Tithing

[bluelake]

I was reading on another forum that oneness teach that tithing is required for salvation.
I believe that a person should support their church, but I have not been taught tithing is required to be saved. What are your thoughts?

bluelake

[Soldier4Christ]

That goes right back to works, placing themselves in bondage.

[livingbyfaith]

Here is my idea on tithing---for what it's worth.  I'm not sure where I first heard about it but I just believed I had to do it.  Maybe the church I was in said it was necessary.  I didn't question it. 

I don't believe it has anything to do with salvation.  Or that it should be a requirement to "join" a church.  Today my daughter said that some churches require that you tithe or you can't join the church.  I don't believe that is right to demand it.  It's between you and God.


Here is my experience whether I did it for a right reason or not.  I have always been on a very low income.  Barely had enough to make ends meet.  Yet I tithed first.
One day I decided not to tithe and I would catch up the next week.  Wishful thinking, maybe.

My bills came in as usual but this time there were a couple more than I ever expected.
I didn't have extra the next month but I did manage to pay the extra bills.  Oh, I was a waitress so my available money was never the same.  I paid tithes as before.
Life went on with the same struggle.

Another time the same thing happened.  I didn't tithe. More problems than before.
Then it dawned on me that maybe God was testing me (a personal thing---nothing to do with just paying tithes) to see if I trusted Him enough to take care of my needs no matter how unrealistic they were. 

Ever since I have been paying my tithes the first thing and I don't even think about it.  Whatever my needs or what the cost is, they are always met in unexpected ways.  My WANTS may often stay unmet.

God wants us to be a willing giver and not by the Law and do it begrudgingly. II Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not begrudgingly, OR OF NECESSITY, for God loves a cheerful giver."  He will honor what is in your heart.  So it's up to you what you feel you should do. 

I have a testimony of how God supplied me with a computer when I knew that I was to write on the internet.  I had NO idea where the money was coming from.  God supplied the means.  My story will be on the appropriate forum.

Listen to your heart and you will do well.  God bless you.  Joan

[RKJ]

Salvation was bought and given to us only by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Nothing else can top or match or even be eligible to compare, leave alone tithing.

As a beleiver, tithing is a must.  Giving for God has to be 1/10th (O.T) or more, not less.  Giving must be systematic, planned and regular.

This is all financial giving.  Giving your time, talents etc., is equally essential to experience the joy of salvation.

[ibuchanan82]

I could share similar experiances of financial strife effecting my tithing.
At my church tithing is recommended as a good biblicial practice, although as a church member it is up to you to choose what you do with your money and it has nothing to do with your salvation, but it does have alot to do with how effectivly God can bless you in this life. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 goes into detial of how God can bless you if you honour his word concerning the tithe.

I believe this is yet another area we can see man putting his dirty hand on a good and Holy thing making it harder for God to get his blessing out to his children. Yes give unto God with a cheerfull heart knowing that what you give wll be given back to you, bountifully. It won't save your soul but it will help advance the Kingdom, and that I believe is reason enough.

Ian

[airIam2worship]

Ian, welcome to CU. I hope you enjoy your visits and that you visit often.

Bluelake, any church that teaches that tithing is needed in order to be saved is denying Christ. I would stay as far away from any church that teaches that.
Jesus died and shed His blood to save us, it is by accepting this gift that we get saved. In the OT people were under the Law, today we are not under the Law we are under Grace.
Jesus died and was resurrected, and is now alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father. He is the only way to salvation.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


Any support we give the church should be voluntary, and of course we should give gifts of offerings especially to our home church, we know that there are bills that need to be paid by churches as well.
But if someone does not tithe that does not mean that they cannot be saved. Our salvation is not purchased by us it is a free gift from God.

[Jessie]

I agree with pretty much everyone. Tithing is not needed to be saved, but i would never dream of not tithing. Churchs need bills paid, they need money for reaching out to the community and pastors salaries need to be paid. Without our tithing......what state would our churchs be in?
Besides, what better place to give your money than to God's house?

[ibuchanan82]

the way i see it is pretty simple, people put money into what they love the most. If your a big football (oops sorry soccer) fan then you'l spend thousands easily a year of strips, season tickets and other things, if you love music you'll blow all your money on concerts, CD.s related merchandice and stuff like that, if you love God you look for every oppurtunity to give to Him and his Church.

Ian

[airIam2worship]

Ian, Rkj, Jessie, I agree 100% with all of you. However going back to post #1, salvation is not based on whether you tithe or not, salvation is only available through the shed Blood of Jesus. So if you are Born-again, but do not tithe this does not mean you aren't saved.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

[linssue55]

I was reading on another forum that oneness teach that tithing is required for salvation.
I believe that a person should support their church, but I have not been taught tithing is required to be saved. What are your thoughts?

bluelake

The bible say's......"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved"!......It does not say believe and tithe, or believe and walk an isle, believe and stop smoking, believe and stop drinking etc. etc.  You get the picture.........


"By GRACE are ye saved, through faith, it is a GIFT from God, and NOT of works, lest any man boast."

 Don't let the boasting of others lessen what the Lord say's here.  The way to tithe is below.



Principles of Grace Giving:

Motivation for contributing to this ministry should generate from an appreciation for the word of God as communicated by this ministry. The properly motivated Christian will give without expecting anything in return.
If you are led to support this grace ministry, please ensure you are a Christian as this ministry shall not knowingly accept gifts from unbelievers nor make individual solicitation of funds or pledges among believers.
The Christian should only give from his abundance as God has prospered him (1 Cor. 16:2 cf. 2 Cor. 9:7)
Tithing is NOT protocol for the Christian, therefore only the one making a grace offering can determine the amount to offer as he is led by the Lord and has determined in his own soul (2 Cor. 9:7-9). 
Please do not support this ministry if you are unable to provide for your family (1 Tim. 5:
Bible Verses Covering Principles of Grace Giving:

Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you. That always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed: as it is written, "He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever." (2 Cor. 9:7-9)
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Tim. 5:
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Heb. 13:15-16)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatian, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. (1 Cor. 16:1-3)
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. (Matt. 16:19-20)
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)
Corinthians 9:7:
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
(Deut 12:5-6)

But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks

[Len]

Yup. See Ephesians 2, particularly verses 8,9. All the tithing and offering in the world will not get one soul one more millimeter closer to God's glory.

Jesus said, "I am THE way, THE truth, THE life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." He didn't mention tithing anywhere in that.

[linssue55]

I was reading on another forum that oneness teach that tithing is required for salvation.
I believe that a person should support their church, but I have not been taught tithing is required to be saved. What are your thoughts?

bluelake

Stick with the word, "Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved."  Just that simple, it doesn't say "Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ and pay 10%."  These are people that beleive they have to work to get to heaven.
"It is a GIFT from God and not of works, lest any man should boast."  There are many boasters in this world today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Stick with the word, "Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved."  Just that simple, it doesn't say "Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ and pay 10%."  These are people that beleive they have to work to get to heaven.
"It is a GIFT from God and not of works, lest any man should boast."  There are many boasters in this world today.

Amen sister. There are many such cults today and just as in the days of the Apostles there are many that want to bring us all back under the law and to our eternal deaths.

[Amorus]

Nope, not required for Salvation according to the Bible, my only rule book 

[Rev. Belch]

I agree with pretty much everyone. Tithing is not needed to be saved, but i would never dream of not tithing. Churchs need bills paid, they need money for reaching out to the community and pastors salaries need to be paid. Without our tithing......what state would our churchs be in?
Besides, what better place to give your money than to God's house?

Nicely said Amen