tithing, will it help me out financially?

[truthquester]

I have a question about tithing. Please forgive me if I seem igonorant on the subject, I only learned of this recently.

My question is if I tithe will that help me out financially? Or, if I do it just to get something back is that wrong? If I give from the heart expecting nothing in return, is that better? My personal theory is that if I give it resentfully feeling I can’t afford it, it will not come back to me as promised, but if I give it expecting nothing in return it will. I could use a little help financially but I don’t want to tithe with that in my heart and mind for fear it will offend God.

In my experience, when I have received a gift from another person where they seem to have given it in resentment, it was something that I no longer wanted and it didn’t matter what the gift was. I was thinking that tithing was somewhat similar in theory.

Does that make sense?

 

[Cristiano]

Your feelings make a lot of sense to me. However, you are confused with the why we give to God. The driving principle is to give back, to return part of what he has already given to us. We do not have any right to expect anything more than what we already have just because we are giving back through donations to the Church. It does not really matter how you feel about doing something that we must do. If it is the right thing then we do it because it is right and not because we like it or not. Do not forget that Christ is not just our Savior, he is our Lord too and we owe him obedience.

 

[SteveVH]

I have a question about tithing. Please forgive me if I seem igonorant on the subject, I only learned of this recently.

My question is if I tithe will that help me out financially? Or, if I do it just to get something back is that wrong? If I give from the heart expecting nothing in return, is that better? My personal theory is that if I give it resentfully feeling I can’t afford it, it will not come back to me as promised, but if I give it expecting nothing in return it will. I could use a little help financially but I don’t want to tithe with that in my heart and mind for fear it will offend God.

In my experience, when I have received a gift from another person where they seem to have given it in resentment, it was something that I no longer wanted and it didn’t matter what the gift was. I was thinking that tithing was somewhat similar in theory.

Does that make sense?

If you tithe as an investment in the generosity of God, for no other purpose than an expecation of “pay back” then I think you should just keep your money in your pocket. I you tithe with a generous heart, even while knowing that God will never be out done in generosity, you will be rewarded.

 

[JonNC]

I have a question about tithing. Please forgive me if I seem igonorant on the subject, I only learned of this recently.

My question is if I tithe will that help me out financially? Or, if I do it just to get something back is that wrong? If I give from the heart expecting nothing in return, is that better? My personal theory is that if I give it resentfully feeling I can’t afford it, it will not come back to me as promised, but if I give it expecting nothing in return it will. I could use a little help financially but I don’t want to tithe with that in my heart and mind for fear it will offend God.

In my experience, when I have received a gift from another person where they seem to have given it in resentment, it was something that I no longer wanted and it didn’t matter what the gift was. I was thinking that tithing was somewhat similar in theory.

Does that make sense?

Tithing, in my humble opinion, is not simply about money. It is about giving to the Church, responding to Christ’s call that we help the least of His children. that giving can also be in time and talents - gifts if you will. You give what you can in response to how you are blessed. If you can sing - join the choir, you can teach - help with Sunday School, or VBS, you get the point. In this way,I can’t see how you could resent what you give.
Tithing with the expectation that you will get financial security in return misses the point of tithing.

Jon

 

[Zekariya]

Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

 

[triumphguy]

I have a question about tithing. Please forgive me if I seem igonorant on the subject, I only learned of this recently.

My question is if I tithe will that help me out financially? Or, if I do it just to get something back is that wrong? If I give from the heart expecting nothing in return, is that better? My personal theory is that if I give it resentfully feeling I can’t afford it, it will not come back to me as promised, but if I give it expecting nothing in return it will. I could use a little help financially but I don’t want to tithe with that in my heart and mind for fear it will offend God.

In my experience, when I have received a gift from another person where they seem to have given it in resentment, it was something that I no longer wanted and it didn’t matter what the gift was. I was thinking that tithing was somewhat similar in theory.

Does that make sense?

Tithing might hurt.

I’ve heard protestant preachers say that when you tithe you are blessed financially, but that may not be the case.

Anyway, it’s not really giving if it doesn’t hurt a little.

 

[ExGratia]

The idea that tithing will bring more money to you is a heresy (one I think is Protestant in nature)…the “Health and Wealth” or “Prosperity” Gospel. Heresy or superstition depending on how you look at it.

When we pray, or visit the sick, or give alms, or any other good deed, we are not necessarily rewarded in this life but will have wealth in the next (Heaven).

Wealth or health is no sign of virtue, and poverty or sickness is no sign of vice. Think of how our Savior came into this world…born in a cave with animals all around.

God bless you! I pray for peace and the blessing of provision for you!

 

[truthquester]

Thank you for clearing that up. I have attended several different churches in the past that always demanded a 10% tithe and in trying to persuade people they always promised it would be returned to you 10 times over, but I always felt very uncomfortable with that idea.

It raised a lot of questions in my mind about tithing, and religon in and of itself.
I could never afford 10% of my earnings and in discussing this with the pastors of the church, they made me feel as though I was doing something wrong in even asking the above question. One even said that if I trust God with so many other things, why can’t I trust Him with my money. But it always felt wrong to me to give charitable with the intention of getting something in return. That seems like it goes against the idea of charity in the first place. It’s actually a relief to see that not all of the churches view it the same way, I always thought they did.

 

[truthquester]

don’t get me wrong, I never mind giving to charity or helping another person in need. I just don’t feel comfortable in being made to feel as if I have to do it or should do it just to get something in return.

When I give something, I like to give it with a whole heart and not expect anything in return. I just can’t afford the set amount of 10% and don’t like the idea of a church imposing guilt on me and my family for not being able to do so. I don’t attend that church anymore.

 

[triumphguy]

don’t get me wrong, I never mind giving to charity or helping another person in need. I just don’t feel comfortable in being made to feel as if I have to do it or should do it just to get something in return.

When I give something, I like to give it with a whole heart and not expect anything in return. I just can’t afford the set amount of 10% and don’t like the idea of a church imposing guilt on me and my family for not being able to do so. I don’t attend that church anymore.

Your instincts are right.

AND there are many ways to give yourself to a Church: time and talent are important too.

 

[truthquester]

I don’t attend any church. I’m having a little trouble trying to figure out where I belong. I’ve attended so many different churches that it has caused confusion on my part because they’re all a little different and haven’t found anything that I can really commit myself to.

 

[Lady_Love]

I don’t attend any church. I’m having a little trouble trying to figure out where I belong. I’ve attended so many different churches that it has caused confusion on my part because they’re all a little different and haven’t found anything that I can really commit myself to.

I am so sorry about this. The biggest scandal on the planet is that Christians are not unified in their beliefs…“but it was not so in the beginning.” Just like God designed marriage to be indissoluble, so He designed His church but “because of the hardness of their hearts” divisions occurred but like I said it was not always the case. In the early years of the church, there was only ONE church, ONE set of dogmas/doctrine, a united priesthood under the Pope.

The Holy Spirit unites and the evil one destroys, separates and kills.

I look forward to the day that Christianity reunites. I’m sure she will be a force to be reckoned with. The flesh of a healed wound is always thicker and tougher!

 

[That_Bloke]

No! When giving to the church especially the Mega Churches all you are doing is buying big houses, private jets and high end cars for the " minister " and his accountant.

If your “God” can creat the entire 13.5 Billion year old universe why can’t she fix her own church roofs?

Keep your money mate and take the wife out to dinner…

 

[JonNC]

No! When giving to the church especially the Mega Churches all you are doing is buying big houses, private jets and high end cars for the " minister " and his accountant.

If your “God” can creat the entire 13.5 Billion year old universe why can’t she fix her own church roofs?

Keep your money mate and take the wife out to dinner…

The vast majority of clergy, Catholic, Orthodox, protestant, do not fall into the caricature you’ve painted here. My dad was a pastor, and we didn’t have a big house, or a private jet. Our version of a high-end car was a 1963 Volkwagon Beetle. So, perhaps you should narrow your broad brush just a little.

And I can tell you this, I would far more trust my Church and most others with helping the poor than government. Whatever scandal of corruption one has seen in Church charities is far, far outdone by the scandalous corruption of government socialist welfare programs.

BTW, can you name a private atheist group doing anywhere near the charitable work that Christian churches do?

Jon

 

[That_Bloke]

The vast majority of clergy, Catholic, Orthodox, protestant, do not fall into the caricature you’ve painted here. My dad was a pastor, and we didn’t have a big house, or a private jet. Our version of a high-end car was a 1963 Volkwagon Beetle. So, perhaps you should narrow your broad brush just a little.

And I can tell you this, I would far more trust my Church and most others with helping the poor than government. Whatever scandal of corruption one has seen in Church charities is far, far outdone by the scandalous corruption of government socialist welfare programs.

BTW, can you name a private atheist group doing anywhere near the charitable work that Christian churches do?

Jon

Hi. Ask to see your church records and find out how much of the “donations” are used for administration purposes and how much of the money is actually used to help people then get back to me. Obviously you won’t do this because you don’t really want to know or have your beliefs interrupted by annoying facts, and I suspect that if you did ask you would suddenly not be as popular at your church as you once were. Oh and comic relief, Children in need, help for hero’s etc etc etc.

 

[JonNC]

Hi. Ask to see your church records and find out how much of the “donations” are used for administration purposes and how much of the money is actually used to help people then get back to me. Obviously you won’t do this because you don’t really want to know or have your beliefs interrupted by annoying facts, and I suspect that if you did ask you would suddenly not be as popular at your church as you once were. Oh and comic relief, Children in need, help for hero’s etc etc etc.

I’m on my church council! I know!!! And you don’t know me, so how do you know wha I really want or not? Such arrogance!!

Is Comic Relief a self-identied athiest charity?

comicrelief.com/about-us

Jon

 

[KathleenGee]

It is not historically a Christian practice to force people to give money so they can be blessed by God.

Consider the psalms…what the Lord seeks is a humble, contrite heart so He can fill it with Himself.

If you read the earliest description of the Mass by St. Justin the Martyr, only those who were rich were asked to help the local church and those in need, particularly the widows and orphans, – and – that the wealthy members of the parish would privately decide themselves what to give.

There have been church and parish missions seeking funds for new church buildings and facilities, as well as helping the missions and elderly priests and religious.

No one is going to force you to pay anything. But it is our duty as a parish community to give what we can. Some times if you cannot afford anything, you can give your love and prayers and volunteer.

About tithing, from what I understand, it was mentioned only two times in the Old Testament.

Remember, Christ has made all things new. He gave Peter the power to bind and loosen. So we must trust the Holy Spirit in the Church how He guides today rather than how it was those times mentioned twice in the Old Testament.

Consider an affluent couple who have no children vs a father with wife and children to support. Ten percent would not be a burden to the affluent couple but an unrealistic burden to the family, especially in these days when it takes 3 paychecks to care for a family…and many children do not have a parent at home.

The biggest investment for the Church is for all of us to follow God’s will and to love God with all our heart soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself.

 

[Jennifoo]

I think you post an excellent question. When I first became Catholic I wasn’t good with Mass offerings. I was very sporadic, not in a willful way, but because I wasn’t all that great with money on the whole. I wasn’t born with good at budgeting or saving, and was never taught how. ( if I ever have children I will be sure to teach them this.) After going through some financial difficulties I started to learn with my parents’ help. As my prayer life grew, I started asking the Lord to help me in those areas of my life that aren’t in keeping with the Gospels. Around this time I began to enjoy contributing at Mass more and more. Now I’m tithing and loving it. My point is that if you surrender yourself to the Lord-includong your finances-He will help you. You may not get more money, but He will teach you to make better choices.

 

[CopticChristian]

I have a question about tithing. Please forgive me if I seem igonorant on the subject, I only learned of this recently.

My question is if I tithe will that help me out financially? Or, if I do it just to get something back is that wrong? If I give from the heart expecting nothing in return, is that better? My personal theory is that if I give it resentfully feeling I can’t afford it, it will not come back to me as promised, but if I give it expecting nothing in return it will. I could use a little help financially but I don’t want to tithe with that in my heart and mind for fear it will offend God.

In my experience, when I have received a gift from another person where they seem to have given it in resentment, it was something that I no longer wanted and it didn’t matter what the gift was. I was thinking that tithing was somewhat similar in theory.

Does that make sense?

Truth,

There are Protestants that believe in “seed money” and use all sorts of nonsense to get people to give to their ministries quoting Malachi and the windows of heaven, laws like Mike Murdoch, etc. The notion is giving gets you something in return. Give a $1000.00 and in the future it will come back to you 10 fold.

Tithing is support. Giving is what you can. It is based on the belief that what you have is a gift any way and not yours in reality so share and support the work of God because you want to and believe it is proper, good and just. Give to Ceasar what is Caesar and to God that which is God’s.

 

[gazelam]

To round out Zekariya’s excellent contribution I add…

Malachi 3:8-12 (KJV)

1. 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.

Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

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.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Between not being a thief of God’s property and having the promise of more blessings (not necessarily financial) then you can receive, and having the devourer rebuked and all nations calling you blessed, tithing in a no-brainer!! DO IT!!!