Paying Tithes to the Church

The subject of tithes and offerings has a very definite place in the church, but has not been taught according to the scriptures in the Bible. As we begin this exposition of why tithes and offerings are a part of the Christian life and how they should be followed in the church, it is important to look at what the scriptures say to us, as only the scriptures are the inspired Word of God, and to put aside what man has said on the subject.

Tithes were first mentioned in the scriptures when Abraham was returning from the slaughter of those armies who had attacked Sodom and Gomorrah and carried away Lot, Abraham’s nephew. On his return, Abraham met Melchizedek the King of Salem, who was the priest of the highest God, and Melchizedek, blessed Abraham and served him bread and wine. In return for the ministering that Melchizedek provided to Abraham, Abraham gave Melchizedek tithes amounting to a tenth of all that he had captured:

Gen 14:18 “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (20) and blessed be the most high God, which has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”

 

Heb 7:1 “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; (2) To who also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;”

 Later on, when Moses delivered the Law and commandments to the Israelites, the Israelites were commanded to give tithes amounting to a tenth of their increase, to the tribe of Levi in return for their continuing service in the tabernacle of the congregation, for the tribe of Levi did not receive an inheri­tance of land as did the other tribes:

 

Num 18:20 “And the LORD spoke unto Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any part among them: I am your part and your inheritance among the children of Israel. (21) And, be­hold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service, which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congrega­tion.”

 So it was the commandment of the Lord given in the Law that Moses gave to the Israelites that every other tribe was to tithe one tenth of their increase to the tribe of Levi for their service to the Tabernacle of the Lord. The tribe of Levi was then to tithe one tenth of all they received and give it to Aaron the priest for his service in the Tabernacle of the Lord:

 

Num 18:26 “Thus speak to the Levites, and say to them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. (28) Thus you also shall offer a heave of­fer­ing unto the LORD of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and you shall give thereof the LORD’S heave offering to Aaron the priest.”

 Moses went on to tell the people that some of these tithes were to be used to supply the needs of the widows, orphans and those strangers who were in need that entered within their gates:

 

Deut. 14:28-29 “At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: (29) And the Levite, (be­cause he has no part nor inheri­tance with you,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the wi­dow, which are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.”

 

Deut. 26:12 “When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the wi­dow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled;”

 So the history of the tithe offering, according to the scrip­tures, was to be given to those in the ministry of the Lord, to provide for their needs as well as the needs of the poor, widows and orphans, and the needs of any strangers within the gates of the Israelites. This was God’s commandment to His people, the Israelites, and was a part of the Law that Moses delivered to them after they were delivered from the land of Egypt:

 

Heb 7:5 “And truly they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the pr­iesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the Law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham;”

 Just as the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, the commandment for the giving of tithes was for the Israelites and was a part of the Mosaic Law.

 Nowhere in the scriptures does it say that the Gentile na­tions were commanded to continue in the Mosaic Law. In fact, it does say that the Gentiles are not under the Law:

 

Rom 2:14 “For when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by nature the things con­tained in the Law, these, having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves:”

 Neither did the Lord Jesus or any of the apostles say that believers had an obligation to continue in the commandment to tithe a tenth of their increase. This was for Israel to do as a means to provide for the tribe of Levi who were called out to provide the ministry for, first, the tabernacle of the congrega­tion, and then the temple.

 When Jesus came, He preached that you should not covet mate­rial possessions, but on a number of occasions told His fol­lowers to sell what they possessed and give to the poor. He did not say to give the poor a tenth of it, but, all of it:

 

Mat 19:21 “Jesus said unto him, if you will be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give to the poor and you shall have trea­sure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

 

Mark 10:21 “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him, One thing you lack­: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

 

Luke 18:22 “Now when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, yet lack you one thing: sell all that you have, and dis­tribute to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.”

 After the resurrection of Jesus, in the early days of the church, that is exactly what the people did. They sold all their possessions and gave the proceeds to the apostles to distribute to any who were in need:

Acts 2:43 “And fear came upon every soul: and the apostles did many wonders and signs. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”

 

Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed was of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that any of the things that he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. (34) Nei­ther was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, (35) And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distri­bution was made to every man according as he had need.”

 Unlike the churches of today, who only distribute baskets of food to the needy on Christmas, this was a daily thing for the early church to provide for those in need. It became such a tre­mendous task that they appointed certain men to do this on a daily basis so the apostles could spend their time in the minis­try of the Word:

 

Acts 6:1 “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the He­brews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. (2) Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said it is not right that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. (3) Wherefore, brethren, search out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, which we may ap­point over this business. (4) And we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. (5) And the say­ing pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nica­nor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:”

 As the church began to grow and more Gentile people were brought into the church, they were taught to share their prosper­ity with those who were in need; the less fortunate. Many times offerings were taken and sent to the poor saints in Judaea by way of the traveling apostles and evangelists:

 

Gal 2:9 “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go to the heathen, and they to the circumcision. (10) Only they asked that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was diligent to do.”

 

Rom 15:25 “But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. (26) For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.”

 

2 Cor 9:6 “But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (7) Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or because of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.”

 

1 Cor 16:1 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so you should do. (2) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has pros­pered you, that there are no gather­ings when I come. (3) And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusa­lem.”

 

Acts 11:28 “And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth th­roughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudi­us Caesar. (29) Then the disciples, every man according to his abili­ty, deter­mined to send relief to the bre­thren who dwelt in Judaea: (30) which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”

 Special attention was given to the widows and orphans by the early church. If the individual families could not provide for their widows and orphans, then the church took on that task on a daily basis. Special mention was also given to supply the needs of strangers who entered into their gates, just as the scripture spoke of in the Old Testament.

 

Acts 20:35 “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

 

1 Tim 5:3 “Honor widows that are widows indeed. (4) But if any widow has children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. (16) If any man or woman that believ­es has widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be char­ged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”

 

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled be­fore God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic­tion, and to keep themselves unspotted from the world.”

 

Heb 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain st­rangers: for thereby some have entertained angels’ unawares.”

 

3 John 1:5 “Beloved, you should do faithfully whatsoever you do to the brethren, and to strangers.”

 Then finally the scriptures in the New Testament speak of the church supplying the needs of those who minister to them.

 

1 Tim 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially they who labor in the word and doc­trine. (18) For the scripture says, You shall not muz­zle the ox that tread­s out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.”

 

Phil 4:15 “Now you Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I de­parted from Macedonia, no church communi­cated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only. (16) For even in Thess­alonica you sent once and again unto my neces­sity. (17) Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your ac­count.”

 So, as we review the scriptures of the New Testament, we first see the church pooling all their possessions and making distribution to all who are in need. Offerings were taken up for poor and needy saints in other cities. Provision was made for widows, orphans and any strangers coming into the gates of the believers. And finally, provision was made for the ministers of the Word.

 But we see no reference made to the paying of tithes by the new Christian church, and rightfully so, since the paying of tithes was a commandment to the Israelites, by God, through the Law delivered to the people by Moses. Once again, tithes were a part of the Law, which we Christians are not under. If we consid­er ourselves to still be subject to the Law, then we are subject to the whole Law and should obey every facet of it. The paying of tithes was instituted by God to provide for the needs of the Levites because they received no part of the inheritance, and were consecrated to the duties of the Temple of God.

 But even though we have not been commanded to pay tithes, we still have a responsibility to supply a portion of our increase to provide for the needs of the poor, the widows and or­phans, the strangers who visit our cities and are in need, and to provide for the needs of those who God has set over us to minis­ter the Word to us.

 Too much of the money that believers give to the church in the manner of tithes and offerings are being spent in a way incon­sistent with what God intended. The erection of large church structures with plush carpets, upholstered chairs and stained glass windows is not what God intended for us to use those tithes and offerings for. Neither are they to be used for expensive trips to the Holy Land every year, conventions, or enormous salaries for our ministers.

  Ministers pound their flock from the pulpit and make them ashamed for not donating a tenth of their increase. Many people avoid going to church on a regular basis or, not at all, because they know that it will be expected of them to pay regular tithes – a tenth of their income.

 The paying of tithes is just another example of ministers using scripture out of context to put their people under some kind of bondage, instead of preaching the Word and making pro­vision for the needs of the unsaved, the poor, widows, and or­phans.

 The doctrine of man and his misinterpretation of God’s Word has been taught from the pulpits for so many hundreds of years that people have taken it for the gospel. If a man believes that he has been called of God to preach His Word, that man should take a closer look at what God’s Word really says and preach it the way it was given to the prophets and apostles.

 

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