Why Tithe Rather Than Give All Your Money Away To Help Others?

 from GotQuestions.org  

QUESTION RECEIVED

 Sorry, but I don't understand anything about wealth. 

Currently, I'm sitting on a 200k a year wage. With this, I plan to buy a new car, which some would say is a little expensive for my needs. What I'm confused about is the parable of Lazarus and how it was a sin because he was suffering and he wasn't helped. There is millions of people like him, so how I figure out what to do? Why aren't Christians living on the bare minimum possible?

MY ANSWER

Friend you are getting into our modern American trap.

You have given yourself an ultimatum to do thing #1 or thing # 2 concerning money. 

The #3 is the right choice which is God’s plan.

How do you help others with your income?

Tithe 10% to the storehouse or as we know it the church.

The storehouse helps those in need.

Yes, like it implies the story of Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31; it is sinful not to do your part.
  (By the way it does not say in Scripture this story is a parable in Scripture.)

You do not need to do it all in helping the poor if you are saved and part of the Body of Christ which is another name for the church.
Just do the part requested by the Lord.

When you do not tithe you cheat the Lord, yourself from blessings (He says test Him on this), and those in need.

  Malachi 3 (ESV)

8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

You want to buy a new car?

With a $200,000 a year salary you should be able to make a payment, one payment.

You then can live on a budget, have financial freedom, and not struggle on the “bare minimum”.

After you tithe and make your budget you will have the liberty to give even more to the storehouse.

You ask if Christians should live only on the bare minimum?

There is no need to suffer if you make a good income.

There is no need to have people suffering in need if the church people tithe.

Why does the church not do it?

Why are we disobedient to God?

We simply do not follow his plan.

If you tithe you will have given over a course of years far more than your net worth and current income rather than giving it all at once and suffering.

If all believers tithed God would receive great glory.
If church people tithed the church would be where people looked for answers rather than the government.