Understanding Tithing: Principles of Generous Giving

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First of all, in the New Testament, the tithe is mentioned in passages like Matthew chapter 23 verse 23 and Luke chapter 11 verse 42, where Jesus spoke about the tithe. It's very interesting criticizing the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day while at the same time supporting the principle of the tithe. [00:01:50]

Though the New Testament doesn't speak about tithing very much, it does speak much more about the idea of giving. So this is how I would state it: tithing is not emphasized in the New Testament. It's not ignored. The New Testament speaks about tithing, and when it does, it's in terms of general approval, but tithing is not emphasized in the New Testament, but giving is. [00:03:17]

Paul said in First Corinthians chapter 16 verse 2, he said regarding the collection that they were going to receive among the Christians in the city of Corinth, he said that it should be done every week. The line in First Corinthians chapter 16 verse 2 is on the first day of the week. In other words, Paul wanted their giving in Corinth to be systematic and not haphazard. [00:04:12]

This means that I'll just say it plainly: believers who have more should give more. We should give proportionately. In other words, if you make, and again I'm just throwing out numbers here, if you make $100 a week and you give $10 a week, that would be a 10% proportion, a tithe. Then you should give more when you make $200 a week. [00:05:21]

The New Testament does not emphasize tithing. It doesn't ignore it. It emphasizes giving, but giving that is regular and giving that is proportional. Then you just get into the idea of what should the proportion be. The Old Testament standard was a 10% proportion. What should it mean to us in the New Testament? Well, that's for each individual believer to figure out. [00:06:25]

The Bible also says that we should give to those ministries, to those works that support us, that feed us spiritually. Now, fundamentally, this should have in view the work of the local church, but if there are other ministries that feed you, that bless you, that sustain you spiritually, then it is appropriate for you also to make some kind of gift unto them. [00:06:54]

I've read that among early Christians, they said something like this: we're not under the tithe. They're speaking of New Covenant believers. We're not under the tithe. We can give more. You guys say I kind of like that thinking, isn't it true? I mean, for some Christians to limit their giving to 10 percent would be dishonoring to God because they have the capability to give much more. [00:07:31]

When God gives this sister prophetic utterances, I don't know if it's angels speaking to her, I don't know if it's God or whatever, but God speaks to her. Now, you would imagine, well, what happens with this sister when God speaks during the midst of the services? Does she stand up and shout out, thus saith the Lord, and get everybody's attention? [00:14:47]

She said after the service, she speaks to the elders of the church and shares with them what she believed God had spoken to her. To me, I think that's a beautiful exercise of the gift of prophecy, not to take over a church service, not to draw attention to oneself, but if someone has been recognized as someone that God may use or the gift of prophecy. [00:15:11]

I always believe that if God should give what we would think to be a prophetic word to somebody, that what they need to do is they need to bring it before the leadership of the church, the pastors, the elders, however the leadership that church instruction is structured, and simply say, I believe God gave me this word. [00:25:27]

We should always be humble about what we believe God is speaking to us. Frankly, Denise, it makes me nervous when people say God told me this, God told me that, God told me the other thing. I always like to see a good measure of humility about what we believe God is speaking to us because none of us hears the word of the Lord perfectly. [00:25:58]

I believe that that Pastor Chuck Smith was such a man that God raised up for unique leadership in the church. I would never call Pastor Chuck Smith an apostle, and he would have never called himself an apostle, but God raised him up to unique leadership in the church, a man raised up to lead not just a congregation but a movement. [00:30:26]

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