In the course of getting accommodation, i had to get a loan to ensure the rent is complete in other not to loose the apartment. The condition of the loan is that i pay back in full this month. Since that was the only option for me, i had to go along with it.

My issue now is that the loan is 67% of my gross monthly salary, transport is 19%, PAYE is about 7%, tithe is 10% which totals 103% already. This excludes other miscellaneous during the course of the month. Since i have to pay up the loan(not negotiable), PAYE is deducted from source, i have to go to work (hence transport is not negotiable too and that has already eaten into the tithe) and there are things i need to buy for my baby. The remaining part of the tithe won't even be sufficient for the needs anyway but it will at least ease the burden.

I don't know if spending of tithe to pay back later is allowed or whether it is a sin.


NB: I have been paying my tithe up to date(till last month-June) before now but just thinking in advance of when i collect this month's salary

Ask the tithe receiver (God) and collector....

First, let's look at the purpose of the tithe. The main principle behind tithing and giving is the fact that what we do with our money shows where our heart is. Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When we are able to give 10% or more of our income instead of keeping that money for ourselves, it shows that our heart isn't tied to our money and that we love God more than our money.
The Bible mentions money over 800 times and of all of Jesus' parables, more than half of them talked about money. Why? Because that is where so many people get tripped up! 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. We remember that everything we have has been given to us by Him. Even though most of us probably work for the money we make each month, even God has his hand there - He has given us the ability to do our jobs. Many who grasp what God has truly given them seem to agree that 10% doesn't even feel like enough!
We are not saved by works, thus failing to tithe will not necessarily send you to hell, but doing so will help improve your life and strengthen your relationship with God. I personally don't believe that God will curse us if we don't tithe, but I do believe He will help us escape the curse that is already in the world if we do.
Of special note is the fact that tithing evokes a blessing from God and the failure to tithe invokes a curse from God (under the Mosaic Law)....
So in summary, 'Giving' is a New Testament 'Church' Principle as opposed to tithing by Law (by compulsion.) Jesus clearly commanded (take note that it was not an option) that we have to give to God.
Matt 22:21
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
(NIV)
"What is God's" implies a fixed sum. BUT we must remember that Jesus made the above statement in the context of the Mosaic Law which was still existent in His Time. Further on in the epistles, the Apostle Paul qualifies this "giving" as "from the heart" and proportionate to the degree that one is blessed. He specifically spoke against "compulsion" (from sources outside). Manipulating a person to give (whether directly or indirectly) is a form of witchcraft...........
2 Cor 9:7
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
(NIV) Emphasis mine
"What he has decided in his heart to give" clearly has to be some amount (not zero). It may be ten percent or more. Well, it may even be less, but give as the Holy Spirit directs your heart
So, I will conclude by sayings that ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TITHE BEFORE ANY SPENDING. It saves you a great deal. That has been my option and it has helped me greatly.

I culled some details from different preacher and I also added mine... I hope this helps. But I know from the old Testament that when you eat your Tithe you may have to repay with 20% of what you ate (If your Tithe is 10,000.00 upon repayment you will repay NGN 12,000.00).

The Lord will strengthen you and make your helper locate you. Remain Blessed.

The good news is that you don't have to pay tithe ever again.

CORDROSS: First, let's look at the purpose of the tithe. The main principle behind tithing and giving is the fact that what we do with our money shows where our heart is. Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When we are able to give 10% or more of our income instead of keeping that money for ourselves, it shows that our heart isn't tied to our money and that we love God more than our money.
The Bible mentions money over 800 times and of all of Jesus' parables, more than half of them talked about money. Why? Because that is where so many people get tripped up! 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. We remember that everything we have has been given to us by Him. Even though most of us probably work for the money we make each month, even God has his hand there - He has given us the ability to do our jobs. Many who grasp what God has truly given them seem to agree that 10% doesn't even feel like enough!
We are not saved by works, thus failing to tithe will not necessarily send you to hell, but doing so will help improve your life and strengthen your relationship with God. I personally don't believe that God will curse us if we don't tithe, but I do believe He will help us escape the curse that is already in the world if we do.
Of special note is the fact that tithing evokes a blessing from God and the failure to tithe invokes a curse from God (under the Mosaic Law)....
So in summary, 'Giving' is a New Testament 'Church' Principle as opposed to tithing by Law (by compulsion.) Jesus clearly commanded (take note that it was not an option) that we have to give to God.
Matt 22:21
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
(NIV)
"What is God's" implies a fixed sum. BUT we must remember that Jesus made the above statement in the context of the Mosaic Law which was still existent in His Time. Further on in the epistles, the Apostle Paul qualifies this "giving" as "from the heart" and proportionate to the degree that one is blessed. He specifically spoke against "compulsion" (from sources outside). Manipulating a person to give (whether directly or indirectly) is a form of witchcraft...........
2 Cor 9:7
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
(NIV) Emphasis mine
"What he has decided in his heart to give" clearly has to be some amount (not zero). It may be ten percent or more. Well, it may even be less, but give as the Holy Spirit directs your heart
So, I will conclude by sayings that ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TITHE BEFORE ANY SPENDING. It saves you a great deal. That has been my option and it has helped me greatly.

I culled some details from different preacher and I also added mine... I hope this helps. But I know from the old Testament that when you eat your Tithe you may have to repay with 20% of what you ate (If your Tithe is 10,000.00 upon repayment you will repay NGN 12,000.00).

The Lord will strengthen you and make your helper locate you. Remain Blessed.

The old testament is not for christians!!!!!!!!!!!
Please don't tell people what your money loving fake great man of god tell his followers!!!!!!!!
You are so brainwashed and their is nothing that when you cannot tithe your 10% you have to pay the next month 20% that is only in Nigeria from your rich pastors you want to live a luxury life and who want to have big cars and private jets.

christians are now more concerned about the sin of tithe? what a misplaced priority in christiandom? ....... shame to nigerian pentecostal fraudsters.

Yes if you must do but you Must pay back with a 20%. Don't make it a habit pls.

Godmystrength: In the course of getting accommodation, i had to get a loan to ensure the rent is complete in other not to loose the apartment. The condition of the loan is that i pay back in full this month. Since that was the only option for me, i had to go along with it.

My issue now is that the loan is 67% of my gross monthly salary, transport is 19%, PAYE is about 7%, tithe is 10% which totals 103% already. This excludes other miscellaneous during the course of the month. Since i have to pay up the loan(not negotiable), PAYE is deducted from source, i have to go to work (hence transport is not negotiable too and that has already eaten into the tithe) and there are things i need to buy for my baby. The remaining part of the tithe won't even be sufficient for the needs anyway but it will at least ease the burden.

I don't know if spending of tithe to pay back later is allowed or whether it is a sin.

tithing is not for real christians, when you have to take care you have to take care of your baby,you have to look that you keep your job because jesus told us that we have to look also at the people near us and that is your child.

Give to God what you can give and when it is only 1% of your income. Please think about why this so called great man of God in nigeria are so rich, because they twisted the scripture and that is not christian, forget all this fake pentecost pastors because most of them want only to fill their own pocket.

first your child comes, the rent for your house, when you lose the house will your pastor give you a house where you can live with your child.
will your pastor give you a new job or pay your rent when you lose the job because you couldnot pay the transport.
When you work you need to eat.

Give what you have and you didnot rob God when you didnot tithe but you will only rob your so called great man of god that he cannot buy a bigger car, because nigerian pastors are a disgrace for a real christian.

CORDROSS: But I know from the old Testament that when you eat your Tithe you may have to repay with 20% of what you ate (If your Tithe is 10,000.00 upon repayment you will repay NGN 12,000.00).

The Lord will strengthen you and make your helper locate you. Remain Blessed.

If i get you, you are saying maybe i should go ahead and pay the tithe and wait for my helper to locate me?

Please is the part in bold somewhere in the bible? Please I'll like to know where.

gazilion: Yes if you must do but you Must pay back with a 20%. Don't make it a habit pls.

gazilion: Yes if you must do but you Must pay back with a 20%. Don't make it a habit pls.

where in the bible it is written that you have to pay 20%

Are you a jewish!!!!!

Malachi is not for christians!

Godmystrength: If i get you, you are saying maybe i should go ahead and pay the tithe and wait for my helper to locate me?

Please is the part in bold somewhere in the bible? Please I'll like to know where.

Sorry that comefrom a brainwashed follower of one of this new churches, forget what he write, you will find this nowhere in the bible only in the bible of the fake Pastors in nigeria who want to enrich themself!!!!!!!!

CORDROSS: First, let's look at the purpose of the tithe. The main principle behind tithing and giving is the fact that what we do with our money shows where our heart is. Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When we are able to give 10% or more of our income instead of keeping that money for ourselves, it shows that our heart isn't tied to our money and that we love God more than our money.
The Bible mentions money over 800 times and of all of Jesus' parables, more than half of them talked about money. Why? Because that is where so many people get tripped up! 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. We remember that everything we have has been given to us by Him. Even though most of us probably work for the money we make each month, even God has his hand there - He has given us the ability to do our jobs. Many who grasp what God has truly given them seem to agree that 10% doesn't even feel like enough!
We are not saved by works, thus failing to tithe will not necessarily send you to hell, but doing so will help improve your life and strengthen your relationship with God. I personally don't believe that God will curse us if we don't tithe, but I do believe He will help us escape the curse that is already in the world if we do.
Of special note is the fact that tithing evokes a blessing from God and the failure to tithe invokes a curse from God (under the Mosaic Law)....
So in summary, 'Giving' is a New Testament 'Church' Principle as opposed to tithing by Law (by compulsion.) Jesus clearly commanded (take note that it was not an option) that we have to give to God.
Matt 22:21
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
(NIV)
"What is God's" implies a fixed sum. BUT we must remember that Jesus made the above statement in the context of the Mosaic Law which was still existent in His Time. Further on in the epistles, the Apostle Paul qualifies this "giving" as "from the heart" and proportionate to the degree that one is blessed. He specifically spoke against "compulsion" (from sources outside). Manipulating a person to give (whether directly or indirectly) is a form of witchcraft...........
2 Cor 9:7
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
(NIV) Emphasis mine
"What he has decided in his heart to give" clearly has to be some amount (not zero). It may be ten percent or more. Well, it may even be less, but give as the Holy Spirit directs your heart
So, I will conclude by sayings that ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TITHE BEFORE ANY SPENDING. It saves you a great deal. That has been my option and it has helped me greatly.

I culled some details from different preacher and I also added mine... I hope this helps. But I know from the old Testament that when you eat your Tithe you may have to repay with 20% of what you ate (If your Tithe is 10,000.00 upon repayment you will repay NGN 12,000.00).

The Lord will strengthen you and make your helper locate you. Remain Blessed.

In as much as I support tithing I don't think writing all these to make him part with money without his heart in it is necessary

Much emphasis on tithing makes it look like God is in need of money.

Op if your part faith isn't enough to part with the money, then admit it, pray about it and do just that you are strong enough to do.

The Bible said 'even when we are without faith He remains Faithfull '

ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TITHE BEFORE ANY SPENDING

First you have to pay your bills that is important and when you have money after this you can give money to the church!!!!!!!!!!

Giving didnot alwasy mean money you can also give your time, your work for a non profit organisation that is also giving, but I know that is not what a pastor preach in nigeria because that will not fill his pocket.

Godmystrength: In the course of getting accommodation, i had to get a loan to ensure the rent is complete in other not to loose the apartment. The condition of the loan is that i pay back in full this month. Since that was the only option for me, i had to go along with it.

My issue now is that the loan is 67% of my gross monthly salary, transport is 19%, PAYE is about 7%, tithe is 10% which totals 103% already. This excludes other miscellaneous during the course of the month. Since i have to pay up the loan(not negotiable), PAYE is deducted from source, i have to go to work (hence transport is not negotiable too and that has already eaten into the tithe) and there are things i need to buy for my baby. The remaining part of the tithe won't even be sufficient for the needs anyway but it will at least ease the burden.

I don't know if spending of tithe to pay back later is allowed or whether it is a sin.

As a christian, you are not obligated to tithe in the first instance as the tithe laws have been done away with the obsolete jewish laws. That aside biblical tithes is not money from income. Monetary tithe was only arrived at when modern day preachers in some denominations decided to twist scriptures for their own benefit.

One thing I have observed is that a lot of tithers have not studied the scriptures for themselves and only accept the twisted doctrine handed to them becos it is coming from the pulpit. If you really want to learn more about tithes, you may wish to read deuteronomy 14:22-29

CORDROSS: So, I will conclude by sayings that ALWAYS TAKE YOUR TITHE BEFORE ANY SPENDING. It saves you a great deal. That has been my option and it has helped me greatly.

If you read my post well, i haven't even collected the salary and i haven't even started spending. If i go by this your conclusion and i take my tithe before spending (just for this month), then its either i default in the loan payment or i have to go borrow to take care of my transport fare. There is even no money to spend except you see transport fare as spending which i don't think so. This is why i am confuse.

Note that it has never been like this before, i.e. i take my tithe before spending. It is just because of the loan i have to pay back.

mployer: Op if your part faith isn't enough to part with the money, then admit it, pray about it and do just that you are strong enough to do.

The Bible said 'even when we are without faith He remains Faithfull '

my fear is that i will now have to have faith that someone else will ''dash'' me money for transport during the month since i don't have any other source of income.

Godmystrength: If you read my post well, i haven't even collected the salary and i haven't even started spending. If i go by this your conclusion and i take my tithe before spending (just for this month), then its either i default in the loan payment or i have to go borrow to take care of my transport fare. There is even no money to spend except you see transport fare as spending which i don't think so. This is why i am confuse.

Note that it has never been like this before, i.e. i take my tithe before spending. It is just because of the loan i have to pay back.

It is only an advice. And since you have never default in paying before. Its all cool. Just ensure you don't. Best Regards

If you are a Christian, tithing is a NOT requirement for you. The truth is that we cannot tithe, even if we want to, because there are no Levites to receive the tithes, and there is no Temple to take the tithes to. Only a Levite can receive a tithe and tithing is under the Law. The Bible is clear on that; Hebrews 7:5. Pastors are not Levites because they cannot trace their origin to Levi, a son of Jacob.

Galatians 5:4 [NIV] says, "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."

2 Corinthians 9:7 and Corinthians 16:2 instruct Christians to give according to ability and cheerfully. No mention of percentage was made. Let me quote 2 Corinthians 9:7 CEB, "Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn't give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver."

Based on that, there is nothing wrong if you WILLINGLY DECIDE IN YOUR HEART to be giving 10% of your income for the propagation of the Gospel, but don't relate it to the Mosaic tithing, or else you come under judgement of the Law (James 2:10).

Oh No. Tithing issue here? Where in the bible did it say that if you dnt pay your tithes, you must give 20% the next month? OMG!!! NIGERIANS ARE THE MOST GULLIBLE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!

[size=16pt]SHOULD YOU TITHE TODAY?[/size]

The answer to the title of this tract is “No” and we shall be explaining “why” in the remainder of the tract. The subject of whether Christians are to tithe or not to tithe is a deeply contentious one today, and obviously so because it involves money. This tract shall be offering biblical proofs to the thesis that “Christians are not obligated to tithe today”.

The Biblical Tithe

When we hear the word “tithe” today, our minds are drawn to the concept of 10% of a person’s income. Unfortunately, this is not the definition the bible offers for the tithe. In fact from Genesis to Revelation there is no account of anyone giving a tithe of his income to anybody; neither was the tithe money in the bible, even though there are ample evidences to show that money was being used since the days of Abraham. The word “tithe” had been mentioned in the story of Abraham and Jacob in the book of Genesis, but it was not until Leviticus 27:30-32 would we find something close to a definition for the tithe.

30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD… 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

The tithe is defined here to be of the “seed of the land”, “fruit of the tree” and tenth of the herd. The biblical tithes were agricultural products or food, they were never money. This so called definition for the tithe is accepted by many because Leviticus 27 is the first time in the bible God would mention the word “tithe” and while mentioning it, he describes it as holy and he tells us what it consisted of.

Later in other books of Moses, we find passages of scriptures that help us to comprehend the biblical tithe better. Numbers 18:20-28, Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and Deuteronomy 26:12-15, showed us that the biblical tithes were a tenth of the agricultural products Israel harvested off the holy land God had given them. The tithes were to be given to the Levites. Levi was a tribe in Israel God had separated to serve him and who had no inheritance in Israel; the tithe was their inheritance. In the process, the Levitical tribe, that included the Aaronic priests, were the people involved in the administration of the civil and the religious life of the nation of Israel. The tithes became something like a system of taxation with which the Levitical tribe was provided for as they served the people. The aforementioned scriptures also showed that the tithes were given to the poor, the widows, the orphans and the stranger. Therefore this class of people was exempted from tithing. At other times, the tithe was even eaten by the tither himself. Every scripture in the bible that referred to tithes showed that the tithe was food. When God mentioned the bringing of tithes in Malachi 3:10, he also said “that there might be meat (food) in my house”. When Jesus mentioned the tithe in Matthew 23:23, he enumerated “mints, anise and cumin”. These were spices for food.

Finally, the injunction to tithe under Moses was part of the Mosaic laws that were done away with through the sacrificial works our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross (Romans 10:4; Ephesians 2:15; Hebrew 8:13). If we must tithe today, we should also keep every other aspect of the laws of Moses (Galatians 5:3; James 2:10 ). If this is not practical, then it is simply not practical to tithe today.

Abraham’s Tithe

When the errors of tithing according to the Mosaic laws are pointed out, some again resort to the incident of Abraham’s tithing in Genesis 14:20. In Genesis 14, Abram had gone to war and returned with spoils of war. On his way, he meets Melchizedek who is said to be King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek blesses Abram and Abram gave him a tenth of the war spoils.

This incidence is what some would refer to as a descriptive account in scripture and not a prescription for Christian practice. The story of Abraham is recorded in scripture because he would become the progenitor of two major religions that would come from God: Judaism and Christianity. For Christians, it is Abraham’s faith that is prescribed to us to imitate (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6-7) and not everything that he did in life – many of which were not exactly exemplary. Abraham tithed of war spoils and not his own possessions or income. In Genesis 17 God commands Abraham to circumcise himself, his son and all males in his household and that this practice was to be an everlasting ordinance with Abraham and his descendants. By the time we come into the New Testament we have the apostles of the Lamb insisting that the Christian faith was not to be ratified by circumcision (Acts 15; Galatians 5:3-4; Phillipians 3:3). They never taught anywhere that we should not be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but can be circumcised as Abraham did. For them, circumcision was circumcision. Despite the fact that this passage was prescribing a practice, the New Testament reveals that such prescription is not relevant for Christians.

Hebrew 7 shows the Christian church the reason why Abraham is recorded to have tithed in Genesis 14. God knew that in the days when his Son Jesus would come to redeem Israel and the world at large there would be another high priest functioning, that of Aaron. He therefore set up this scenario to show the Hebrew people that the priesthood of Christ is greater than that of Aaron, and the need to change “allegiance” from Aaron to Jesus. Psalm 110:4 describes Jesus as having a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. It didn’t say that Jesus was Melchizedek and there is no scriptural evidence to support that position. Thus if Melchizedek would bless and receive a tithe from Abraham, then Melchizedek is greater than Abraham and therefore greater than Aaron. And so Jesus was greater than Aaron. Hebrew 7 goes further to show that “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” So Jesus is not only greater than Aaron, the whole priestly order under Aaron had been changed to a new order under Christ. That of Aaron was carnal and needed carnal things to sustain it like tithes; but that of Christ is immortal and therefore does not need a tithe to sustain it (Hebrew 7:16). And to buttress this point, Jesus, who lived out his full potential as God and man during his earthly sojourn on earth was never recorded as collecting tithes from anybody. Our Lord could not do this because those instructed to collect tithes were from the tribe of Levi but Jesus was from the tribe of Judah; a fact that Hebrew 7 emphasizes also (verse 14). Hebrew 7 does not teach tithing for Christians.

Tithing and the Gospel

Ideally the subject of whether Christians should tithe or not should not occupy a central space to warrant publication on a tract, if not for the fact that the practice of tithing is threatening the Christian gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is shown clearly in the New Testament to be a free gospel (Romans 8:32; 2Peter 1:3). The idea that salvation or any gift of God can be purchased is strongly repudiated in the bible (Acts 8:20). Unfortunately, this is the impression that modern day practice of tithing is giving the world. There are many Christian churches today that make tithing compulsory. They go to the extent of saying that people cannot be members of churches except they are “faithful” tithers. Apart from the fact that such a position is foreign to scripture, it also betrays the central truth of the bible that our salvation is no longer fully paid; rather, it gives the impression that there are things we must add to it. In the days of the bible some thought to add good works to their salvation; in our days pastors are asking us to add tithing to our salvation.

Apart from the above, the impression that the world is getting about the church is not good at all. Many people have discarded the gospel message because modern gospel preaching does not only require for them to submit their lives to Christ, it also demands for them to submit their bank account to church. So that the tithe which members give to the church is the minimum people bring to church. Outside the tithe, there is also the mandatory yearly Firstfruit that members must pay as they give their whole salaries to churches in January. There are building pledges to be redeemed. There is the mission offering to be given. There are gifts that must be bought for the pastors at key occasions in their lives. At the end of the day, the ministers are the ones smiling to the bank, while church members are groaning. The lie is continually sold to church people that God blesses giving. Even though he does, these preachers should be reminded that giving is not the central subject of the bible. The implication is diverse but one of them is the proliferation of churches all around and the fact that many young people, who should be using their youthful years to be productive and make clean wealth, branch out to ministry for quick gain.

Despite the abuse the gospel of Jesus Christ has suffered in the hands of false teachers, its basic content remain unchanged. Jesus Christ died on the cross for all men so as to save men from sin. All that is required to enjoy the blessings of the cross is for the individual to understand this truth and to repent of his/her sins and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. By believing in him you will be saved. God does not require a penny from you to be saved; neither does he demand a kobo from you to keep you safe. The salvation that Jesus Christ purchased for the world has been fully paid for, we need not add a tithe, a firstfuit, pledges, a giving, or any kind of good works to make it complete. The salvation you receive by faith is a complete one (Colossians 2:10). All that God requires of you is to repent and believe. I trust that if anyone reading this tract is not saved, they would take advantage of this free offer of salvation. And for those who might need further understanding on the subject of salvation, you can refer to the contact address below this tract.

Christian Giving

While tithing is not a New Testament obligation for Christians to observe, it is our duty to give to support Christian works anywhere we find them beginning with our local churches. Indeed God instituted the tithe in the Old Testament to teach us the basic principle of giving. And the New Testament encourages Christians to give and give without inhibition. This was the position of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Please note that while the apostle refers to the Law to pursue the position that Christians should give for the support of ministers, he never mentions tithes. Paul, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, could never ask for people’s tithes. Rather he uses the principle of giving in the Old Testament, where the Levites were given offerings, tithes, and firstfruits, as a principle to teach the fact that Christians should give to their ministers and to Christian works. We see from the scriptures that this giving is free will giving. When Jesus sent out the evangelists in Matthew 10 and Luke 10, he did not ask them to live off people’s tithes. Rather he instructs them to eat anything that is given to them – free will giving. And this is what played out in Acts 4 when the Spirit came in power. We see people giving everything they had to support the gospel. In the days of God’s power, people will be willing to give. If they are not giving willingly we should ask what has happened to God’s power and not resort to twisting the scriptures for monetary gain.

This tract is not discouraging giving. In fact it is not out of place for people to give a percentage of their income to support Christian works. It could be a tenth or any other percentage. There is nothing wrong with this. It becomes wrong, however, when the tenth is made mandatory and called the biblical tithe.

Further Study

A tract like this cannot contain everything that needs to be known about the biblical tithe. I therefore refer the readers to some readily available materials on the internet for you to study more on the biblical tithes:

1. Gary J. Arnolds works on www.tithing101.com
2. Matthew E. Nerramore’s works: www.tekoapublishing.com.
3. Dr. Russel Kelly whose PHD theological thesis was on tithing: www.tithing-russkelly.com

Contact Address:

(As shall be agreed by the publishers of the tract)

EDITED

[size=16pt]SHOULD YOU TITHE TODAY?[/size]

The answer to the title of this tract is “No” and we shall be explaining “why” in the remainder of the tract. The subject of whether Christians are to tithe or not to tithe is a deeply contentious one today, and obviously so because it involves money. This tract shall be offering biblical proofs to the thesis that “Christians are not obligated to tithe today”.

The Biblical Tithe

When we hear the word “tithe” today, our minds are drawn to the concept of 10% of a person’s income. Unfortunately, this is not the definition the bible offers for the tithe. In fact from Genesis to Revelation there is no account of anyone giving a tithe of his income to anybody; neither was the tithe money in the bible, even though there are ample evidences to show that money was being used since the days of Abraham. The word “tithe” had been mentioned in the story of Abraham and Jacob in the book of Genesis, but it was not until Leviticus 27:30-32 would we find something close to a definition for the tithe.

30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD… 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

The tithe is defined here to be of the “seed of the land”, “fruit of the tree” and tenth of the herd. The biblical tithes were agricultural products or food, they were never money. This so called definition for the tithe is accepted by many because Leviticus 27 is the first time in the bible God would mention the word “tithe” and while mentioning it, he describes it as holy and he tells us what it consisted of.

Later in other books of Moses, we find passages of scriptures that help us to comprehend the biblical tithe better. Numbers 18:20-28, Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and Deuteronomy 26:12-15, showed us that the biblical tithes were a tenth of the agricultural products Israel harvested off the holy land God had given them. The tithes were to be given to the Levites. Levi was a tribe in Israel God had separated to serve him and who had no inheritance in Israel; the tithe was their inheritance. In the process, the Levitical tribe, that included the Aaronic priests, were the people involved in the administration of the civil and the religious life of the nation of Israel. The tithes became something like a system of taxation with which the Levitical tribe was provided for as they served the people. The aforementioned scriptures also showed that the tithes were given to the poor, the widows, the orphans and the stranger. Therefore this class of people was exempted from tithing. At other times, the tithe was even eaten by the tither himself. Every scripture in the bible that referred to tithes showed that the tithe was food. When God mentioned the bringing of tithes in Malachi 3:10, he also said “that there might be meat (food) in my house”. When Jesus mentioned the tithe in Matthew 23:23, he enumerated “mints, anise and cumin”. These were spices for food.

Finally, the injunction to tithe under Moses was part of the Mosaic laws that were done away with through the sacrificial works our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross (Romans 10:4; Ephesians 2:15; Hebrew 8:13). If we must tithe today, we should also keep every other aspect of the laws of Moses (Galatians 5:3; James 2:10 ). If this is not practical, then it is simply not practical to tithe today.

Abraham’s Tithe

When the errors of tithing according to the Mosaic laws are pointed out, some again resort to the incident of Abraham’s tithing in Genesis 14:20. In Genesis 14, Abram had gone to war and returned with spoils of war. On his way, he meets Melchizedek who is said to be King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek blesses Abram and Abram gave him a tenth of the war spoils.

This incidence is what some would refer to as a descriptive account in scripture and not a prescription for Christian practice. The story of Abraham is recorded in scripture because he would become the progenitor of two major religions that would come from God: Judaism and Christianity. For Christians, it is Abraham’s faith that is prescribed to us to imitate (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6-7) and not everything that he did in life – many of which were not exactly exemplary. Abraham tithed of war spoils and not his own possessions or income. In Genesis 17 God commands Abraham to circumcise himself, his son and all males in his household and that this practice was to be an everlasting ordinance with Abraham and his descendants. By the time we come into the New Testament we have the apostles of the Lamb insisting that the Christian faith was not to be ratified by circumcision (Acts 15; Galatians 5:3-4; Phillipians 3:3). They never taught anywhere that we should not be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but can be circumcised as Abraham did. For them, circumcision was circumcision. Despite the fact that this passage was prescribing a practice, the New Testament reveals that such prescription is not relevant for Christians.

Hebrew 7 shows the Christian church the reason why Abraham is recorded to have tithed in Genesis 14. God knew that in the days when his Son Jesus would come to redeem Israel and the world at large there would be another high priest functioning, that of Aaron. He therefore set up this scenario to show the Hebrew people that the priesthood of Christ is greater than that of Aaron, and the need to change “allegiance” from Aaron to Jesus. Psalm 110:4 describes Jesus as having a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. It didn’t say that Jesus was Melchizedek and there is no scriptural evidence to support that position. Thus if Melchizedek would bless and receive a tithe from Abraham, then Melchizedek is greater than Abraham and therefore greater than Aaron. And so Jesus was greater than Aaron. Hebrew 7 goes further to show that “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” So Jesus is not only greater than Aaron, the whole priestly order under Aaron had been changed to a new order under Christ. That of Aaron was carnal and needed carnal things to sustain it like tithes; but that of Christ is immortal and therefore does not need a tithe to sustain it (Hebrew 7:16). And to buttress this point, Jesus, who lived out his full potential as God and man during his earthly sojourn on earth was never recorded as collecting tithes from anybody. Our Lord could not do this because those instructed to collect tithes were from the tribe of Levi but Jesus was from the tribe of Judah; a fact that Hebrew 7 emphasizes also (verse 14). Hebrew 7 does not teach tithing for Christians.

Tithing and the Gospel

Ideally the subject of whether Christians should tithe or not should not occupy a central space to warrant publication on a tract, if not for the fact that the practice of tithing is threatening the Christian gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is shown clearly in the New Testament to be a free gospel (Romans 8:32; 2Peter 1:3). The idea that salvation or any gift of God can be purchased is strongly repudiated in the bible (Acts 8:20). Unfortunately, this is the impression that modern day practice of tithing is giving the world. There are many Christian churches today that make tithing compulsory. They go to the extent of saying that people cannot be members of churches except they are “faithful” tithers. Apart from the fact that such a position is foreign to scripture, it also betrays the central truth of the bible that our salvation is no longer fully paid; rather, it gives the impression that there are things we must add to it. In the days of the bible some thought to add good works to their salvation; in our days pastors are asking us to add tithing to our salvation.

Apart from the above, the impression that the world is getting about the church is not good at all. Many people have discarded the gospel message because modern gospel preaching does not only require for them to submit their lives to Christ, it also demands for them to submit their bank account to church. So that the tithe which members give to the church is the minimum people bring to church. Outside the tithe, there is also the mandatory yearly Firstfruit that members must pay as they give their whole salaries to churches in January. There are building pledges to be redeemed. There is the mission offering to be given. There are gifts that must be bought for the pastors at key occasions in their lives. At the end of the day, the ministers are the ones smiling to the bank, while church members are groaning. The lie is continually sold to church people that God blesses giving. Even though he does, these preachers should be reminded that giving is not the central subject of the bible. The implication is diverse but one of them is the proliferation of churches all around and the fact that many young people, who should be using their youthful years to be productive and make clean wealth, branch out to ministry for quick gain.

Despite the abuse the gospel of Jesus Christ has suffered in the hands of false teachers, its basic content remain unchanged. Jesus Christ died on the cross for all men so as to save men from sin. All that is required to enjoy the blessings of the cross is for the individual to understand this truth and to repent of his/her sins and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. By believing in him you will be saved. God does not require a penny from you to be saved; neither does he demand a kobo from you to keep you safe. The salvation that Jesus Christ purchased for the world has been fully paid for, we need not add a tithe, a firstfuit, pledges, a giving, or any kind of good works to make it complete. The salvation you receive by faith is a complete one (Colossians 2:10). All that God requires of you is to repent and believe. I trust that if anyone reading this tract is not saved, they would take advantage of this free offer of salvation. And for those who might need further understanding on the subject of salvation, you can refer to the contact address below this tract.

Christian Giving

While tithing is not a New Testament obligation for Christians to observe, it is our duty to give to support Christian works anywhere we find them beginning with our local churches. Indeed God instituted the tithe in the Old Testament to teach us the basic principle of giving. And the New Testament encourages Christians to give and give without inhibition. This was the position of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Please note that while the apostle refers to the Law to pursue the position that Christians should give for the support of ministers, he never mentions tithes. Paul, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, could never ask for people’s tithes. Rather he uses the principle of giving in the Old Testament, where the Levites were given offerings, tithes, and firstfruits, as a principle to teach the fact that Christians should give to their ministers and to Christian works. We see from the scriptures that this giving is free will giving. When Jesus sent out the evangelists in Matthew 10 and Luke 10, he did not ask them to live off people’s tithes. Rather he instructs them to eat anything that is given to them – free will giving. And this is what played out in Acts 4 when the Spirit came in power. We see people giving everything they had to support the gospel. In the days of God’s power, people will be willing to give. If they are not giving willingly we should ask what has happened to God’s power and not resort to twisting the scriptures for monetary gain.

This tract is not discouraging giving. In fact it is not out of place for people to give a percentage of their income to support Christian works. It could be a tenth or any other percentage. There is nothing wrong with this. It becomes wrong, however, when the tenth is made mandatory and called the biblical tithe.

Further Study

A tract like this cannot contain everything that needs to be known about the biblical tithe. I therefore refer the readers to some readily available materials on the internet for you to study more on the biblical tithes:

1. Gary J. Arnolds works on www.tithing101.com
2. Matthew E. Nerramore’s works: www.tekoapublishing.com.
3. Dr. Russel Kelly whose PHD theological thesis was on tithing: www.tithing-russkelly.com

Contact Address:

(As shall be agreed by the publishers of the tract)

EDITED

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The above text is being proposed for a tract that shall be published and distributed to the Nigerian public by a number of naira landers.

There are just too many myths surrounding the tithes that it behoves us to find out what exactly was the tithe God spoke about in the scriptures. This issue has been well trashed out in the tract. But suffice to say that like the OP, the fact of whether to add an additional 10% to the tithe when defaulted is one of many myths surrounding tithing. If tithing has this many questions, should we not find what constitute true tithing?

Some popular myths:

1. If you default a month, you must pay 20% next month.

2. Tithing and first fruit are the same.

3. Should Christians tithe on gambling money, school fees, stolen properties, etc? This myth is a question.

4. If you do not tithe you will go to hell.

5. Tithing guarantees financial prosperity.

6. If you do not tithe, things will be tight for you.

7. Tithing is the training ground for giving.

8. If you do not tithe, you will spend such money on hospital bills.

9. God said Christians should tithe their salaries.

10. This myth is actually a joke but it gives a message: THINGS PAUL NEVER SAID TO TIMOTHY: "Timo, make sure you guilty trip those people to pay their tithes. We know its not a requirement for the New Covenant but ... hey, we got bills to pay"

One word to the OP: You do not owe anyone money. Meet your financial needs. The days will come God will prosper you so much, you would have more than enough to give. You do not have an obligation to tithe to anyone.

nora544:

where in the bible it is written that you have to pay 20%

Are you a jewish!!!!!

Malachi is not for christians!

Even if I show you where it is written in the book of Leviticus, you still won't believe it. It is not for everyone please...leave those of us who do and are blessed to keep doing...I've never regretted paying my tithes...IT WORKS!

[quote author=gazilion]


Even if I show you where it is written in the book of Leviticus, you still won't believe it. It is not for everyone please...leave those of us who do and are blessed to keep doing...I've never regretted paying my tithes...IT WORKS![/quote

Jesus "did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it". That means that we now follow the New Testament teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, and no longer follow Mosaic Law.

Godmystrength: If i get you, you are saying maybe i should go ahead and pay the tithe and wait for my helper to locate me?

Please is the part in bold somewhere in the bible? Please I'll like to know where.

dats why poverty is on d rise in naija, sir sorry no helper wud locate u, and by the way why cant u b an helper ursef? bro if u give dat money to d pastor u might b frustrated and dissapointed at the end wen no helper comes ur way, we dat dnt gv pastors money dosnt mean we dont get help, helps comes but not as a result of ur tighting think wise, tanx

iamtewwy: dats why poverty is on d rise in naija, sir sorry no helper wud locate u, and by the way why cant u b an helper ursef? bro if u give dat money to d pastor u might b frustrated and dissapointed at the end wen no helper comes ur way, we dat dnt gv pastors money dosnt mean we dont get help, helps comes but not as a result of ur tighting think wise, tanx

Are you cursing me ni? Haba!!! But i never said i was waiting for a helper somewhere to come pay my bills neither did i say i can't be a helper myself. My comment was in response to a poster i quoted. You can read the comment of the poster i quoted before my comment. Thank you.

I am not a SIR. I am a female

gazilion:


Even if I show you where it is written in the book of Leviticus, you still won't believe it. It is not for everyone please...leave those of us who do and are blessed to keep doing...I've never regretted paying my tithes...IT WORKS!

Please just show me the ref for the 20% because i need to know. That is why i came here.

From the bolded part of your comment, it seems you didn't get my question. The point is not about paying tithe. I PAY MY TITHE DILIGENTLY (and i haven't said it anywhere in my post that i regret it). The question is can i borrow my tithe to pay back the next month? is it a sin or not?

I am the one asking the question here and you seems to have the answer yet you are not forthcoming with it.

Godmystrength: Please just show me the ref for the 20% because i need to know. That is why i came here.

From the bolded part of your comment, it seems you didn't get my question. The point is not about paying tithe. I PAY MY TITHE DILIGENTLY (and i haven't said it anywhere in my post that i regret it). The question is can i borrow my tithe to pay back the next month? is it a sin or not?

I am the one asking the question here and you seems to have the answer yet you are not forthcoming with it.

I really would like to know why you pay tithe. Do you see it as a self sacrificing obligation that enriches your man of God with zero material benefit to you, or do you see it as a sound monetary investment that gives a better outcome than not paying?

@ Op, you are not obligated to tithe in the 1st place, wat u need is to be a cheerful giver, nothing like calculating 10% of ur gross income (and if it were even supposed to apply to christians, it's meant to be net income and never gross income).

Pls open ur mind and be free from lies
. I once believed in tithing bt by being hungry for the truth and the grace of Christ, I've bin saved from these false teachings and deceptions

Why sud u put ursef in economic hardship due to a fallacious obligation, do u think the God whom u see as loving wants this for u? (my people persih for lack of knowledge)

nora544: .

.
Jesus did not come to abolish d law but fulfil it, true.
But during d days of levitcus, there were temples, burnt offerings, interceding and tithing.
So if we no longer do burnt offerings and d oda ancient laws, why tithing?...

dazzlingd: .

Jesus did not come to abolish d law but fulfil it, true.
But during d days of levitcus, there were temples, burnt offerings, interceding and tithing.
So if we no longer do burnt offerings and d oda ancient laws, why tithing?...

perfect answer!once it touches money,a different song is usually sung! same people will condemn other churches for burning incense, annoying hypocrites!