From: "Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@sol.wwwnexus.com"
<Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@sol.wwwnexus.com>
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>, Hebraic Heritage
Newsgroup 2 <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Biblical Stewardship
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 15:18:43 -0800
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
From: Kevin Whitehead
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Biblical Stewardship
Should Christians Tithe?
by: Kevin Whitehead
WHAT IS TITHING?
Tithing is the practice of giving one-tenth of one's income or
possessions to one's leader. In Judaism, that leader was God. The
first tithe recorded in the Bible was given by Abraham to
Melchizedek, king of Salem. "....Then Abram gave him a tenth of
everything." (Genesis 14:20) The next biblical mention of a tithe is
when Jacob made a vow to God, saying, "...of all that you give me
I will give you a tenth." (Genesis 28:22) Secular kings often
demanded tithes as well, as a tax on the peoples they ruled. Samuel
told the Israelites who were asking for a king that a king would
"...take a tenth of your grain and your vintage..." as well as "...a
tenth of your flocks." (1 Samuel 8:15,17)
Eventually, the tithe was codified into the Law of Moses,
under which the Israelites were required to give three different
tithes amounting to around 23% of their income. The first tithe was
consumed by the giver each year during the annual temple feast.
Regarding this tithe, the Israelites were instructed as follows:
"...set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat
the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your
herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he
will choose as a dwelling for his Name...." (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)
The second tithe was given annually to support the Levites: "I give
to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance...."
(Numbers 18:21) The third tithe was given once every three years for
the support of the poor: "At the end of every three years, bring all
the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that
the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and
the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may
come and eat and be satisfied...." (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; see also
Deuteronomy 26:12)
GUIDELINES FOR CHRISTIAN GIVING
The absence of a command for tithing does not relieve Christians
of the responsibility to give. Rather, Christians are held to the
higher standard of stewardship -- acknowledging that everything we
have is a gift from God and being willing to give it all up at any
moment that Christ commands (Matthew 19:21).
The Bible specifies two main reasons for Christian giving.
First, Christians should provide for the needs of fellow
Christians who are experiencing financial hardships. For example,
while Barnabas and Saul were ministering in Antioch, "...some
prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named
Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe
famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened
during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his
own ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in
Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas
and Saul." (Acts 11:27-30) Later in Paul's ministry, he gave
instruction to other churches that they also should give to the poor
Christians in Jerusalem. To the Christians in Corinth he wrote: "Now
about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian
churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you
should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it
up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." (1
Corinthians 16:1-2) Later, he explained to the Christians in Rome,
"...Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the
poor among the saints in Jerusalem." (Romans 15:26) Today's
Christians should follow these examples and provide for the needs of
our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in financial distress.
A second reason for Christian giving is to support Christian
leaders. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that "...those who preach the
gospel should receive their living from the gospel." (1 Corinthians
9:14) To the Galatians, he wrote: "Anyone who receives instruction in
the word must share all good things with his instructor." (Galatians
6:6) Note that Christians are not restricted to giving only to one's
local fellowship. Instead, Christians should give to those who
disciple them, whether within their local fellowship or not.
The final question remains -- how much should Christians give?
Each Christian "...should give what he has decided in his own heart
to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) No set amount or percentage of
income is dictated, rather, "...if the willingness is there, the gift
is acceptable according to what one has, not according
to what he does not have." (2 Corinthians 8:12)
In summary, Christians should not subject themselves to the
Old Testament style of the tithe. Instead, they should give according
to the following four New Testament guidelines. Christian giving
should be:
o Proportional to one's income (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8:12)
o Consistent (1 Corinthians 16:2)
o Sacrificial (Mark 12:43-44, 2 Corinthians 8:2-3)
o Cheerful (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Christians should live their lives open-handed -- acknowledging
that they are merely stewards of God's possessions. They should
always be willing to give 100% of that which they steward at any time
required by the Lord (Matthew 19:21). Indeed, they should even be
willing to offer their very "...bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God...." (Romans 12:1)
Kevin Whitehead
************************************************************************
To educate, train and equip for study both the Jew and
Non-Jew in the Rich Hebraic Heritage of our Faith.
Please visit the Hebraic Roots Global Network
Web Site located at:
http://www.hebroots.org/
7th MILLENNIUM PROPHECY CONFERENCE
Featured Speakers:
Hal Lindsey
Yacov Rambsel
J.R. Church
Chuck Missler
Eddie Chumney
Topics to be discussed:
Y2K Computer Problem
Bible Codes
Economic Collapse
Armeggon: The Final Battle
Israel's Peace Process
Restoration of the Two Houses of Israel
Festival of the Lord in Prophecy
Unveiling Daniel's book
January 22-24, 1999
Trinity Church
12330 Perry Road
Houston, Texas
Sponsored by "Watchman of Issachar Ministry" in
association with Beth HaNeshrim and Kehilat Dvar
Hashem Messianic Congregations and Trinity Church
For more information, Contact "Watchman of Issachar Ministry"
1-888-825-1284 or Rick Avalle: 1-281-584-5660
E-mail: Issachar@flash.net