Over 50 Tithing Arguments Debunked

• = Tithing Argument
  • = The Truth

• There is no place in the Bible where it says to give less than a tithe minimum.
  • When you show me in scripture where we can give money for our tithe, then I'll show you in scripture where we are told to give less than a tithe. (Leviticus 27:30)
  • There is no where it says to give less than 100%. We are stewards. Not Owners. (Matt. 25:14-30)
• Jesus commanded it in Matthew 23
  • Jesus commanded it while he was still under the old law. (Matthew 23:1; Galatians 4:4)
  • What is commanded under the newer, more authoritative law? (1 Corinthians 9:14)
  • If Jesus' command here was confirming tithing for the Church, then it was also confirming that food was still the only acceptable gift of the tithe. So why do you give money?
  • IF 10% tithing is still commanded because of what Jesus said here, then you must obey the the strict guidelines that go with it, because Jesus not only endorsed their tithing but also the pharisees' meticulousness as well.
  • Jesus also kept the passover as well. (Matthew 26:17)
• All scripture is profitable, so how can you ignore the tithing verses in the Old Testament (2 Timothy 3)
  • I believe all scripture is profitable, so I don't understand how it is right to ignore New Covenant commands of giving? (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Galatians 5:18-25)
  • Is it profitable to. . . ?
    • . . . not let illegitimate children into the House of God (Deuteronomy 23:2)
    • . . . not only own slaves as property but beat them as long as they don't die. (Exodus 21:20,21)
    • . . . not wear clothes with different kinds of material (Leviticus 19:19)
    • . . . not allow ministers to shave any part of their head. (Leviticus 21:5)
    • . . . not allow anyone who has any kind of physical defect to give offerings. (Leviticus 21:16-23)
    • . . . not allow ministers in the House of God to serve more than 25 years. Ages 25-50. (Numbers 8:24)
  • Just because i don't practice tithing or the laws stated here, does not mean that i am demolishing the validity of the bible. Yes, all scripture is profitable, but that doesn't pronounce that all the laws in it are enforceable to the Church. (Hebrews 7:18, Gal. 2:19, Romans 6:14, Romans 7:4, Romans 2:25-27, Romans 8:2-5)
  • All scripture is profitable but the men who penned the word of God did not write a script with exactly how the Spirit will guide your decisions in life. Giving is a Spiritual decision, not an automated one.
• God never changes (Malachi 3:6)
  • Here's a list of changes that the tithing law has evolved into today
    • You've changed WHEN you give the tithe (Deuteronomy 26:12- The tithe was only given at certain times of the year)
    • WHO you give it to (Nehemiah 10:38- the tithe could only go to the Levites or the poor, not to buildings or pastors)
    • WHERE you store it (Nehemiah 10:38 - The tithe could only go into storehouses, not churches)
    • WHAT you give as a tithe (Deuteronomy 14:22- The tithe only consisted of food and animals)
    • We cancelled the tithe festival somehow? (Deuteronomy 14:23)
  • We have changed EVERYTHING about the law of tithing without any authorization to do so. The only thing we haven't changed is HOW MUCH (Galatians 3:10; Revelation 22:18,19)
• Tithing is acknowledging God owns everything
  • Eternal surrender acknowledges that God made me, but i didn't know that i only had to give 10% of myself. (Matt. 16:25)
  • There are many actions that can acknowledge God's ownership of everything, but it is not a requirement.
  • Giving 10% doesn't acknowledge anything to a God who can read the thoughts and intents of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)
• "Tithing was voluntary. There was no punishment mentioned for not tithing" -Larry Burkett.
  • Apparently Malachi 3:9 is not referring to punishment. -"you are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me."
  • Since when does God need to announce a different type of punishment for every type of SIN?
• Jesus is the high priest, and is alive today
  • In Genesis through Revelation He is also the lamb of God, but that doesn't mean we are to offer lambs to him. (1 Peter 1:19)
  • Jesus is also the first fruit, but we don't still offer our first born sons (1 Corinthians 15:20)
  • You say this as if we are to obey tithing in commemoration of Jesus' priesthood, just as we obey the Lords table to commemorate his death.
• Paul tithed because the only way to be in the temple was to pay tithes.
  • In Luke 18, a tax collector and Pharisee are compared to while both in the temple, so i doubt the tax collector tithed.
  • Paul still circumcised his disciples according to the law, and celebrated the old testament feasts, so i wouldn't surprise me if he gave a tithe. (Galatians 2:3-5; Acts 18:21)
• The tithe belongs in the church storehouse
  • The Old Testament storehouse is a picture of our eternal storehouse. It is not a picture of the Church. Lay up [store] for yourselves treasures in HEAVEN (Matthew 6:20)
  • A storehouse is not the building where the Levites passed around a plate to collect the gifts, The storehouse was the place where the levites deposited and stored the gifts. In other words a church building is where money is collected, not stored. A bank stores money. (Nehemiah 10:37,38)
  • The tithe was not always placed in the temple storehouse (Deut. 14:28)
  • The tithe NEVER contributed to construction or maintenance of the temple. Other types of gifts were used for construction or maintenance.
  • Only 1% of the whole tithe was stored in the temple. The other 9% was stored in the levitical refuge cities.(Joshua 21:8)
• Where does the New Testament teach not to tithe
  • The New Testament does not pretend the Law was never there. It just comes in sequence after the purpose of the Old law was fulfilled/accomplished.
  • Should the New Testament re-list all of the hundreds of Old Testament laws and covenants that we do not have to follow?
  • The NT does not teach us to stop all of the other types of offerings Israel gave either.
  • Where does the New Testament teach you that its okay to tithe money?
  • Here are other commands from the Old Testament that the NT does not say anything about
    • Deuteronomy 23:2
    • Deuteronomy 25:5-10
    • Deuteronomy 25:11-12
    • Exodus 21:20,21
    • Leviticus 15:19
    • Leviticus 19:19
    • Leviticus 19:23,24
    • Leviticus 21:1
    • Leviticus 21:5
    • Leviticus 21:16-23
    • Numbers 8:24
• Luke 18:12 shows that the Pharisee tithed on "all he possessed" not just agricultural increase.
  • The Pharisee's prayer was emphasizing what he did above and beyond what other Jews did. ("The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men")
• The early Church never talked about tithing because everyone already understood it was the thing to do.
  • There were many other things that were mentioned in the New Covenant that were easier to understand than the tithe.
  • God doesn't expect us to base his truth on your theories. I could also assume that they didn't talk about it, because everyone knew NOT to do it.
• www.epm.org
  www.crown.org
  www.generousgiving.org
  www.thegoodsteward.com
  • churchtithesandofferings.com
  • www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
  • www.letusreason.org
• Tithing is an act of worship
  • Because we are stewards, God expects us to worship him with all of it.
  • I didn't know worship started with only 10% of our possessions.
  • I agree that giving to God is obedience and worship, but obedience can't even begin at 10%.
• The tithe is a starting point to begin for new and young Christians
  • That sounds good, and can be a good place to begin, but there's no scriptural support for that command.
  • I'm really unaware of God saying to start with a tithe. If anything i can see how one would interpret the first fruit gift as the "starting point", considering that its a FIRST fruit.
  • The first gift of Israel's increase was the first fruit offering. Even the first gift mentioned in the bible is a first fruit, given by Abel.
  • Before the writer of Hebrews spoke about tithing in chapter 7, he explained that he was leaving the elementary principles and the "milk" of the word, in order to focus on the meat of the word, intended for the mature believers. So if anything tithing was mentioned for the more mature believers. (Hebrews 5:13- 6:1)
• Tithing is one of the first examples of giving found in the Bible.
  • Cain and Able gave a first fruit offering before Abraham ever gave a tenth to Melchizedek. (Genesis 4:4)
  • God example of giving had certainly given Adam more than a tithe.(Genesis 1:29,30)
  • Sacrificing animals also predated the tithe and the Mosaic law, but we do not continue animal sacrifices.
  • Clean and unclean animals were distinguished before the Mosaic law, but the clean/unclean laws do not apply to the Church. The Bible specifies that Noah sacrificed the clean animals, which apparently only came from the abolished Mosaic law hundreds of years later; (Genesis 12:7, Genesis 22:2; Genesis 8:20)
• Abraham tithed 430 years before the Law was given to Moses.
  • Abraham's circumcision and animal sacrifices are just as antiquated as his tithing, but the only thing that we are commanded to follow from Abraham, is his faith. (Galatians 3:5-18; Romans 4:9-22; Hebrews 11:8-10)
  • Abraham still came after the Old Covenant had been announced. (Gen 3)
  • Abraham also gave the other 90% to the king of Sodom, so should we follow this example as well?
• Christ came to fulfill the law, not abolish it.
  • Tithing was in the old covenant that had been replaced by a new covenant. (Hebrews 8:13)
  • Fulfill doesn't mean continue. If I have a cup and fill it with water, then that cup has fulfilled its purpose. You cannot use that cup up anymore to fill it.
  • When Christ conquered death, he didn't throw away the punishment for sin, he just fulfilled our obligation to pay it. So I am not diminishing the tithing law. I am saying that we are no longer under the obligation to pay it.
  • Principles that God wants us to obey are found in the lessons, not in the exercises. Stewardship lessons don't have to be taught by practicing the exercises that Israel or Abraham did.
  • You want Christ to fulfill the tithe’s percentage, but you don’t have Christ fulfill it’s exact purpose, the product it was, the people it went to, the place it was given, or the period it was given.
  • Tithing is not the fulfillment of the law.(Romans 13:8-10)
• Tithing is a repetitive"pattern" we find throughout the bible, and where we see God himself set a standard.
  • God himself set so many standards in the Old Testament, so unless you follow every one of the standards that God set up, then the tithing standard should stay in the Old Testament
  • God only needs to say something once for us to follow it, so patterns do not bring any extra validity to what God says.
  • Sacrifices are also mentioned all throughout scriptures but that doesn't validate it as a practice.
• Would you like to receive God's gross blessings or His net blessing?
  • Why not receive the firstfruits of his blessings by giving through the firstfruits of his Spirit, with Spirit-led giving?(1 Corinthians 15:20-24)
• Much of the tithe does go to run the church, but that doesn't mean that it's not helping people.
  • The storehouse, temple, nor the tabernacle were not constructed or maintained by tithes.
• How much have you given?
  • It's hypocritical to hold dear to the law of tithing and allow myself or yourself to boast in our giving. (Matthew 6:3)
  • The Mormon cult gives more money than any denomination or religion, but that doesn't prove their righteousness.(stats here)
  • Greed is not biased to those who practice grace giving. May I remind you that Israel fell to the cloak of greed while under the tithing law anyways.
  • The steward in Matthew 25 who gave 100% of his 2 talents back to his master was still considered a bad steward.
  • It was only the Pharisees who were interested in shortcomings of others while expressing how they elegantly obeyed the OT requirements.
  • Is it common for you to find your scriptural truth based on the performance of mankind?
• Money did not exist back then
  • In the book of Job (the oldest book in the bible) Job's friends gave him pieces of silver. (Job 42:11)
  • Abraham bought a field with 400 shekels of silver (Genesis 23:15)
  • Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold (Genesis 13:2)
  • Joseph put money into the sacks of grain that his brothers took back to their home (Genesis 44:8)
  • The Israelites were ordered to take gold and silver from the Egyptians (Exodus 25:3)
  • David spoke of gold and silver coins (Psalm 119:72)
  • Jacob purchased land with silver (Gen. 33:19)
  • Joseph was sold into slavery for twenty shekels of silver (Gen. 37:28)
  • Judas was paid off with silver coins to betray Jesus (Matt. 26:14-15)
  • The chief priests paid soldiers money to lie about Christ's body (Matt. 28:12-13)
  • Other passages indicate that actual coin money was used to pay taxes, even by Jesus himself (Matt. 17:24-27)
  • Money was to be used in redemption of people and animals (Numbers 3:46-50)
• Doesn't what you say now give us an excuse for not giving?
  • No, you should obey the commands and examples of New Testament giving.
    • 1 Corinthians 9:14
    • 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 compared with Deuteronomy 16:10
    • 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
    • 2 Corinthians 9:6-13
    • Galatians 2:14
    • Galatians 5:16-25
    • Matthew 10:8-10
    • Matthew 17:25-26 compared with Galatians 4:7
  • Spirit-led giving is more challenging and sacrificial than any other type of giving found in the bible.
• Spirit Led giving is very well in theory, but in practice people do not listen.
  • Israel didn't listen to the law either, so what makes you think the Church has a better chance to listen to it instead of the Holy Spirit?
  • If we encourage people to walk in the Spirit, can't the Holy Spirit teach us to give properly? (Romans 8:1-17; Galatians 5:13-26)
  • Last time I checked statistics, only 8% of the church population were obeying and listening to the tithe law anyway.
  • Being guided by the Spirit doesn't mean roll the dice. It means finding answers for our next step by having constant communication with God.
• The tithing Law is often a good starting point and tutor, to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
  • You aren't even teaching the complete tithing law, so how are you bringing people closer to Christ?
  • We are no longer under that tutor (Galatians 3:17, Gal. 5:16-18)
• Why has God blessed me while I have tithed, and withheld from me when I haven't?
  • God blesses those who practice the principles of faith. That's why a spirit led giver and a tither can both experience blessings in return for their faithful giving.
• The tithe belongs to the Lord
  • Really? Is that all? Just 10%? If you mandate tithing because 10% belongs to him, then you are already 90% in debt.(Psalms 24:1, 1 Corinthians 10:26)
• Every New Testament example goes beyond the tithe
  • You are mainly thinking about 1 or 2 passages in the new testament, where the people sold all that they had. Other than that, i still don't see any mention of anyone giving a percentage of their income away.
  • God never asked Israel to give less than what he's asked the Church to give.
• Christ never lowered the bar, he always raised it
  • Well then how can we get away with only tithing?
  • God does not change his standards or raise His bar. In the Old Testament God wanted Israel to be 100% stewards of what he's given them, and he still wants us to be 100% stewards. (Malachi 3:6)
• Tithing is an antidote against covetousness.
  • Well the tithing Pharisees sure proves that (Luke 16:14)
• God did rescind the legalism that obligated the tithe, but He never rescinded the blessing and protection that is promised to the person who tithes.
  • Specific times, specific places, and specific possessions were all obligations of tithing. If Israel did not meet all these requirements, then there was NO blessing. So, why would God change his mind for you? I know you do not meet these requirements in tithing, therefore, you are not receiving blessings from obeying it. Instead you are being blessed by your generosity and faith.
• Paul did not say set something aside as he feels led. He said to“save to the extent that we prosper”, how would that make any sense if there was not a proportional giving system in place? - 1 Corinthians 16:2
  • I find it interesting that he says set SOMETHING aside, and doesn't define that something as 10%.
  • Paul's statement gives room for us to pursue the answers from the Holy Spirit in regards to the extent of our giving.
• Tithing predated the Mosaic law
  • It predated Moses, but it did not predate the law.
    Gal 4:4-5
    But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
    
    "to redeem them that were under the law" - was this only referring to people starting from Moses, or did Adam need redemption from the law as well? Of course Adam needed redemption from the law just as much as Moses needed redemption from the law, just as much as Abraham needed redemption from the law. Remember the law itself was not new when God gave it to Israel and Moses. God's plan for redemption from the law started in Genesis 3, not with Moses.
  • Other verses that support this
    Galatians 3:19
    What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made;
    That promise was made in Genesis 3. Transgressions and the law began in Genesis 3
  • Tithing was still under the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:13)
• The tithe teaches the fear of the Lord
  • Deut. 6
    Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God
    
    Well that's interesting, ALL the old testament commandments taught the fear of the Lord. If you want to prove tithing with the fear of the Lord, then apply your statement to obey all the laws in the Old Covenant. I doubt you will obey all the Old Testament commands just because of that will you? (unless of course you think we only listen to "some" of what God said we should do and not others)
    
• Tithing -
  -It teaches the fear of the Lord
  -It teaches Stewardship
  -It reflects that all belongs to God
  -It teaches us to give the best and the first (actually OT first fruit offerings taught this, because tithes were counted not qualified, but we'll let it slide)
  -It teaches us that our increase comes from God
  -It trains us to have a good heart
  -It tells us exactly what we should give
  -It provides for the poor, the widow, & the minister
  -It tells us when to give, where to give, and how to give
  
  • There's NOT ONE thing that Spirit-led offerings cannot out-perform on that list. Must i go through an outline of what the Spirit teaches that tithing does not?
• Show me Scripture that says we're not obligated to tithe.
  • I'll be glad to show you scripture that we're not under the tithing law if you show me scripture where money can be used to tithe with.
  • Matthew 17:26, Galatians 5:18
  • There isn't a verse that directly says that we do not have to tithe. There are versus that allows us to be under grace, and be led by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:18, Romans 6:14)
• I know the tithing command is not repeated for New Covenant believers, but why must every principal in the Old Testament be re numerated in the New Testament in order to validate it?
  • I agree that every "law" does not have to be re-numerated in the NT in order to validate it, but how would you excuse changing the law of tithing without any New Covenant to do so either?
• How can we distinguish between what Old Testament commands roll over into the New Testament and what does not?
  • First, let's distinguish why some of the laws of tithing have rolled over into the NT and why some have not.
    - Food was only to be given as a tithe(Leviticus 27:30)
    - The tithe was given to the Levitical tribe because they did not have a land inheritance (Numbers 18:21)
    - The tithe was NOT part of first fruits.(Leviticus 27:33, compare with Numbers 18:12-13)
    - The tithe was only given certain times of the year(Deut. 14:28, Deut 26:12, Nehemiah 13:31)
    - At least 1/3 of the tithe was used on themselves for a feast (Deut. 14:22-27)
    - The tithes were not used to maintain or build any religious structures
• Just as the sabbath is still binding, so is tithing.
  • I do not know the eternal purpose of the sabbath, but the tithe has no such ties to an eternal purpose.
  • What other Old Testament laws have you attached to the binding Sabbath clause?
• 2 Corinthians 9 isn't meant to revoke the tithe, but speak to the spirit of tithing.
  • Interesting that tithing isn't mentioned either way.
  • What exactly is the spirit of tithing anyway?
• "Because tithing was so deeply embedded in the Jewish consciousness, the Jewish Christians naturally gave their tithes" -Randy Alcorn
  • This is based on assumptions that cannot be supported with any scripture whatsoever. We've looked at Jewish culture and gave a humanistic reasoning for God's laws, which essentially is putting words in His mouth.
  • I can use the same logic and say that it wasn't mentioned because everyone knew that they were not suppose to give tithes.
• Tithing is giving in a systematic manner rather than an emotional or spasmodic giving.
  • I was unaware that emotions should not be a part of worship to God.
  • If we can just figure God out, and exactly what he needs, then who would actually feel the need to pursue a relationship with him. We can just consult the law and be done with it.
  • Systematic giving defines religious, not Godly or spiritual.
• If the coming of Jesus did away with tithing, why didn't Jesus say so.
  • Sometimes i wish God just said a lot of things straight up. Don't forget, that the word didn't stop after the book of John. If Jesus needed to say all that he needed before he died, why did he give us the rest of the NT?
• The NT shifts the focus from giving an exact amount to the condition of your heart.
  • That's news to me. I didn't know that God changes his focus.
• The tithe is holy to the Lord
  • 2 Corinthians 3:10
    For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
• If we don't tithe how is the Church going to be supported?
  • You rely too much on your logic. What makes you think that God is restricted to the law of tithing to support his church and ministry? Did he not give us his Spirit and its gifts to help us with giving? (Matthew 10:8-10)
  • Look at how Israel supported local ministry in the Old Testament before they started the tithe (Exodus 35)
• Tithing in Malachi is the only place in the bible where God Tells us to prove and test Him.
  • Uniqueness still doesn't make the tithe universally binding.
  • God's tithing challenge was for Israel under the Mosaic law. They were not for Adam, Abraham, or even the Church.
  • Here are other passages that God allowed others to prove him (Deuteronomy 33:8, Judges 6:39)
  • Gideon even tested God three times. (Judges 6)
  • Every time Israel had an opportunity to obey his commands, it was always an opportunity to prove his promises.
  • Malachi is the only time in scripture where God says- "prove Me", but tithing isn't the only area that God allows us to prove Him.
  • The ability to prove God's promises is not exclusive to tithing.
• You are under a curse if you do not tithe (Malachi 3:8-10)
  • The only curse that God mentioned for not tithing was mentioned during the giving of the law. (Deuteronomy 27:26)
  • Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)
• Grace givers do not give as much as tithers
  • The pharisees outdid everyone as well, but that obviously didn't confirm their doctrine.
  • I could also predict that tithers do not give as cheerful or willingly as Spirit-led givers.
  • The steward in Matthew 25 who gave 100% of his 2 talents back to his master was still considered a bad steward.
  • It was only the Pharisees who were interested in shortcomings of others while expressing how they elegantly obeyed the OT requirements.
  • Is it common for you to base scriptural truth on the performance of mankind?
  • The end results do not justify the means. (Romans 3:8)
  • Anybody can use grace giving as an excuse to give less as much as anyone can use tithing as a way out to give less than they are capable.
• Abraham COMMENCED it – Gen 14:18-20
  Jacob CONTINUED it – Gen 28:20-22
  Moses CONFIRMED it – Lev 27:30
  Malachi COMMANDED it – Mal 3:8-10
  Jesus COMMENDED it – Matt 23:23
  God COMMISSIONED it – 1 Cor 9:13-14
  Paul CONFORMED it – 1 Cor 16:2