Unquestionably, my favorite part of church is the ten minute discourse they allot to preaching tithe. There is no greater spiritual experience than that which asks for not only money that you were planning on giving, nor money that you are supposed to give, but money that is more than the scripture dictates.
Certainly, nothing brings me more joy than an inspirational speaker attempting to guilt a group into surrendering more money than they need to. Further, the group blindly abides such preaching; ignorantly applauding the obnoxious demands for more cash than Abraham or Moses ever offered. Yes, truly, the Holy Spirit is upon us and not being drained out as if we were suddenly transported to time-share convention.
I am beginning to observe many church leaders who are becoming rather reflective of the accusations that Jesus made on Matthew 23. Churches are crowning their pastor king. Parishioners are offering money at points of inspiration during the sermon as ordained by their church. Pastors are attempting to guilt parishioners into giving more than they need to.
Such a process seems as though it may invoke many negative emotions, perhaps even begrudge. People will not give with cheer when motivated by unwarranted guilt.
I believe this is a proper transition into my examination of some of the tithe verses. The law of Moses dictates that we give one tenth of our income to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). When last I looked, the church was not the Lord; it would be rather cultish of me to adopt such a line of thinking.
Rather, I think it more wise to abide the scripture. Proverbs 19:17 states that whosoever lends to the poor, lends to the Lord. The Lord not only assumes the debt of the poor, He assumes the identity of the poor. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
A fantastic King, Jesus is concerned with the problems and suffering of those living in poverty. It is indeed our duty to give to them cheerfully, for the Lord loves a cheerful giver. It is our duty to assign our tithe to that which the Lord regarded as important.
One tenth of income ought go to Lord, and the Lord is not the church but the poor.
Look at Nehemiah 10.
This passage contains a situational command. It demands that the people of Israel pay a fee, on a monetary scale that is no longer relevant, for services that Christians do not require. (Burnt offerings, grain offerings, new moon celebrations and sin offerings.)
I am not saying that we should not give to our church. Nehemiah 39 very plainly states that we should not neglect it. However, there is absolutely no mandate anywhere in the Bible that says the church itself must receive a specific percentage or amount. (Except the situational command of one-third of a shekel or one-eighth of an ounce of silver every year.)
Church leaders ought reflect Matthew 23. The recurrence of the problems that Jesus Christ indicated are exactly why so many Christians stop going to church. They are exactly why I deem myself non-denominational before adhering the cult-like behavior of many of today's churches.
You are a begrudging, uncheerful giver!
Quite the contrary. I am trying to prevent myself from becoming an uncheerful giver. I do not care for the financial games that the church plays, nor do I care for the priority of cash above spirituality.
As I can tell, the scripture only indicates that we ought give tithe to the Lord. The Lord has self-identified as the poor. Jesus preached giving to the poor more than anything else. There are several obvious similarities between the command to give tithe and the command to give to the poor. (Both state that what you give will be reinstated to you in Heaven.) However there is nothing that says specifically that tithe must go to the church.
The only thing that the Bible indicates must go to the church is the offering, and that is a sliding amount. I think it is important to give what you can to the church, but the point is that no percentage of income or amount are ordained.
They gave only a small surplus. But she, poor as she was, gave all that she had to live on. Mark 12:44
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