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Post by teresahrc on Jun 28, 2009 15:21:47 GMT -5
I still wonder about this from time to time. Why do protestants insist that Christians "tithe" to their church if they also believe that we are not under "the Law"?
Who started that, Martin Luther? When I read the book of Acts, I never see anything about "tithing" only about people giving generously for the needs of the Church and the poor. (Which is what the Catholic Church teaches)
I'm wondering if anyone (Catholic or Protestant) can explain to me where this idea came from and where in the New Testament does it talk about "tithing"?
Also, are there any Non-Catholic Churches that do not preach "tithing" to people?
teresa
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Post by emily445455 on Jun 28, 2009 15:45:35 GMT -5
I don't think the word tithe is in the NT, but the concept of tithing money, time, and talent joyfully is.
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Post by teresahrc on Jun 28, 2009 15:54:21 GMT -5
Where in the New Testament does it say that we are only supposed to give ten percent (tithe) of our money, time and talent?
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Post by emily445455 on Jun 28, 2009 19:56:22 GMT -5
It doesn't have to be only 10%...that's just kind of like a base, more is always good.
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Post by teresahrc on Jun 28, 2009 21:59:23 GMT -5
Ok, then why do most protestant churches preach that all Christians MUST give 10% of their income to their "local Church"?
Maybe your church doesn't teach that, but most Protestant Churches do. I have been in churches that basically taught that God would provide all our needs, but only if we tithe.
What have you heard your pastor say about the issue?
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Post by cradlecathlic27 on Jun 28, 2009 22:53:27 GMT -5
Yeah, wes still gets money envelopes from his baptist church that he has not been to in at least 10 years. And on them it says.."Please commit to paying _______ to the church a year."
He does not even attend, i think they just want his money. He gives his money, however much we can give at Mass. Its not obligatory, and no one cares how much you give and it is usually anonomous!
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Post by alfie on Jun 29, 2009 0:11:09 GMT -5
In the Old Testament God commanded the Jews to give a tenth of their harvest to God. In the New Testament there is nothing that says a believer has to give ten percent of his income to the church.
Many Protestant churches believe you should donate money in addition to a ten percent tithe because they believe that ten percent belongs to God.
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Post by teresahrc on Jun 29, 2009 0:13:41 GMT -5
What does your Church believe?
I know that when I was Methodist (actually, it was "Evangelical Methodist" which had split away from the United Methodist Church, but they were hard core into John Wesley) we really had "tithing" preached to us all the time. I really felt that if I didn't tithe that God would not provide for me and that I was "robbing God".
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Post by Cepha on Jun 29, 2009 9:06:39 GMT -5
I don't think the word tithe is in the NT, but the concept of tithing money, time, and talent joyfully is. So, is tithing then "unbiblical"? |
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Post by Cepha on Jun 29, 2009 9:07:20 GMT -5
Where in the New Testament does it say that we are only supposed to give ten percent (tithe) of our money, time and talent? If it's not in The Bible, does that make it a "man-made" belief? |
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Post by Cepha on Jun 29, 2009 9:33:39 GMT -5
In the Old Testament God commanded the Jews to give a tenth of their harvest to God. In the New Testament there is nothing that says a believer has to give ten percent of his income to the church. Many Protestant churches believe you should donate money in addition to a ten percent tithe because they believe that ten percent belongs to God. Doesn't this contradict the old "we're not under the old law" deal you guys believe in? Dont get me wrong, I think it's great that we all contribute part of our income. I just find it difficult trying to understand how "some" things of the law are still mandatory or at least taught as mandatory, while others are completely ignored. Understand? For example, rich land owners were to do something poor land owners didn't have to do. They were supposed to allow the corners of their fields to be used by the poor for free food. Today, Protestants howl at this saying that everyone is supposed to get their own and the poor should be left to starve if they can't find work. How does a Protestant reconcile this attitude of "to each his/her own" with scriptures that teach us to give 1/2 of what we have to the poor (not just 10%) which is Jesus' teaching (if you have two shirts, give one to someone who has no shirt, etc...)? |
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Post by emily445455 on Jun 29, 2009 9:58:30 GMT -5
Steven, it's in the Old Testament as mandatory. In the NT it's more about giving cheerfuly rather than because the law tells you to.
My hubby emailed my pastor to show us some Bible verses to help us understand why NT church members should tithe. I won't stop doing it, God owns everything I have...10% is the least I can give.
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Post by Cepha on Jun 29, 2009 10:11:22 GMT -5
Steven, it's in the Old Testament as mandatory. In the NT it's more about giving cheerfuly rather than because the law tells you to. My hubby emailed my pastor to show us some Bible verses to help us understand why NT church members should tithe. I won't stop doing it, God owns everything I have...10% is the least I can give. I can respect that. But some Prots say that we're not bound to it, then say, we're bound to it. It's just contradictory to me. But I repsect your personal views and agree with it. |
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Post by maryjwp on Oct 16, 2009 17:27:25 GMT -5
:)This is my first 2 cents for this website. Since I was a protestant for over 40 years, I thought I might get this one right. It does come from the O.T. But they (baptist & pentecostal are the only ones I have experience with) do push it as though Jesus himself made the statement. They go so far as to say if you don't give 10%, you are stealing from God because that 10% belongs to Him. You are to give it even if you can't afford that much. Anything over that is a gift to God.
Only since going to the Catholic Church have I heard that if you can't afford to give in money, that you can give of your time, talents, etc. I'm sure this is different with other denominations, but that has been my experience.
Please have mercy on my grammar and spelling. I ran my own little party supply shop for 16 years and rarely used those skills, so I'm pretty awful at times. God bless.
p.s. Found the spell check, wonderful!!
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Post by Cepha on Oct 20, 2009 10:18:22 GMT -5
:)This is my first 2 cents for this website. Since I was a protestant for over 40 years, I thought I might get this one right. It does come from the O.T. But they (baptist & pentecostal are the only ones I have experience with) do push it as though Jesus himself made the statement. They go so far as to say if you don't give 10%, you are stealing from God because that 10% belongs to Him. You are to give it even if you can't afford that much. Anything over that is a gift to God. Only since going to the Catholic Church have I heard that if you can't afford to give in money, that you can give of your time, talents, etc. I'm sure this is different with other denominations, but that has been my experience. Please have mercy on my grammar and spelling. I ran my own little party supply shop for 16 years and rarely used those skills, so I'm pretty awful at times. God bless. p.s. Found the spell check, wonderful!! I've thought about that myself. That's the problem with immature religions. They are still in the growing stages so they don't have the benefit of thousands of years of tradition to guide them. So, they have to take it one day at a time (I'm sure we had the same issues while we maturing as a religion). I do think that there are some Christian groups that go to the extreme in either direction. I too love what The Church (The Catholic Church) teaches. For all the biblical evidences that can be found for tithing, the fact is that there are no hard and fast rules for it. Of course we are supposed to contribute to the support of the Church we attend. Electricity, Air Conditioning/Heat, Maintenance, all those needs cost money. We are supposed to provide for the shelter, feeding and care of those who pastor to us (the clergy). They have given up everything to serve God and they serve God by serving us. Paul talks about his serving the congregation without asking, but also notes that those who don't support The Church when they "can" support The Church are not rightly contributing. How much are we supposed to give? I'd say what we can afford. Today's modern-day indulgences are these "sow your seed/reap your harvest" deals put on mostly by televangelists. They determine that you get what you put in. This is a complete perversion of what scripture teaches. They "prosperity" preach. It's easy to take something in scripture and to apply it to what you want to communicate "how" you want to communicate it and "guilt" people into forking over 10% of their income. To some, 10% might be the difference between their paying their heating bill that week. So in my opinion, it's all relative. If a multi-millionaire "only" gives 2% of his weekly income (say $1000. that particular week), is he wrong? $1000. can do a world of poor people a lot of good. So, who am I to judge? I'll leave that up to God. It's funny how these "tithe 10% or die" preachers don't point out this one... Luke 21 1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:
4 for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had. So, does this mean that now these 10%ers are now going to tithe 100%? That is, "if" they choose to take the scriptures literally? I highly doubt it...if they did, then they'd have to turn to The Catholic Church to support them and become monks or nuns or some other religious order/vocation. I give (admittedly, far less than 10%) very little at my Church. I give as generously as possible to the poor on the street. I do volunteer work at my Church to save them tons of money. Will I be judged less for giving more to the poor and homeless and for giving of my physical time than for forking over cash? In my heart, I believe not. To the contrary, it isn't the amount one gives, but the intention with which one gives...and that's not my opinion, but literally scripture. That is the message about The Widow's Gift in Luke.  And God bless you too. PS: Don't worry about spelling. If you post a lot, you're bound to make mistakes. It's common understanding that if we spell checked everything we posted, there'd be no time to get anything done here! ;D |
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