I was WRONG! Boy was I wrong. Not just a little ‘oops’ or a ‘but I really didn’t mean…’. This was a foundation stone in my life and it was made without the ‘right ingredients’. It’s not that I haven’t been wrong before. But I don’t recall anything that was so fundamental in my life that I had erred on so significantly. Fortunately, and somewhat surprising, it was the first time I had taught on tithing. Yes, I’ve written on it which is why I’m writing this particular post.
Throughout most of my life I’ve been a tither. Granted I had defined it slightly according to my understanding, but regardless – I tithed. Not always into the ‘storehouse’ since sometimes there were ministries I was supporting. And I typically tithed on the net, not the gross. But… I tithed. I was raised tithing and I don’t believe that was a cardinal principal in my denomination, but…. I tithed. Later on when I became a Pentecostal (with a smattering of Charismatic) this was my understanding of what I should do, so…. I tithed.
Recently I’ve been co-teaching on Spiritual Gifts at a local Evangelical church. The book we’ve been using listed ‘Giving’ as a gift and it was my teaching. Obviously, to me, it meant talking about tithing. This turned out to be a brouhaha of sorts. So I asked for a portion of time at the next class to finish the subject and I was going to do a deeper dive into tithing.
Bottom line? I Was WRONG. Yes, I know it is Old Testament, but if I don’t see that there is a time line stated, that ‘it’ (whatever the issue) would continue. The other position stated that in the New Testament, we are released from the Law as Believers in Jesus. [And besides, He never taught on the tithe.] It wasn’t that I didn’t know this… I just never applied it to tithing. I had followed what Malachi 3 said, so… I tithed. Sometimes I even gave offerings. I used as my scriptural basis
Luke 6:38 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. Which, by the way, should be our mindset when we give.
Now what?! Is it wrong to tithe? No. Just not necessary. Jesus was constantly teaching about giving – and not just money. He rebuked the Pharisees in their attitude and manner of tithing [Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42] and He pointed out the woman who gave the equivalent of 2 pennies, but it was all she had. That was a different attitude.
One way we can determine our attitude and foundation for giving is found in Romans 14 – verses 13 and 23 especially. Granted this was talking about food, but the principle can be expanded and applied.
“But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sinful].” [23]
“Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.” [13]
As Christians, we don’t need to live under the Law, we don’t need to tithe but we do need to give. I will always argue that the bottom line is our attitude about giving. We should never act as Ananias and his wife Sapphira – they withheld, but they lied. It wasn’t the withholding, it was their attitude. Tithing isn’t ‘Wrong’ but it isn’t a requirement. Giving is our focus and behavior… you just need to know how you define this, what/when/how do you want to give and to whom.
