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Tithing on Gross vs. Net - What Exactly is Gross Income for Real Estate Investments? Wlky
Posted by JCL at 7:00 AM
Let me first say that we are not writing this post to condemn anyone. We only want to do what we feel that God is telling us, and we want to do it well. Honestly pray and seek out what God wants you to do and be obedient. God does want us to be blessed, but above that He wants our obedience.
We feel like God wants us to tithe on our gross income, and when it comes to our day job figuring that amount out is easy. Look at your pay stub for your before tax number and use 10% of that number. For investment houses it wasn't so easy for us to figure out and we really didn't know any other Christian real estate investors around us who had already dealt with this issue.
Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about:
$1000 gross rents on a house
$850 debt payment (principal, interest, taxes and insurance)
$100 (10% property manager fee)
If you consider $1000 as your gross income number, that means your tithe would be $100 meaning you would be negative $50 on cash flow for this house.
I thought "this can't be right"... that would effectively put real estate investing out of reach to be able to pay your tithes.
So we prayed, and of course God is faithful and answered our prayer.
I had done numerous Google searches for some advice on this issue, but funny how I never saw this until I prayed. I found this article:
The Issue: Tithing--Are We Obligated to Tithe on our Net or our Gross Income?
This is basically a debate between two people, one taking up the 'Tithing on your Net' issue, the other taking up the 'Tithing on your Gross' issue. First up was the 'Net' argument, I read it and actually thought 'well, we can compromise and tithe on our net and solve this problem'. Then I read the 'Gross' argument and saw it:
For simplicity's sake, I will consider "gross income" to be that income identified on our federal tax returns as "Adjusted Gross Income." This figure is arrived at after items such as business expenses and inventory have already been deducted. To compute our true gross income for tithing purposes, we must also deduct our catastrophic losses. Once this is done, we have, I believe, a fairly good approximation of our income as the Bible envisions it. This is the income on which we must tithe.
Further refinements may be in order, particularly during those years when the IRS permits certain "gimmick" deductions prior to computation of the adjusted gross income (e.g., the deduction given on joint returns when both partners work). Discussion of this would take us beyond the scope of this essay.
Of course! I was thinking like an individual and not a business. So, in the example above my gross income would be $50 and not $1000, big difference! Tithe would then be $5 and not $100. As soon as I read the above quote, a peace settled over me and I knew God had given us the answer. Just to confirm, the leader of my men's prayer group reiterated that same thought a couple of days later not having known what I had read.
Of course you need to seek God's will for *your* life.
Also, you may be interested in reading our conversation about fasting.
9 comments:
The answer is "neither."
1. Post-Calvary Christian giving principles in Second Corinthians are superior to tithing. (1) Giving is a "grace.” (2) Give yourself to God first. (3) Give yourself to knowing God’s will. (4) Give in response to Christ’s gift. (5) Give out of a sincere desire. (6) Do not give because of any commandment (8:8, 10; 9:7). (7) Give beyond your ability. (8) Give to produce equality. (9) Give joyfully (8:2). (10) Give because you are growing spiritually. (11) Give to continue growing spiritually. (12) Give because you are hearing the gospel preached.
2. Abraham's tithed in Genesis 14 in obedience to pagan tradition. (1) He did not "freely" give. (2) His was NOT a holy tithe from God’s holy land by God’s holy people under God’s holy Covenant. (3) His was only from pagan spoils of war required in many nations. (4) In Num. 31, God required 1% of spoils. (5) His tithe to his priest-king was a one-time event. (6) Not from his personal property. (7) Kept nothing for himself. (8) Is not quoted to endorse tithing. (9) Most commentaries explain 14:21 as pagan Arab tradition, it is contradictory to explain the 90% of 14:21 as pagan, while insisting the 10% of 14:20 was obedience to God’s will. (10) If Abraham were an example for Christians to give 10%, he should also be an example for Christians to give the other 90% to Satan, or to the king of Sodom! (11) As priests, neither Abraham nor Jacob had a Levitical priesthood to support; they probably left food for the poor at their altars.
3. Although money was common and essential for worship for over 1500 years, biblical tithes were always only food increased by God from inside Israel (Lev. 27:30, 32; see site for all 16 texts).
4. Since only farmers and herdsmen tithed, there was no minimum standard requirement for most. Tradesmen such as carpenters (Jesus), Peter (fishermen) and Paul (tentmakers) did not qualify as tithe-payers. The poor and Gentiles did not tithe.
5. Tithing was only commanded to national Israel under the terms of the Old Covenant. Tithing was never commanded to the Church after Calvary (Ex 19:5-6; Lev 27:34; Mal 4:4; Mt 23:23 matters of the law).
6. Those who received the first whole tithe did not minister atonement (Num. 18:21-24; Neh10:37b). Priests only received 1% (a tenth of the tithe) (Num 18:25-28; Neh 10:38).
7. In exchange for receiving tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Num. 18:20-26).
8. Firstfruits are not the same as tithes. Firstfruits were a very small token offering (Deu 26:1-4; Neh 10:35-37; Num 18:13-17). Tithes were the tenth and not the best; only 1% of the tithes included the best (Lev. 27:32, 33).
9. There were 4 O.T. tithes: (1) Government taxes (1 Sam 8:14-17). (2) Levitical (Num. 18:21-28; Neh. 10:37-39). (3) Festival (Deu 12:1-19; 14:22-26). (3) Poor tithe every 3rd year (Deu 14:28-29; 26:12-13).
10. Tithes were often taxes used to support Levite [politicians (1 Chron, chap 23 to 26; esp 23:2-5; 26:29-32; 27:5). Tithes never supported mission work (Ex 23:32; Heb 7:12-18).
11. OT Levitical tithes were brought first to the Levitical cities and not to the Temple (Num 18; Neh 10:37-39; 2 Chron 31:15-19). Most Levites required tithes in their Levitical cities where 98% stayed (Num 35, Josh 20, 21).
12. Malachi 3 is the most abused tithing text in the Bible. (1) Malachi is OT and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing. (2) Tithes are still only food. (3) His audience reaffirmed the OT curses (Neh.10:28-29). (4) The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law (Deu 28:12, 23-24; Gal 3:10/Deu 27:26). (5) “You” in Malachi refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (1:6-14; 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5). (6) The “whole” tithe never went to the Temple! (Neh 10:37b). (7) The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation. (8) The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included. (9) The “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms (Neh 13:5, 9). (9) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
13. The OT Temple and priesthood have been replaced by the priesthood of every believer. NT elders and pastors more closely resemble OT prophets who were not supported by tithes.
14. Tithing was not legalized as a church law until AD 777. If was not introduced as a local regional law until the 6th century. See any reputable encyclopedia.
15. NT giving principles are: freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, not by commandment or percentage and motivated by love for God and lost souls.
From the book, Should the Church Teach Tithing?
www.tithing-russkelly.com russell-kelly@att.net
Russell, thank you for your thoughtful response.
Let me first say that I am no theologian nor am I a good debater. I know there are many different views on this (and many others) subject and my objective is not to 'debunk' any of them because I am too simple of a person to do so. My objective is to re-present Christ in my life to others as He has revealed Himself to me by my limited experience and understanding. The rest I'll leave to the theologians to discuss amongst themselves.
By no means do we give anything out of fear or compulsion. We *want* to give what we do and would like to be in a place to give more. Christ has saved us from a fate much more horrible than we can even imagine, not because of *anything* we have done, but because of His grace and mercy alone. Therefore I *try* to do good works out of gratitude for this gift because I *want* to please Him, at the same time realizing that my *best* righteousness is as 'filthy rags' before a Holy and perfect God.
II.
Reigning As True Sons and Daughters of God
Over 2000 years ago, God gave Mankind a most precious gift---His Son Jesus Christ, who died at Calvary for our sins. By the shedding of His Blood, Jesus redeemed us from sin and from the curse of the Law. As part of the New Covenant, He made me and all who accept Him as their Lord and Savior, an heir to His promise of abundant living and blessing, promised healing in our lives and free from Satan’s power and authority. It is a free gift given to us by God if we simply accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. This gift is given to us out of God’s grace and not because of anything that we have done or can do in our lives. Part of this gift includes the power as Sons and Daughters of God to be completely free from Satan’s jurisdiction and to live as Abraham’s seeds and heirs according to God’s promise. It is the most precious gift that I have ever received in my life.
Now, I am taught with the doctrine of tithing that Jesus’ death did not redeem me from the curse of the Law, but I have to pay over $1,000.00 on a bi-monthly basis to keep me free from the curse. I am taught that I have not been delivered from Satan’s authority unless I pay my local church money for this protection. I am taught that the power to bind Satan and cast him out comes from tithing and not from pleading the Blood of Jesus. I am implicitly told at offering time on Sunday that Jesus’ Death and Resurrection did not make me an heir to the promise, but my blessings will come from my works through the giving of tithes. This message is a trick of Satan. By allowing Christians to believe that their source of blessing and protection comes from their works (i.e. tithing) and not from the finished work of Jesus Christ, the New Covenant message is diminished if not completely destroyed. This is the problem with teaching tithing today.
Matthew E. Narramore, in his book “Tithing: Low Realm, Obsolete and Defunct,” zeroed in on the issue of why Christians need to be concerned about the prevalence of the tithing message in the Church today with the following observation:
The devil doesn’t mind tithing. He welcomes anything that will take our attention away from the truth in Christ. . . .Tithing is not a threat to the kingdom of darkness. The devil knows that the church would have more power, as well as money, if Christians were taught how to live like sons of God, who are in a spiritual union with Jesus Christ. He also knows that Christians could grow up spiritually and begin to reign in life if the confusion that comes from mixing the Old Covenant and New Covenant spiritual paradigms was removed from the church. That is more frightening to him than the increase of money that would flow into the church if the tithing mentality was abandoned. . . .[Satan] can’t defeat [the church] by direct attack so he uses deception. Power and victory come to believers through abiding in Christ with faith in His finished work. Satan’s strategy is to get their attention on other things that promise results but cannot deliver. . .The devil’s wooden horse is made of laws, rules, principles, formulas and other ways of living, borrowed from men who were not in spiritual union with Jesus Christ. Tithing is one of those things.
Contrary to popular belief, churches who teach tithing are not teaching their congregants to live like the Sons and Daughters of God in spiritual union with Jesus Christ. This is because the tithing doctrine contradicts the New Covenant and diminishes the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are taught to put our faith in tithing as the source of our protection from Satan and our source of blessings from God. This is directly contrary to what the Word of God tells us about our source of power from God based upon the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ. As we examine the history of tithing under the Old Covenant, take down notes of what you have been taught about why tithing is important and discern for yourself whether it advances or destroys the power of Christ’s finish work on the Cross.
I pray at the conclusion of this study that when someone tells you in Old Covenant language that if you tithe, God will “open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it,” you will be able to respond in New Covenant language, that “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to his promise.” [Galatians 3:29]
If someone tells you in Old Covenant language, that if you do not tithe, “ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation [Mal. 3:9], you will be able to respond in New Covenant language that there is no curse upon us in Christ. Jesus Christ bore it and “hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.”[Galatians 3:13]
If someone tells you in Old Covenant language, that God will rebuke the devourer on your behalf if you tithe, you can tell him or her that Christ has already defeated Satan, redeemed us from his works and delivered us out of his authority. We are not waiting for God to rebuke the devourer. Instead, Christ has given his Sons and Daughters the authority and the responsibility to enforce His completed work and that is why the Bible tells us: “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” [Luke 10:19]. The power to bind the devil and cast him out in the name of Jesus is not based upon whether one gives 10% of their income to a particular church, but is because of the shedding of the Blood of Jesus. Under the New Covenant, the Body of Christ is completely redeemed. Satan is defeated and we are no longer under sin or under a curse. The Blood of Jesus paid the debt 100% for our complete deliverance and there is nothing that we can do, even tithing, to add to it:
For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precision blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without a spot. [1st Peter 1:18-19].
As Narramore further observes:
In the New Covenant, we are redeemed. It is finished work. It does not have to be redone every time we get a paycheck. Satan is defeated. We are not under his jurisdiction. We are not under a curse. The blood of Jesus paid the total price for our deliverance and there is nothing we can do to add to it.
In sum, God’s New Covenant principles for Giving and supporting the church is separate from and superior to any teaching of tithing. God has an ownership of 100% of us –which encompasses every aspect concerning us including our money, our time and our possessions. Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit will guide each person individually on what God requires from us, not some fixed percentage.
For my full article...email me at WWJDNow64@aol.com
Here is part 6 and 7 too...
Good Stewardship and Obedience:
To Circumcise or Not Circumcise; To Tithe or Not Tithe
The debate on whether Christians were ever bound by Mosaic Law did not begin today with the issue of tithing, but was raised and resolved during the life of The Apostle Paul who taught that we are not to put on the yoke of legalistic bondage.
In Acts 15, we learn that there were men who had come from Judea who were teaching the Christian Gentiles that they could not be saved unless they were circumcised as required based upon the covenant between Abraham and God and as set forth in the Law of Moses. The Apostle Paul and Barnabus got into a heated debate about this issue and it was decided that they would go to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this issue. In Acts 15:5, it is written that there was a group of Pharisees who had been converted to Christ, who said “that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” Acts 15:6 goes on to state that the apostles and the elders came together to decide the matter.
During the debate, Peter spoke up and said in verses 10 and 11, “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put the yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” At the conclusion of the meeting, they came to an agreement and sent Judas and Silas with a letter containing the instruction on this issue denouncing that Gentile Christians were required to follow the 600 plus ceremonial laws given to the Israelites. Acts 15:24-29, which contains the letter, sets forth clearly the resolution of this issue:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying “Ye must be circumcised, and keep the Law: to whom we gave no such command: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with your beloved Barnabus and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same thing by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
The story in Acts 15 makes it clear that Christians are not, and have never been under the yoke of the Mosaic Law. Again, in 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul makes this point clear in reference to winning people to Christ:
While working with the Jews, I live like Jews in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them. In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don’t obey God’s law; I am really under Christ’s law.
Twice in this passage, the Apostle Paul makes it absolutely clear that Christians are outside the Jewish Law—this would include the Jewish Law with respect to tithes. Nevertheless, we often hear ministers quote Jesus as saying that he did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. This passage, too, is taken out of context. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
What Jesus is clearly saying in this passage is that the Israelites, at that time before his death, are still under the Law; however, as prophesied in the Old Testament, His death and resurrection will fulfill the Law and the Prophets and then they will no longer be bound under such Law. Indeed, following his Resurrection, Jesus told his Disciples in Luke 24:44, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” For ministers to try to put Christians back under the yoke of the Mosaic Law is simply contrary to Biblical authority.
VII.
Giving to God Means Giving To Whom?
Having stated the above, I want to reiterate that I strongly believe that Christians should be Givers, even “cheerful Givers” as often heard at offering time. However, Givers to whom? Ministers would have their members believe that giving to them and their particular church is “Giving to God” and the only way to fulfill their purported tithing obligation. Where is there any Biblical support for this interpretation of the idea of “Giving to God?”
If we take our example from the system of tithing that God imposed upon the Israelites prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection, Giving to God would be giving to the needy, the poor, the homeless, strangers, widows, our family, our friends and anyone in need including those in other countries. Such a belief is in line with what the Apostle Paul wrote about when he stated that we should give to the poor and to our family if they are in need. (See II Corinthians 8 and 9) For example, in II Corinthians 8, Paul urges the people to give generously, not "by commandment" (See II Corinthians 8:8) he states, but to demonstrate their love. In fact, in verse 12, Paul goes on to state that if the people are eager to give then it does not matter how much they have to give. He says that they should give what they have and not what they have not. (See II Corinthians 8:12). In other words, what counts is not the amount of money that we give, but the love and sacrifice it represents. (See Mark 12:41-44; where Jesus commends a poor widow who gives all that she has for her offering regardless of placing an actual percentage on the amount).
Look at the early church where the Macedonians, who although poor, gave way beyond any tenth to demonstrate their love of God: “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves.” (II Corinthians 8:2-3). Look also at the early Christians and the Levite who sold all that they possessed, including their land and homes, so that no one would be in need (Acts 4:33-37). The so-called giving of a “tithe” (a fixed ten percent) did not even enter into the minds of these Christians, but rather they gave generously to help the poor and those in need simply because of their love of God. This is the type of giving (from the heart) that I believe that a church should promote and I believe that it is Biblically based. Under New Covenant giving, we are in complete union with Christ and God is 100% owner of all that we have: our money, our time, our possessions—everything about us. There is no fixed percentage under this type of giving.
Some churchgoers would say that I should not worry about directly taking care of the poor, the homeless or family and friends in need. Rather, I should give the entire 10% to my church and let the church take care of the poor and needy. Where is there any Biblical basis for that proposition? Certainly, as stated above, even under Mosaic law, the third tithe went directly to the Levites and local welfare programs to care for the homeless, the fatherless and the widows who were unable to care for themselves. Stated otherwise, even where tithing was mandatory under Mosaic law, God required that the Israelites to give their tithe directly to the needy. Because the Bible is supposed to be our guide as Christians for doing what we do, we cannot relegate to the church our personal obligations to care for our family, the poor and the needy. Certainly, there is no Biblical authority for the proposition that we cannot give our money directly to local charity programs or to care for one’s family or anyone in need. Moreover, there is no Biblical authority for the proposition that giving money for the upkeep of the church’s various ministries is more important than giving money to the poor or to care for one’s family. In fact, I would argue that the latter act has the most Biblical support for the use of the “tithe.
Email me at WWJDNow64@aol.com for full article.
Couldn't resist--sections 9 and 10....
IX.
Achieving True Favor
The argument that causes me the most concern is where proponents of tithing, who are unable to find any Biblical support for such practice for Christians, state that they tithe to their church just to be on the safe-side in the event that God does require it. My response to such a statement is: just in case God requires it for what? The way to Salvation is such a fundamental principle for Christians, it boggles my mind that someone would infer that he or she could achieve Salvation, or even God’s favor, by tithing. First, as Christians, we are saved by faith not the Law. (See Hebrews Chapters 7-8, and 11). In fact, in Romans 10:3-4, Paul criticizes those who believe that they can obtain God’s favor by following the Law:
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to ever one that believeth.
In other words, the only thing that we must do to be saved is to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. There is absolutely nothing else that we can do, including “tithing,” that will give us God’s favor because the Law does not give us Life (i.e. reward us), it only condemns us if we do not follow all of it every single day. (See Galatians 3:11 “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith.”) In other words, as Christians, you cannot rely on your Salvation by living by faith and also rely on your Salvation by observing the Law. They are incompatible positions and thus, you must choose one or the other. (See Galatians 3:12: “And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them.”)
X.
A Difference of Opinion or False Doctrine
Jesus’ Gospel can be summed up with the message of Love—Love of God first and Love of thy neighbor—the two greatest commandments of all. (Matthew 22:36-40) This type of Love has no percentages placed on it. This type of Love is not formalized or ritualistic—it is free flowing and it is from the heart. Christians should give what God places on their hearts to give and they should not give out of compulsion or because they believe that they will be ostracized from the church. We should give to the poor because they are in need and God commands that we love our neighbor as ourselves. We should also give to our church because it enables the church and its various ministries to function and it also enables the church to likewise help the poor and the needy. We should not be giving because we believe that if we don’t give God will not bless us. By criticizing the people who do not give 10% of their gross income, the church is saying that giving money is the most important thing that a person can do for God. (See Matthew 22:36-40). By saying that those who tithe are obedient to God’s Word is saying that those who do not tithe are not obedient to God’s Word. I simply do not agree with either of those propositions and do not believe they are Biblically based.
You may be wondering why I have spent so much time studying the issue of tithing. After I wrote the initial article several years ago, my mom told me that if people believed that they were required to tithe, I should not interfere with that decision. Another friend told me that it was difficult to read my article because it was challenging something that he had been taught as a child. A minister, who invited me to his sermon series on tithing after reading my article, told me that I should not be so preoccupied with the “debate” on tithing because it was a distraction from more meaningful issues in my walk with God. Another minister told me that tithing is not about following the law, but demonstrating that God is first in our life. One of my favorite ministers told me that people will continue to debate the issue of tithing just a they will debate the issue of the role of women in the church, baptism and speaking in tongues.
Certainly, the intent of this article is not to have people stop supporting their churches or local ministries. People should give generously to their churches and even to their ministers. Nonetheless, I oppose the teaching on tithing because it diminishes the New Covenant by teaching Christians to believe that their source of blessing and protection comes from tithing and not from the shedding of the Blood of Jesus and from faith. Moses, Abraham, Jacob or none of the Men and Women of God in the Old Testament had the privilege of being in spiritual union with Jesus as we are as Christians today. While we can learn many lessons from their stories, actions that they took to achieve God’s grace or to free themselves from Satan’s jurisdiction and the bondage of Sin are simply not relevant to Christians. I believe that anything that teaches the contrary is false doctrine because it distorts God’s Word. It should, therefore, be rejected.
As an attorney, I have had to prepare jury instructions to be read to the jurors at the end of trial. There is a popular California jury instruction (BAJI 2.22) that reads as follows: “A witness, who is willfully false in one material part of his or her testimony, is to be distrusted in others. You may reject the whole testimony of a witness who willfully has testified false as to a material point. . . .” I believe this jury instruction can be analogized to the teaching and preaching of God’s Word. As Witnesses for Christ, we have to make certain that our Testimony is always accurate and supported by Biblical Truth. People often distrust Christians because they do not believe there Testimony is truthful. If people cannot believe that a church is accurate on the issue of Biblical principles on Giving, what other issue that is being taught by Christians is inaccurate—i.e., non-Christians may conclude that the teachings on the Resurrection are not accurate as well. If we as Christians can distort a Biblical doctrine on any subject, how can we take issue with other pseudo-Christian religions (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, New Age Believers, etc.) that have done the same on other Biblical doctrines?
The issue is also important because it demonstrates why we have to study the Word of God for ourselves. Matthew 4:1-11 is also illustrative of this point. One of the ways that Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness is by quoting scripture to Him. However, because Jesus had an understanding of the Word of God, He was able to stand up against Satan’s trickery. In a time filled with false prophets and false doctrine, we, as Christians, should strive to promote sound, correct Biblical doctrine—not just what sounds right or what someone tells us is right. As many souls that are saved as a result of the ministries that are able to function as a result of the “tithe” dollars, an equal amount of souls are lost each day based upon false teachings about Jesus Christ. We cannot bring people to Christ with unsound doctrine.
For full article,email me at WWJDNow64@aol.com
Just for the record, this post is for those who *want* to tithe. If it doesn't fit in with your doctrine, feel free to hit your mental 'delete' button. I will freely admit that we do not have all the answers in the areas of theology *and* real estate. We do, however, have certain experiences and our goal here is to share those experiences for those who want to glean. Our goal is not to be the 'end-all' authority on all things (which by the way, if you are human you are not the 'end-all' authority on anything... only God is). If you disagree with us, I'm sorry, but we will still continue be ourselves.
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I must say, I've read alot of good stuff here;however,I'm shocked that any Christians are completely against tithing. I will allow room for false teachings about tithing granting the tither special favor or freeing us from curses turning people off from tithing. Jesus' work at calvary was and is absolute. No man can add or take from his perfect work. Tithing has nothing to do with obtaining or bettering our salvation, it is a completely FREE gift, it does not require 10% of our gross,net or any other incomes. I will say though, I too have been convicted by the Holy Spirit to give a tithe on my gross income. At first, I had a problem with the whole thing, but a close friend challenged me to start tithing on my gross income. He promised to pay any bills I couldn't make because of tithing, so I figured I had nothing to lose. To make A long story short, I would never give back any less. God has blessed me so abundantly since my choice to be obedient. Not just financialy,but in too many ways to share in this short blogg. Please consider this is the only time the Lord promises us specific results to our obedience, then calls us to TEST Him, and see if He won't bless you abundantly. You have nothing to lose by not thithing,except for a flood of abundant blessings, so decide prayerfully, don't just take other people's advice. Tithing is scriptural to the New Testament church, Christ said he did not come to abolish the Law, but to complete it. No, tithing cannot get you into Heaven, but we are called to do it.
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