
One perennial issue that both churches and Christians must deal with is that of giving. Specifically, the issue of giving monetarily to the church. What is a Christian in our New Testament era supposed to think about giving? What about tithing? What is tithing? What do the Scriptures teach about tithing? These questions and many more arise when one reflects upon the topic of giving in the church. So how is one to think about this matter? One thing I think everyone agrees upon is that giving to the local church is something all Christians should do. The question is how, and to what extent, etc.
A prominent book on the subject offers a conclusion on the matter and so I thought I would share the quote and see if you the reader, give a thumbs up or thumbs down to the statement. Here is the quote:
"Therefore, among all the New Testament references to a tithe or 10 percent, there is no command to believers about the necessity of 10 percent. That's because tithing has never been an offering to God--it was always a form of taxation to support the government [i.e. the theocracy of Israel which we are no longer under]. The Bible's teaching about tithing versus voluntary giving is clear. Tithing in both Old and New Testament times was the paying of taxes, and the Jews under the Mosaic Law paid as much as 25 percent per year in tithes (that's far more than 10%) [...] The New Covenant principle on giving--the one you and I should live by--is not derived from some mandatory percentage. New Covenant giving flows from the heart and is personally determined [...] 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 is an excellent summary of how we should give to the Lord, 'he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, no grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.'"
Ok, thumbs up or down? Is tithing something that should bind the conscience of the Christian? That is, must Christians give 10% of their income or be open to the charge of sin? Or, is the quote a better conclusion of the biblical data? That is, giving is about the heart no matter the amount.
Thoughts?