I can't find a NT command to pay tithe!

[Robert]

".... Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:5 KJV

[David_McQueen]

Pardon me if I have not read all the threads but my mind changed on the returning of tithe couple years back. My reasons are as follows

1. The system of tithe as established in the Jewish economy was to support primarily the Levites. As Israel was an agricultural economy and the Levites had no inheritance this was their means of support.

2. Tithing was primarily about food support. Mal 3:8-10. We know that the secondary recipients of tithe was widows and orphans and provisions were made for them in the third year of tithin. Deut 14:23

3. If you weren't a landowner,i.e. servant or slave then you did not return a tithe Lev 27:30-33

4. There was a sabbath year where no tithing was given.

5. Tithe was kept in a silo specifically for Levites (And others in the third year) and administered by Levites

So whilst their is no direct command to not tithe in the NT, it is clear that there was no longer a Levitical system to support after the cross, and also that if the tithing principles of old should apply it should be all and not a selective bunch.

I do believe that a church should be supported with freewill offerings for the furtherance of ministry, as was shown in the apostolic church when people laid their offerins before Paul and Barnabas for example. As a principle using "it is written" tithing, which the Bible also records as one off's for both Abraham and Jacob, is just the beginning of what we should return to God in thanks. A benchmark if you will. Echoin Romans 14:5

[Amelia]

Thanks for that David, just what I needed at this time. I am pondering the tithe question myself.

I also noted that tithing was in the form of crops. BUT that the tithe was set aside and eaten at the end of each year with part of that going to the levites. It was only every three years that whole tithe was taken to the levites.

Yet, if it was too far to carry your tithe, then you could exchange it for silver and purchase whatever you wanted, including fermented drink, and party hearty; God would then bless you. WOW

/sarcastic mode on: So I guess I should set aside all my tithe and at the end of the year have a huge banquet and gorge myself?

Actually, after reading this over and over, Im still mystified about tithing. <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/sad25.gif" alt="" />

[Dr. Shane]

While the Bible may not be crystal clear on tithing we must come to grips with the fact that 1) we belong to a church that believes in tithing and 2) the tithe is used to support the pastors.

Would those that do not believe in paying tithe feel better if we changed the name of tithe to "pastoral offering" and asked all members to give 10% of their income to it? Either way, the church needs money to pay the pastors. If we don't pay tithe where will the church get the money to pay the pastors?

[Amelia]

*to anyone

what about those who dont currantly have a home church yet would like to pay tithe? Where, IYO should they pay tithe?

[Dr. Shane]

If they are Adventists they can send it to any conference. Many that I know that are not Adventists just donate it to ministies the listen to on the radio or watch on TV. Some even give it to non-religious charities.

[David_McQueen]

Shane, it is not that many of us disagree with tithe, but rather that we have gone beyond that to freewill offerings based on our biblical understanding of the matter.

Ellen WHite wrote that "The tithe should go to those who labor in word and doctrine be they men or women."--Ev 492. So whilst I can see part of your point that tithing goes toward "paying pastors" ( When a man enters the ministry, he is to be paid from the tithe enough to sustain his family. He is not to feel that he is a beggar."-- Ms 82, 1904.) when the process of systematic benelovence finally became codified as tithe in 1861 it was much wider than that including missionaries, bible workers, medical missonaries, widowers of ministers, etc. See here The focus of tithe was for the furtherance of gospel through various workers.

For me it is more than ten per cent that can be given for the promotion of the gospel. That is why many pay a freewill offering now instead for the furtherance of the gospel.

Incidentally do you think the biblical precedents of the early apostles of keeping their own trade to support themselves actually negates the need to pay tithe to support ministers?

[Robert]

Quote:

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Shane said:

Would those that do not believe in paying tithe feel better if we changed the name of tithe to "pastoral offering" and asked all members to give 10% of their income to it? Either way, the church needs money to pay the pastors. If we don't pay tithe where will the church get the money to pay the pastors?

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I agree on giving to support the ministry if you belong to a church....My problem is how Adventists in general present it. I was always told (using Old Testament threats) that if one did not pay 10% that it was stealing from God and thieves don't make it to heaven.

Rob

[Dr. Shane]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Incidentally do you think the biblical precedents of the early apostles of keeping their own trade to support themselves actually negates the need to pay tithe to support ministers?

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That is a subject for an entirely new thread. I think the NAD has way too many pastors and way too few family & marriage counselors. The pastors in the IAD have between 6 and 15 churches in their districts.

[David_McQueen]

It would be interesting to see how other churches survive without payin tithe. I know in many areas for example that the Catholic church recommends that 10% tithe actually goes to a selected charity.

It is not for me to challenge the tithe paying practices especially if such a system does support paying pastors and their families, but the issue is usually the emphasis placed on it as robert mentioned in his first few posts. But for those of us who pay freewill offerings it is our prayer that it goes to the futherance of the spreading of the gospel.

[cricket]

What then, about the people who pay tithe and freewill offerings?

If every Adventist were to pay tithe there would be no need for extra, freewill offerings. Even so, the money given by freewill offerings would be even greater as more and more people will experience the joys of giving through regularity in offerings.

Paying tithe is a way of giving to God a thanksgiving for what He's given us. It is also a way of acknowledging that we can do nothing of ourselves. There is no blessing greater than serving the Lord.

[David_McQueen]

Christine, I cant answer for those who pay tithe and freewill offerins, but again I say, if you dont see tithe as an obligation based on a study of scripture then all your offering will be freewill.

The principle of returning tithe is but the starting point for those of us who see beyond an obligatory 10%.

[cricket]

All offerings, be they tithe, or what is commonly called "freewill", are in fact, freewill offerings. None of us is required to give anything that goes against our will.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:12-15 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!