Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)

Professor of theology, Seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, Known for “Ninety-Five Theses”, Translated the Bible from Latin into a native language

“But the other commandments of Moses, which are not [implanted in all men] by nature, the Gentiles do not hold. Nor do these pertain to the Gentiles, such as the tithe”

“How Christians Should Regard Moses” p.139; August 27, 1525

 

S. Lewis (1898 – 1963)

Author, Professor at Cambridge & Oxford, known for authoring “The Screwtape Letters”, & “Mere Christianity”

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.”

“The Joyful Christian” p.144; 1961

 

I. Scofield (1843 – 1921)

Theologian, Author of the best-selling annotated Bible

“In contrast with the law, which imposed giving as a divine requirement, Christian giving is voluntary, and a test of sincerity and love.”

“Scofield Reference Bible” 2 Corinthians 8 and 9

 

Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892)

Preached to around 10,000,000 people, Remains one of the most influential preachers to this day – considered by some as the best.

“But you are not under a system similar to that by which the Jews were obliged to pay tithes to the priests. If there were any such rule laid down in the Gospel, it would destroy the beauty of spontaneous giving and take away all the bloom from the fruit of your liberality! There is no law to tell me what I should give my father on his birthday. There is no rule laid down in any law book to decide what present a husband should give to his wife, nor what token of affection we should bestow upon others whom we love. No, the gift must be a free one, or it has lost all its sweetness.”

“Christ’s Poverty, Our Riches” (Sermon 2716) April 18, 1880

John Wycliffe (1330 – 1384)

Theologian, Reformer, Teacher at Oxford in England, Translated the bible from Vulgate into vernacular English (The Wycliffe Bible)

“Why curates are so severe in exacting tithes, since Christ and his apostles took no tithes, as men do now ; neither paid them, nor even spoke of them, either in the Gospel or the Epistles, which are the perfect law of freedom and grace. But Christ lived on the alms of holy women, as the Gospel telleth; and the apostles lived sometimes by the labor of their hands, and sometimes took a poor livelihood and clothing, given of free will and devotion by the people, without asking or constraining.” ” Paul proved that priests, preaching truly the gospel, should live by the gospel, and said naught of tithes. Certainly tithes were due to priests in the Old Law — but it is not so now, in the law of grace.”

“Tracts and Treatises of John de Wycliffe” 1845 Translation by Robert Vaughan

 

John Wesley (1703 – 1791)

Theologian, Credited with the foundation Methodism. His work and writings also played a leading role in the development of the Holiness movement and Pentecostalism.

“Give all you can, or, in other words, give all you have to God. Do not stint yourself, like a Jew rather than a Christian, to this or that proportion. “Render unto God,” not a tenth, not a third, not half, but all that is God’s, be it more or less”

“The Use of Money”