As most people here are losers - by never disputed common wisdom - how can these claim 10% back from those charities?
How many of you tithe only after your survival is assured? In other words, if you suddenly got cancer and you knew insurance was going to cover only a small fraction of your hospital bills, would you continue to tithe? Maybe I'll get some interesting responses with that one. +-*/ Math_Wiz
Yes, you are right. To someone who is not a Christian, it might mean something else. (not to Christians, though).
Math_Wiz, I suggest that you read Mal 3:8-12. That should clear up any questions you have about tithing. As far as applying your own rules and tweaking it to fit your needs, I don't think that is an option.
Well, I suppose it might clear things up for me if I understood it, lol. Here's the quote you mentioned. 8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. Which I found thru Google, and copied from here, if anyone is interested: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=46&chapter=3&version=9 - So anyways, I'm trying to interpret this into modern-day English. First I have to figure out who is speaking. I assume it is the Lord here, which would be, ummm, Jesus Christ, correct? Ok, well, sounds to me like essentially he is saying here "If you give me all you got, I'll give you all I got, which is more than you can imagine". Am I right? Am I close? Well, thanks for your input, +-*/ Math_Wiz
Yep, that's it. Sure sounds like a good deal to me. If you still have questions or maybe some doubts why not do what it says in verse 10: "... test Me now in this," says the Lord of Hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." (NASB version)
Math_Wiz Tithe as you take money out of your account(s) for personal use, such as paying bills, mortgage, etc., not as you extract money from the markets. Again, tithe as you take money out of your account(s). Don't tithe based on account balances at the end of week or month. If you have a gazillion dollars in trading accounts and you draw 10K per month for personal use, tithe on the 10K. If your monthly draw varies, tithe on the amount taken out. Tithe on gross income, not net. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll leave the definition of tithing to the experts. Just keep it simple and you'll be blessed. God Bless
You are correct... But the amount is addressed by Jesus... in the Parable of the Widow's Offering. Mk 12:41:44 Jesus was NOT impressed by "rich people... who threw in large amounts"... But singled out the widow who "put in two very small copper coins". The teaching is that giving must be SACRIFICIAL. For some with large families that might be 10%... For others only a much higher amount is a sacrifice. Also in the Sermon on the Mount... Christ taught to "do your acts of righteousness in secret". So it's interesting that... Billionaires who build very public philanthropic monuments to themselves... Are only pleasing themselves... not God.