This Christianity thing can be pretty cool until the topic of giving your tithe pops up. All types of messages will be passed around on the topic of tithing. The favorite verse quoted in the Bible on tithing is found in Malachi 3:8 (KJV):
Are you robbing God?
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
You’ll hear those who claim that tithing is for the Old Testament era only and does not apply today. You’ll here those who say tithe off of your gross pay and others will say tithe off of your net pay. Then you’ll look in the New Testament and find nothing really about tithing. It is so confusing really. You are struggling as it is and now you are told by your pastor to give 10 percent? What are you to do? What you should do is give something—even if it is only 1 percent. Just get in the habit of giving a portion back to God what he has given you.
Give 1% in Tithes
Okay, some will probably like me for what I am saying (give 1 percent) and others won’t be too happy at the advice I am giving Christians because some of them could be their church members. Let me explain myself.
Some of us when we become Christians have some baggage we bring with us before becoming believers. By baggage I mean all the consequences of poor decisions. Oftentimes those consequences were the result of bad financial decisions. To put it bluntly, we ran up debt. We ran up debt so high that giving 10 percent of even our take home pay is impossible however giving 1 percent will at least get you in the habit of giving.
Think about the Pastor
Also consider this. For those Christians who are part of a church. Think about your pastor. This person has a family to take care of and a church to operate. The only way this happens is through regular donations from the membership. Your pastor does not have the time hold down a full-time secular career and why should he or she? Their career is being a pastor. When you give what you can give—even if only 1 percent—you make it easier for the financial people of your church to at least plan a budget. A budget is critical to the financial health of the church.
Consider this verse found in 2 Corinthians 8:12 (KJV):
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
I take that verse to mean that you give from according to what you have to give. And when you give, give with the right heart. God is pleased with all that you give with the right heart.
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I have recently been convicted of the need to give. The Father gave up His Son for me, can I do any less? Also, I am robbing myself of the blessings of obedience by giving to God first. So, this month, by God’s grace, I am bringing in the full tithe.
Steve,
We all been there at one point as Christian. If someone never been at that point, they are today because the economy is hurting everyone. People today are making hard decision, either eat or pay tithe. That’s a hard decision to do if your stomach is empty, and then how much.
In my opinion, you don’t have to give that amount each, but maybe one week stock up on food, but keep tabs of how much you owe God, that way next paycheck you can pay it all back.
Thank you for your comment Steve.
It is hard to do this part of your walk with God, give up tithing AND offering. Its still hard for me and i’ve been in this walk for a minute! You have to become disciplined to do this and it takes time…but if you haven’t started , do it cuz the word does not come back void for those who do! U can do all things thru Christ!
The tithe was an OT practice. At no point in the NT does it mention how much we must or must not give into the church and into the work of the kingdom.
We think of stewardship as “the bit we put in the plate.” But it begins with the
overwhelming gift of God and our response to his grace. All that we have and are truly belongs to him. True stewardship becomes a total way of living and giving under grace.
I truly believe that it because of this grace that it spurs on on to give freely the amount we feel we ought to give. Not out of compulsion, or by any hard and fast rule. Many would argue that the 10% tithe is a good place to start, but 1%, 2% or 80% – however much is given, give with joy! “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Oh yes…the tithing controversy. Over the past months, I have found myself – chastising my own self, for not giving. Especially when I live a very blessed life. Well, I have recently made a commitment to tithe faithfully, an I started last Sunday. I feel joy.