TITHING 2: THE TITHE THAT BINDS
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Tithing
a) Are Christians required to tithe or are we under a new covenant? Does the Bible teach 10% in giving or just give what we can? What does the Bible teach about how much a Christian should give?
2. The Tithe That Binds
a) There are no Scriptures that commanded non-Jewish nations to tithe any of the three tithes. In fact, there are no Scriptures in the New Testament that show that tithing (10%) is commanded. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day still tithed but they let everyone know about it. When the Jews made their offerings, they kept their offertory box outside of the temple for obvious reasons, so that everyone could publicly see them put their offerings in it.
b) Luke 21:1 records “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.” This was obviously done for show but what Jesus said next is very important regarding offering because “He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:2-3).
c) Here we see that the widow didn’t tithe at all like the rich did, because she gave all that she had. That is above and beyond the tithe because she gave out of her poverty while the rich only likely gave 10% out of their riches. Some people who have more could probably give more than 10% but those who have little, should give what they are only able to give.
d) Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians 8:2 “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” Paul says something very important about giving here. If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what they don’t have. God would never expect someone to give more than they have available but to give “according to what one has.”
The End ...
1. Tithing a) Are Christians required to tithe or are we under a new covenant? Does the Bible teach 10% in giving or just give what we can? What does the Bible teach about how much a Christian should give?
2. The Tithe That Binds
a) There are no Scriptures that commanded non-Jewish nations to tithe any of the three tithes. In fact, there are no Scriptures in the New Testament that show that tithing (10%) is commanded. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day still tithed but they let everyone know about it. When the Jews made their offerings, they kept their offertory box outside of the temple for obvious reasons, so that everyone could publicly see them put their offerings in it.
b) Luke 21:1 records “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.” This was obviously done for show but what Jesus said next is very important regarding offering because “He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:2-3).
c) Here we see that the widow didn’t tithe at all like the rich did, because she gave all that she had. That is above and beyond the tithe because she gave out of her poverty while the rich only likely gave 10% out of their riches. Some people who have more could probably give more than 10% but those who have little, should give what they are only able to give.
d) Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians 8:2 “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” Paul says something very important about giving here. If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what they don’t have. God would never expect someone to give more than they have available but to give “according to what one has.”
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