Why Tithe?
Steve Kryger wants to know why you tithe.
Tithing is an issue for Christians. Some see it, along with the Sabbath, as a vestigial law from the Mosaic Covenant. These conclusions about Tithing and the Sabbath would be correct it they weren’t based on ignorance. That is, ignorance of “command or example” of Sabbath and Tithing prior to Exodus 20.
The fact is we do have examples of tithing prior to the Mosaic Law (Genesis 14:17-20, 28:22).
What New Covenant “Command or Example” has God revealed to us as to WHY we are to tithe?
Examples: Acts, 1 Cor 16:1-2. The reason we tithe is to bless the poor of the church - the widow, the orphan, etc.
Command: 1 Cor. 9:6-14.
do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “ You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
There are many examples of the “Why” of tithing, but I can only find one command as to the “Why” of tithing - the reason we are to tithe cheerfully is because God has commanded every Christian to support those who proclaim the gospel to them each and every week.
