Tithing.... revisited

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.