Croteauĭavid Croteau has been teaching at Liberty University since 2006. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart not grudgingly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver." Audio Presentation by David A. The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Interestingly enough, we in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government-a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about the only required giving in the church age, which is the paying of taxes to the government. New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe. Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give no percentage or amount was specified. All that money was used to operate the nation.Īll giving apart from that required to run the government was purely voluntary (cf. So the total giving required of the Israelites was not 10 percent, but well over 20 percent. Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10 Exodus 23:10-11). So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today's income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel.īecause Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (always compulsory), and giving to God (always voluntary). John MacArthur, God's Plan for Giving (tape series) 2001: If there were any such rule laid down in the gospel, it would destroy the beauty of spontaneous giving, and take away all the bloom from the fruit of your liberality!" I remember hearing somebody say, ‘I should like to know exactly what I ought to give.’ Yes, dear Friend, no doubt you would but you are not under a system similar to that by which the Jews were obliged to pay tithes to the priests. "It is also noteworthy that, with regard to Christian liberality, there are no rules laid down in the Word of God. Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 68 vols. From Quotes on Tithing Throughout Church History:Ĭharles H.
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