Tithing Income/Money

The following post is a lengthy response to a comment string from the previous post on tithing.

Are you implying they were to tithe money?

I am implying that they were (as we are) to tithe the best/first of all that God provided them.

The first mention of the tithe in the Bible, Abraham gives Melchizedek, king of Salem, who was the priest of God Most High, a tithe (tenth) of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). The next time we see a tithe, Jacob vowed that of all that God gave him he would give God a tenth (Genesis 28:20-22).

Money was not acceptable as a tithe. Not one account of money being used as a tithe or commanded to be used by Our Lord.

I do not recall seeing anything in scripture indicating that money was not acceptable as a tithe.

It is possible that the Widow was giving something other than the tithe when she dropped money in the offering box, so you may be right that there was not one account of money (a formal unit of currency used as a circulating medium of exchange) being used as a tithe.

We know from history, however, that food items were often used as a medium of exchange (payment), and we see plenty of instances in the Bible to support that fact/practice. So, the food items that were tithed were often used to purchase other needed goods or services, and the first fruits and first born were the most valuable portion of such food items.

If a person wants to tithe their income that is up to them.

This sentence addresses two issues (albeit inadvertently): free will and morality. I agree that all people are free to decide the course of action they will follow, but we are not free to arbitrarily decide what is right and wrong. We have to try to discern God's will on tithing our income and then submit.

Tithing money has become a salvational issue.

You introduced the idea of tithing (money) as a salvational issue, I never connected tithing and salvation, so since I think we both agree that salvation is in no way dependent on tithing, and I cannot determine where that argument came from, I will leave it for someone else.

Scriptures are being taken out of context to chain people to a lie.

The issue of context is always touchy; everyone has a different idea of what context consists of, and before you know it, it’s an argument about who is right about context rather than what does scripture tell us.

I try to ask simple questions: what is revealed of God’s character, is that consistent with what the rest of the Bible says and what we know of God’s character, and how does this affect my relationship or understanding of God?

Since my job and my income is God’s provision for my family, much the way the harvest and the flock were God’s provision for the Israelites; I tithe from my provision as they were commanded to tithe from theirs. I cannot tell from scripture that this diminishes the greatness of God or harms my relationship with Him. Of course, I’m not sure how I would tithe otherwise, and if I did not tithe or if I had a diminished or dubious tithe, scripture is clear where that can lead.

It is clear what Our Lord commanded in tithing under the law and that was food items.

Yes, in the tithing commanded according to the law God specifically addressed the tithing of the first fruits of the harvests and the first born of the flocks, both of which are edible, but He didn’t command, “Give a tenth of all food items.” Why didn't He? Nor did He command, “Do not tithe items that are not food.” Why didn't He? Nor do I recall seeing a mention of the tithe the Christ spoke of: justice, mercy, faith, love of God. Why didn't He? What about people who were not farmers or herdsmen?

As it is clear that the things God commanded the Israelites to tithe were edible, it is just as clear that they were valuable. The point of the tithe, however, is not food or money, it is faith and sacrifice. If you have faith that God provided all of it, then joyfully and obediently give (sacrifice) to Him the best you have as an expression of that faith and thanksgiving. If this can be applied to life, love, justice, compassion, mercy, and food items...why not income/money?

Can we really say we are joyfully, obediently, and faithfully tithing all God has provided us today if we are unwilling or reluctant to tithe our income?

The command to tithe money is just not there.

Once, the food items were first and they generated income and everything else, so the income was not the first fruits. Now, the income comes first, and you use it to by the food items and everything else, so we tithe the first fruits, the income.