Why Christians Should Not Tithe: A History of Tithing and a Biblical Paradigm for Christian Giving

by James D. Quiggle

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2009

Overview

The premise of Why Christians Should Not Tithe is simple: God, having freed his people from the Law through faith in Jesus Christ, does not place on them a burden from the Law. The thesis is equally as simple: Christian giving is not a tithe. Christ challenges the believer to give himself and his possessions to the gospel cause, but the tithe fixes a limit and implies nothing more is needed. Why Christians Should Not Tithe is a thorough discussion of the four tithes in Moses’ Law, Jesus’ comments on tithing, and the twenty-one principles of giving developed by the apostles’ in Acts and the epistles. Included is a brief review of the history of tithing from post-apostolic times to the present. The book concludes with a new paradigm for giving not based on the tithe, but on the apostles’ doctrine of Christian giving. Should Christians tithe to support the gospel? Here is a study that will help every Christian discover the biblical answer for him or her self.

Contents

Top Highlights

“The Hebrew language used two words to refer to the tithe” (source)

“Abram’s offering was not intended to support a person, a priesthood, a religious building, or a religious ministry.^{17” (source)}

“The believer is not commanded to give, he is informed of his moral obligation to give.” (source)

“Paul has created a comparison to teach New Testament giving: just as those who served at the altar lived from the altar, even so those who serve the gospel should live from the gospel. The Lord has appointed that those whose life-work is to preach the gospel should be supported by the ‘proceeds’ of the gospel, that is, as v. 11 says, reaping material benefits from spiritual sowing.” (source)

“How much the people gave out of the proceeds of those sales was at their discretion. They weren’t required to give all, or even a tithe, but they were required to be honest as to what they gave.” (source)

Product Details

• Title : Why Christians Should Not Tithe: A History of Tithing and a Biblical Paradigm for Christian Giving
• Author: Quiggle, James D.
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Publication Date: 2009
• ISBN: 9781621892250

About the Author

James D. Quiggle holds Master's degrees in religion and theology. He is the author of The Epistle of Jesus to the Church: A Commentary on the Revelation (2007), also published by Resource Publications.