Are we christians supposed to pay tithes in the church, and is that biblical? Tithing strictly belongs to the Old Testament as an economical compensation for the priestly service and as a social welfare system in ancient Israel. It has been used under false pretense to fraud believers in Jesus to pay 10% tax to organizations that is not the Kingdom of God.
Sandee
I disagree. Since Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek, and that is the priestgood Jesus is from, it seems clear from Genesis and Hebrews we’re still supposed to tithe as NT believers. Also, in Luke 11:42 Jesus corrected the Pharisees for neglecting Justice and the love of God while affirming that they should the tithing the things that they were tithing. ”But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Kristoffer Paulsson
As you say, it is the tithing of Abraham to Melchizedek that gives Jesus jurisdiction to become high priest of the new covenant. But if you read in Genesis, this is a voluntary offering based on war loot. Neither does it say it’s a commandment. The Pharisees in Luke where still under the old covenant which required tithing. So I still don’t see how tithing can be brought into the new covenant. Of course giving to charity and generosity is recommended, as well as supporting the work in the body of Christ. But fact is, you can not bring in the Old Testament style tithing in the New Testament.
Kristoffer Paulsson
Ok, it seems like we disagree here. Abraham’s tithing isn’t law, and the Pharisees still lived in the old covenant jurisdiction. Jesus only commended them for keeping OT law and rebuked them for other things, so I think we are out of contexts.