Is a Christian stay at home mum who is married to an unbelieving husband under obligation to pay tithes?
Our heavenly Father commanded in His Word that tithes should be paid on INCREASE. This is written in Deut 14:22, 26:12 and Prov 3:9. If the stay at home mum does not have any increase, then she is under no obligation to pay tithes. She can pay if she chooses but she is under no obligation to do so. We must also mention that our Father in Heaven knows about the situation of women in this situation. If they desire for their husbands to tithe, then they should take it to the Lord in prayer, asking in faith. The Lord knows their hearts that they want their husbands to tithe. But because the husband is not a Christian, probably that is why he is not doing this. If this is the case, then this is a situation they must give to the Lord. An unbelieving husband will likely not pay tithes until he is saved. Therefore this is what they must first pray for. He will not be able to truly understand the benefits of tithing until his spirit is regenerated. As at now, he is a natural man and thus, he cannot neither receive nor understand the things of the spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14). If they truly love their husbands into paying tithes, then they MUST pray for his salvation first. This we believe is what our Lord wants them to do. Yet still, they should show their husbands love and leave the tithes alone until he is saved. Then the Holy Spirit can convict him of his tithes as He did of His salvation.
When Apostle Paul was establishing the churches he taught the early Christians to be givers, so why then do Pastors teach tithing?
Truly, Apostle Paul taught churches to give. This is written in 1 Corinth 9:7-14, 16:2, 1 Tim 6:17-18, and Gal 6:6. Nevertheless, he also taught on tithing. This is written in Heb 6:20, 7:1-17, 21. He taught that the Melchisedek priesthood is: greater than the Aaronic priesthood under the Law, is eternal, and is now in Christ Jesus as written in Psa 110:4 and Heb 7:21, and therefore should be supported by Children of Abraham because Abraham himself paid tithes to Melchisedek. Now it is written in Gal 3:29 that if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Apostle Paul taught here that the children of Abraham should also pay tithes unto Christ. We have written to the brethren on this in the past. Please visit this link http://www.seasonsofnoah.com/pay_tithe.htm
If you take out a loan do you have to pay tithes on it?
According to the enlightenment we have received from the Word of God, there is no obligation to pay tithes on loans. This is because a loan is not a true increase. It is actually a debt. Our heavenly Father commanded in His Word that tithes should be paid on INCREASE. This is written in Deut 14:22, 26:12 and Prov 3:9. Since a loan is not an increase but a debt, we believe no man is under obligation to pay tithes on it.
Is the tithe 10% before tax? Must it always go to the local church? Is it 10% every week? Every 2 weeks? Or 10% a month?
In the Old Testament where the tithe was first mentioned, it was brought to the storehouse (Mal 3:8-10). This was the temple and the cities of the Levites. But in this church age, it would be considered the place where one receives his spiritual help, where his gospel needs are supplied, and where he meets his responsibility in the work of God, in evangelizing the world and supporting the ministry. It usually refers to the local church because this is where many receive their spiritual help and worship the LORD like in the temple of old. Yet still, it is not clearly written in the New Testament that the entire tithe has to be paid to the local church. Since we know according to God's word in Mal 3:8-10 that the most important reason why God required the tithes is to ensure that there is meat in His house for the Levites to live on and continue His work, then we understand clearly that if there is no meat, it literally means there is no money or provision to carry on God's work. Therefore, this is the true reason why God required the tithe: That His work should continue. God's work will continue if there is meat in His house. This is why all Christians must pay tithes. Therefore, having laid down clearly the reason for the tithe, concerning whether the tithe should be paid to the local church or not, let every man do as he is fully persuaded in his own heart by the LORD. This we speak as man, not the LORD. If you are persuaded in your heart to give your tithes to other ministries aside from your local church and you have peace concerning this, then do so. The most important thing is that it must go towards God's own work. Again, it is the Lord's. Nevertheless, it is also right to support the church you attend if they are preaching the true gospel, the same one Christ Himself preached.
Now the tithe is the first 10%. This 10% is on every INCREASE. If your increase is weekly, then you give the tithe of every weekly increase. You do in like manner if it is bi-weekly or monthly. Peace be to you all. Maranatha.
