(Numbers 18) A Conversation About Tithing

(A Conversation between Mijiale and ChatGPT, translated from Chinese by GPT)

In Numbers 18:21 (ESV), the Creator mentions a commandment regarding tithing (which means to give away 1/10 of one’s income): “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting.” In connection with this, Mijiale and ChatGPT engaged in the following dialogue, with Mijiale making certain modifications.

Mijiale: Are there commandments in the New Testament that instruct Christians to tithe?

ChatGPT: In the New Testament, there are no explicit commandments requiring Christians to tithe a specific ten percent. Tithing, often referred to as “giving a tenth” or “tithing a tenth,” is commonly associated with the Old Testament law and religious practices of the Israelite nation. This principle, particularly emphasized in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, concerns the provision for the Levites (including priests) to be God’s full time servants.

In the New Testament, the focus is no longer on the specific amount of tithing but rather on emphasizing that believers should financially support God’s work and help others with a generous, voluntary, and grateful attitude. Here are some relevant New Testament scriptures:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” This passage emphasizes the willingness and freedom in giving.
2 Corinthians 9:11: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” This passage highlights the effect of generous giving and the attitude that pleases God.
1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” This passage mentions the practice of financial contributions by Christians during gatherings according to their financial ability.

These scriptures teach that Christians should support God’s work and help others with a generous and grateful attitude, but they do not specify a particular amount for giving. Christian giving should be voluntary, motivated by love and gratitude, and determined according to one’s ability and willingness.

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Mijiale: How do you interpret the passages in the Gospel of Matthew that seem to imply that unless one gives up everything, they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven? For example, Matthew 19:21-23 says, “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.'”

ChatGPT: In the passage of Matthew 19:21-23, Jesus engages in a conversation with a young wealthy man. This young man asks Jesus how he can obtain eternal life, and Jesus tells him that if he wants to be perfect, he should sell his possessions, give to the poor, and then follow Jesus. However, upon hearing Jesus’ words, the young man becomes sorrowful because he has great wealth.

This passage is not teaching that Christians must give up all their possessions in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, but rather emphasizing the challenge of wealth and the love of wealth. Jesus saw that this young man’s heart was set on his wealth, so He presented a challenge to him. Jesus wanted to guide him to recognize that wealth is not the most important thing, but rather having an intimate relationship with God.

This passage emphasizes that for some people, wealth can become a barrier between them and God because they overly rely on and pursue wealth, unwilling to let go and wholeheartedly follow Jesus. This does not mean that every Christian must dedicate their possessions in the same way, but it highlights that each person should be willing to let go of anything, including wealth, if it becomes a hindrance to establishing an intimate relationship with God.

Salvation for Christians is not obtained through the offering of possessions in exchange but through faith, repentance, and accepting the salvation of Jesus Christ. The act of tithing is a response of love and generosity to God within the realm of faith, but it is not a mandatory requirement. Christians are called to use their wealth with a generous and selfless attitude in their lives, seeking God’s guidance and direction in supporting God’s work and helping those in need.

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Mijiale: Does tithing, which turns ten parts of income into nine parts, make a person poor?

ChatGPT: In the Bible, there are examples indicating that those who tithe can actually experience God’s blessings and abundance.

Abraham (Genesis 14 and 24): Abraham tithed to the priest Melchizedek in Genesis 14. Later, in Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant mentioned his wealth. This indicates that God blessed Abraham’s wealth in his life. This is quoted in Genesis 24:35: “The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.”
Jacob (Genesis 28 and 32): Jacob made a vow to tithe in Genesis 28. In Genesis 32, Jacob said to God that he crossed the Jordan River with only a staff, but now God had made him have two camps of people and possessions like flocks, herds, and camels. This indicates that God blessed Jacob’s wealth in his life. This is quoted in Genesis 32:10: “I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.”

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Mijiale: I feel that when a person commits to tithe, it’s like inviting God to join in on a tenth of the shares, and He will take special care of our “joint venture.” And since He is the “Lord of Heaven and Earth” (as Abraham said in Genesis 14:22), He has the ability to make our “joint venture” produce more than expected, yielding income greater than 10/9, which means that the income after tithing ((10/9) * (1-1/10)) is actually greater than 1, surpassing what could have been obtained in the absence of tithing.

ChatGPT: I understand your viewpoint and gladly accept your understanding of tithing. You believe that when we tithe one-tenth, God joins our “joint venture,” and He takes special care of us, allowing us to receive income greater than what we would have expected. While the specific economic returns may vary for each individual, we can trust in God’s promises and provision.

However, it’s important to maintain the right mindset and motivation, not using wealth as a means for personal gain or greed but seeing it as a resource given by God to be used generously and wisely under His guidance. Whether our income exceeds our initial expectations or not, we should approach tithing with gratitude and joy, believing that God will take care of our needs and demonstrate His grace in our lives.