The Tithe. Should I or Should I Not

Much has been said about the legitimacy of tithes and offerings since OAP Daddy Freeze challenged the status quo of why the Pentecostal churches in Nigerian continue to request that their members pay a tenth of all their increase to the church regularly, which in turn is then used by some fraudulent pastors to fund a lavish and jet-set lifestyle which has nothing to do with the work of God. Whilst I agree that some false pastor certainly mismanages their congregant’s funds, I tend to disagree with his notion that the tithe is unscriptural and has no place in the modern day church.

A friend of mine then brought my attention to a post on This day live website title “Daddy Freeze and The Hoopla About Tithing” After reading this interesting piece by Reno Omokri, I’ve decided to add my $2 worth to this topic.

In my humble opinion, this entire issue of tithing in a larger perspective raises questions about the word “giving”, it questions what the scriptures say about giving? who we should give to, should it be the church or the needy? how often should we give? the right way to give? what kind of giving pleases God’s heart? and what’s sort of giving has God’s promise attached to it? be it tithing or charitable giving.

Pentecostal Churches are spread all across the world, led and headed by black, white and Caucasian leaders alike, all who practice and preach this principle of tithing amongst their

congregants on a weekly basis. All these pastors, preachers priest, people or denominations are what the scriptures refer to as the body of Christ. hence, what affects one part of the body affects every part of the body, therefore it might be wrong to say this menace of misappropriations of tithes and offering mainly affect black churches, as it affects most parts of the body of Christ, not just in Nigeria.



All across the world especially in UK and USA churches are expected to give clear accountability for the funds they collect

from their congregants as a registered charity that they are, and in cases where they can’t provide such information, they are probed, taken over, or in worse case scenarios, handed over to the charities commission who appoints independent auditors, there have even been instances where the leadership of the Church has been put on trial for the mismanagement of funds. Most prominent Pentecostal leaders, at one time or the other in these countries, would have been put under the spotlight at least once as we all know with regard to the church’s funding and finances. So, it’s not just in Nigeria people and authorities are concerned about the money congregants give in services, is practically all over the world

Having said that, I believe it’s impossible to read the scriptures like an ordinary novel, and then pick and choose paragraphs or verses that suits us, at the level of our carnal understanding, for the benefit of our self-centred situation or circumstance; otherwise the verse in Proverbs 6:30 which states “do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry, but when he is found, he must repay sevenfold” will be used by all thieves to justify their need for stealing…and many more.

Studying the scriptures requires the ability of the reader to be able to suspend his or her own mind, mental, natural doubt or disbelief, and leave themselves open to take on an inspired mindset of God and yield to the leading of the holy spirit for divine interpretation of the word, bearing in mind that, God’s ways are not man’s ways, and even if a wise man, should think he knew much with his carnal mind, he is still far from discovering the fullness of the word without the divine interpretation of God and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when we read the bible we have to be able to understand how to read it devotionally so we can know and understand how to apply it practically to our lives… and that’s why we have to read the word, meditate on it, chew it, assimilate it, pondered over it, and do it all over again.

You are unquestionably right that 2nd Timothy 3:16 says: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for DOCTRINE, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; ……But kindly don’t forget that Revelation 22:18-19 states, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book”….which goes to show that, everything in the scriptures is relative……..The bible is a book that consists of 66 books, all these entire 66 books are unified, and all fit into a whole both old and new testament; note, even the scriptures say about Jesus in Matthew 5: 17 “I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. … I didn’t come to set them aside but to make them come true” making both the readings and practices of both books valid.

It’s no news that the thought of the jet set lifestyle and extremely high financial gain or sudden wealth that can be attained or acquired by managing to get a thriving or vibrant church up and running in any part of the world is a magnet to attract fraudulent preachers into the vineyard of God, but it’s also no news that God neither slumbers nor sleeps, and really doesn’t need any help from man to handle His kingdom affairs, at His own appointed time.

The scriptures already made it clear that, in the last days there will be false prophets who will rise up among us, and also said in Matthew 18:6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” even in Isaiah 56:11 which states “And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one”. This to me signifies that God has made reservation for their kind, and when its time God will deal with them accordingly for their wrongdoing, as he says in Ezekiel “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them”

Now GIVING of any kind, whether tithe or charitable giving is a simple acknowledgment that everything one has comes from God. And in giving, Jesus in the sermon on the mount speech teaches us the right way which we ought to give. This presumably off the back of what the Pharisees thought was the right way to give alms and offering, they thought making a massive show of how they gave to the needy, taking pictures with cartons of rice and sugar at motherless babies homes and posting it on social media, lol (sorry I had to sneak that in.. modern-day Pharisees) was proving how righteous they were; the bible does say that truly they have their rewards. However, Jesus said, in giving one should not even let the left hand know what the right hand is doing, that way the giver readily forgets that he or she gave, and in that way, demonstrates true righteousness before God and not before man.

Yes, the tithe predates Abraham and Moses and was an agricultural practice back then, but to my understanding, livestock and farm produce were the predominant, if not the only means of currency back then, so there was literally no other way that a 10th would have been given other than via livestock and farm produce.

The scriptures have to be alive, relative and applicable to our daily lives today, and if the currency we use in the world today is the fiat currency, which it is, the only way one can give a 10th of that increase if one’s not a farmer is by the same method of increase we’ve acquired it.

The tithes were given to the Levitical priest, but again if the scriptures are to be applicable to our world today, it is feasible to compare or adopt the person who ushers you into Gods presence through worship, prayers and the preaching and teaching of the word on a weekly basis, as one’s spiritual father, or in hindsight one’s Levitical priest.

Levitical priest can’t be the compared to the needy or the helpless, as they 1, qualified by ancestral birth, and 2 had specific duties they had to perform to the remaining 11 tribes of Israel, duties which included: 1) bearing responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary; 2) bearing responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood; 3) ministering before the tent of the covenant law; 4) to serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain and 5) God said, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion, your perpetual share” May I then ask, who will these duties be applicable to in the modern day church? with both Testaments being relative.

Furthermore, Jesus Himself never did away with tithing, as a matter of fact, several times in the scriptures Jesus seems to support the tithe, commenting on it in reference to the Pharisee,

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices, but you have neglected the more important matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faithfulness. (You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel). also, Luke 18:12, and importantly Hebrews 7:5-9 “5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people – that is, from their fellow Israelites – even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt, the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham”(NIVUK)

So, it is wrong to say Jesus never spoke about tithe or did away with tithes in the New Testament, even though Jesus was addressing predominantly the Pharisees in most cases.

Malachi, who is viewed as the last prophet of the Old Testament,

a period just before John the Baptist preached a message that wasn’t exactly dissimilar to the messages of other prophets of the old testament, which literally was a message that covenant blessing requires covenant faithfulness. (as people of each generation obey the requirements of the Mosaic covenant, they are eligible for the unconditional blessing of the Abrahamic Covenant).

Obedience to the law was rewarded with blessing in the promise land and disobedience brought about a curse to the people, this is one of the reasons why in many churches the tithe is taken separately or is set aside from the normal offerings.

Malachi was addressing the quality of the offering that was brought to the Temple, and the fact that the Israelites were robbing God by not presenting the required 10th of their increase to the Levites, who in turn was supposed to give a tithe of the tithe to the priest in an act of fatal worship. Therefore, if the Levites and the priest didn’t receive the tithes and the offering they will have to turn to other means of supporting themselves.

And he was saying since the temple of God is where the priest operated from, failure to support its work or ministry is almost considered as equal as robbing God himself.

It becomes relative as Jesus made this clear when He sent the disciples out in Luke 9:2 “and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal those who were ill. 3 He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town”. …If that wasn’t enough, Jesus furthermore reinforces this when he sent the 72 out in Luke 10:3-7 3 “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals, and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 ‘When you enter a house, first say, “Peace to this house.” 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house”.

God says in the scriptures, that His plans for us are for good and not for evil, to make sure we have an expected outcome. It’s the duty that the shepherd of the house of God acting under the absolute and undeviating mindset and discernment of God as well as yielding his or herself to the leading of the Holy Spirit at all times possible, to point their congregant towards the best practices of how they can reap the fullness of God’s grace by obeying God’s word, participate in scriptural practices that are relevant and have promises attached to it, at the end of the day, that’s Gods plan for His people, for them to live in heaven, even while we’re on earth, by the obedience and following of His word and teachings.

The tithe is said to be mandatory, and for a believer who is grown enough to discern the scriptural promise attached to it, the reason is never questionable.

Has for leaders who mismanage the tithe and use it as a personal ATM each Sunday, your day of reckoning is sooner than you think, nevertheless to tap into those Abrahamic Covenantal promises, it’s important to continue to practice what the Covenant requires …..Remember all Scriptures are relative and all point to Jesus and ultimately to God.

As it was in the beginning, it’s now and ever shall be a world without end. Amen


Source: http://www.tonywilliamss.com/the-tithe-should-i-or-should-i-not/