Learning to pry my fingers off of my tithe was a defining moment in my
Christian maturity. As believers we can help each other turn the other cheek,
doing unto others and praying, but when it comes to giving tithes and offerings
we don’t ask for help. We hold our pocket book close to our chest, not wanting
anyone – friends, family or foe – to know our tithing habits. Jesus cautioned
us not to be boastful when giving to the needy, but I have to chuckle when I
think of modern day titiers…most of us have little to boast about.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----What is really interesting is that the New Testament does not use the term "tithe" once in a sense of ought to or should or must or do or any other concept of a compulsive giving it over to the church. Jesus talked to an audience yet bound to the Law about the propriety and need for tithing because He was not a Law breaker. Should we follow what Jesus meant to those listeners, then we would tithe to a Temple in Jerusalem because the Law prescribed it that way. It was automatic: ten percent of your increase goes to the Temple, no questions, no second thoughts, just accounting and doing. It was kind of an etched-in-stone thing.
-----But the New Testament does extensively discuss giving. There are hints, sometimes strong, that some of this charitable benevolence goes to the church for the support of preachers, missionaries, teachers and such - people pouring their income-earning time into serving the church. It discusses much about this simply being given right to the people in need, no church hands or anything coming between the giver and the recipient. Then there were the collections taken to alleviate the miserable state of affairs experienced by the Jerusalem believers. This “setting aside” every Sunday became a particularly identifiable element of the church tithing concept. I think the tithing concept and the “setting aside” concept found a natural kinship of formula bonding them into a common sense which would quickly add up to Christian tithing. Tithe equal ten percent; tithe goes to organization; set aside Sunday; do regularly; avoid embarrassment.
-----What allowed this kinship of formula to guide these New and Old Testament nuances into the institution of tithing was the Scripture not being given a lot of thought. Tithing was chiseled in stone; it was Law. Some Christians are adamant about church on Saturday. After all, it is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Some Christians are adamant about not eating pork, or anything else unclean. These also are Law. God etched them onto stone and wrote them in a Book so His people would just do them, just do them, just do them. Giving to the church is more than ok - so is giving to folks having need. The more than ok about giving is in its not being done by the etched stone.
-----Everything the New Testament says about giving extends from the nature of the new life. Giving is a part of that nature. Or should I say “essence” instead of nature? This essence or nature has many nuances and facets about it just like our temporal lives have about them. Giving, forgiving, forbearing, patience, kindness, goodness, peacefulness, thanksgiving, joy, what a wonderful study they each make amongst the rest! But the common thread they all have with each other, that fiber within each which is identically in all, is their being real only by our desire to do them and their not being real through our doing them by command. It is desire that brings each facet to life in our struggles. So when we want to take the money from our pocket to the church, we have given. But when duty compels from us a tithe, we have not.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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