Court Says Tithing Not an Option for the Bankrupt – Christianity Today Magazine

Normally, I take the harder line on the question, “Should I tithe?” Most so-called theological arguments against the practice of tithing seem more like convenient rationalizations than well-researched answers to an age-old question. But this story may contain more than meets the eye. In short, Congress has passed new laws concerning bankruptcy and a court has now ruled that tithing may not be considered necessary living expense and therefore be exempt from collection.

Christians have chosen sides in the debate. There are those who see tithing as a mere matter of soul liberty and individual conscience and who therefore do not have strong feelings about the issue. Then there are those who believe that tithing is a universal and eternal command to all believers, regardless of financial stability. As the story circulated through my thinking, I arrived at a slightly different conclusion.

I’m a big believer in tithing. I believe tithing is at least a start, though we New Testament believers, living in the age of grace, are free to go far beyond a mere tenth of our increase. However, this ruling may point out a competition (though not a contradiction) between two commands. On the one hand is the command to tithe (Leviticus 27:30, etc.), but on the other is the issue of repaying debts owed.

Please understand that I do believe there are times when bankruptcy is necessary, as in the case of those who incur such large medical bills that they are rendered unable to attain any financial security afterward. But debt is debt, and to keep our testimony clear, we must repay what we borrow. If you’ve declared bankruptcy in the past, the law has released you from some of your debt, but before God you are still responsible to do everything in your power to repay the debt (voluntarily), clear your name, and keep a good testimony for Jesus’ sake.

Having said that, what of the issue of tithing after bankruptcy? Personally, I believe that the obligation to repay the debt comes first. Should you live beyond your means and have to declare bankruptcy as a result, God can forgive and restore you to financial heatlh, but there will always be consequences. One of the consequences will be an inability to enjoy the blessing of tithing, at least for a short time.

There is yet a larger issue at stake, and that is the testimony of the church in America. It is not right that Christians handle money so poorly and for a Christian to find an easy way out of paying a debt only brings harm and reproach to the cause of Christ. One who is forgiven of a debt through bankruptcy should work that much harder to repay the debt voluntarily, even before tithing, so as to restore a clear testimony before the world.

Whether it is right for the government to exempt tithing from protection as necessary living expense or not, I ‘m not sure. But on the issue of tithing while owing money to creditors, I believe that at least a minimum payment must be made to creditors first. Many well-meaning Bible-believers will disagree with my conclusion, and I respect them in the faith. I only hope they will understand that tithing is a high priority, a clear command, and an eternal principle for every believer, but so is being “above reproach.”

Let’s not give the world another reason to lose respect for God because of the poor witness of His people. Instead, let’s break free from the bondage of debt, repay those to whom we owe money, and give the firstfruits to God, trusting Him to provide “our daily bread.”