Thoughts on the Purpose of Tithing

There were several good comments to my post titled The Purpose of Tithing that I thought were worthy of sharing with everyone. Here's the first:

We started tithing earlier this year, for just the reason you stated: To put God first in our lives. And it's sometimes hard to write that check each month--it's the next biggest payment we have, after our mortgage--but I wouldn't have it any other way. The Lord has already proven to us what He said in Malachi 3:10:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

I had the same experience -- first it was hard, then God showed Himself faithful. Now it's just a way of life for us.

The next comment gives a twist on tithing -- it's a better way to distribute money to the needy:

I look at Tithing much in the same way Charity works.

Within the Judeo-Christian beliefs. God created all, he owns all. We're mere stewards. A tithe, or a 10th, merely acknowledges this Lordship.

From a worldly perspective: those who aren't religious might see the advantage of tithing as a way of more efficiently redistributing your wealth and good fortune to those less fortunate more efficiently; as opposed to raising more taxes as a means of forced donations to causes I may not ever wish to be in any way charitable.

Finally, here's a non-religious look at tithing/giving with a similar thought on helping the needy this way:

I am not fond of religion at all. I do however give about 15% of my income to charities (non religious). Simply because I feel it is the right thing to do. If our government gave even 5% of the budget to good causes, we would live in a radically different world. The world we live in currently is largely shaped by the fact that 50% of the US budget goes to militarization.

Just an opinion to add to thoughts on tithing.

A few comments on this last one:

1. I am not fond of religion myself. I grew up "religious," but it wasn't until I discovered that Christianity is about a relationship, not a bunch of religious rules and doctrines, that my faith became alive.

2. The government is about the least efficient way to distribute anything. I think the answer rests with individuals. If people simply gave away 5% of their income rather than 2%, we would live in a radically different world (and one with fewer taxes, by the way.)

3. Actually, I'd say that defense is one of the legitimate reasons for the existence of government. Many of the other things the government is in to are not necessarily areas where it needs to be involved (in my opinion.) But don't get me started on the government, spending, taxes, etc. It's Sunday, and I'm trying to be nice! ;-)

Comments

[brainpowerinuse]

I, too give roughly 15% to charity--in the form of taxes that are forced from me each year by our beneficent government and then spent on people and projects I would never support otherwise.

On the flip-side, I know of a person, already on shaky financial footing, who tithed himself into bankruptcy because he was told that this is the way to be a good Christian and that God would then take care of all his needs. Once he hit bottom, his church, surprisingly, did not return his thithings so he could support his famiy--how unusual.

I guess the answer is he didn't really give enough, or he didn't really take God into his heart, or he wasn't tithing for the right reason.

Tithing/Charity is great, AFTER you have taken care of the important things in your *own* life, such as supporting your *own* family, paying off your *own* debt, saving for your *own* retirement.

Take care of your *own* responsibilities before you presume to help others with theirs...

Wherever we stand financially, there will always be those that others would call "less fortunate". There will always be those among us who use point out these "unfortunates" and paste epithets upon us like selfishness and greed in order to separate us from our earnings. Very often these name-callers are the very persons or institution who will benefit most from our charity.

We should support persons or institutions who support persons who 1) are incapable of caring for themselves or 2)they truly have been a victim of some calamatous event.

[FMF]

1. You don't really give. You are forced to "give" by the government. That isn't giving. I think you know that and are trying to make yourself appear more generous than you are.

2. Actually, I've found the truth to be the opposite of what you're saying. I give FIRST (in the form of a tithe), then use the rest to take care of my needs.

Of course you need to follow the other teachings in the Bible regarding good stewardship -- the topics we talk about here like spending less than you earn, saving, investing, etc. You can't just expect to give and ignore the rest of God's word and think everything will turn out peachy.

[William Tanksley]

Brainpower, I have to agree with the later post -- being forced to give may be annoying, but it's not the same as a tithe. The tithe is as much about your attitude as it is about the provision you're giving.

And I agree that the number one priority is to take care of your own responsibilities. Consider the Bible verse: "If anyone does not care for his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel." Tithing is good because it expresses an attitude that puts God first, but all the attitude in the world is worthless if you disobey God's explicit commands to take care of your responsibilities.

On the other hand, once you're confident that your family's neccesities are taken care of, it shows good character to give willingly... As you implied, you should spend your tithe on "people and projects" that you WOULD "support willingly."

[Cat]

My husband and I have paid a 10% tithe most of our lives. Besides the religious or ethical correctness of it (which should be the reason a person gives to others) it also shows that anyone can live with 10% less than their income. Anyone that thinks they can't save money for their retirement, for a rainy day or whatever, because they live paycheck to paycheck, should try tithing for a while. They'll know they're doing something good for the world, and they'll prove to themselves that they really can cut down on spending to support a good cause and/or pay for their own retirement.

[Jessica]

I'm so glad that I found a PF blog that talks about tithing. I have always wondered if maybe our family was the only one (it's hard trying to decide if the 60% solution really applies to you when no one seems to be talking about tithing).

I started tithing regularly when I made 300 a week. It's a lot easier to write a $30 a week check every week than it is to give the equivalent of a house payment or a BMW payment every month.

I stopped tithing for a year or so after college. The funny thing is that even though I was bringing home twice what I was before I was terribly strapped for cash, and I had to dip into my savings every month to cover bills. Then after some unsettling events in my life I decided to begin again. I first started with my entire raise that year and then with my entire promotion pay increase that I received a few months later. Yet I hadn't reached my 10% (I give pre tax). I just figured that I'd use my next annual pay raises to get me the rest of the way there - BUT then I received an 'equity adjustment' in my pay, not only did this provide enough money to hit the 10% figure, but it also provided extra, more than that first annual pay raise would have been

I think it is interesting how the flood gates opened for me at that time, as I received three increases in pay in one year to support over and above that decision to tithe. I truely believe that the pratice of tithing is greatly blessed by God.

It is interesting that this has always worked out in such an obvious way for me ever since my first babysitting job. It's funny how people forget those things sometimes.

We're a pretty average family too! - two children, one cat, one house, and two cars(no BMWs yet though!).

We have no debt (except the mortgage).

We give

-10% tithe

We save

-husband: 10% 401k
-self: 12% 401k

-~$500/month: various personal savings (college fund, emergency fund, etc)

We also happen to both be working part time (my husband 32 hour and myself 22 hours) so that we can avoid sending our 6 month old to daycare.

Talk about living below your means...

I think the trick is to ignore all of the media bombardment that trys to convince you that you're not good enough unless you buy the latest HD TV or a new car or a big house and just be happy with what you have. Even my four year old can tell me what they're trying to sell her on TV.

(and to move out of a high cost of living area - we happen to be in florida)

[Juston Garland]

I take 10% from my income on a weekly basis and give it to my church. I feel wealthier than ever and love giving the money to help my church spread the word of God. If you can't give 10% or you have a problem with it you need to look at your faith. I hear people saying I am stupid for giving so much money to the church. I just teach them that God provided me the money and it is his money not mine. If you have faith you know that God will always make sure you have enough money to survive. I go out on Fridays and hand out bibles to people who are less fortunate and are willing to learn the word of God. I love to hear stories like yours and the people who made comments of doing the right thing.

[Allen]

Good point about the 'relationship' vs. 'religion' thing. I hope that people caught that point, as I did.

I think the 'give' vs. 'not give' is based solely on this 'religion' vs. 'relationship'.

If giving is based on religious roots, one will give the tithe (10%), and be happy about it, check off their name, etc.

If giving is based on a relationship, then the N.T. principles apply....that is that we will give 'not out of compulsion, but cheerfully'. This then means that as our faith grows, so does our level of giving. We won't just give the compulsory 10%.

We started at what we could 'afford' to give. Then I got right with God....and started at the 10%. Now, we give more, and as my faith grows, so does our level of giving. 12.5% right now...and look to hopefully bump that up.

As you grow in faith, so should your level of giving....anyway..that's my $.02.

[Jo]

I give a certain amount each month, which is now less than 5%. My goal for next year is to increase my tithing to about 10% (I am currently at below 5%). As a single person with school debts and living expenses it is hard, but important to me. My coworkers and I were talking about the 10% (pre-tax) tithing that is recommended, they thought it was utterly ridiculous....I disagreed. They looked at me as if I was insane was saying my goal next year was to get up to 8-10%. Although it is true that if you are struggling that you should take care of your responsibilities first, it is also true that God will provide. It may require alot of sacrifice and simiplifying, but what I or others sacrifice is small compared to what others would have to go without if I/we did not tithe.

[Tim]

I have a tithing/tax/moral/legal question:

If you don't get the tax benefit of tithing, because you take the standard deduction, do you think it's right to instead "give" the money to someone who already itemizes and have them write the check to your church? Then, at the end of the year, you could settle up and each take something for the trouble. The church obviously gets the same either way.

It's something I've been thinking about for 2007; I'd love to know what you think,

Tim

[FMF]

Very interesting question. I've been thinking of this exact subject myself, but from a different perspective.

I'll address it in a week or two on a Sunday. Look for the post/response then.

[Debt Consolidation Union]

All I can say is that tithing is important. God doesn't need your money, but where a man spends his money there is where his heart lies. I feel like I've been given back more than what I have paid in tithe.

[Terrance]

I am a follower of Jesus who loves spreading the word of God and I tithe 100% every week and am disabeld and don't spell very well and am testing God as he says to and Im going through a devoris and me and my two boys are praying to God every day for him to open the flod gats of heaven I also pray for wisdom and knoladge so that I can contenue to suport two housholds so that my sons dont have to move out of there house that we owen I gaive my life to Jesus 18 mounths ago and have prayed every day and night for an answer from God and I stell havent goten an answer my money that god gaive me for braking my back is almost gone and Im not smart enough to get a stay at home job to suport my family and my self so pray for me please becouse I am going to test are father untill he answers me Please ask are father to help us I well not run my life on my owen I need his help Please is there any of Gods children out there that can teach someone with somany dissabilitys how to make it in this world ore how to get help from God