Corinthians 9 King James Version
9 Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Summary
Give With No Strings Attached
Its easier for someone to give when they know theyll be repaid. However, Jesus taught that a person should give freely without expecting anything in return.
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:3436
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Tithing Before The Old Covenant
The concept of tithing was actually around before the old covenant was established.
The first person to make a TITHE, which means a tenth of ones INCREASE, was Abram Notice please: Abrams TITHE was not under the LAW which came more than six hundred years later. It wasnt requested by anybody. It wasnt suggested by anybody. It wasnt coerced by anybody. It was purely a VOLUNTARY act of gratitude to HONOR the Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth. Abram simply appreciated Gods FAVOR and gave up something of value in order to HONOR the One who had helped him get the victory.
Rev. Bill Miller
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Old Testament Law Vs New Testament Practices
Whether the tithe is only for Old Testament or if it is also included in the New Testament is probably the most debated issue. The scripture most frequently referenced regarding the tithe is indeed in the Old Testament , but the tithe is also referenced in the New Testament. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus talks to the Pharisees, condemning them for tithing to the penny but neglecting the more important issues of justice, mercy, and faith. He then goes on to tell them that they should in fact tithe, but that they shouldn’t neglect the more important things. Jesus recognized the importance of keeping the tithe and we should, too.
When I think of Christians asking themselves whether “tithing” is commanded in the Bible, is an Old Testament or New Testament teaching, I wonder how many of these Christians “send back” the many scriptural blessings God has given His people in the Old Testament. How many people when they are blessed and given hope through the mention of God’s works, words etc. through the Old Testament Scriptures say I don’t receive this or that blessing or confirmation because it’s in the Old Testament’?”
Tithers Right No : To Receive An Outpouring Of Blessings
open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
God is talking specifically to tithers in this verse. The windows of heaven are open over tithers. And God says He will pour out such a blessing, you wont have room for it! Thats the purpose of abundanceto be living in so much overflow that you keep giving it away and furthering the kingdom of God.
The blessing of the tither is what puts us over financially.
Thats why it is so perplexing why some Christians will fight tooth and nail against the principle of tithing. Its for their benefit! Jerry Savelle warns, Dont let Satans excuses keep you from faithfully honoring God with your tithes. The windows of heaven represent an outflow of Gods blessings showering you in every part of your life. Its God responding to our obedience to His Word. Why would anyone want to close those windows in their life? That really doesnt make sense.
Does tithing really open the windows of heaven?
The farmer made $288,000 in six years, compared to the other farmers who only made an average of $21,000. The experiment worked. Just like He did for this farmer, God will bless your harvest when you tithe!
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Is The Tithe For The New Testament Believers
- Cortni Marrazzo
A few weeks ago I wrote an article called Why its Important to Keep Tithing in Tough Economic Times and, quite frankly, I was surprised by the many follow up comments from Christians who dont believe that tithing is for today. Many expressed the belief that tithing was only done in the Old Testament and thus it shouldnt be a part of a believers life. Their comments made me wonder: Whether tithing is restricted to the Old Testament or not, is the practice of tithing such a bad thing for todays believer? Lets dive in and look at what the Bible has to say about tithing and more importantly, our heart.
Hebrew Definition Of A Tithe
The word tithe is used as a verb and a noun in the Bible. As a noun, the Hebrew word for tithe is maaser. It also means a tenth or a tenth part. The verb form of the tithe in Hebrew is asar. It means to give tithes or to give a tenth. The Bible refers to the tithe 32 times in the King James Version of the Bible.
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Tithing The First Fruits
I first got ahold of the power of tithing from our first fruits from Chapter 2 of Robert Morris The Blessed Life.
A discussion about the first fruits could be a whole book by itself, but suffice it to say: to me, it is clear scripturally that God wants us to give from the first of our income.
Not giving from what is leftover, but rather a deliberate and intentional giving of the first of our income that comes in.
Robert Morris puts it like this:
It always requires faith to give the first. Thats why so few Christians experience the blessings of tithing. It means giving to God before you see if you are going to have enough. By tithing, it is as if we are saying to God, I recognize You first. I am putting You first in my life, and I trust You to take care of the rest of the things in my life. That is why tithing is so important. It is the primary way we acknowledge that God is first.
Here are a few scriptures for you to dive into for more on this:
Before The Mosaic Law
The first person recorded as offering a tithe was Abram . Abrams tithe appears to have been a one-time gift to the king-priest of Salem. There is no evidence in the Bible account that Abraham or his children tithed again.
The second person mentioned in the Bible as offering a tithe was Abrahams grandson Jacob. He promised that if God would bless him, he would give to God a tenth of everything he received. According to some Bible scholars, Jacob likely paid this tithe in the form of animal sacrifices. While Jacob bound himself by this vow, he did not impose such a tithe on his family.
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Bible Verses About Giving 10 Percent
Bible verses related to Giving 10 Percent from the King James Version by Relevance
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God Values Our Offerings Differently Than Men Do
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Making Tithing Easier For Your Congregation
One way to encourage tithing within your church is to ensure that youre using 21st-century technology.
A partnership with mobileAxept means that youll have access to our ReachNow, GiveNow Text, GiveNow Online, and ConnectNow solutions. These solutions are aimed at making it more convenient for members of your church to tithe.
In fact, churches that offer online giving options increase their donations by 32%!
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you increase engagement in your church.
If managing your churches finances is proving difficult, Id recommend looking into small church accounting software options. Many are affordable and can be very useful for church staff.
For more reading, check out our best online giving for small churches post!
How Should I Increase My Giving When I Start Making More Money
When things are going well and you find yourself with more income than you need, it can be easy to spend all that extra cash on yourself. But think of it as a great opportunity to give above and beyond your tithe. Many regular tithers often give above 10%, landing somewhere between 1120%.2
Thats why its so important to budget what youll do with the extra moneyso you can make sure youre giving some of it away too. Depending on what Baby Step youre on, that extra money can go toward paying off debt, giving more in offerings, upping your investments, or spending some fun money.
Then look aroundask friends if they know of anyone in need and watch for opportunities to give that money away. Believe us, if youre intentional about looking for ways to be generous, youre going to find them.
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I Can Tithe According To What My Heart Desires
You can give according to what is in your heart. Your tithe will be accepted and it will come back to you in many ways. Your giving will be accepted by Heaven, and your blessings from God will return to you. The more you give, the more He can bless you so that you may continue to give. When there are no limits to our giving, God is able to return His blessings without limitation.
God loves a cheerful giver! When we choose to give because we want to and not because we have to, our hearts are filled with joy and happiness when we know that our gift has been received by Him and has helped someone else along the way. As God opens up more doors for us through His blessings, He is able to bless others through us in a way that helps us all grow closer together as one of his children.
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The Gospel Leads To Making Sacrifices With Our Money
Did you know that it pleases the Lord when we make sacrifices? As believers, we have to make sacrifices for others, but we like to live above our means. We like to give the old stuff that doesnt cost a thing. Does your giving cost you? Why give the old stuff why not the new? Why do we always give people the stuff that we dont want? Why not give people stuff that we do want?
When we make sacrifices that cost us we learn to be more selfless. We become better stewards with Gods resources. What sacrifice is God leading you to make? Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice that trip that you have been dying to go on.
Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice the newer car that you wanted. Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice the time that you wanted for yourself to bless the lives of others. Lets all examine our giving. Is it costing you? Sometimes God is going to ask you to dip into your savings and give more than usual.
14. 2 Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD. my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
15. Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
16. Romans 12:13 Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
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Why Should I Tithe The Purpose Behind The Ten Percent
Why do I have to tithe is a question many Christian ask themselves. After working to provide for your family, pay for school, or gain a little independence it can be very difficult to give away the money you worked so hard to earn, especially when living on a tight budget. But the Bible gives clear direction on how we should spend our earnings, even going further by providing incentive to do so. If you can understand tithing in the way that God intended then that giving wont be such a hardship.
In Malachi 3:10, God commanded His people to, 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.
A tithe is a tenth, meaning that God has commanded us to give a tenth of our earnings that there may be food in my house. For the modern day church that food can take on many different forms. Your tithe could go towards starting a new project, or providing new resources for Childrens Ministry, or it could simply be the means to pay the electricity bill. There are many facets to a church, all of which need funding to work properly, and tithing is the way that God has provided the means for His church to function. When we give our tithe to the church we are honoring the Lord by obeying His command and allowing His ordained plan to continue.
How Much Should Someone Give Back According To Scripture
Does God want everyone who follows Him to tithe ten percent of their income? Or do something else with what they earn instead, like using that money on themselves or others through acts of kindness.
They may also spend it on charity work, or even sharing His word and Good News with others as Jesus says in Luke 21:14-15 “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”
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What Does Tithe Mean In Hebrew
Tithing in Hebrew is a practice of giving ten percent of ones annual income to the Lord. It is based on both Old Testament and New Covenant teaching from scripture but was never required for salvation or entrance into Gods kingdom. Tithing continues today as an act of worship among Hebrew Believers who desire to honor their Creator by honoring His commands given throughout both Testaments. In Hebrew, tithing is not limited to agricultural produce, and it can include gold or silver coins and animals . It can also include consumable goods such as alcohol and oil.
Tithes were used as food for Levite priests who oversaw tithe distributions Tithing in the book of Hebrew occurred twice yearly: at Passover and Shavuot . Tithing practices are not fully alive today because most Christians do not know how to use the money or assets that they have earned through hard work. To the Hebrews, tithing is about giving back what belongs to God. Tithing in the book of Hebrew is a way to say thank you. Tithing can be done with money and time and talents that God has given us so that we can use them for His glory.
In Hebrew, tithing is a spiritual discipline that has been practiced since time began. It can be done at any given moment and will never go unnoticed by the Lord!