Tithe-vs-Paying Your Bills

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by onefaith2

Tithing is a system that God set up. It is proved and tried. However the tithing law is not really what we should follow, but the spirit of that Law. 10% of what I have, I'm giving to God. There is no law against that. However I understand the frustration many have with the tithes or hell teaching.

We're in complete agreement here. I see nothing wrong with a personal commitment to giving 10% based on the "spirit of the Law" and personal desire. You're absolutely right, there is no law against that. And we agree, "tithe or hell", teaching is very hurtful and frustrating, especially for those Christians who want to attend church who are rather poor and unable to tithe.

*Please note: the poor were not required to tithe even under the Law. I've seen churches condemn older men and women who were on Social Security Income and entire families who were on public assistance or unemployment because they couldn't tithe and pay their bills. Such is a travesty and is extortion!

I would never teach that if I were a pastor but I would teach that tithing is important to support the ministry of the church and would require all leadership to abide by that teaching in the local assembly.

I see your logic here, but let me share what this tells me. First, there isn't any biblical precedent for requiring "leadership" to give a set amount to minister to the body. Let's say you have a powerfully anointed man who has potential to be mightily used of God...but he's given himself to a vow of poverty...you've disqualified John the Baptist! LOL Let's say you have a powerfully anointed family with potential to do mighty deeds for Jesus in the church... but due to lack of education and a house full of kids they make very little and cannot afford to tithe. Do you shoot this man down from being used of God with the gift God has given him... all because he cannot contribute 10% of his income??? I find that disturbing. He might only give $50 a week, but that might equal to 25% of his family's disposable spending money that week. Technically, he's giving far more in relation to cost of living than all the middle and upper middle class members who are giving their 10% and smiling smuggly in their sweep "positions" in the church. Now you've created a social class system of "haves and have nots" wherein the "haves" are used and the "have nots" are rejected from being used by God. The general philosophy of this approach says, "Yes, God may have called you...but all must pay in cold hard cash if they want to be used." I find that deplorable.

As far as widows go, there are requirements in the epistles regarding widows indeed as the KJV puts it.

Agreed, but sadly many churches not only "require tithing" as a "heaven or hell" issue... but they'll require it of a widow of 68 years old who has served the church all her life, even if she's on Social Security.

It all boils down to extortion and spiritual abuse.