Questions in this section
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Tithing?
Is spanking only for the Old Testament, since it is not mentioned in the New? Of course not; you know the New Testament commands you to train your children (Eph 6:4), and you trust the Old Testament to give you the details about how to do it, especially the book of Proverbs.
We learn God’s will for New Testament giving the same way. We see the apostolic command and tradition of giving for several purposes (I Cor 9:14; 16:1-2; Gal 2:10; 6:6; I Tim 5:17; 6:17-19).
We then go to the Old Testament for the details about giving, and we find that God’s people gave a tithe or 10% before Moses’ Law – both Abraham (Gen 14:20) and Jacob (Gen 28:22). Just like spanking, you can learn in Solomon’s Proverbs about giving (Pr 3:9-10; 11:24-26).
Under the Law of Moses there were three tithes annually for about 23 1/3 % each year, and any real giving was after that, which was called offerings. It was tithes and offerings that pleased God. David and others gave far more than mere tithes to bless God and receive His blessings.
Anything less than a tithe can only come from a covetous heart, because God’s word starts with a tithe, expecting creative givers to devise more liberal offerings (Is 32:8; Mal 3:8). The greatest giver in the Bible was identified by Jesus and read about for 2000 years (Luke 21:1-4).
The very recent movement to condemn tithes, which we only consider a starting point for giving, is without scriptural basis and reflects selfish hearts that do not think big like David and others.
See Also
More about tithing and the New Testament: Should Christians Tithe?
Solomon’s teaching about giving: Proverbs 3:9.
Solomon’s teaching about giving: Proverbs 3:10.
Sober warning and fantastic blessings for giving: Haggai. -
How much should I give?
Some today argue against the tithe, or 10% of gross income, but Abraham and Jacob gave it before Moses’ law (Gen 14:18-20; 28:22). While a tithe is not specifically required in the N.T., it is the example the O.T. gives, just like the details for other N.T. duties e.g. child discipline. A tithe is what we owe God, and giving above that is an offering, thus tithes and offerings (Mal 3:8). If you grasp what God has done for you (II Cor 8:9; 9:15) and His promised blessings for liberal giving (Pr 11:24-26; II Cor 9:6), you should want to give very generously and cheerfully.
If you think of the previous paragraph as giving to your church for its laborers and needs, then you also have charity toward the poor to consider. But God mercifully and wisely only holds you responsible for poor in your family, for poor in your church, for those of the same faith and practice in other churches dealing with broad acts of God and destitute, and desperate needs he puts directly in your path in your ordinary business, like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
See Also
Much more about tithing in the Bible: Should Christians Tithe?
More about Christian charity: Haiti Earthquake.
More about Christian charity: What About Tsunami Relief? -
To whom should I give?
You should give to your local church where the receipts are used for New Testament purposes, especially to support preachers of the gospel (I Cor 9:14; Gal 6:6; I Tim 5:17). This giving should come off the top, because God expects and commands firstfruit giving (Pr 3:9-10).
After you taking care of God and His servants, you should take care of your family’s poor (I Tim 5:1-16), the poor in your church (Acts 2:45; 4:35), the poor in other churches of the same faith (Acts 11:29; I Cor 16:1-2; Gal 2:10), and those God puts in your direct path like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
See Also
More about Christian charity: Haiti Earthquake.
More about Christian charity: What About Tsunami Relief? -
United Way?
If you consider the Bible’s objects and purposes of giving in the answers above, you will not have much or any left over for the world’s ideas of charity. Since you pay taxes to support the world’s poor, you should not feel the least guilty for directing voluntary charitable giving to Christian poor in your church, believers elsewhere, or those needy souls God puts in your path.
If you are required by your employer to give to worldly agencies such as the United Way, consider it a taxable deduction and cost of doing business and do not worry about it.
See Also
More about Christian charity: Haiti Earthquake.
More about Christian charity: What About Tsunami Relief? -
Do income taxes affect my giving?
Yes, they reduce what you actually give to the Lord, and He sees it. In a 30% marginal tax bracket, your tithe of 10% only costs you 7%, thus you deceive yourself and rob God. The great God does not like fudging what you give (Mal 1:8,14). If your intent is to tithe, then you want to make sure it costs you 10%, regardless of how much is received by the object of your giving.
Learn the math. In a 30% marginal tax bracket, if you earn another $10,000, you owe $3000 more in taxes. If you give $1000 to tithe this increase and deduct it on your tax return, you lower your taxes by $300, because your taxable income goes down $1000. Your church gets $1000, but it only cost you $700, because the government reduced your taxes by $300. In this example, you are only giving 7% of your increase, $700 divided by your increase of $10,000, not a tithe.
The vast majority of givers, if not all of them, do not consider the tax consequences of their giving to the Lord, though they certainly want to deduct every penny when it comes time to prepare their tax return. Do the math until you are completely confident of the conclusion above, then determine before God how much as a percentage you will give after deducting tax effects.
See Also
More about the IRS, taxation, and giving: God Bless the IRS.