According to Mark 11:17, Jesus was angered by the venders selling doves and other merchandise (assumingly for sacrifice) outside and in the Temple. But isn’t it true that those who came afar would sell livestock that they would normally sacrifice and bring money to the temple to buy a sacrifice?  This being favorable over traveling with a live sacrifice that might not survive a journey?  It is easier to travel with money than live animals that could easily be bought at the temple.  Today, we have Christian stores attached to churches that sell trinkets, jewelry, license plates, decorations, etc.  Is this also wrong?

Sincerely,
Peddlers for the People?

Dear Peddlers for the People,

Jesus wasn’t just angered that they were selling things but that they were doing it at the temple and in its courtyards… a place that was supposed to be focused on worshipping God and prayer (Lk 19:46).  On top of that, Jesus said that they were “robbers” because the people who were selling things were charging a premium to make money off of the foreign travelers who couldn’t bring their own livestock ­– a bit like popcorn at the movie theater costs a whole lot more because they can get away with charging it.  Furthermore, Matt 21:12 mentions that there were moneychangers there.  The Jewish priesthood instituted a rule that you could only contribute Jewish money to the temple, so they could make more money off of people who had to convert their Roman currency to Jewish coins.  They made money off of the exchange rate.  It was all about making money.

Separate, but similar, churches that are making money off of various things like coffee stands in the foyers, book sales, jewelry, etc. are exploiting people for more money.  God says how the church should collect funds – through a voluntary offerings from christians on the first day of the week (1 Cor 16:1-2).

     I give 10% of my income bi-weekly (tithes) as instructed from the church.  I give offerings as afforded, as instructed by my church.  I know the lights need to be paid, the mortgage paid, and the needy assisted when they go to the church for assistance.  I can see why we should give to the church who serve the people.  But, I need to know; is tithing a commandment that will truly bring on a curse to the withholder and blessings on the giver? (Malachi 3:8-9)  I have struggled financially and wonder if it means I have no faith if I give less than 10%.  I mean, tithes and offerings are necessary, but many churches need money to sustain itself, a place to worship, a place to fellowship with other saints.  Does God need my money to show I believe He will provide for me?  Is it a form of sacrifice to the temple or a means to take care of the church?  I struggle with the Old Testament applicability today.

Sincerely,
Perplexed Giver

Dear Perplexed Giver,

Mal 3:8-10 teaches some principles about giving, but it doesn’t uphold the “10% or doom” preaching that many money-grubbing churches constantly harp on.  Tithing is a Jewish commandment, not a christian one (more on this in a bit), but the Old Testament is full of examples that give us principles to live by (1 Cor 10:11).  The principle behind Mal 3:8-10 is that when we give to God as He asks, He will bless us for our faithful trust in Him.  This is true in our finances and in every other area of life.  However, just because we give financially doesn’t mean that we won’t ever suffer or have needs.  The belief that giving to God will always get you more money is called the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ – read “Cash Cow” for specifics on that false doctrine.

Now, let’s deal with the specifics of tithing.  Tithing is an Old Testament commandment (Num 18:24), not a New Testament one.  Jews tithe; christians “lay by in store as we have prospered” (1 Cor 16:1-3).  God doesn’t give a specific percentage that christians should contribute.  We must prepare beforehand what we will give (that’s the “lay by in store” part – 1 Cor 16:2).  He also commands that we be “cheerful givers” and that we give as we have “purposed in our hearts” (2 Cor 9:7).  Though tithing (which means ‘one tenth’) is a good rule of thumb for giving… it isn’t a command. The church is instructed by God to take up a collection once a week – you must decide for yourself what a cheerful and faithful giver looks like.

     I had a preacher to explain to me that it is more important to pay your association dues than to help elderly people in need at the church.  Is this what tithing and offering is all about?  I looked in my Bible, but I can’t seem to locate what tithing and offering is and what GOD said it was for.  Help me, please.

Sincerely,
Writing The Check

Dear Writing The Check,

That preacher is wrong on so many accounts.  First of all, there are no such things as “association dues” in the Lord’s church.  In the New Testament, christians are supposed to give cheerfully and voluntarily (2 Cor 9:7).  There is no set amount that we are supposed to give; we are simply told to give as we have prospered every first day of the week (1 Cor 16:1-2).  Tithing (‘tithe’ means ‘ten percent’) is an Old Testament command that Jews had to follow, not a New Testament one for christians.  Jews were required to give ten percent, but christians are never given specifics.

As for saying that it is more important to pay your association dues than to help elderly people in need – that is the sort of thing Jesus said that a greedy, false teacher would say (Lk 20:47).

A coworker and I had a discussion on tithing.  He is a member of the Church of God (not the biblical one).  Well, he was saying 1 Cor. 16:2 is referring to the support a congregation gives to mission work; he says that Paul was doing mission work going town to town.  Now, I told him I would have to get back to him on that.  To me, it kind of seems like that MIGHT have been the case.  I understand that the Old Law died with Jesus.  What is good Scripture to show that we do or do not tithe?  How much do we give if a certain amount is not commanded?

Sincerely,
Signing The Check

Dear Signing The Check,

The New Testament and Old Testament teachings on giving are similar… but not the same.  The Old Testament was very specific that giving should be a minimum of ten percent (Deut 14:22).  The word ‘tithe’ means ‘one-tenth’.  However, we don’t obey Old Testament laws because we are no longer under that law (Gal 3:23-25).  If your coworker wants to teach that you must tithe, he needs to provide you with a New Testament verse for that teaching.  It is his responsibility to provide a command or example for specific giving amounts, not your responsibility to disprove it.

In the New Testament, we see a more generic teaching on giving.  Though ten percent is a good rule of thumb (after all, the Old Testament is given to us as an example – 1 Cor 10:11), christians are simply told to “give as they have prospered” (1 Cor 16:1-2) and to be cheerful givers (2 Cor 9:7), but God never specifically says how much christians should give.  That is an issue of wisdom and is left for each individual heart to work out for itself (Php 2:12).  The specific rule of giving one-tenth of our income no longer applies; instead, we are told to examine our hearts and give thankfully.  1 Cor 16:2 does deal with collecting money for the needy saints in Jerusalem, but it is also the only New Testament pattern we have for when and how the church should collect money, so the principles would apply.

(This question is a follow-up to “His Money”)

     Is money given to the Lord attached to a particular church location, or is it to be used by the members that gave it?  For example, when a church dissolves its membership, if the money is simply “the Lord’s”, can it be used by another body of Christ for the Lord’s work?

Sincerely,
Membership Required

Dear Membership Required,

The location of the building isn’t the important thing; it is the organization of people who are guided by the elders that makes up a congregation (Php 1:1).  The elders are in charge of properly using the money that sits in the local treasury (Acts 11:29-30).  The local congregation’s leadership is held accountable for the distribution and use of the church’s funds.  This Bible pattern ties the money to the congregation (even if they move down the street), not the specific physical building they meet in.

In the sad circumstance that a congregation dissolves, the faithful thing to do is to make sure the funds are properly used before dissolving – and one proper use would be to give the funds to another faithful congregation that could use them – just like Acts 11:29-30 shows.

     What is the difference between tithing and offering?  Do we still give tithes and offerings?  Who does it apply to?  What or how much do we give, and why do we give?

Sincerely,
Give Me The Facts

Dear Give Me The Facts,

The New Testament and Old Testament teachings on giving are similar… but not the same.  The Old Testament was very specific that giving should be a minimum of ten percent (Deu 14:22).  The word ‘tithe’ means ‘one-tenth’.

However, the New Testament teaching is more generic.  Though ten percent is a good rule of thumb (after all, the Old Testament is given to us as an example – 1 Cor 10:11), christians are simply told to “give as they have prospered” (1 Cor 16:1-2).  God tells us to be cheerful givers (2 Cor 9:7), but He never specifically says how much christians should give.  That is an issue of wisdom and is left for each individual heart to work out for itself (Php 2:12). The specific rule of giving one-tenth of our income no longer applies; instead, we are told to examine our hearts and give thankfully.