The new code vs. the old code.

find that ten percent of everything is not ours.

Well, everything is God's. Scripture is clear that all the earth and everything in it is his. So we're only giving back a portion of what he's given us.

If you look at the OT you will see that the giving actually added up to more than 10%. I believe it comes to about 27% when all is said and done. In the NT Christ told the rich young ruler to give up "all" that he had, sell it and follow him. So there isn't really a hard/fast rule about the 10%. In a way if you stick too closely to it, you could be limiting yourself in your giving. There is no 10% rule found anywhere in the NT only that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. That's it.

I believe it was Charles Wesley who added up his expenses and just gave the rest of his money away. Even when he received higher pay he kept the same budget and just gave the rest away only then it was even more than before.

There is no pocket in a burial shroud.

That question goes on and on in my denomination also. It was even worse in the Army when "base pay" was only the beginning of our allowances. Since our "base pay" was the only thing that was considered "wages" many paid based on that alone. But there was Housing Allowance, Seperate Rations, Jump Pay, Hazardous Duty Pay, Combat Pay... you see the problem?

I guess i'm lazy because I just decided that it was easier to pay based on the bottom line than try to decide what part of my check was "increase" and what was merely compensation for housing and food (if I lived in the barracks I wouldn't have received most of the extras).

While it is completely a personal choice, to me the Bible answers it pretty plainly. It says that the Lord is to be given the First of the flock... Now, if I were to go through and pick and choose what is first, then I'm not really giving the "first" am I?

The same with income taxes. That money was earned by me, just because part of my pay was taken before the check was cut, doesn't change that. So if we are paying the Government first, then we are putting the Lord's second... or third, or fourth...


As far as Ayreck (and others) saying "old law for old times", I'll leave that between them and the Lord. Just as I wouldn't tell another member of my own faith how they should tithe, I won't tell him (or anyone else) how they should.

That's my 0.2 cents. ;~D

So if we are paying the Government first, then we are putting the Lord's second... or third, or fourth...

hmmmm I never thought of it in this light. This is true isn't it?

Some feel that the government is taking our money to help the poor so in effect it is going to those in need but it would be really hard to figure out what goes where as far as percentages.

I tend not to be legalistic as I believe Christ would not want us to be. We give as the Lord leads us and I'm quite sure it's more than the 10% that is preached about. All I know is we cannot outgive God. The more I give the more I seem to receive. I guess it all gets down to the open hand theory. God can't fill our hands if we have it so tight fisted now can he?

So if we are paying the Government first, then we are putting the Lord's second... or third, or fourth...

The thing with this is, the gov takes its share. We don't really get an option.

In my mind, the government is like the crows who eat corn from a field. You can't stop them, you may not like it, but it is the way things are. Once we harvest our corn/grain (money) we give from what we have in hand. We don't tithe on what the crows eat, or what is left behind, only on what our basket holds.

But I do believe this is a personal issue between the giver and Christ. He has led me to give much more than ten percent at times. I think as soon as I stop wanting to give, then money has just set up a place in my heart that belongs to God. As long as I give, it reminds me that by His hand we ALL are fed.

Besides, I consider it a huge blessing to give.