Can you please explain to me about tithing and how to do it ?

May 29, 2017

TITHING; STRICTLY COMMANDED IN OLD TESTAMENT

 

Leviticus 27:30-32,34-All the tithe of the land, whether of the seeds of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. If a man wishes to redeem any of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And all the tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord. . .These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.(Instructions for the Israelites during the time of Moses 1526-1406 B.C.)

 

See also; Deut 12:17, 14:22-28, 26:12-14, Num 18:21-26, 2 Chron 31:5-6, Sirach 35:9, Neh 10:38, 13:12 and Malachi 3:8-9.

 

Sirach 35:9-10 With every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness. Give to the most High as he has given, and as generously as your hand has found. For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay sevenfold.

 

Tithing-a tax consisting of a tenth part of a product according to the Old Testament law. The tithes of grain, oil, wine as well as the first-born of the animals, should each year be consecrated "before the Lord."

 

THE NEW TESTAMENT DOES NOT COMMAND STRICT TITHING

 

Matthew 23:23-Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Luke 18:12 A Pharisee said:“I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”

Tithing, like other old covenant rules and rituals, was a law at the time Jesus spoke. Jesus criticized the Pharisees not for tithing, but for treating tithing as more important than mercy, love, justice and faithfulness. Humans should honor God by voluntarily returning some of the blessings he gives them — this is still a valid principle. The only place that a percentage is required is within the old covenant.

2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul said nothing about tithing. Rather, he appealed to the new covenant environment: Christ had made many sacrifices for them, so they ought to be willing to make a few sacrifices to help one another. Paul told the Corinthians that they had a duty to give something in response to what they had been given.

 

 

THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS GIVE WITH YOUR HEART

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7-He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. Let each one give accordingly as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or from compulsion,for God loves a cheerful giver.

Matthew 6:19-21-Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12: 34 – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:48-. . . Every one to who much is given, of him will much be required.

Acts 4:34-35 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.

The offering allows you to sow into God's Kingdom. The world tells us when times are difficult to hold on tight and not give away. Proverbs 11:24 states: "
One man gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." YES, the generous man shall be rich. It is not how much money you make that is paramount. It is what you do with what you make that determines your success as a steward of God.

To increase you money God's way, tithe, give offerings and have a plan for the rest of God's money. Proverbs 10:4 states: "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." After applying these steps, it will become easier for you to see a vision of victory in your finances.

 

Laborer deserves remuneration

1 Timothy 5:17-18 – Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor; especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; for the scriptures says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading our the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

 

Luke 10: 7 – The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into this harvest. . . for the laborer deserves his wages. (this whole paragraph is in the context of seventy disciples being sent out to preach).

 

Matthew 10: 40 - 42 – He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophets reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

 

CCC 2043 – The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability. The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.

 

CCC 2447 (Works of Mercy) – “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’ – when you now have it with you” (Proverbs 3:27-28).

 

L.A. Mission April 2006 (article) CATHOLICS DON'T "TITHE" as much as Protestants, studies by Empty Tomb, Inc., a Champaign, Illinois-based Christian research company, concluded. According to the studies, while Protestants give on average 2.6 percent of their incomes to their churches, Catholics give only 1.2 percent. Catholic clergy and laymen, said the February 25 Los Angeles Times, say this is because the Catholic Church doesn't have a tradition of tithing. But Catholic University of America sociologist Dean Hoge gave another reason. According to Hoge, who co-authored Money Matters: Personal Giving in American Churches, "the heritage in Catholic thought that still hangs over people is that they are just customers and the clergy really owns the church." For Catholics, said Hoge, "it's almost like we just go there; we don't own the store." Many Catholics think "the priest will give us what we need, and we'll tell him what we want." In Protestant churches, on the other hand, "you have lay leadership that says.... 'Dear friends, we're going to have to pay a little more. Otherwise, we can't keep this church going. It's our church,' " according to Hoge.”

 

GOD WILL NOT BE OUTDONE IN GENEROSITY

Mat 19:29 “And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”