What Does the Bible Teach About Tithing?
We have been taught that we are to give ten percent of our gross wages to the church, and that this idea, called tithing, is something that God requires and will bless us for if we do it. An article from PimpPreacher takes on the five most common arguments for tithing and the truth behind them.
Argument: Abraham paid a 10 percent tithe to God and he was blessed because of it. If we are children of Abraham and want to be blessed like him, then we should tithe the same way he did. The story of Abraham's tithing is found in Genesis, chapter 14.
Counter: Abraham was blessed before he tithed. He already had a covenant with God and was tremendously blessed. There was never anything said to Abraham asking him to tithe, no suggestion that he could be blessed more if he did, etc. The story of the tithe comes from Abraham going to battle to retrieve his captured nephew, Lot. He was victorious and slew all his enemies. Suddenly, a priest named Melchizedek shows up and Abraham decides to give 10 percent of his war spoils to this priest. He did not give from his personal possessions, he did not become blessed because of his tithe – he was already …show more content…
He had favor with God, had wrestled with Him and been renamed, been granted a great family, and so forth. All of this was before the pledge. Further, the pledge had an "if" attached to it. Jacob told God that "If" He would get him back to his father's house in peace that he would give a tenth. PimpPreacher puts it like this, "In verse 20 did you notice the “if” – did you catch that? Jacob put stipulations into this pledge, unlike Christians today who throw money at the feet of their pastor." That doesn't mean that you shouldn't support your pastor, or that you shouldn't bless God as Jacob did. However, if you are seeking God's favor by giving your pastor money then you may have been sold some beachfront property in the
We have been taught that we are to give ten percent of our gross wages to the church, and that this idea, called tithing, is something that God requires and will bless us for if we do it. An article from PimpPreacher takes on the five most common arguments for tithing and the truth behind them.
Argument: Abraham paid a 10 percent tithe to God and he was blessed because of it. If we are children of Abraham and want to be blessed like him, then we should tithe the same way he did. The story of Abraham's tithing is found in Genesis, chapter 14.
Counter: Abraham was blessed before he tithed. He already had a covenant with God and was tremendously blessed. There was never anything said to Abraham asking him to tithe, no suggestion that he could be blessed more if he did, etc. The story of the tithe comes from Abraham going to battle to retrieve his captured nephew, Lot. He was victorious and slew all his enemies. Suddenly, a priest named Melchizedek shows up and Abraham decides to give 10 percent of his war spoils to this priest. He did not give from his personal possessions, he did not become blessed because of his tithe – he was already …show more content…
He had favor with God, had wrestled with Him and been renamed, been granted a great family, and so forth. All of this was before the pledge. Further, the pledge had an "if" attached to it. Jacob told God that "If" He would get him back to his father's house in peace that he would give a tenth. PimpPreacher puts it like this, "In verse 20 did you notice the “if” – did you catch that? Jacob put stipulations into this pledge, unlike Christians today who throw money at the feet of their pastor." That doesn't mean that you shouldn't support your pastor, or that you shouldn't bless God as Jacob did. However, if you are seeking God's favor by giving your pastor money then you may have been sold some beachfront property in the