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[size=15pt]Facts on Tithing[/size]

By Pastor Ken Lawson

1. The English word "tithe" as well as its Hebrew-Greek equivalents "ma`aser" and "apodekatoo" means a tenth.

2. Many Christian churches preach tithing as a means of supporting the work of the Lord today. There are many variations of this theme. Some pay the local church one tenth of their income after taxes and bills are paid; some pay before. Others demand tithing on unemployment, inheritance, gifts, tax refunds, social security and even gambling winnings. The tithing issue has caused a great deal of strife and division in our churches over the years.

3. The most well known passage on tithing comes from the Old Testament book of Malachi 3:7-10. This Scripture has given rise to the practice of "Storehouse Tithing." Simply stated, the congregation is exhorted from the pulpit to channel all of their Christian giving through the local church (storehouse). If they wish to give to a Christian organization, radio or television broadcast, etc., it must go through their denominational machinery in order for the local church to get "credit." Also the pastor and elders often must make the determination if the cause supported by the giver is "worthy."

4. This use of the Malachi passage is a good example of Scripture being taken out of its historical and dispensational context. "This whole nation" in verse 9 is the backslidden nation of Israel, NOT the present day church (Malachi 1:1; 3:6). They were under the law of Moses as a system of conditional blessing. Believers today are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). As such we have already been blessed by God with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) and are under a system of unconditional blessing with grace on the throne (Romans 5:21).

5. This should put an end to the common charge that believers who don't tithe are "robbing God" and will be "cursed with a curse." The storehouse mentioned in verse 10 is not a local church but a storage bin or silo in the Jewish temple where the grain from the Hebrew's tithes was stored (2 Chronicles 31:4-12).

6. Under the law only agricultural products were tithed. They included grain, fruit, and livestock. Only products produced within the boundaries of the land of Israel were to be tithed. Jews living in Gentile lands were exempt (Leviticus 27:30-34).

7. Others exempt from the tithing law included the hired hands, fishermen, miners, lumber workers, construction workers, soldiers, weavers, potters, manufacturers, merchants, government workers, and priests. In short, all who were not farmers were exempt.

8. A farmer with only 9 cattle did not tithe because the law specified the "tenth which passeth under the rod." Likewise a farmer with 19 sheep paid only 1 sheep to the Lord's tithe.

9. The Jewish farmers in the land could redeem (buy back) the tithes of their crops with a penalty of one fifth. In other words, if a farmer wishes to keep his tithe of grain worth $1,000, he could pay the cash equivalent of $1,200 (Leviticus 27:31).

10. Livestock could not be brought back nor could the farmer exchange a good animal for a bad one or vice versa. Any attempt to substitute any other animal other than the tenth which passed under the rod would be penalized by the farmer forfeiting both the tenth and its substitute (Leviticus 27:33).

11. God ordained the Levites to be the ones to whom the tithe was paid (Numbers 18:21). They were one of the 12 tribes of Israel to whom no inheritance was given in the land. The Lord Himself and the tithes of the children of Israel was their inheritance. It was used for the service of the tabernacle (later the temple) (Numbers 18:20-28).

12. It was unlawful for anyone outside of the tribe of Levi to receive the tithe, such as prophets, preachers, kings or evangelists.

13. The Levites paid one tenth of their tithes to the high priest. Not all Levites were priests but only the sons of Aaron. The priests did not tithe.

14. The Lord Jesus Christ did not ask for or receive a tithe for support of His ministry. Being of the tribe of Judah (not Levi) He could not without breaking the law (Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5).

15. Neither Peter (not of the tribe of Levi) nor Paul (of the tribe of Benjamin) could receive tithes for the support of their ministries.

16. Even the Jews do not practice tithing today because there are no Levites, priests, or temple worship in Jerusalem. Jewish rabbis know biblical law well enough to know that tithing under the present circumstances is unlawful. According to them, when the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem with a consecrated altar with priests and Levites officiating, all Jews living within the biblical tithing zones will tithe.

17. Some Christian ministries today continue to support tithing, using the argument that it predates Moses and the law. But this reasoning is not valid, for the Sabbath also predates the giving of the law (Exodus 16:23-29) and yet it is not binding on God's people today (Romans 14:5,6; Galatians 4:9,10; Colossians 2:16,17).

18. Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, king of Salem, but this was the spoils of war, not the legalistic tithe of the land which Moses commanded. Also, God did not command the tithe, Abraham chose to give it of his own free will (Genesis 14:17-23; Hebrews 7:1-10).

19. The only other scriptural reference to tithing before Moses is Jacob. Again there is no command to tithe. In fact Jacob puts up numerous conditions to be met before he will pay the tithe to the Lord (Genesis 28:20-22).

20. The biblical references which address the tithing issues are: Genesis 14:20; 28:22; Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:20-28; Deuteronomy 12:6,11,17; 14:22,23,28; 26:12; 2 Chronicles 31:5,6,12; Amos 4:4; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-9.1

21. Paul the apostle to the Gentiles for this present dispensation of Grace does not mention tithing but says a great deal about Christian giving. Romans 15:25,26; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9; Galatians 6:6-10; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Timothy 5:9-18.

WHO is to give to the Lord's work? The Christian! He gives systematically, sacrificially, and joyfully. TO WHOM does he give? To Christ! FOR WHAT does he give? For the cause of Christ! NOT to a man or to a church, not for gain, but for the Gospel.

Endnote

1. According to Deuteronomy 14:22,23,28; 26:12; and Amos 4:4, the tithe was only given every three years.

7. Others exempt from the tithing law included the hired hands, fishermen, miners, lumber workers, construction workers, soldiers, weavers, potters, manufacturers, merchants, government workers, and priests. In short, all who were not farmers were exempt.

You made some important points , i will loke to go through thoroughly. But Can I have a scripture that shows an exeption of these people you mentioned.

@poster,

As an unbeliever and may be satanic worshipper the tithe is unlawful to you. Moreover you said it is unlawful because you don't know the real meaning nor the essence of tithe or tithing. I don.t blame your ignorance because you are an unbeliever and tithe is not for you. See my earlier post on real biblical meaning of tithe or tithing.

@ogoamaka
Pls why dot you re paste it for us all to read? Thanks

ogoamaka99:

@poster,
   
   As an unbeliever and may be satanic worshipper the tithe is unlawful to you. Moreover you said it is unlawful because you don't know the real meaning nor the essence of tithe or tithing. I don.t blame your ignorance because you are an unbeliever and tithe is not for you. See my earlier post on real biblical meaning of tithe or tithing.

Sorry to offend you sir.

I am a Christian.

One thing I thank God for is to have to left Nigeria for the shores of the UK . Here I have gained access to tons and tons of information that have removed the veil from my eyes.

Like the Bereans, I read the Bible ONLY for evidence before agreeing to every wind of doctrine.

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:14-15

The problem we have in the Nigerian church is that we often follow man made doctrines, doctrines that cannot save you with rigid penalities.

In the new testament we are to freely give for we have also received freely.

Paul admonishes us to give cheerfully what we have purposed in our hearts and not grudgingly.

The crux of the matter is that today, with this false doctrine of tithing , lots of people are giving out of fear, when we should know better that perfect love cast out fear. Real Love gives out of free will not out of compulsion.

I perceive that you are one of the deceived follow follow Nigerians, those that do not worship God, but worship man. those that pay their tithe for the sole purpose of reaping a bountiful financial harvest.

And do not get me started on the heresy that non-tithers are going to hell, A LIE from hell. Only unbelievers, liars, sexually impure etc etc will end up in hell.

Please do your research before you continue believing in man made doctrines.

Thank you.

@poster
Abeg help me tell them oh!

@ogoamaka
Why don't you address the issues raised before arrogantly expressing your delusions here and calling someone a satanist just becos he is not stu.pid enough to fall for the fraudulent tithing scam.

Please if you don't agree with the Op address the points raised without insults.And when I say adress I mean debate the issues,thus,telling us which points are wrong & why(don't paste scriptures about giving & act like the job is done).As for me am with frosbel 100%.

KunleOshob:

@ogoamaka
Why don't you address the issues raised before arrogantly expressing your delusions here and calling someone a satanist just becos he is not stu.pid enough to fall for the fraudulent tithing scam.

It is wrong for you to call tithing a scam. If you don't believe in it, it's your own problem but you should not insult the convictions of others.

The article above by "Frosbel" PROVES there is "something" wrong with tithes the way it is preached today as a compulsory mandatory rule for Christians. Tithing in todays context negates the principle of love and upholds "DUTY" and LAW as the criteria for being in Christs' Body. Further, it removes the target of Christianity (heaven) and replaces it with a materialistic mindset that is built around "owning" the world and giving BECAUSE you want "returns".

It is particularly repulsive seeing as there does exist a user's manual (the Bible) which shows Christ and His Apostles living the true Gospel which definitely had heaven rather than the present as focus. But anyone could try to disprove us by giving examples (not mangling scripture) of the fore-runners being involved in tithing.

PS: The New Covenant started AFTER Christ was crucified. Tithing should be shown in the NEW Covenant

Joagbaje:

It is wrong for you to call tithing a scam. If you don't believe in it, it's your own problem but you should not insult the convictions of others.

'Tithing' in itself is not scam as an individual may decide of his own volition to give a tenth of whatever towards a Godly course (not necessarily church). But I am of the opinion that tithing as taught and widely practiced today is pure scam and deception.

SirJohn:

'Tithing' in itself is not scam as an individual may decide of his own volition to give a tenth of whatever towards a Godly course (not necessarily church). But I am of the opinion that tithing as taught and widely practiced today is pure scam and deception.

absolutely !!

@frosbel
Are you alright?
Please don't mislead people.
Sensitive issues like this have to be left to individuals and their God.
Tithe is never about money.

If you are right?
Then corrupt pastors and churches should be left to the wrath of God

If you are wrong?
Then God help you

denitro:

@frosbel
Are you alright?
Please don't mislead people.
Sensitive issues like this have to be left to individuals and their God.
Tithe is never about money.

If you are right?
Then corrupt pastors and churches should be left to the wrath of God

If you are wrong?
Then God help you

Mr unlike the follow follow mentality of Nigerians, who normally pay their tithe out of fear rather than love, I go to the bible for answers not to some so called man of God.

Please read this somewhat lengthy article below.

New Testament Giving

If it is true that tithing was part of the Old Covenant worship of Israel, and has no practical bearing upon New Covenant Christians, the question naturally surfaces, "what does the New Testament actually teach about giving?" Surely the place for New Covenant believers to begin in their quest to understand God's revealed will regarding giving is in the New Testament Scriptures. That is exactly where I would like to take you as together we examine God's will for Christian giving.


The Amount Of Our Giving

Since we have determined that the tithe is not the standard for New Covenant believers, then how do we determine how much Christians should give? Let's examine three different texts to glean some insight on this important issue.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2: "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." In our text the Apostle Paul directs the church of Corinth in their collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem to give proportionately to how they have prospered. Though there is no mention of the saints in Corinth giving a tithe, they are instructed to give proportionate to their prosperity. The point is simple -- those who have more to give should give more.

Acts 11:27-39: "Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea." Notice in the narrative that the brethren in Antioch gave to the suffering brethren in Judea proportionate to their means. In other words, they gave according to their ability. Those with more money, gave more. Those with less money, gave less. It was that simple.

2 Corinthians 9:7: "Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver." Here Paul directs the church to give what they have purposed in their heart. Notice that the Apostle does not tell them how much to give, or give them a fixed percentage as a standard. He simply tells them that whatever they have decided to give they should go ahead and give. Many times when we see a need we determine to give a certain amount, but are tempted to go back on it later when the time to give rolls around. Paul teaches us that we should be faithful to make good on what we have purposed in our heart. But notice as well that the apostle Paul leaves the amount up to the Corinthians. We are not to allow others to manipulate or intimidate us so that we give out of guilt or pressure. There is to be no compulsion in our giving; the amount must be our own decision.

These New Testament texts teach us that God leaves the amount of our giving up to us. We should give proportionate to our means and how God has prospered us, but in the end we are free to give whatever we want to give. How freeing this is when we consider the manipulative money-making tactics that the Church uses all too often today. I have been in churches where the leaders were exhorted to take out a loan for one or two thousand dollars. We were told that if we didn't give, the work of God would fail. The members of the congregation were directed to write and call relatives to ask for their monetary help. There were pledge drives and building fund drives with colored charts. As time went on, we were pressured to give more and more. May I submit to you that all of this runs contrary to the Apostle's teaching in 2 Corinthians 9:7 "let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." God's will is that when we see a need, we earnestly pray for guidance on how we can meet that need. Then, based on our financial situation, we give out of a cheerful heart.





The Purpose Of Our Giving

What kinds of needs should we use our money to meet? Does the New Testament give us any light on this important subject? I believe the Scriptures are very clear in this area. The New Testament teaches that there are three purposes for our giving.

[b]1. To Meet The Needs Of The Saints: [/b]This theme runs like a thread through the Scriptures. Let's consider several texts.
Acts 2:44-45 "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need." The spirit of love and generosity was so great in the early church that the believers willingly and joyfully surrendered their own property and possessions in order to minister to the needs of other saints. They went so far as to sell land and houses to take care of one another (Acts 4:34).
1 John 3:17 "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."

Galatians 6:9-10 "And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Though the "doing good" is not clearly defined, it would surely include giving to meet the needs of the household of faith.

In addition to these clear texts, we also read in Matthew 25:31-40 that when Christ comes He will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep are described as those that fed Christ when He was hungry, gave Him drink when He was thirsty, and clothed Him when He was unclothed. When the sheep reply, "Lord, when did we see You hungry, thirsty, and unclothed?" Christ responds, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." [/i]Here Jesus tells us very clearly that when we use our money to clothe and feed the brothers of Christ (believers according to Mt. 12:50), we are ministering to Him. Furthermore 1 Timothy 5:16 gives directions on how the Church is to support dependent widows. Additionally, we have seen in the texts quoted already, the many exhortations of the Apostle Paul to give to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Therefore, it is quite clear that one of the priorities of giving in the New Testament is to meet the needs of the saints.

2. To Meet The Needs Of Christian Workers: In addition to using our money to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the Scriptures direct us to use our money to support Christian workers. Consider the following passages:
[i]1 Timothy 5:17-18: "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing' and 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'" In this text, "honor" must mean more than esteem and respect, for in verse 3 of the same chapter, Paul tells Timothy to "honor widows who are widows indeed." To honor these widows is to provide for them (vs. and to assist them (vs. 16). Therefore, when Paul mentions "honoring" the elders who work hard at preaching and teaching directly after he has mentioned honoring the widows, he must have the same thing in mind -- providing for and assisting the elders financially so that they can give themselves to the work of laboring in the Word. A teaching elder is like an ox who should be able to eat while he is threshing. In other words he should be supported and taken care of while he is working. He is also like a laborer who is worthy of his wages. The uniform New Testament apostolic practice was to appoint elders to oversee the churches which the apostles planted. Paul is simply directing the churches to financially provide and assist these elders so that they can give their time to the task of ministering to the flock.
1 Corinthians 9:6-14 "Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing." God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel." In this passage Paul is claiming that the apostles had every right to refrain from secular work and receive the material support of those they served. In fact he asserts that the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
Philipians 4:15-18 "And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God." In this text the apostle expressly states that the gift that the Philippians sent him was a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, and was well-pleasing to God. God Himself has given us His approval of using our money to support faithful Christian workers. Therefore, it is important that God's people utilize their financial resources to support other Christian workers, whether they be elders of a local church, or itinerant evangelists, or missionaries.

[b]3. To Meet The Needs Of The Poor: [/b]In addition to using our money to meet the needs of the saints and Christian workers, the Scriptures direct us to use our money in meeting the needs of the poor. Consider the following texts:
Luke 12:33-34 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Ephesians 4:28 "Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need." Here the individual who has need is not identified as a believer, but presumably could be anyone in need.
James 1:27 "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." [/i]To visit orphans and widows in their distress, must mean more than paying them a social call. Implicit in this statement is the idea of helping these orphans and widows, which would no doubt require sacrificial giving.
As we have seen, we can summarize the New Testament teaching on the purpose of giving this way -- to meet the needs of the saints, to meet the needs of Christian workers, and to meet the needs of the poor. Notice that New Testament giving is always to meet the needs of people. It is interesting that the one thing which the church in America spends the majority of its money on, after staff salaries, is not mentioned at all -- church buildings! The Bible simply doesn't speak about churches going into debt to buy expensive buildings, for the simple reason that the early church did not meet in special buildings. They met in homes. Thus, there was no overhead expense to drain the energy and finances of the church. In this way, all of the giving of God's people could go directly to meeting the needs of people.
Incidentally, there is nothing I know of in Scripture that would require that all of our giving to the Lord's work must be given first to the church leaders, and then disbursed by them. In fact, I believe that some of our giving is intended to be done directly from person to person in order to preserve anonymity (Matt. 6:1-4). It is reasonable, therefore, to set aside part of your total giving at home or in some special bank account so that when a special need or emergency arises, you have some financial resources to draw upon to meet that need.



The Manner Of Our Giving

In addition to giving us light on the amount and purpose of our giving, the Scriptures teach us several things about how we should give.
1. We Should Give Anonymously: In Matthew 6:1-4 Jesus teaches us that we should give in secret in order that He who sees in secret will repay us. This kind of giving is preferable as it protects the giver from spiritual pride. When giving directly to someone, look for ways to meet a need without the beneficiary ever knowing who gave the money.

2. We Should Give Voluntarily: 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 says, [i]"For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, " Here we are told that the churches of Macedonia gave of their own accord. Nobody was manipulating them or twisting their arm. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 Paul says, "Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver." If we are not to give grudgingly or under compulsion, then we are to give voluntarily. God wants our giving to come from our heart. He wants us to give because we want to.

3. We Should Give Expectantly: As we give, we should expect God to bless us now in this present life. Consider the teaching of the apostle Paul.
2 Corinthians 9:6 "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully." [/i]When someone sows by scattering seed with an open hand, it looks like he is just throwing away good grain. If he were to grip the seed in his fist, or only cast a seed or two, there would be a very small harvest. So it is with Christian giving. If we give either nothing or very little, we can expect very little blessing. But if we give with an open, generous hand, we can expect to reap bountifully. John Bunyan once said, "There was a saint, some called him mad, the more he gave the more he had." Many have twisted this passage to teach that God wants us to give in order to get. This kind of teaching appeals to the flesh, and fosters a spirit of greed and covetousness in believers. Rather, Paul in this passage is teaching that we should give, to get, to give. Look at how he puts it in [i]verse 8-11: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, 'He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness abides forever.' Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God." Notice in this passage that Paul is asserting that God will bless the generous giver by making all grace abound to him in order that he will have an abundance for every good deed. Furthermore God promises to multiply the giver's seed for sowing and increase the harvest of his righteousness. These passages point unmistakeably to the fact that God blesses those who give so that they can give more. Because God is the greatest giver of all, we ought to strive to be like Him. The only way we will be able to be greater givers in the future is to begin giving generously now! Interestingly enough, this is exactly what the Proverbs of Solomon teach us, although they were penned hundreds of years earlier.
Proverbs 19:17 "He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed."
Proverbs 11:24-25 "There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered"
Furthermore, we should also expect God to bless us in the life to come. If there is one thing that is made very clear in the Bible, it is that when we give, we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Notice the emphasis on future, heavenly treasure in the following passages:
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."

1 Timothy 6:18-19 "Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."

In all of these passages, whether spoken to the disciples, the rich young ruler, or wealthy believers in Ephesus, the message is the same -- generous giving will be rewarded by heavenly treasure. Would you rather have your treasure on earth where it will perish or in heaven where you will enjoy it eternally? Your answer to that question will have much to do with how you view and use your wealth.

4. We Should Give Cheerfully: In 2 Corinthians 9:7 we learn the spirit in which we should give. "Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver." If every believer knew what a shower of blessing he would enjoy through giving, he would be like the Macedonian Christians who begged Paul for the opportunity of giving (2 Cor. 8:3-4)! Giving ought to be seen as a great privilege, not as a heavy burden or joyless duty. God doesn't want His people to give out of a sense of compulsion, but rather from an attitude of joy and cheerfulness. The one definitive passage in the New Testament which declares the attitude with which we are to give describes it as "cheerfulness." May God help us to give in a spirit which honors Him!

5. We Should Give Sacrificially: In the Scriptures we have several examples where God looks with approval on sacrificial giving:
2 Cor. 8:1-5 "Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God." Notice in this passage that the Macedonian believers had little to begin with. They are described as those enduring a great deal of affliction, and experiencing deep poverty. Yet, they are also said to have given beyond their ability! What a wonderful example of sacrificial giving! May God enable us to imitate them in our own lives!
Mark 12:41-44 "And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the multitude were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. And calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.'" In this example, Jesus singled out this woman as a wonderful example of giving for his disciples. When Christ saw her sacrificial spirit, He called His disciples over to learn a lesson from her life. May we also learn to go and do likewise!
Can you say that your own giving is characterized by a sacrificial spirit? Does your giving really cost you anything? It's not really how much we give that is so important, but how much we keep for ourselves after we've given. May our great and glorious God enable us to practice a joyful, sacrificial lifestyle of giving!



The Motivation For Our Giving

Now that we have seen what the Scriptures teach concerning the amount, purpose, and manner of our giving, let's turn to examine what the Bible teaches concerning what ought to motivate us in our giving.
1. The Example Of Christ: Right in the middle of the longest exposition of giving in the New Testament (2 Cor. 8-9), the Apostle Paul draws upon the example of Jesus Christ as our prime motivation. Consider his words in 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." Christ was infinitely rich in His pre-incarnate existence in heaven. He was worshipped ceasely by a great host of angelic beings. He exercised omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence as Deity. He ruled with the Father and Holy Spirit over all the universe that they had created. Yet, Christ willingly chose to become poor. He laid down his right to the independent exercise of His attributes. He was born in a stable, and reared by poor parents. He lived an obscure and simple life. He depended on His Father for all His livelihood. He never accumulated a store of possessions during His lifetime; indeed, it appears that the only possessions He could call His own were the clothes on His back. At the end of His life, He gave up the only thing left that He had left -- His life. By laying down His life, Jesus was giving up everything to save us from our sins. Though He was rich, He became poor. And what was the purpose in this great act of sacrifice? It was that we through His poverty might become rich. As those who belive on Him, we have inherited great riches: forgiveness, adoption, justification, the indwelling Spirit, peace with God, access to God, sanctification, and eternal glory to come! Notice that Christ didn't give just ten percent of His resources to obtain these spiritual treasures for us! He didn't even give fifty percent! He gave 100%! A disciple naturally desires to be like his master. Therefore, strive to emulate your Lord. Don't be content with giving a small fraction of your income. Pray that God would enable you to give more and more to help hurting people and expand the kingdom of God around the world!

2. The Command Of Christ: Not only do we have the example of Christ to motivate us, but we also have His command. Jesus expressed Himself very clearly in John 15:12-13, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Jesus in this passage is commanding His followers to love each other in the same way that He loved them -- namely, by being totally committed to them. This kind of commitment must, by the very nature of the case, include the willingness to give of our resources to help one another. Jesus gave up all, including His very life for us. That is how we are commanded to love one another. We will know if we really love our brothers and sisters when we are willing to open our wallet or checkbook and give to meet their needs. May God enable us to follow His Son in obedience!

Conclusion
The Scriptures do not teach that the tithe is incumbent upon New Testament believers. However, they do teach that Christians are to be generous, sacrificial, expectant and cheerful givers! Does that describe you? It is my earnest prayer that the Holy Spirit would use this article to challenge you to rethink your giving patterns and see whether they are in line with God's will as expressed in the New Testament. If not, go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him for the power and grace to obey Him fully in all things.

^^^ Word!

Only the uninformed can think they are tithing when they give a tenth of their income.

NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE pays the Biblical tithe today.

Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18: The First Tithe - a tenth of crops and animals and commanded to take the tithe to the Levites.

Deuteronomy 14:22-27: The Second Tithe aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29: The Third Tithe aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.

Now, tell me. Which of the above three tithes commanded by God does anyone follow today?

The ONLY people in the Old Testament that were commanded to tithe were those who INHERITED THE PROMISED LAND WITH EVERYTHING ON IT. They got the land, house, animals, crops, etc. ALL FREE AND CLEAR. No mortgage payment or rent to pay. And THEY were commanded to tithe on the crops and animals and take it to the Levites who INHERITED the tithe INSTEAD OF the promised land with everything on it. No one else tithed. Wage earners did not tithe. Jesus didn’t tithe. Paul didn’t tithe. Peter didn’t tithe.

The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, even giving 50% of their income might not induce a sacrifice. In the Old Testament, ONLY the farmers tithed, and it was equal percentage (a tenth). The New Testament teaches the principle of equal sacrifice instead of equal percentage. Equal sacrifice is much harder to achieve, if not impossible, than giving ten percent.

Bottom line is that a lot of our people who are supposedly educated and supposedly Christians have not got out of the "consult a babalawo mentality"; the only thing is that they have transferred the mentality into what they call "Christianity". Thus just like what the babalawo says must be followed, the same way what the "pastor" or "MOG" says must be followed because of course he is an "oracle".

Any intelligent and honest person who studies the Bible on "tithing" will easily discover that "tithing" cannot honestly and should not be taught as a Christian obligation. As others have pointed out and as we have said here for years, it is however fine if an individual chooses to practise "tithing" particularly if they know that it is not an obligation.

@frosbel,
I love the way you presented your case it's wonderful , and I feel your friends here should learn from that we  don't need to throw insults to communicate . Even though I don't agree with everything I want to save a copy for further studies.

I don't see tithe as a scam, because for me it's the least of my giving, I  presently don't even give tithe (10%) again because it's just so small. I give 20% or more . It's personal conviction and I know several people who do far more 30% upward.
I don't think a man who wants to go to heaven will be lying to people to deceive them and he expect God to recieve him in heaven. There are several issues that the body of christ may not agree for the now, but we ought to accept each other and respect their conviction until Gods greater light will make the change . It is wrong to scare people to tithe as a manipulation, God is not cursing anybody for not tithing. For me tithing has it's benefit , if you do it , you partake of it, if you don't, you miss the benefit.

I followed ogoamaka's link. It's quite enlightening.

REAL BIBLICAL MEANING OF TITHE OR TITHING!
  I have been saying it, one of the great tragedies of religion section of Naira Land Forum is that some religious ignoramus and vagabonds, self professed atheists and satanic worshippers are distorting Biblical Truth and posting such obnoxious materials before the public.
  One of such posting are on tithing. Therefore I am not trying to argue over this topic with them but to PRESENT TO YOU THE REAL BIBLICAL MEANING AND TRUTH OF TITHING. So if you are sincere and wish to know the real truth about tithing then follow me step by step as we X-ray this subject matter and what the Bible said about it. I pray that your eyes of understanding could be opened as you read this write up. With due respect to KunleOshob and Igbogolo and co, I wish that they could take time and read  down the line and allow the Holy Spirit to teach them new things in addition to what they thought they knew about tithing. Many people including many MOG are ignorant of the meaning and essence of tithing that is why they view tithe as avenue to raise money and put food on their table and clothes on their body. I will equally start by quoting John chapter 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. I want you to ponder over this, “the only way truth shall be able to set you free is if and only if you KNOW the truth”. What you don’t know you will never practice and what you don’t practice will never profit you. Ask yourself, what is TRUTH and what happens when what you earlier knew and held and practiced as the truth are nothing but half truth or lies from the devil?. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. You will never know the truth which you don’t seek to know and it is my prayer that GOD will destroy your ignorance permanently so that you move forward in pursuit of your destiny.  Forget about what you thought you knew about tithe and put aside your mind set about my person. I am presenting to you the raw truth. The issue of tithe should never be the subject of our vote, but rather is what you need to fully understand and be fully persuaded in your life. You should never pay or not pay tithe based on popular or minority votes.
    Having said that, I wish to point out again that tithing is one of the pillar upon which kingdom prosperity stands upon, that is, tithing is one of the spiritual key to access kingdom prosperity. The devil knew this very well and that is why he is using his agents and followers to distort the real truth about it. His plan and essence is to prevent people from having the real understanding about tithe as not to practice it. Those who knew and had correct knowledge and understanding about tithe never joke with it and are enjoying the blessings that go with it. While those who don’t have the understanding are busy making mockery of tithing and equally talking and writing against it. It is therefore a matter of who you choose to believe his report, whether the report of GOD or the report of the devil.
    Coming to the subject matter of tithing, we shall seek to understand it by looking at it under the following major headings: (1) What is tithe or tithing and when did tithing started in the Bible? Is tithing a law or commandment?  
(2) Who should pay tithe and where should we pay tithe? Is tithing for us today?
(3) Does tithing involve only money?
(4) Does men of GOD suppose to pay tithe?
(5) Finally we shall equally look at the principles and practice of tithing both in the Bible and today.
(1)    WHAT IS TITHING AND WHEN DID THE ISSUE OF TITHING START IN THE BIBLE? Until you have a correct knowledge and understanding about tithe and equally views tithe in its correct perceptive, you may end up wasting your resources in the name of paying tithe. Tithe or Tithing first appeared in the Bible in Genesis 14:20-22 .Here we are told that Abraham gave Melchizedek tithe of all. And in GENESIS 28:22 Jacob defined what tithe is all about from the vow he made to GOD, “And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S house and all that you give me I will SURELY GIVE a tenth to you.”. So we see from the above scriptures that tithe or tithing started in the book of Genesis even before the law was given or before the law came into force in EXODUS, This means that tithing existed before the law was given and is therefore not a law or commandment.
Having seen that tithing is not a law or commandment, what then is the spiritual meaning and essence of tithing? Tithing is simply a covenant obligation which those in the covenant practices TO APPRECIATE GOD AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ARE PAYING TITHE FROM CAME FROM GOD, “and all that you give me , I will surely give a tenth to you” ( Genesis 28:22). In other words tithing is about the covenant or is rooted in the covenant relationship with GOD. That means that when you pay your tithe you are simply expressing your dependence on GOD and is telling GOD that you ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is the ONE that gave you the resources or the power to get the wealth or resources in which the tithe is been paid from. That is to say paying tithe is but expressing your total dependency on GOD and acknowledgement of HIM as the sources of the resources you are paying tithe from. Those who are not paying tithe are simply saying in their heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.” (DEUT.:8:17)While when you pay tithe you are saying or remembering the LORD your GOD, for it is He who gives you power to get the wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your father as it is this day.” (DEUT.8:18) Simply put it or illustrate it: Paying tithe is just like you buying a packet of biscuit for your boy and as your boy opened the packet to eat it you requested from him to give you one piece of biscuit from the packet of ten. How do you feel if the boy refuses to give you or decide to give you half instead of one full? You didn’t request from the boy to give you not that you are hungry or want to eat his biscuit but you want to prove what is in the heart of the boy. In other words GOD is not demanding tithe from you not that He is hungry or in need of your money or resources but that He may prove what is in your heart, whether you acknowledge Him as the source of that resource from which He is demanding tithe payment from. One thing that is worth to mention is that tithing is never in the mind of GOD as an avenue to raise money or to put food on the table for ministers as many hungry pastors has bastardized it. It is highly unfortunate and that is why you always see such ignorant, lazy and hungry pastors always on the pulpit begging their members to pay tithe. Tithe payment must flow from one’s heart voluntarily in appreciation and acknowledgment of GOD not that one is coerced or compelled to do so. No one who has correct understanding of tithe could ever be pleaded to pay ones tithe.
 
(2) WHO SHOULD PAY TITHE? IS THITHING FOR US TODAY? Having seen that tithing is not a law or commandment a voluntary covenant obligation that those in the covenant practices to appreciate GOD. It means that tithing is only for those who are in the covenant i.e. covenant people of GOD and not for everybody. That is why in the old covenant GOD expected only His covenant people Israel to tithe not from the gentiles. Who are those in the covenant? Those in the covenant are the spiritual Israel and the physical Israel. The physical Israel are the Jews while the spiritual Israel are the born again Christians. So if you are not in the covenant never bother to waste you money in the name of paying tithe as GOD is not expecting tithe from your hand. In other words if you are in the covenant and you are not paying tithe because those not in the covenant are talking against it and making mockery of it, you are living a risky and dangerous life and you need to repent. That is to say you must be one of those in the covenant to qualify to pay tithe in other to reap the benefits that goes with tithing. It then means that so far GOD’S covenant still exist and so far we still maintain covenant relationship with GOD the tithing is for us today. As I said earlier tithing is never an avenue to put food on the table for your pastor (even though pastors could benefit from tithe payment). Therefore if you are viewing tithe as money you are giving to MOG or your pastors you are wrong and you can never reap the benefit that goes with tithing,      
   For emphasis and to answer the question as to whether tithe is for us today, it is necessary to ask yourself this question: Since tithe is rooted in covenant relationship with GOD, the question is “DOES GOD STILL HAS A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH US TODAY?  If the answer is “no” then we have nothing to do with tithing, but if “yes” then tithing is for us today. The next question to answer yourself is; DO YOU HAVE A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
(3) WHERE SHOULD WE PAY TITHE? Again Genesis 28:22 gave us the answer, “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.” So we are to pay tithe into the house of GOD, see also Malachi 3:10.We are never to give our tithe to any MOG or pastor but paid into the house of GOD. The next thing to consider is what happens after paying our tithe? I must point out that one of the ways the devil try to rob many of the benefit or blessing that goes with tithing is our trying to poke nose into the way and manner tithe paid are used in the house of GOD i.e. they try to know what happens to the tithe they paid, and by so doing the devil corrupt their mind by telling them that the pastor is using their tithe for their private or personal benefits. This is a wrong perceptive of tithing. Since it is not to the pastor you paid tithe to but to GOD, you should remove your mind as to how it is used or misused, It is GOD that will punish the person that misuses GOD’S tithe and not you. All you know is that you have performed your covenant obligation and should expect the reward or blessing that goes with it from GOD.  
 (4) DOES TITHING ONLY INVOLVE MONEY? No tithing does not involve only money .We are to tithe from the resources that came our way, whether from farm crops, if you are a crop farmer or from animal if you are an animal farmer or from the fruits from our farm. See the definition of tithe again in Genesis 28:22, “ And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S house and ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME  I WILL SURELY GIVE TENTH TO YOU”. However, money issue came into picture in tithing in DEUT. 14:22-29. Here GOD gave the instruction that resources mentioned above (animals, crops, wine, fruits etc) could be exchanged for money see verse25. That is to say a farmer is free to pay tithe from the physical items from his or her farm such as chicken or live animals, crops or fruits etc. But if he sells those items, he could pay tithe of money proceeds from the sells.i.e.from what he realized from the sales. Many farmers prefer to pay tithe of money because it is easy to calculate tithe from money proceeds. For example, a farmer who has four ram from his farm, how do you expect him to pay tithe of live ram from that four collection? But if he sells the four rams he could pay tithe from the proceeds from the sells.
    (5) DOES MEN OF GOD SUPPOSE TO PAY TITHE? The answer is capital YES, MOG should be the first to pay tithe. Any MOG who does not pay tithe suffers the same fate if not more than lay people that are not paying tithe. Today ask any successful MOG and they will reveal to you that one of their secrets of success is rooted in their faithfulness in their tithe obligations. Some of them that understand the secret covenant of tithing pay more than 10% of the resources that comes their way as tithe. However ignorant pastors who don’t understand the meaning of tithe, who don’t pay tithe themselves because they view tithe as a means of raising money to keep food on their table. Such pastors are always seen struggling begging their members to pay their tithe. See Numbers 18:25-28; Nehemiah 10:38
 
USES OF TITHE: In the Bible GOD commanded on how proceeds from tithe should be used:
(a) The first reason GOD demanded His covenant people to pay tithe is that there be meat in the house of GOD ( Malachi 3:10)
(b) The second reason or uses of tithe is to maintain the Levites(MOG).Resources from tithe could be used to pay the salaries of MOG as well as their other welfare needs. Numbers 18:28; DEUT, 12:17-19; DEUT. 14:22-29; 2CHR.31:5-10; NEHEMIAH 12:44; 13: 12
(c) The third uses are   to take care of the fatherless, strangers, and widowers etc., see DEUT. 26:13
     FINALLY PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE TITHING IN THE BIBLE AND TODAY    
     {OR TERMS NOF THE COVERNMENT OF TITHING}
       Tithing as a covenant practice has a laid down rules or terms governing it. You must abide or fulfill the terms of the covenant before you can reap the benefit or blessing that goes with it. 
       The first principle is that you must be qualified to pay tithe (you must be in the covenant, you must be born again).Those who have no covenant relationship with GOD are not expected or required to pay tithe. So the first thing GOD expects from you before you start to pay tithe is to enter into a covenant relationship with HIM-get born again.
      Secondly tithing must be paid correctly and from the dept of your heart not as if you are been forced or compelled to do so. Some ignorantly use number six (natural reasoning) in treating tithe matter. As a result, they just give any thing as tithe. For emphasis, tithe is not just any amount; it must be 10% of the resources that comes your way. The principle is that you must be faithful to compute your tithe obligation correctly before GOD can accept it and bless you back. Remember GOD is not in need or a beggar. HE knows the resources that came your way and the tithe you suppose to pay. (Remember the offering of CAIN and ABEL in Genesis!)
     I wish to point out that one need to be very careful in dealing with tithe issue so that the devil will not rob us the benefit of tithing by refusing to tithe simply because some so called MOG are abusing proceeds of tithing. Yes it is true some lazy and ignorant and self appointed MOG are abusing tithe payment. They are ignorant of the meaning and essence of tithe that is why they view tithe as avenue to raise money and put food on their table. You will see and know such MOG by their constant coercing and begging their members to pay their tithe. For emphasis tithe payment must never be coerced, forced or begged for. It must flow or paid willingly or it will not be accepted. by GOD.
 
  WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T PAY MY TITHE?  Before looking at what happens if I don’t pay my tithe, let us look at what happens if I faithfully pay my tithe; The answer is in MALACHI  Chapter 3 verses 10 to 12:  (1) First GOD said  HE will open the windows of heaven and pour you a blessing……, ”
(2) Secondly, GOD said HE will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your grounds…, ”
    In other words, if you don’t pay your tithe, you will never enjoy the full blessings GOD in your life. Secondly you will continue to suffer under the bondage of the devourer.
                      MALACHI CHAPTER 3 VERSES 8 TO 12
             
It is important to look at Malachi 3: 8 – 12. These verses are so miss understood and misinterpreted even by many MOG .Some lazy and ignorant pastors uses the above portion of the Bible to coerce their members to part with their resources in the name of paying tithe. The reason is that the view tithing as an avenue to raise money and put food on their table. This is totally a wrong interpretation and view of Malachi 3:8 -12.
   It is necessary to read that book of Malachi 3 from verses one to the end (Malachi 3:1 – end) you will see that GOD was trying to rebuke HIS people Israel through prophet Malachi  for their defrauding or not keeping to their covenant duties or covenant obligations of tithe and offerings.
Some   earlier writers like Kunleoshob and Igbogolo and co, were trying to interpret Malachi 3:8-12 for us using Numbers 18: 25-28. This is totally false and wrong interpretation. I am not saying this to undermine or belittle their write-up because they may be sincere in what they wrote as their writing WAS BASED ON THEIR LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF TITHING.
In their write-up they were trying to prove to us that the rebuke of Malachi 3:8-12 was directed to the LEVITES and not to the whole ISRAEL, This is not true; Malachi 3 GOD was rebuking the entire Israel and not the Levites alone. Let us look at Malachi chapter 3 from vs. 1 closely for proper understanding of the chapter vs. 1 “Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple, EVEN THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts , ”  From vs 1 to vs 5, Malachi was referring to a messenger of the covenant that GOD said will come to direct the people of Israel  back to their covenant duties and obligations and what the messenger shall do on his appearing. Let us look at verse 6, “For I am LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” When GOD said ye sons of Jacob, is HE referring to Levites alone or the whole sons of Jacob (Israel)? Verse 7 “ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from ordinances(covenant obligations) and have not kept them, Return unto me , and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of Hosts, But ye said, wherein shall we return,,,”? Is this verse referring to the Levites alone or is it not directed to the whole Israel?
Verse 8, GOD showered them the covenant ordinance (covenant practice, covenant obligations) they should return –TITHES AND OFFERINGS. Verse 9 clearly show us who GOD was referring to, whether LEVITES OR THE WHOLE Israel who HE said was robbing HIM, “Ye are cursed with a course: For ye have robbed me, EVEN THIS WHOLE NATION”.
            LIVE EXPERIENCE: There is live experience of tithing I wish to share here; there is a brother I call his name Chris, a Mechanical Engineering graduate. After his youth service he was with a job for almost a year. He was living on welfare and help from brethren. His pastor called him one day and advised him to organize private lessons for secondary school students preparing for exams. He did just that and the amount he was realizing was enough to feed himself and that reduced his begging for assistance. He was faithful paying tithe from what he realized from the lesson. After two years he secured an employment with an oil servicing company and his salary was fantastic and he was faithful paying his tithe. However after three years of working in oil servicing company he got another job with an oil company with salary double his earlier salary. He was happy and continues to worship GOD, paying his tithe faithfully. After two years he switched over to another company, this time around he was paid in dollars in which conversion his tithe every month runs into hundreds of thousands. It was then that he felt that the amount was too much to pay as tithe; he started to default in paying his tithe. He started giving any amount as tithe. According to him, the Holy Spirit warned him severally but he refused to heed the warning, Eventually after two years and four months he was fired i.e. he lost his job. He was without job for six good months and his eyes got opened and he ran to his pastor (the church) seeking for prayers with a vow to GOD to be paying 20% as tithe if GOD could have mercy and grant him another job. GOD been faithful had mercy on him and granted him another job. However the salary he was paid was 40% less than the job he lost. The essence of this story is to show you that paying tithe is for your own good not to help GOD or any MOG. Remember GOD is never in need neither the MOG you think you are helping by paying your tithe.
      In concluding this write-up, I wish to ask you, are you paying your tithe faithfully? If yes, are you convinced of the reason for paying it . Are you in the covenant?. You are not paying tithe, is it because those not in the covenant are talking against it and making mockery of tithe payment?, I hope I have shown you the reason why you should pay or not pay tithe. It is left for you to decide. A word is enough for the wise.
     Final word: I have taking time to present to you the raw biblical truth about tithing. If you have any question, you can contact me through one of my e-mail address: vinogoamaka99@ yahoo.com OR ogoamaka99@gmail.com

The first time tithe is mentioned in the Bible is Abraham's tithe of pagan spoils of war, and Abraham kept NOTHING for himself. This was NOT an act of worship. The goods that Abraham gave the tenth from didn’t even belong to Abraham:

Genesis 14:21 (NIV) - The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”

Notice in verse 21 the king of Sodom didn’t ask Abraham if he would give back to him the people, but rather said GIVE ME the people and keep the goods for yourself. The way that is worded indicates that the king of Sodom was claiming that the people and the goods belonged to him and those he represented.

Genesis 14:22-24 (NIV) - 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

Notice in verses 23 and 24 Abraham also acknowledges that the goods belonged to the king of Sodom and those he represented.

Therefore, it is clear that both the king of Sodom and Abraham acknowledged that the spoils of war did NOT belong to Abraham, yet he gave a tenth of the spoils to King Melchizedek. This would seem that Abraham did something wrong, if not even illegal, but Biblical historians agree that it was custom in Abraham's day to give the king a tenth of the war spoils. Had Abraham not given the tenth, he would have gone against custom.

Conclusion: Abraham did NOT give a tenth of his income, or his wealth. Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of war that didn’t belong to him. That is NOT an example for Christians to follow today. Furthermore, the law did NOT require a tenth of war spoils to be given, but rather 1.1%, so to say that tithing was before the law and then in the law is not true. What Abraham did was NOT codified into the later law.

The next mention of a tithe is Jacob's VOW to tithe. Jacob set the conditions, not God. Nowhere in The Word does it tell us that Jacob actually tithed. Genesis 28:10-22

People are confused. Abraham gave a tenth of war spoils. That is NOT what God called His tithe. Abraham did not give or pay the Biblical tithe.

@frosbel,
I asked a question yesterday, what scripture back the claim that certain individuals were exempted from tithing? Ir are you just using logic.

And also how did you do the YouTube video, did you do screen shot or something. The videos I tried to post only come out in links.

newmi:

Tithe or Tithing first appeared in the Bible in Genesis 14:20-22 .Here we are told that Abraham gave Melchizedek tithe of all. And in GENESIS 28:22 Jacob defined what tithe is all about from the vow he made to GOD, “And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S house and all that you give me I will SURELY GIVE a tenth to you.”. So we see from the above scriptures that tithe or tithing started in the book of Genesis even before the law was given or before the law came into force in EXODUS, This means that tithing existed before the law was given and is therefore not a law or commandment.
Having seen that tithing is not a law or commandment, what then is the spiritual meaning and essence of tithing? Tithing is simply a covenant obligation which those in the covenant practices TO APPRECIATE GOD AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ARE PAYING TITHE FROM CAME FROM GOD, “and all that you give me , I will surely give a tenth to you” ( Genesis 28:22). In other words tithing is about the covenant or is rooted in the covenant relationship with GOD. That means that when you pay your tithe you are simply expressing your dependence on GOD and is telling GOD that you ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is the ONE that gave you the resources or the power to get the wealth or resources in which the tithe is been paid from. That is to say paying tithe is but expressing your total dependency on GOD and acknowledgement of HIM as the sources of the resources you are paying tithe from. Those who are not paying tithe are simply saying in their heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.”

So newmi, what happened after Abraham and Jacobs supposed tithing? Did they continue tithing afterwards? The sabbath predates the law, do you still keep the sabbath?

Can you substantiate the emboldened statements above in the light of scriptures? or is it your own meaning of tithing?

newmi:

  WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T PAY MY TITHE?  Before looking at what happens if I don’t pay my tithe, let us look at what happens if I faithfully pay my tithe; The answer is in MALACHI  Chapter 3 verses 10 to 12:  (1) First GOD said  HE will open the windows of heaven and pour you a blessing……, ”
(2) Secondly, GOD said HE will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your grounds…, ”
    In other words, if you don’t pay your tithe, you will never enjoy the full blessings GOD in your life. Secondly you will continue to suffer under the bondage of the devourer.

I laugh in Japanese at the emboldened statement above. I have stopped tithing for three years now and believe me, The blessings plus favour I have received from God far exceeds my fifteen years of tithing by many light-years.

Sir John,
don't direct the question to me direct it to ogoamaka. I only followed the link he posted and made it open for all to read.

newmi:

Sir John,
don't direct the question to me direct it to ogoamaka. I only followed the link he posted and made it open for all to read.

Since you were enlightened by the article, and you went ahead to make it bare; I believe you share his convictions. so you may have to defend it

SirJohn:

Since you were enlightened by the article, and you went ahead to make it bare; I believe you share his convictions. so you may have to defend it

I still insist, but be that as it may the article is there for everyone to view and whether or not you are enlightened by it it’s a personal choice otherwise you leave it. Thank you

newmi:

I still insist, but be that as it may the article is there for everyone to view and whether or not you are enlightened by it it’s a personal choice otherwise you leave it. Thank you

So God is now a gambler


You pay your tithes to get better Jobs, reap more monetary blessings etc etc

So sad if these are your motives.

" Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19

Joagbaje:

I don't think a man who wants to go to heaven will be lying to people to deceive them and he expect God to recieve him in heaven.   

Maybe heaven is not his priority for now, or maybe it was done believing it’s the right thing to do (the result of relying on adulterated info).

Joagbaje:

It is wrong to scare people to tithe as a manipulation, God is not cursing anybody for not tithing.   

You are almost there Jo. You just need to put in that extra effort to get there.

Joagbaje:

For me tithing has it's benefit , if you do it , you partake of it, if you don't, you miss the benefit.   

Every good thing has its benefit, if done with a sincere heart. Also note that there are no tithe specific benefits.

This issue of tithe has been so much n well debated here, n iv been convinced it is a personal thing between one n God.the link by frosbel dealt explicitly wit it,that of ogoamaka is just a sermon by a pastor with no or mis-interpreted scriptures to back it up.
Just like abraham n jacob,they of their own freewill paid tithe.one of d problems in xtianity is people,mostly pastors trying to make their personal experiences or convictions a standard,lifting up verses in d bible to back it up,some for selfish reasons, n some due to lack of deep scriptural understanding.For example,that God spoke personally to Bishop Oyedepo about tithing as the foundation for 'his' financial prosperity doesnt mean it should now be generalised as the foundation for f-prosperity.like someone pointed out,there are 3types of tithe.if a tither says a non-tither is sinning or wil go to hell,d same applies to him because he pays just one.if tithing is stil relevant,how come none of d apostles n Jesus preached tithe to d gentiles who knew

nothing about d old testament.this is one of d many questions on tithe yet to b answered by d proponents.

Joagbaje:

@frosbel,
I love the way you presented your case it's wonderful , and I feel your friends here should learn from that we  don't need to throw insults to communicate . Even though I don't agree with everything I want to save a copy for further studies.

I don't see tithe as a scam, because for me it's the least of my giving, I  presently don't even give tithe (10%) again because it's just so small. I give 20% or more . It's personal conviction and I know several people who do far more 30% upward.
I don't think a man who wants to go to heaven will be lying to people to deceive them and he expect God to recieve him in heaven. There are several issues that the body of christ may not agree for the now, but we ought to accept each other and respect their conviction until Gods greater light will make the change . It is wrong to scare people to tithe as a manipulation, God is not cursing anybody for not tithing. For me tithing has it's benefit , if you do it , you partake of it, if you don't, you miss the benefit.
   

Enigma link=topic=586248.msg7540618#msg7540618 date=1295131739:

Bottom line is that a lot of our people who are supposedly educated and supposedly Christians have not got out of the "consult a babalawo mentality"; the only thing is that they have transferred the mentality into what they call "Christianity". Thus just like what the babalawo says must be followed, the same way what the "pastor" or "MOG" says must be followed because of course he is an "oracle".

Any intelligent and honest person who studies the Bible on "tithing" will easily discover that "tithing" cannot honestly and should not be taught as a Christian obligation. As others have pointed out and as we have said here for years, it is however fine if an individual chooses to practise "tithing" particularly if they know that it is not an obligation.

nuclearboy:

The article above by "Frosbel" PROVES there is "something" wrong with tithes the way it is preached today as a compulsory mandatory rule for Christians. Tithing in todays context negates the principle of love and upholds "DUTY" and LAW as the criteria for being in Christs' Body. Further, it removes the target of Christianity (heaven) and replaces it with a materialistic mindset that is built around "owning" the world and giving BECAUSE you want "returns".

It is particularly repulsive seeing as there does exist a user's manual (the Bible) which shows Christ and His Apostles living the true Gospel which definitely had heaven rather than the present as focus. But anyone could try to disprove us by giving examples (not mangling scripture) of the fore-runners being involved in tithing.

PS: The New Covenant started AFTER Christ was crucified. Tithing should be shown in the NEW Covenant

Frosbel must be highly commended for his insightful teachings and exposition on the controversial subject of tithing in New Testament dispensation. The double presentations he made, one on tithing and the other on New Testament Giving are a must-study for any serious minded believer who loves to know and walk in the full truth of God's Word for our time. Frosbel's works are maturely and humbly put together, quite revealing and well founded. However, I do not agree with all he says. But, then he does not have to be perfect to contribute to our development. Neither do I have to be seen as knowing more than he in expressing my slight reservations to some of his far-reaching conclusions. Somehow, we are all seeking the whole truth and best to do it respectfully and humbly.

In my response, I have decided to quote the other above responses because I allign largely with what they said and I do not have to repeat it all over again. Joagbaje, Enigma and Nuclearboy have done some meaningful submissions I could not overlook. Their view were quite mature and enriching. I have the very little to add.

One, tithing takes the form of a law in the old testament. However, without a law, Abraham gave a tithe. And then, later, Jacob did also give a tithe. Why? Definitely not in response to a law (for then the law was not yet given by Moses). They were inspired to, convicted to, led to by the Spirit of God. It is a dimension higher than the level of operating by the law on tablets. By revelation due to the relationship they have with God, Abraham and Jacob perceived that it was the will of God to give the tenth when they did, and they acted by faith. Note the following scriptures:

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom 8:14
The Just shall live by faith. Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38
Therefore, it is of faith that it might be of grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Rom 4:16
So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Gal 3:9

There is no place for tithing as a law that compels people to give one tenth of their monthly earnings to church or wherever for the new testament believer in Christ. The tithe as a law went with the old testament but as a divine principle of God for His people, it precedes the Law of Moses and also is still present today captured as in "Giving". Tithing is a small part of God's divine principle expressed clearly as Giving in the new testament. You couldn't be accused of not tithing if you truly fulfilled and lived faithfully in line with all of Paul's teachings of wilful, free-will, sacrificial and generous giving as a lifestyle just because you were doing it voluntarily rather than as a law with all its compulsive tendencies and fears. By God's principle of Giving, a man may get to the level where he is inspired and enjoys the release to freeely give 20%, 30% or even 90% (like R.G. Le Tourneau) of his earnings to God. That is not a tithe by any standards of lawful obedience of scriptural observance. Yet, will it be accepted by God?. I perceive so. What if a man is only able to muster enough conviction to give five percent or even one percent. Would it be accepted?. Yes. So long as he is sincere that is the level of his faith at that moment. If he keeps his heart open to God, there is room for a higher level of faith and giving. We leave that to the Spirit of God. There is nothing more important in New Testament giving than that it should be without compulsion and in love. The tithe can be removed from our vocabulary and it would not violate the scriptures. Or we can retain it as a label for some category of giving to mean that regular freewill giving I determine of my own freewill and voluntarily give by faith towards the promotion of God's work. It is private and a reflection of my personal walk with God. The tithe can have a new testament definition but I think it is best done away with to enforce the concept of freewill faith giving rather than the compulsive manipulable giving of old testament orientation.

All said and done, I still believe the tithe teaching and practice is not always a fraudulent scam by preachers to fleece the helpless followers. Some errors are taught with all sincerity because it is the level of revelation the teachers have. Some would not do it if they knew better. However, there are many preachers who over the years have sensed the truth Frosbel emphasises but would not dare preach it for fear that their church or ministry will suffer severe financial lack. I mean, a people that barely give with the fear that God compels it as a law, it looks like sheer stupidity and suicidal to let them know that they are supposed to give freely like there was not exactly the compulsion of law in it. Their survival and sustenance of the ministry depends so largely on whipping the flock with the legal baton of the tithe law and the fear of malachi 3:10 and the dreaded devourer. Such fears are not of God. The truth is the truth. The truth sets free. The consequence of teaching the truth about tithe and new testament giving is not poverty. Let God be true and everyman a liar.

I will certainly keep a copy of Frosbel's work for further studies and deeper insights. I encourage all who desire higher experience with God to do likewise. Nothing in the Bible says you must buy hook, line and sinker all the position of your pastor on the word of God. You can on some subjects differ with your pastor and still remain in God's good books. Your own personal development is still your individual responsibility.

Thank you Frosbel.

@Dean55
Thanx for your insightful and objective analysis of the subject matter. I agree wiyh you mostly, only difference is that I believe preachers who twist the word of God for money as exemplified by the way tithes is preached and practised today should not be tolerated at all as they are not only duping believers, they are leading them astray.