The Tithe
The Church:
Ten percent of your
income should be given to the church to be spent as the church decides. Some
churches exact a second tithe, which is used to support a festival or conference
each year for a total of 20 percent. Some also exact a third tithe for the poor,
which is spent as the church decides for a total of 30 percent. There are
churches that demand 30 percent per year or any number of various combinations.
The Bible:
Ten
percent of your food yield should be saved and used for a feast and converted
into money for a spending spree each year. Every third year you must take ten
percent of your food yield and feed the priests and the poor. If the church was
a tabernacle, which it isn't, and ministers were priests, who they aren't, and
were performing the duties clearly laid out in scripture, which they don't, all
they could legally receive according to scripture is ten percent of your income
every three years and that must also be used to feed the needy.
The tithe is
one tenth of the agricultural yield that is taken to a designated site to be
consumed and used for a general spending spree each year. Every third year the
tithe is used to provide food for the priests and all those in need. There is no
indication whether the gift tithe is an extra ten percent or just designated for
a different purpose every three years. The tithing law is found in the Book of
Deuteronomy:
The tithe is one tenth of the agricultural yield.
·
Deuteronomy 14:22
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of
thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
The tithe is to be brought to a designated place and consumed or converted
into money and spent as one desires.
·
Deuteronomy 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God,
in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy
corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy
flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. 24 And if the
way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place
be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there,
when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money,
and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord
thy God shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy
soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or
for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy
God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
Every third year a tenth of the agricultural increase is to be given to
the priests and the poor.
·
Deuteronomy 14:27
And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou
shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine
increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 29 And the Levite,
(because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat
and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine
hand which thou doest.
·
Deuteronomy 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the
tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast
given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they
may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
The tithe is to be used to feed the priests, travelers, and the poor at the
tithers home.
There is no place in the Bible stating that ten percent of your income should
be given for any kind of religious purpose every year other than a feast
and any doctrines or practices that demand such funds are committing
extortion if they attempt to justify this with scripture.
Here are the other verses in the Bible dealing with the tithe:
Tithe is of
agricultural origin.
·
Leviticus 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the
seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto
the LORD. 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add
thereto the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of
the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy
unto the LORD.
Tithe rules for priests.
·
Numbers 18:24
But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering
unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said
unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 And
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto
them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you
from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it
for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
Rules for eating the tithe.
·
Deuteronomy12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the
tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds
or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill
offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: 18 But thou must eat them before the
LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy
son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite
that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all
that thou puttest thine hands unto.
Tithes to priests.
·
2Chronicles 31:4
Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of
the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the
LORD. 5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel
brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of
all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in
abundantly. 6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the
cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe
of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by
heaps.
Tithes to priests.
·
Nehemiah 10:37
And that we should bring the firstfruits of
our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and
of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the
tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the
tithes in all the cities of our tillage. 38 And the priest the son of Aaron
shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall
bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,
into the treasure house.
Tithes to priests.
·
Nehemiah 12:44
And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for
the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out
of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites:
for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
Tithes to priests.
·
Nehemiah 13:5
And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat
offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the
new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the
singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Tithes to priests.
·
Nehemiah 13:12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn
and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
Tithes to priests every three years.
·
Amos 4:4 Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal
multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes
after three years:
Failure to tithe to the priests is a crime.
·
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me.
But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.9 Ye are cursed
with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the
tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me
now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not
destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before
the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Tithing is not to boast about.
·
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the
weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have
done, and not to leave the other undone.
·
Luke 11:42
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs,
and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not
to leave the other undone.
·
Luke 18:11
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am
not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I
tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for
every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted.
Tithes to priests.
·
Hebrews 7:5 And verily 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: 6 But he whose descent is not counted from them
received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And without
all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 And here men that die
receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he
liveth. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in
Abraham.