I am always worried that churches exercise control and don’t release people into true freedom in God. The worst thing this does is create an impression that as long as we do certain things and believe certain things – in the case of tithing, as long as we give enough – we are O.K. This is not grace!
Take tithing. It makes great sense for a church to teach tithing because by it we truly honour God with our bank balances, we throw down the god of money and demonstrate how spiritual we are. OR do we? By the way we also keep the church ticking over financially which is very handy for people like me – a full time pastor – who needs paying!
Why did no one ever tell me that in the “Law,” the Old Testament part of the Bible, I got to eat all my tithe at a feast to celebrate God’s goodness? Why did they tell me I had to give 10% of my income when a simple Bible study reveals that you only gave ten percent every three years? Why did no one ever point out that most of the giving mentioned in the New Testament is based on the principle of “giving in keeping with your income” which releases us from the legalism of tithing into the personal free responsibility to find out from God if and what we should give? Why did no one dare to say that in the New Testament most of the giving spoken and taught about is actually giving to poor people and not to sustain the church? Why did no one ever paint such a brilliant picture of church that I wanted to give my all, including my money, to help paint that picture into being?
(Update: Listen to Andrew’s Sunday Talk on The Truth About Tithing)
I sincerely disagree with in three points. (1) The NT never divorced tithing from the rest of the Mosaic Law and teaches it to the Church. (2) Only the 2nd tithe was eaten at the feasts, not the first Levitical tithe. (3) The third year poor tithe was different from the Levitical and feast tithe and was kept at home. I invite you to check out my 19 point essay adn free book download, Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine. You will find much more that will surprise you. May God bless you.
WS SERVICE, March 7, 2007
Malachi 3:10 Has Been Misinterpreted
The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple! According to Dr. Russell Earl Kelly in his book, Should the Church Teach Tithing?, the usual interpretation of Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” is wrong for three reasons.
First, the Levitical cities must be included. God never told ordinary Israelites to bring the whole tithe to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Nehemiah 10:38 that duty belonged to the Levites and priests. The Levites lived on borrowed land surrounding 48 cities. After the exile they lived in the 13 priestly cities in Judah such as Jericho and Hebron. Nehemiah 10:37b makes it clear that the people were to bring the tithes to those cities. Numb 18:21-24; 35 all; Josh 20, 21; 1st Chron 6:48-80; 2nd Chron 11:13, 14; 31:15-19; Neh 12:27-29; 13:10 and Mal 1:14.
Second, the correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10 must include the 24 courses of the Levites and priests. Only the older males ate tithes at the Temple and then normally only one week out of 24 weeks! Do the math! That is only 4% of the total work force! And with the wives and younger children staying at home it is only 2% of the total work force who needed to eat tithes in the Temple! 1 Chronicles, chapters 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
Third, the word “you” of Malachi is referring to the dishonest priests and not the people: “Even this whole nation of you –priests.” In Nehemiah 13:5-10 the priests had clearly stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. Also, in Malachi 1:14 the priests had stolen that portion of the tithed animals which they had vowed to God from their herds. Read all of Malachi. God’s anger towards the priests and His curses on them are ignored by most interpreters (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
When the Levitical cities, the 24 courses and God’s anger towards the priests for stealing are considered, then Malachi 3:10 only makes sense when it only refers to priests who had stolen from God. Proof-text hermeneutics cause error.
It makes no sense to tell the people to bring 100% of the tithe to the Temple when 98% of those who needed it for food were still in the Levitical cities.
I guess it goes without saying that when a pastor teaches on tithing it will generate some controversy. I happen to work for the Free Methodist Foundation which operates within the United States to support the churches and ministries of the Free Methodist Church here. I am glad I happened by your blog. One of the things our Foudnation does is assist our local churches in encouraging Biblical stewardship. I won’t offer a 19 point essay or try to sell a book but, but would like to add some of my own thoughts to hopefully encourage you and your church:
1) Not too long ago I had a discussion with one of our Free Methodist scholars who teaches Old Testament at Azusa Pacific University in the greater Los Angeles area of California. He would agree with the assessment of New Testament giving: “giving in keeping with your income” In his opinion the New Testament “standard” is actually a freedom that goes beyond legal formulas like the tithe. He sees John Wesley as a great example of New Testament giving–a man who lived modestly and, as his income grew, gave a larger and larger portion of his income through the course of his life.
2) Having said that, I think a complete understanding of the Old Testament teaching on tithe is helpful. The first comment here points out that there were three different tithes required of Israelites. It that limited regard, I agree with it. Two tithes were annual and one tithe was to be given every third year. The Old Testatement scriptures are not clear whether this third year tithe was an additional tithe (i.e. 30% giving for that year) or a substitute second tithe. In any case, Old Testament tithes involved at least 20% of income. Of course, in addition to the tithes there were extensive offerings to be given, some required, some voluntary, and also the cost of sabbath day, sabbath year, and the year of jubilee.
3) Having the opportunity to encourage Free Methodists in the U.S. in their stewardship, we find the principle of 10% giving to be a helpful benchmark. This is not becuase it is some New Testament legal requirement that guarantees blessing, but it offers a biblically based standard that allows individuals to measure their giving and develop a consistency and discipline doing it. As I have the privilege of meeting with and helping families become better stewards of God’s blessing, my experience is that most use 10% as a baseline of giving and then more–many give much more. My experience with these famiiles is also teaching me that God is faithful to bless those who are faithful in giving.
4) For those of your church who read this, I would like to advocate for your ministry staff. It is wonderfully bold when a pastor is willing to teach stewardship in a way that does not implicitly benefit his own pay. Even though there is no legal requirement for giving a tithe or any other set amount to your local church, I would encourage you to look to your local church as a primary recipient of your giving. Your pastoral staff have dedicated themselves to follow God and to be shepherds to His people. Biblical stewardship, if it means anything at all, means that we are to care for those to whom we have a responsibility. A local church has a responsibility to care for those called and set apart for the ministry of the Word. Freedom from a legal requirement of giving does not mean freedom from responsibility.
I have no formal theological training but I know when it comes to money the bible has much to say. I could make a fairly rational argument in favor of tithing and also make an equally rational case for not being legally bound by tithing. So what should my response be? The answer is very simple – if the Lord puts it in my heart to tithe then I will. If the Lord puts it in my heart to follow biblical principal and pay off unsecured and secured debts then I will do that too.
I have heard many sermons, mainly from prosperity preachers, that I am under a curse if I don’t tithe. This can leave me feeling guilty if I choose to pay my bills instead. I have also heard from the same preachers that the bible has nothing good to say about debt. Well please help me here Mr. Prosperity preacher, do pay my tithe or pay off my debts. Unfortunately I can’t always do both. Either way Mr Prosperity preacher you either leave me feeling guilty or proud.
Obdedience to God leaves me at peace and full of confidence that He has my life in his hands – “All I have needed his hand hath provided”
My only comment is that in my own experience I would say that there are many areas of scripture that we can disagree or agree on its interpretation.
I would like to make an observation.
There are many passages in the Bible such as the Parable of the Talents and of the Rich Man and of the Lady with 2 pennies.
My view is that the key issue is where your motivation comes from for giving, it needs to come from a position of Love.
Love for the Lord and Love for your fellow man.
Paul states in Corinthians it gains nothing to give all that you have if you havent Love.
The reality is in a sense as a Christian you have no money to give its the Lords and we are simply acting as Stewards.
From that perspective it throws a whole new light on things I feel.
God Bless
James