What is #tithe?
The simple answer is that #tithes is the giving a tenth of one’s income as an offering to #God.
[tweetthis]#Tithing is just as relevant in the New Testament as it was in the Old Testament[/tweetthis]
#Should Christians pay tithes?
There are a lot of debates online, and in Christendom on whether or not Christians in this dispensation of Grace or day and age should pay tithes as we are not under the law. Many of are of the view, for example Steven Cole in his article entitled “Lesson 4: Why You Should NOT Tithe (Selected Scriptures)” argues in his article that “We should not tithe because God wants us to give generously, and tithing is the bare minimum.” He further made some strong points, for example, tithing is not mentioned in the New Testament, was a part of the Mosaic Law and so forth.
See also:
Biblical Principles On Overcoming Financial Bondage
Jesus Brings Liberty from the Law
As much as I agree that giving 10% is “the bare minimum” and with few of his points, that’s where our agreement ends.
First we must ask ourselves, when God made a law was it a ceremonial law which was built around the sanctuary and the temple?
The ceremonial law involves the sacrifices of lambs, turtle doves and so forth, and the temple worship. The ceremonial law includes also the different ceremonial washings and rites.
These laws were nailed to the cross as believers no longer have to make sacrifices as Jesus became the ultimate lamb and he has now become our High Priest. So Christ is our sacrificial lamb and he is also the High Priest.
However, tithing is not a part of the ceremonial or Mosaic law, and was therefore not abolished or nail to the cross as tithing existed long before the law was introduced on Mount Sinai (the enter Mosaic law). The Bible tells us that both Abraham gave 10% of their earnings as tithes
“And he (speaking of Melchizedek who was a Priest of God) blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”- Genesis 14: 19-20
Also on Biblewaymag:
How Can I Live Within My Spending Limits?
And Jacob also gave a tenth of his earnings as tithes,
“If God will be with me, and keep me in the this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You” (Genesis 28:20-22)
Please note that the Hebrew of verse 22 could be translated “I shall repeatedly tithe to you.”
Jacob, like his grandfather Abraham before him, was not acting in obedience to a law of tithing that was mentioned in the law. Rather it was out of their own willingness that they saw it fitting to give tithes of what they earned for the goodness of God.
[tweetthis]Start #living a prosperous and bless life by paying your tithes[/tweetthis]
I challenge any minister or Bible Scholar to show me where it says in the New Testament that tithes is done away with. Moreover, Jesus in all of his teaches never said that we should not pay tithes. He however made mentioned of tithing when he said,
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”- Matthew 23:23
Jesus was saying ‘I am not telling you not to pay tithes, but don’t leave the others undone, that is judgment, mercy, and faith’.
In the last book of the Old Testament God promise to opened the windows of heaven and blesses those who pays their tithes in the book of Malachi 3: 9,
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”- Malachi 3:10
Here God is promising that he will open the windows of heaven and bless us to the point we will not have room to contain it. As a result of this blessing “….all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land….”- Malachi 3:12
When you don’t pay your tithes the Bible tells us that we are actually robbing God and will be curse (our blessings will be curse):
“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In #tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (Malachi 3:8-9)
Many Christians are struggling financially because they neglect to pay their tithes. I have a friend that wasn’t paying her tithes and would often times struggle. When she started paying her tithes she noticed that the Lord started to bless her tremendously and often times the Lord would touch the #heart of someone to give her the exact amount of money she gave for her tithes.
God does not want us to feel burdensome by giving our tithes as he wants us to give it from our heart without murmuring and in return he will bless us.
For our act of obedience God promise that he “….will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.”- Malachi 3:11
The devourer is demonic spirits that has one purpose and that is to devourer your substance.
#What is the purpose of tithing?
In the Old Testament tithes were used to:
a. As a means to support the Levites and Priests serving at the temple in Jerusalem as they did not work (Numbers 18:21-26).
b. Provided means for having three special feasts in Jerusalem each year (or if they lived too far away, they could bring money – Deuteronomy 14:22-26)
c. Used to support the local Levites and the needy (Deut. 14:27-29)
Malachi 3:10 tells us the purpose of which the tithes should be used for in the New Testament #church, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house….”-Malachi 3:10
The tithes should be used to support the Pastors that dedicate themselves wholly to the #ministry, for the work of the ministry, and for those in church who do not have any support.
Therefore the principle of tithing is to support the ministry and those who are in need. For this act, God promise he will bless us and rebuke the devourer for our sakes.
What Paul said in 2 Corinthians 8 on giving does not cancel our need to give tithes of a tenth of our earnings as some wants you to believe. What Paul was talking about is giving of our offerings. Offering is different from tithing.
What is the difference between tithes and offerings?
While tithing is giving a tenth (or 10%) of your earnings, an offering is that which is freely given by Christians to the work of the Lord, the local church, and/or ministries and missions. Offerings therefore is totally depended on the individual of which Jesus encourages believers to give liberally as with the same measure you give, it will be restore to you (if you give willingly),
See also:
Biblical Principles On Overcoming Financial Bondage
Jesus Brings Liberty from the Law
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”- Luke 6:38 (NIV
Paul also echoed Jesus words when he said, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”- Corinthians 9:6-7
Conclusion
There are many practices in the Old Testament that we no longer abide by, yet many of these ancient ways carry over to the New Testament law of grace as part of Christ’s promise to not abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). For instance we no longer sacrifice animals but as believers we are called to offer ourselves up as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1). #Men no longer are required to be circumcised, but we all have a circumcision of the heart through the Holy Spirit (Rom 2:29).
We are ready to apply the many principles of blessings and promises in the Old Testament to our lives but when it comes to give God a tenth of our blessings we quickly find reasons of why we should not give tithes.
How many of when we receive words of encouragement from scriptures in the Old Testament say ‘I don’t receive this or that blessing or confirmation because it’s in the Old Testament’?” It therefore begs the question, where is our heart? When we are able to give 10% of our earnings as tithes it shows that our heart isn’t tied to our money and his work comes first. When we are able to release at least 10% of our income back to God, our money doesn’t have as tight of a hold on us because we realize that God is in control of our finances.
I do agree that we are not under the law but are now under grace, the main purpose of grace is to fulfill “…the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”- Romans 8:4
God hands are not slack that he cannot bless you with more than 10% of what you give to him. I welcome your feedback on this article in the comment section. Please click on the share button to share this post with your friends.
Related Topics on Biblewaymag: Spending Money Matters
Responses
The 10% reminders us that the 100% belongs to God. I don’t believe it’s a bare minimum because Malachi 3 talks about robbing God in Tithe and offerings. God adds a blessing to giving tithes and that blessing has not stopped because we are living in the ‘testament era’. God’s blessings are eternal and what God has blessed no man can curse. Tithing is a relational commitment between you and your God. God gave his life for me, shed his tithes precious blood for me. What is 10% to give. Returning 10% Tithes, cannot compare to what god has given for me. Each man must be persuaded in his own mind to give willing.
ask God, ‘do you want me to return 10%?’ Pray and fast and study for yourself and i know God will give you the answer himself
You fail to make mention of the Apostles requirements to instruct Paul as to what he should require of gentiles as regards their obligations to fulfill the gospel
Personally i wasnt raised on tithing, every church i went to in my youth used the offering system, you know give what you can, now as an adult i dont go to church but my wife does faithfully, and she tithes and inturn MAKES me tithe to which i tell her god doesnt want my money, becauae its not coming out of the kindness of my heart, but she says we wont be blessed to which i ask so im buying blessing and paying for entrance to heaven?
It is a very goo article. I love the way you explain, it was exactly what i was looking for. Thank you for the article.
Good attempt at trying to make a case for Tithing, however I’m not sorry to say, your logic is flawed.
Abram paid the tithe (tenth) ONCE!! and this was done willingly (without compulsion), likewise Jacob.
However within the law, the are three forms of tithing (you may already know this) one of which the Israelites were compelled to bring into the storehouse (for the sustenance of the levites as they weren’t allowed to have other jobs or inheritance).
You claim that tithing existed waaayyy before the law, and Jesus never condemned (you may even implied he encouraged) it, then why does Jesus say “…and have omitted the weightier matters of the LAW…” in reference to tithing? He is of the saying that tithing is within the law as well as the “weightier matters” that have deliberately been omitted. The Israelites then we’re not following Abrams or Jacobs model of tithing, but we’re under strict compulsion to follow the laid down constitution which required them to tithe in those three forms.
I don’t want to have to bring up scriptures that suggest that CHRISTIANS of the New Testament, aren’t under the law, as I believe youd already know this. The problem lies when we try to marry the Old Testament with the New.
You also talk about offerings. Well I’d like to say that giving in the New Testament was done for the benefit of those who were ‘needy’. In a translation (1 Corinthians 16) they are referred to as ‘God’s people’ or ‘the Saints’. In 2 Corinthians 8:4, Paul says about the church in Macedonia “They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God’s people”….I find it funny and deceptive, how you stratigically failed to quote the passage to give full context in an attempt to support your point.
Another point, when Christ said he didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, he is talking about fulfilling what the law (old covenant) has said about him, and bringing it to completion, in order to usher in the new covenant (Luke 24:44)
It may be difficult to let go of your strongly held beliefs of tithing lol (which might have been inherited from bad teachings) but I dare say, TITHING IS DONE AWAY WITH!
Stop with the blackmail and judgement!!