Unemployments benefits amount to about half of one's original pay. No one cuts the bills and mortgage in half for the unemployed, now do they? It is unethical to even suggest one ought to be paying "tithes" -- see rick d's post for clarity regarding this abused notion by the Christian leadership today -- when faced with such a drastic reduction of income. In fact, it's time Christian leaders got a few things straight. I give my money directly to the poor and proven charities; I refuse to further line the pockets of these greedy preachers and help them pay for their next Acura or Lexus. Leadership has abused the flock for far too long -- the chickens finally have come home to roost. They preach utter falsehood, twisting and misapplying Scripture. There are NO tithes to be paid! READ your Bibles. Apostle Paul proved himself to others and thus garnered support. Paul I know. You I do not know. You call yourself apostles and wear your $500 suits in your lavish church buildings. It's over.

Robert, what would constitute “using” God’s tithe? How about instead of putting an offering in the plate sunday, I take the money and buy a slab of beef and a 6 pack of beer and invite my neighbors to share a barbecue at an annual picnic? That is EXACTLY what the tithe was. Deut. 14. The whole tithe was given to the farmless Levite tribe only once every 3 years. They were then expected to put 10% into Temple granaries “the Levites shall bring a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse.” to feed the levitical priests who labored in the temple. Neh 10:38. The problem was Israelites were not sharing with the Levite tribe every 3rd year and the Levites were not stocking the storehouse for the priests. In fact, in Nehemiahs time Tobiah converted the Temple food storehouse into a personal apartment. Abraham did not tithe the increase of his flock, fields, vineyards. He gave 10% of the loot taken from a bandit king to Melchidek only once. Give yes. Tithe no.

Conerning the topic of the article, the Bible did not say we should tithe our income or our earnings. It says clearly one tenth of our increase, that includes gifts. Whatever funds we get is an increase to us, including interest on savings at the bank. Love for God would dictate that we obey him and return to Him that which is His. According to Malachi 3 the tithe belongs to God, it is sacred. If we use it we rob God. When we rob God we bring a curse on ourselves. When we give Him what is already His He gives additional blessings. God really has no obligation to bless us for giving to Him what is already His, but He does it anyway. He trusts us to be honest in giving Him what is His. Some believe that tithing is an Old Testament practice and has nothing to do with NT church life. I beg to differ. Tithing is timeless. As long as God's work needs funding tithing is required. It is for the support of those who minister in God's cause. Freewill offerings are also expected. Love gives.

Rick, you are correct. If Heb. 7 was referring to the NT believers, we'd see tithing in the other key passages in instructing the church in giving. The point of Heb. 7 is not tithing per se but the High Priesthood of Melchizedeck and the Levites. What disturbs me about Brent's remarks is this "If we don't tithe and live a lifestyle of giving and service then we aren't very Christ-like are we." I have many friends who give far more than a tithe and live a life of service. Is he saying that they are not Christ-like? I and other teach that NT systematic and sacrificial giving goes beyond the rigid idea of tithing. It is a joy to see God's provision be given and to reflect His generosity.

Brent, Hebrews 7 is absolutely not talking about early Christian church tithing practices. Nor is it talking about tithing to Jesus. The author is discussing the old covenant system of tithing to those without farms, the Levites. The Levitical priesthood is contrasted to the Melchizidek priesthood. The author is concerned with establishing a priesthood that is superior to the Levitical one and he makes a case that Melchizidek, who had no record of birth or death, is a type of Christ. Abraham gave a one-time gift of 10% of the booty he took in war from the bandit kings to Melchizidek (not ongoing and not from his own increase). “Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually].” Heb 8, AMP