admit that I do use the tithe as a gut check to whether I’m truly being generous in my giving, so I’m pointing at myself here a little bit here, but I’ve also got experience that 2 Cor. 9: 7 works. One of my favorite examples is that in college, I noticed the young ladies in my dorm were really stressing, so I did a quick “collection” emphasizing that verse that quickly got enough for carnations for half the dorm—the feminine half. It got to be a tradition each finals week, and the problem was the ladies figured out I was behind it. So one term I decided not to….and other guys loved it so much they did it in my place and I got blamed for it anyways. (do hugs count as suffering for Christ? I didn’t think so, either)

Long and short of it is that with people who are maturing spiritually, there is nothing to be feared by abandoning preaching on the tithe. And for that matter, if the church is NOT mature enough to weather that storm, it’s probably time to preach 2 Cor. 9:7 emphatically anyways to help bring them to maturity.