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In this blog post I don’t want to so much answer a question as pose a lot more questions that go around in my mind when I think on this topic. It is not my aim to undermine what others believe but open discussion on what is in the Bible. Surely this can only be a healthy thing 🙂

I will tackle this under three headings:

1. The traditional teaching I have heard
2. The references to tithing in the New Testament
3. So what does New Testament biblical giving look like

1. The traditional teaching I have heard

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Malachi 3.8-10

I am going to take the above verse as a starting point. It is the verse I have most heard as a defense of the stance that we are to bring a tenth of our income to the church where we worship and then God will bless us. The traditional way I have heard this verse tackled is that the tithes (or tithe in some versions) refers directly to 10% of what we earn. If we were to understand it in this way we can see very clearly why some people say we are stealing from God when we don’t give 10% of our income to the church because it says it plainly here.

However, I would question how we understand tithes here. To explain this further let me ask the question:

What is the tithes (or tithe as it is in other versions) refer to?

As this is an Old Testament passage written to people under the old covenant the best way to define what is being talked about here, and to put it in context, is to go back to the rule book for that covenant. This rule book can be found in the early books of the bible. These books cover the account of God talking through things with Moses and laying down the rules for how the Jewish people were to live so that God could be made known to the nations. Here we identify what the tithes are and there are three of them:

Tithe 1 (10% yearly) – We can read in Numbers 18.21-32 that the Israelites were to bring a tithe to the Levites in the temple. These Levites were then to tithe this tithe further and give this tenth of a tenth to the priests. The Levites, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, were in essence disinherited and given no land. Unlike all other tribes in Israel these guys had no ground to grow food for themselves or their families. Their whole job and purpose in life was to look after the temple. This would have been a very short and miserable existence if God had not made provision for them to be fed from the work of others. The Levites worked for the other 11 tribes by keeping the temple up to scratch and in essence got paid for it with a tithe of the produce that the other 11 tribes had.

Tithe 2 (10% yearly) – We can read in Deuteronomy 14.22-27 that the Israelites were also commanded to bring every year a tithe (tenth) of their produce to a particular place which God would choose and to have a big party. They were to eat this food sharing and enjoy themselves not forgetting of course to share it with the Levites who didn’t have any land. This was to be a party celebrating the fact that God had blessed them. A time to enjoy God’s blessing.

Tithe 3 (10% triennially) – We can read in Deuteronomy 14.28-29 that there was a third tithe that was to be paid every third year. This was to go to the Levites, the sojourners, the fatherless, the widow and anyone else within your own town. This was a chartable gift commanded by God because he cares for those who hurt.

We can therefore note a few things from this analysis on what the word tithes in the above Malachi portion refers to:

• It refers to an annual contribution of 23.3% not 10% as is often believed
• It refers only to food (produce). It does not refer to money. Often we hear the argument that the Israelites didn’t have money and that is why food is used here, but when the second tithe identified above is explained (Deuteronomy 14.22-27), the Israelites are told they are allowed to convert their produce into money, and then use that money at the alloted place to buy food
• The tithes referred to here are tied fully to the old covenant way of doing things. They were detailed in the Law and were for Jews. There is no obvious link from them through to the New Testament

If all of the above are true can we use this verse in direct teaching in the New Testament church? I am of course not implying that this verse is now obsolete and of no use as there are general principals of not robbing God and of obeying his commands which can be gleaned from it. But can we say from this verse that New Testament Christians should bring 10% of their money into the church? I don’t believe so.

2. The references to tithing in the New Testament

When a search is done for the word tithe(s) in the ESV bible only three references are returned.

Matthew 23.23 and Luke 11.42. Both these references were referring to the same situation where Jesus talked about how the Pharisees were tithing herbs (note again the food aspect) but were neglecting justice mercy and faithfulness. This reference neither really supports or does not support a new covenant acceptance of tithing.

Luke 18:12 also mentions tithing and again not really supporting or not supporting a new covenant acceptance.

The only other mention of tithing that I can find comes in Hebrews 7. Here we see it mentioned that Abraham paid 10% of the spoils that he had to a Priest named Melchizedek. The argument then in this chapter seems to say then that the priestly line of Melchizedek was then replaced by the High Priest Jesus. And with a new priest comes a new law. This seems to hint that the law of tithing no longer reigns true.

I did not find any other references to tithing in the New Testament.

3. So what does New Testament Biblical giving look like?

My belief is that the new testament carries on the story from the old testament that God is the all powerful supplying God. That He has given us all that we have (James 1.17) and everything that we have is His (Psalms 24.1). That He has the aim to let all people see the magnitude of His greatness (Isa. 42.8, Psa. 19.1, Exodus 20.3, Rev. 7.9-10, Romans 14.11) and that as a Christian he desires that you are to be part of that plan (Romans 12.1-2).

If we grasp these truths and the facts that we don’t need to worry about anything with God in control (Matt 6.25-34), that we are to love Him more than our own family and even our own life (Luke 14.26) then the question of whether it is 10% or 23.3% is irrelevant. The question of whether it is food or money is irrelevant. If we see the pure Joy of heaven and the awful torture of hell we will no be trying to offer only part of what God has in-trusted to us back to His kingdom. We will want to be living in totality for Him. All of our money, gifts, talents and time dedicated to His service. Always living with the single purpose in mind of glorifying Him.

So how does this lofty idea work out in practise? Do we sell all that we have and give it to the poor? Do we stop whatever we are doing, put on the sandwich board and hit the tarmac? My answer is ask God. Maybe you do and maybe you don’t.

God is chiefly worried about our praise, worship and adoration of Him. Of our following of Him with all of our mind, soul and strength. When we start on this path He will start to replace the desires in our heart with those things that come from Him (Ps 37.4). Our desires will start to align with His and He will lead us to exactly where He wants us to be in His story.

Start by giving your life to God and your money will follow 🙂

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Yesterday morning, one of God’s precious children was welcomed into heaven. Jerard was only four years old and was the soon-to-be-adopted son of Mark’s closest work colleague of almost 5 years.

Jerard and his twin brother joined the Symanzik family when they were tiny babies. Jerard had complex special needs, including two of the conditions that one of my sisters has: hydrocephalus and blindness.

Two months ago, Jerard’s condition deteriorated and yesterday God choose to end his suffering and welcome him into His arms.

The children and I visited Jerard 2 months ago, when he got home from his last hospital stay. Lydia’s little compassionate heart was really moved when she saw his little body, with feeding tube in his nose. He had changed and had become almost entirely unresponsive.

Since that visit, at almost every meal and every bedtime Lydia has prayed a simple prayer “Thank you for Jerard”. At first I wondered why she prayed “Thank you”. She had heard us pray so many other prayers for his little life over the years: for healing, for safe and successful surgeries, for medicines to work, for him to not experience any pain…. But four times a day, for 2 months Lydia’s prayer has been consistent and simple “Thank you for Jerard”.

Today in the midst of grief, sadness and questions, I have decided to join Lydia in her childlike, yet profound prayer: Thank you Lord, for Jerard.

Thank you that your created his little body in exactly the way that would bring you most glory

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Psalm 139:13-15

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3

Thank you that Jerard can now see, run, laugh and worship you with a perfect body in a perfect place.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Rev 21:4

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body. Phil 3:20+21

Thank you that you ordained the exacted number of days of Jerards life, before he was born.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Psalm 139:16-18

Thank you that your plans for Jerard were perfect and good

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11

Thank you that you had united Jerard with a Godly family who loved him with a sacrificial love that he really needed.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.  Psalms 68:5-6

Thank you that your grace is sufficient for the Symanzik family as they face their grief and the difficult days ahead.

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9

Will you join us in thanking God for Jerard’s precious life and for Grace for the Symanzik family?

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Happiness can be easier to find when you’ve someone to share it with.

This photo was taken in a squatter area in South East Asia. I doubt their happiness was based on their material possessions, but they were happy hanging out together, that’s for sure!

This picture was taken by Louise and was submitted to the I heart faces challenge.

 

You can see more picture taken from this area here

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Happiness is hard to define, but I think often it starts with thanks giving and contentment.

I thought Mark and I should enter a picture each into “I heart faces” monthly photo challenge. The theme is “Happiness”. This is Marks photo.

Mark took this in a squatter area near the port here in town. This elderly gentleman welcomed us onto his street and was keen to chat with us. Our presence didn’t seem like an intrusion to his privacy, or his time. He seemed genuinely happy to see us and had a contentment and presence about him that was intriguing. There was much wisdom written on his face and a happiness in his eyes. We love the people of this Island. It’s always about the person, the relationship, and not as much about the task or about time. We have much to learn from their priorities.

This photo was submitted to the I heart faces challenge.

You can see more picture taken from this area here

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Just last Friday Louise arranged for the kids to be watched so that she and I could have a full-day date. She bought some lovely tasty food and put together some cool plans. Unfortunately due to different circumstances her exact plans didn’t work out but we did spend the day together taking photos at different parts of the city. We started off at a passenger wharf and market, just missed a parade that we didn’t know was on and then headed up the side of a mountain to a lovely resort. We also ended the day with a romantic dinner but we left the cameras behind at that point.

Thank you Louise for an amazing day 🙂

Attached here are some of the photos we took together.

When you pull out a camera here kids flock from everywhere and nowhere to get their picture taken. I love this photo of Louise taking pictures of the excited kids.

As you can see from the few photos above though adults were also very keen to have their photos taken

  

The next few photos are of the area that the wharf is in

The above two photos are pictures of the houses built on stilts over the water

The public bath

The passenger ferry

This picture goes between two houses and is the entrance to a third. The people in the background were so excited to have their picture taken 🙂

At this point we then headed up a mountain. The view was amazing

I love these next 3 photos of Louise.

We were trying to learn a few techniques with the cameras and I snapped this one by accident. It is a photo of the same waterfall that is in the next photo.

While at the waterfall we seen some fireflies and tried to take some pictures

The next two Louise just snapped quickly and they really turned out amazing

Recently we bought a cheap extension tube for our camera to allow us to do macro photography and this was the first chance we got to use it. These pictures were taken while holding the camera so focus was tough. The first one is of a firefly and the second one of a spider we seen standing on a rock

A few random photos from the rest of our walk

Louise took this last photo on our drive back home. She was hanging out the window while taking it. I think it really shows a good contrast with a normal jeepney in the background and the really well stacked one in the foreground.