I've been in church now for several years and my wife has been going all her life.  We believe in giving money to my church.  While we probably never "tithed" appropriately, we gave more than 10% of what we brought home but it was always a little less than 10% of our gross pay (before taxes).  Up until about a month ago, we were giving a combined total of $700 per month to our church.  We've been doing this now consistently for over two years.  Honestly, we enjoy doing it and watching the church grow and do great things.

Now, our situation is changing.  For a multitude of reasons I won't go into here, we're in the process of purchasing another house about three hours from here and setting ourselves up to relocate in the next five years.  It's just something we feel we need to do (the area we live in is in major decline - coal country.  Most have already left).  We are trying to maintain and/or improve our situation as best we can.



My question:  is what we are doing a sin?  My fear is that everything is going to come crashing down around us because we have slowed our giving.  I know that sounds silly, but the fear is real for me.  We will eventually get back to giving at the same level.  That is the goal, anyway.


Thoughts?

you said it all, does sound silly. giving is a thing from the heart, and its not then it make no difference in he sight of God. Giving is sharing at the best that you can, i will say do what ever investment you have in mind, give what ever little you can at the same time. no matter how small even $100 per month. so far it comes from your heart. God will touch other people to donate if the church is in need, he can do all things. so relax;

I believe tithing is between you and God.  I feel it is a commandment he has given us to help us maintain humility and realize our dependence on him.  Like many other commandment,  there is a blessing attached to it if we follow.

I personally believe the blessings promised in Malachi 3:   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.


The Lord asks us to prove him.  

In my own life,  I have seen the blessings that have come from paying tithing.  There were times my wife and I had very little, yet we still proved the Lord,  and It was very evident he did open the windows of heaven for us.  He has given us all we have and asks for a simple 10% back as a test.

You pay tithing with faith,  not money.

I often hear people say:"I can't afford to pay tithing".  My response after knowing all the Lord has done for me is "I can't afford not to pay it".

What you decide to do is between you and the Lord, but if you trust in him,  he won't let  you down.

I will attest to this.  We are very blessed by trusting in the Lord.  I consider it His money anyways, so I'm not looking at it as giving 10% of my money, but only taking 90% to use for my family.  It is a choice you make.  But I have heard of and experienced MANY blessings .

Even after the loss Job suffered he responded,  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. His friends thought he had sinned but in the end it was simply a test and a purification process the Lord used to remove any self righteousness Job may have had.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a tree and Daniel gave him some good advice to start helping the needy.   A year latter the king was admiring all his work when the Lord sent him out to eat grass with the animals for a spell.  After his sentence was up the Lord restored his senses and the first thing King Nebuchadnezzar said was,   Now I know the Lord is in full control of all things.  Basically, He gives and He takes as He will's.

I sold a house in 2006 and cleared 340K after buying another and was free and clear, fat and happy. Should have tithed 34K but probably only did half that.

By late 2010 I was homeless and living in a camper.

A small misstep now can lead to a huge change in your future. Malachi tells us to test the Lord in giving and also warns of the consequences for robbing him.

Money has a way of growing wings and flying away.

My Psalm now, 118:18  The Lord has disciplined me severely,  but he didn't kill me.


And yes,  like Job and Nebuchadnezzar he did restore me once I learned the lesson.

My understanding of it was that you give 10% period. Moving into a new house is great but you wouldn't have that blessing without the Lord. YMMV.

Can't imagine God cares.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

This is a controversial issue for a lot of people and there are a lot of opinions about it.


I was on the finance team at church for a long time.


I struggle with the fact that there are people in my church who make much more than I do and give far less.  They have nicer cars, houses, better jobs, etc.  


Some give but don't "tithe".  Others don't give at all.


Then there are poor people who give proportionately more than all of us.


Every church has this mix.


I read articles on the internet about how the "tithe" was part of the old law and that law, as we all know, has went away.  The articles still say that we are to give but is that bogus?  


For the record, I don't believe what we are doing is frivolous.  We are literally just trying to stay afloat.  If we were buying some million dollar mcmansion, I think it'd be different.  We are trying to stay well within our means and buy only what we can afford so that at some point we can resume giving at the level we were before.  


It's more the fact that we need as much cash as we can muster right now, in the short term, to get this deal completed then go back to a regular giving schedule.


Does that make sense?

 

This is something that is between you and God.  Are you looking on here for the agreement of men to justify your decision?

What you do is up to you.   It definitely is a trial of faith, and I can sense the struggle you are having.  

I would refer you back to God's words as you make your decision:

"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."



You will probably be fine either way.   I think the Lord knows your heart and desire to give.  There have been times where I am short on funds, and didn't pay for a month or two,  but when I was able,  I made up the difference I missed before.

The law has not gone away.  We do not have to keep it, in fact can't keep it to be saved.  I believe the ceremonial law was for the nation of Israel.  But when God laid down his moral law, it is just that.  A reflection of His holiness.  That hasn't changed.  Though we are not required to keep it for our salvation, we know that God doesn't change.  The law was made to show us that we are sinners.  We see we are sinners because we can't keep it.  Doesn't mean we shouldn't try to obey it.  Not because it earns us salvation, but because in obeying it, we are doing and living, in a small part the way God wants us to.

Tithe means a "tenth".   That "tenth" comes right off the top of your increase, not the bottom, or whatever is left after we have pilfered it.

If you do use a portion of the tithe you are to add 20% interest to repay it.

Leviticus 27:30 ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S; it is holy to the LORD. 31 ‘If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it. 32 ‘For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 33 ‘He is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed.’”



The tithe laws did not change one iota in the new covenant, except that Jesus said we are to give it all.

I hear people say we are not under the law all the time now.   Jesus calls them a lawless generation and they will
suffer greatly when the hour of testing comes.


I delight to do thy will oh Lord, thy law is within my heart. PS 40

You're giving your tithe to a Levite, right?

The religion of the Old Testament Jews was also the government. Tithing was a 10% flat tax. They were to also give offerings and firstfruits.

OP is doing right by his family.

1 Timothy 5:8
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The office of priest was taken away from the Levites cause they were a bunch of stiff necked, hard hearted Pharisees that were always resisting God and his Holy Spirit.

That office was handed over to some hungry fishermen that Jesus hand picked.

After the day of Pentecost  you can see that nobody had need because they all gave to support each others needs.

Those who gathered little had no lack.

The Tithe has always gone to support the growth of Gods Word and that word is to feed the poor also.


Go ahead,  hold back that support and let me know what happens.    Ask Ananias and Sapphira what happens when you lie about your income or maybe go back and see what happened to Akin when he stole from God after the plunder of Jericho.

My Tithe has often gone to homeless shelters that preach the word of Jesus.

"Test me now in this"

If you don't feel like Tithing were your at then keep looking till you find a Gospel centered shelter you can support.

I would cut it back to $50 you need to take care of your family first.  This is a give and take sometimes you give when you can and then others you might need help from the church. you can't buy your way into heaven.  You can help with your time more to help the church maybe you can help if they needed a tree cut down or help putting a roof on the church.  giving does not always mean money to give you time and heart are worth more to God.

By "we" who do you mean? Are you talking about the gov't? I get (i.e. comprehend) the tenth from the "increase" but can you clarify who you mean by "we"? Honest question--trying to understand what you mean here.

"WE" would be the church body in general.  Those who are professing Christians and have
an increase from their labors but then decide to use all or a portion of the tithe for another purpose.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and God what is God's.

If we are unfaithful in a little we will be unfaithful in much.   It's only a test to find were your heart is.

Thank you for clarifying, I do appreciate that. What is God's is God's, no question. All of us had better give Him what is due, whatever it is. This includes me and you of course.

I would ask one thing--what is Caesar's? Or, if you prefer, if it makes more sense, what is Obama's (or what belongs to whoever the ruler at hand is at the particular time)? What you have quoted is of course Biblical, but I am interested in how you think that verse applies today, in a general or specific sense.