Tithe to Where You Are Fed?

Tithing teachers often try to justify collecting monetary tithes [money] from church members, or from followers of their organizations, by claiming that "you should tithe to where you are fed." By making this claim they are attempting to position themselves or their organizations as the "storehouse that fed you, and the place, or person, you must tithe to." False teachers such as Kenneth Copeland often make this deceptive claim to his followers claiming to be the "storehouse that has taught them.""

In God's Word, especially in the New Testament, there is no connection made between being taught anything and tithing to the source that may have taught you. Priests received tithes via the Temple Storehouse because their tribe inherited the tithe and for their (the Priests) service in the Temple. See Numbers 18:21-24...

"And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.""

Their service could have included the teaching of the scriptures to the Jewish public, but there is no indication that a Priest who was not directly involved in teaching was denied the tithe due them. One of the reasons they received the tithes is because of their service in the Temple, but that did not have to include teaching. The Priests were involved in many activities besides teaching.

The Levite Priest's principal roles in the Temple included singing Psalms during Temple services, overseeing construction and maintenance for the Temple, serving as guards, and performing other services such as performing sacrifices. Levites also served as teachers and judges, and maintaining cities of refuge in Israel.

A priest was also required to act as a mediator. He is the one who represented God to His people, and in return from them to God. He acted as an "ambassador" so to speak, a sanctified vehicle through whom Yahweh God has chosen to serve the people and represent Him on His behalf.

It is interesting to note that the description of the duties of the Levite Priests in Numbers 18 does not directly mention teaching as a required duty.

There are several reasons why this claim is a false doctrine; that of a New Testament church, minister or ministry being authorized by God to demand tithes from Christians for teaching, or any other reason. I list some here...

1.  Most of the public teaching (reading of the scriptures) that occurred in the Old Testament period happened in local Synagogues or in public readings. There are no requirements in the Law of Moses, or any record of, people tithing to Synagogues because they had been taught something. Synagogues never collected tithes from anyone for any reason.

2. The common people (the non-Levites) were not authorized to tithe to the Temple Storehouse; only Levites under the supervision of a Priest descended from Aaron had the authorization and responsibility to facilitate the transportation of any tithes to the Temple Storehouse. Also; the amount they brought to the Temple Storehouse was 1/10 of the tithe, or 1/10th of the 1/10th; aka; a "tithe of the tithe;" not the whole tithe. See Nehemiah 10:38...

"And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God [the Temple in Jerusalem], to the chambers, into the treasure house."

3. No New Testament church, or any other New Testament ministry, is called a "Storehouse" that must be tithed to in God's Word. New Testament church fellowships are not Temple Storehouses. A real New Testament church is simply a gathering, or fellowship, of Believers. Paul lists what should happen in a New Testament fellowship, and it does not include the collecting of tithes due someone who has taught you, or due anyone for any reason...

"How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." - 1 Corinthians 14:26

4. As Christians we are often taught by many people; you can be taught scriptural truth from a singer in church service sharing a scripture or singing a song you have learned something from. You could learn from someone standing up in a service and giving a testimony and sharing a scripture. You could learn something over lunch with a fellow Christian. Are all of these people to be "tithed to" being your "storehouse" where you have learned?

5. As noted before; 

In the New Covenant there are no examples of anyone paying a tithe to anyone in any way shape or form. Matthew 23:23 takes place at a time under the Old Covenant and does not instruct a Christian to tithe.

In the New Covenant, no Apostle ever taught tithing, asked for a tithe, rebuked any person or church for not tithing, or received a tithe themselves. Not one of them. The early church (i.e. Book of Acts) NEVER tithed. We have NO record of them doing so.

If based on the New Covenant, that Christians should be tithing, tithing instructions would be clearly included in the New Covenant for us to follow. We cannot tithe based on the Old Covenant because all tithing God had commanded in the Old Covenant was based on the Law of Moses, we are not under the Law of Moses. For Christians under the New Covenant, no such tithing instructions, terms, conditions or details are outlined anywhere in the New Covenant for us to follow; they simply do not exist.

Tithing has NOTHING to do with Christians or Biblical Christianity. Anyone claiming that a Christian must or should be tithing, evening claiming that tithing "is not exactly commanded, but you should still be tithing," is teaching a false doctrine and is lying.

Conclusion;

To claim that a New Testament teacher, or church, is your "storehouse you are fed from" wherein you must tithe to is utter unbiblical nonsense lacking any scripture to back such an erroneous and false claim.

In the New Testament all Believers are Priests; should we all be tithing to each other?

"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" - 1 Peter 2:9"

"You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:5

"Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." - Revelation 20:6

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