By Jim on
Christian Living
Tithing
Should He Tithe If It Will Hurt His Family?

Discussion

Fri, 11/27/15

Is our God unable to provide for his children to serve Him?

Luke 6:38 “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you”

Sat, 11/28/15

I’d respond:

  1. All good works - including giving - are of course done with a sense of duty and obedience. And so in a sense, they make us obedient people. But in a more precious sense, our identity in Christ is that we are seen by God as perfectly obedient. No good things we do can add in any significant way to the identity we are given as God’s child. So if he cannot give, he must rest in his perfect identity in Christ. And his brother who does give must not rest in his identity as a big giver, but in his identity in Christ.
  2. Giving to God is a good work. It is commanded and commended in principle, even if the amount given is an extremely tiny amount (mite).
  3. There are many good works we are called to do. Give. Provide for family, etc. These can conflict and he should, with his wife, pray about a budget and whether and how much to give.

Sat, 11/28/15

Hi Brett, I have a theological dilemma that I need your advice on. A friend, who is married and has 3 young kids and a wife that isn’t working, has guilt about not being able to tithe.

I have tried all the usual tactics about being under the New Covenant and tithing isn’t required anymore, but that you should give as much as you can. Then he brought up the widow’s offering in Mark 12:41-44, saying that it is excellent in Jesus’ eyes to give to the point that it hurts. I think that’s a valid point. But then I think it’s also a valid argument that God expects him to take care of his family – right? If he takes away from his family to give alms, isn’t that also wrong?

The man needs to be taught this: Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”The answer to guilt is Christ … not giving (no matter how much!)

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