Are Christians required to tithe?: Difference between revisions

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'''The ominous question “Will a man rob God?” was quoted by William Branham.''' But it has also been plastered on bulletins, offering envelopes, and sermon titles in many non-message evangelical churches.  William Branham taught that tithing was required of all Christians:

:''Every Christian should pay tithes!<ref>William Branham, 61-0723E - God Being Misunderstood, para. 112</ref>

=What does the New Testament teach?=

|4

|Intentional

|2 Cor 8:4  

Phil 4:16

|Motivated by a desire

for equality

2 Cor 8:12–14  

|-

|5c

|Motivated by a desire

for God's blessing

|2 Cor 9:6

|-

|7

|Voluntary

|2 Cor 8:2–3, 8  

2 Cor 9:7

===Tithing in the Rest of the New Testament===

Those that use this passage to argue for tithing essentially concur with the above analysis regarding the primary meaning of Heb 7:1–10. However, they continue the analysis as follows - If Melchizedek is greater than the Levites and a type of Christ, then of whom is Abraham a picture? The answer supplied is “Christians.” However, this interpretation has several problems. First, if Abraham were a picture of Christians, his tithe was voluntary. It was offered as “a thanksgiving for victory.” This is not the picture of tithing during the Mosaic covenant, and neither is it the picture painted by many tithe supporters today.

If anyone were to prove the continuation of tithing based upon the NT, he must produce a passage that has this goal as its primary purpose. If such a passage is produced, then Heb 7 could possibly be used as a secondary, supporting statement. The important point to remember is this: the author of Hebrews was arguing for Melchizedek’s superiority over the Levitical priesthood. The reference to tithing is an illustrative, secondary statement. The mere description of tithing as having taken place at any time does not necessitate its continuation. Description does not equate prescription.  The author of Hebrews simply wants his readers to be in no doubt about the superiority of Christ to any other priests and sees the mysterious figure of Melchizedek as powerfully illustrating this superiority.<ref>Andreas J. Köstenberger and David A. Croteau, “‘Will a Man Rob God?’ (Malachi 3:8): A Study of Tithing in the Old and New Testaments,” ed. Craig A. Evans, Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 16, 2006, 76–77.</ref>

===Arguments for tithing from the New Testament===

====Traditionalism====

====Pragmatism====

====The main problem====

Tithing proponents typically fail to recognize that tithing is an integral part of the OT sacrificial system that has been once and for all fulfilled in Christ. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Rom 10:4, and Matt 5 all point to this reality. This may be the best reason why tithing is not commanded in the new covenant era: it was fulfilled in Christ. Some tithing supporters view the OT teaching on tithing as an act one must perform to show honor and respect to God, regardless of its possible fulfillment in Christ. Yet, in the OT tithing is commanded for the support of the priests and Levites who are in charge of the temple. It is also linked with offerings that, despite how this may be taught today, do not refer to the amount above ten percent. An offering in the OT did not refer to adding a “tip for God,” as it were, after one had fulfilled the tithe but to “the peace offerings and other sacred gifts, in the form of the breast of the wave offering, the thigh of the ram of ordination (Exod. 29:27, 28; etc.), cakes of leavened bread, etc. (Lev. 7:14).”

====Does Paul discuss tithing?====

Paul had every opportunity to discuss tithing in these passages. His audience was not specifically a Jewish one, which is why one might expect him to clarify or distinguish between freewill offerings and involuntary tithing. <ref>Andreas Köstenberger, “Reconstructing a Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of Relevant Systematic Issues and New Testament Principles,” Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 16, 2006, 251–252.</ref>

Three verses warn about leaders who “love money” (1 Tim 3:3, 6:10; 2 Tim 3:2). While this is truly a danger, another danger that Paul warns the Corinthians about is that of “muzzling the ox while he is threshing” (1 Cor 9:9). A similar verse is Gal 6:6. A distinction is made between “the one who is taught” and “the one who teaches.” This passage calls for financial support for those who teach. While the phrase “all good things” may refer to more than money, it does have to do with financial support.82 Another understanding would be that this refers to the Jerusalem collection, but this hypothesis has been satisfactorily refuted. Therefore, we have an early teaching84 that refers to paying teachers for their service.  

1 Corinthians 9, 2 Cor 8–9, and Gal 6:6 would seem to be the ideal place for Paul to mention tithing if he in fact held to such a requirement. Yet since Paul makes no reference to tithing, and since neither Jesus nor any other passage in the NT compels Christians to tithe, the requirement for believers to give at least ten percent of their income should be replaced with teaching on the NT principles of giving sketched out below.<ref>Andreas Köstenberger, “Reconstructing a Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of Relevant Systematic Issues and New Testament Principles,” Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 16, 2006, 252-253.</ref>

Preachers deserve to get financial support for their work (1 Cor 9:14). However, Paul accepted no such gift from the Corinthians. While he could have asked for it, he was not required to be rewarded financially for his work. He is not saying this so that he will get paid (1 Cor 9:15) but so that the Corinthians will realize that others have the right to be paid for their service.

From this we can extract the principle that as a community the church must make sure that those who are over it spiritually have their needs met. When church members give financially to the church, they should take this into consideration. If God has provided the money, and the pastor of a church has a legitimate need, the need should be met.

This brief section contains several principles for giving. As stated previously, there are several problems with linking the present passage to a tithing requirement. First, as noted, the reference is not to people’s regular giving (be it weekly or monthly) but to a special collection taken up for the poor believers in Jerusalem. Second, there is no mention of giving ten percent of one’s income by way of a regular tithe. Third, the phrase “as he may prosper” also excludes the conclusion that a specific amount was in mind. There is no hint of a tithe or proportionate giving” in the present passage.

Second, giving should be proportionate in keeping with a household’s income. In Paul’s terms, the amount to be set aside depends on the degree to which the giver has been prospered. No percentage is given. This would have been an ideal place for tithing to enter into the discussion. Yet tithing is not mentioned. According to Paul, if anyone has been prospered greatly, he should give a large amount. If one has prospered only a little, a smaller gift is completely acceptable.

This passage provides a few additional principles for new covenant giving. Grace is the entire theme of this entire two-chapter section. In 2 Cor 8:2–3 Paul praises the Macedonians for their giving, which was (1) according to (and, in fact, beyond) their ability; and (2) voluntary. The Macedonians were not required to give a prescribed amount or percentage. Rather, they gave as they had been prospered, according to their ability. Their giving was sacrificial and generous in that they actually gave beyond what Paul thought they were able to do. In fact, the Macedonians were considered poor, yet they still gave.  

The principle derived from 2 Cor 9:7 concerning the amount of giving was discussed above. However, this verse concludes by saying that the giver should be ‘cheerful’ in his giving. The OT background for this is Prov 22:8: “God loves [or blesses] a cheerful and generous man.” Only a real appreciation of God’s grace to us can prompt us to give ‘cheerfully.’ 

Philippians 4:15–20 functions as an indirect “thank you” from Paul to the Philippians, which was in keeping with Greco-Roman societal norms. A few details of this passage will now be examined to see if and how the Philippians’ giving was synchronized with the principles Paul set forth more prescriptively in other passages.

Three aspects of this passage stand out. First, as Paul mentions the need of those in Jerusalem in 2 Cor 8:14, here he discusses his own need (Phil 4:16). When Christians see a need on the part of a fellow believer—especially a minister of the gospel—they should attempt to meet it if they are able. Second, Paul’s use of ‘paid in full’ (ἀπέχω πάντα) indicates that the Philippians had no obligation to him. His motive in this passage is not to raise more funds but to express thankfulness. The Philippians’ giving was an example of voluntary giving: they gave what they had purposed in their hearts, not a set, required amount. Finally, they gave generously. Verse 18 contains two words (‘abound’; ‘filled up’) that communicate the exceeding generosity of the Philippians’ gift to Paul.<ref>Andreas Köstenberger, “Reconstructing a Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of Relevant Systematic Issues and New Testament Principles,” Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 16, 2006, 254–257.</ref>

=What does the Old Testament teach?=

Many message ministers (as well as denominational pastors) use the argument that, because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, we are obligated under the Abrahamic covenant to pay tithes to the church.  

#Abraham also was '''required to be circumcised''' as part of the covenant, does that mean that circumcision is also required today?

In Gen 28:22, Jacob promised to give God a tithe:

:(1) if God will stay with Jacob;  

:(3) he will give a tenth of all that God gives him.

As with Abraham's example, it appears that the giving of this tithe was voluntary on Jacob's part.  There is no evidence in the text to suggest that tithing was the general practice of Jacob's life.  If he did in fact begin to tithe after God fulfilled His promises to him, Jacob still delayed tithing for 20 years! What is also important is the question of how he gave this tithe to God.  Was it through sacrifice or by giving to the poor?  There is no indication that he ever met Melchizedek.

Tithe. In the Mosaic Law, the Levites stood between Israel and God, offering daily sacrifices for sin. Numbers 18:21 and Lev 27:30–33 declare that the Levites will receive the tithe for their services as payment for bearing this burden and for not getting an inheritance of land:

:''One-tenth of all the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, belongs to the LORD. If a man wishes to buy any of it back, he must pay the standard price plus an additional twenty per cent. One out of every ten domestic animals belongs to the LORD. When the animals are counted, every tenth one belongs to the LORD. The owner may not arrange the animals so that the poor animals are chosen, and he may not make any substitutions. If he does substitute one animal for another, then both animals will belong to the LORD and may not be bought back.<ref>American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1992), Le 27:30–33.</ref>

:But what is the reference to “offerings?” One fact that may explain why this passage is frequently misapplied is that not many interpretations of this text deal with the question of how the term offerings is to be defined. This is a reference to the peace offerings and other sacred gifts, in the form of the wave offering, the thigh of the ram of ordination (Exod. 29:27, 28; etc.), cakes of leavened bread, etc. (Lev. 7:14). It was one of the chief sources of the priests’ livelihood.  Like tithes, these were compulsory contributions required by the Mosaic Law for the temple staff.

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