The decision belong to you. Remember this , after the first help of paying the school fees and next section this man still needs help and still without a job . This  process continue like that. I think my advice is for you are your brother to try and divert your energy and focus on how to get a job through job search, May be it could have a positive impact .

The part I still don't understand is how can a sane human being have such a hard time deciding between helping someone in genuine need or "investing" in church as Malachi 3:10 says. Funny thing is there other commandments but since those ones don't offer rewards of blessings, they are tossed aside. This is what religion does to people. This same thing has happened to a relative of mine. He was torn between paying his tithe or paying deposit at the hospital for his younger brother to undergo operation. He didn't care whether the brother's life hung in critical condition. All he cared about was all the renumeration he had been promised in the bible.

If I have my way,I would rather marry a non religious woman and I won't teach religion to my kids. Such wickedness! ! !

It is unfortunate that some people believe tithe is an investment or bribe to God. some even go as far saying perhaps the brother lost his job because of  his refusal to pay tithe.  Am glad God's way is different from ours.   i wonder why the proponents of tithe always quote malachi 3.8.7. let them tell  me  what Jesus  said about tithe, i want to know what   the new testament or even deuteronomy they quote without mentioning any verse say about tithe.  they wont  tell me what Jesus said about the poor widows's offering.(today's  churches wont recognize such a widow}     Here we are talking of a family that REALY  needs help.  Being a religious fanatic is not only when one dines with osama and boko boys or  grows long beard.

After reading through most posts here I felt some anger within me which I must express this way. ALL OF THOSE WHO ADVICED THE OP TO PAY THE MONEY AS TITHE RATHER THAN HELP A NEEDY BROTHER ARE VERY WICKED. This is what "organized religion" has turn many Christians into. We see a brother in need and we have the resource to help him, but say "God be with you" and then go to church "happily" to lift up "holy hands". That is simply wicked. The God I serve is not that wicked.

This is just like the parable Jesus told of the man who got robbed and heated by armed robbers on the way. "GREAT MEN of God" walked pass him, possibly saying "God will help and provide for u". It was only the Samaritan that helped him.

Please God2man, Tesxther and others, be more compassionate like Jesus u claim to follow. With the way u sounded, I feel you could see someone dying and turn the other way, because u must not use ur "tithe money" to save his should from death.

I also blame most of our "GREAT MEN of God" that have poisoned the minds of many with false doctrines of men and wicked teachings. Now christianity which was meant to be easy and simple, whose yoke is meant to be light is now looking very complex and wicked, with heavy yoke, making us look even worse than the unbelievers.

Gos help us all.

As long as we are in this world,there will always be needs, our friends need help,our realatives need assistant,church members need to be assisted and the rest. The truth is God's portion is God's portion,we can't say NO to God. Others are in need, Yes. That is correct,but God's money must be Given to God. Besides, does God spent the tithe? Yes and NO. Why? Some of the tithe will be used to maintain the church,some will be used to pay salary for the priest,some will be used for welfare and so on. You have forgotten that some of these full time pastors have children,they will also pay bills that will one way or the other assist their chidren. If everyone of us decide NOT to pay tithe, and begin to help people in need,how will the work of God move forward. Non commitment in terms of cash to the things of God is like written a letter to poverty,lack,hunger,sickness,disaster, untimely death, and lack of progress in life. Also, where do people get information that all churches have a fat account.some churches do, but not all churches. God bless you. God2man.ren,they will also pay bills that will one way or the other assist their chidren. If everyone of us decide NOT to pay tithe, and begin to help people in need,how will the work of God move forward. Non commitment in terms of cash to the things of God is like written a letter to poverty,lack,hunger,sickness,disaster, untimely death, and lack of progress in life. Also, where do people get information that all churches have a fat account.some churches do, but not all churches. God bless you. God2man.

^^^Stop spreading false doctrine! God does not ask anyone to pay "tithes"!

Study, study, study your Bible for goodness' sake!

Dont compromise, let it go: he was directed 2 u.
"Whatsoever u do 2 d least of ur brothers, so u do unto Me"

@Chiteny, That was a well written post but you ruined everything at the ending by saying "it makes us look worse than unbelievers". What's that supposed to mean? That Atheists are evil and don't help people? Look up any any Atheist you know and google the name with the word "charity" and see if nothing comes up. Is bill gates a christian? Yet he shells out millions and billions to help sick and starving kids in africa and he doesn't make too much noise about it. Every now and then, I give to the motherless babies home without making a big fuss. There is no week I don't get one request or the other from some family member or friend in need and I do my best. I don't need to read a bible or Quran to help out. I don't do because I want blessings. I do it because it feels good doing it. That's what differs "unbelievers" from people like yourselves. How can you claim the moral high ground when every "good deed" you do is either because the bible orders you to do it or because you want blessings?

In Nigeria today, there are 3 or 4 churches,whose leaders read more than anyone of us here on nairaland, i am talking about people of great intelectual, they worked hard to get their degree, i do not want to mention names, they all agree to the issue of Tithe. So, where do people get their idea from the bible NOT to pay tithe? Oh! I am talking too much. Let me stop. Oh! Some people are talking about wickedness. So, it is wickedness to pay tithe, when my brother is suffering in the hospital. You see, God has not made anyone here a referee,or a jugde. Leave it to God to Judge. He knows better. We are limited in our own way of reasoning. The issue of Good samaritan, after paying your tithe, you as a christian should be compassionate enough to use the remaining money to help your brother, can you use your children's school fees to pay for your brother in need at the hospital? Yes,some christian do,while others decide otherwise,it depends on the Grace God, that he has given to everyone. The way of God is unimaginable,he is the ultimate Judge. God bless you. God2man.od to Judge. He knows better. We are limited in our own way of reasoning. The issue of Good samaritan, after paying your tithe, you as a christian should be compassionate enough to use the remaining money to help your brother, can you use your children's school fees to pay for your brother in need at the hospital? Yes,some christian do,while others decide otherwise,it depends on the Grace God, that he has given to everyone. The way of God is unimaginable,he is the ultimate Judge. God bless you. God2man.

Pay your tithe and the Lord will provide a way for you to
help your brother in the church,
We are not justified in trying to steady the Ark (Use of the Lord's fund without the authorization
of His own appointed servants).
I was in a similar position too some few months back.
I paid my tithe and was amazed at the financial blessings I get the following week.
I had enough to take care of my own needs and that of a friend.
I know that the blessing he provided which is opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out
a blessing to us is real.

@Godman,Did those "intellectual men of god" show you any where in the new testament where jesus or his apostles paid tithe? How many times did Abraham pay tithe? Even the so called tithe were spoils of war. How many of the apostles preached tithe? If tithes are supposed to bring abundant blessings,why is there so much poverty in the land? Or are implying that the struggling people don't pay tithe? I know a guy who earns N25,000 each month and still pays tithe every month. He can barely feed himself,always in debt and yet pays N2,500 to the church! Such wickedness! Show me anywhere in the NT that says pay your tithe and I'll show you a green cow that lays easter eggs. A lot of you use the statement "give unto caesar what is caesar's and god what is god's". Did he mention tithes? You guys are amazing! ! !

Pay your tithe: it is God's money.

hen go back home and help your brother from your own money. Do not try to be smart with God.

What irks me the most is when these religious people claim to be morally upright and yet they prefer giving tithe to the church rather than help a dying brother in the hospital. How many people pay tithe in sweden,switzerland,leichestein,luxembourg,finland,germany etc These are countries that predominantly non religious (the so called "unbelievers") and yet, their quality of life is 900 times better than Nigeria. You'll rarely see people dying of hunger in those countries or children begging in the streets. Compare that with a "god fearing" country like Nigeria where people don't give a damn about no one but themselves.

Especially @ the posters saying "pay your tithes", "pay the tithes".

Please participate in the following two polls, thanks.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=744234.0;viewResults

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-747403.0.html

harakiri:

What irks me the most is when these religious people claim to be morally upright and yet they prefer giving tithe to the church rather than help a dying brother in the hospital. How many people pay tithe in  sweden,switzerland,leichestein,luxembourg,finland,germany etc These are countries that predominantly non religious (the so called "unbelievers" and yet, their quality of life is 900 times better than Nigeria. You'll rarely see people dying of hunger in those countries or children begging in the streets. Compare that with a "god fearing" country like Nigeria where people don't give a damn about no one but themselves.

Utterly nonsensical analogy.

OP, let me also tell you what you need to tell your brother. Someone close to me also lost his bank job in that banking tsunami. Since then, he has gone back to school and today he is a lecturer.

What I have discovered about people working in banks is that 96% of them are skill-less! Once they are out of banking they can't survive on the outside. Tell your friend to go and acquire some extra skills and be employable again. And don't give me the crap about him not having money to pay for anything. There has been a time in my own life when I was selling items moving from office to office and from house to house. And I was married at the time. And the situation created all sorts of marital problems for me.

But I got out of it and today I and my family are very comfortable. Your guy needs to look inwards and get himself and his family out of the situation. He needs to get his hands dirty in order to get them clean again. That is my candid advice.

In my opinion tithe is for the needy, I take it to the needy that where the church should be taking it to as well.

So if I sidetrack the middle man , and take it to the needy directly its the same ko.


This is just my opinion and may not influence your decision.

stagger:

Utterly nonsensical analogy.

OP, let me also tell you what you need to tell your brother. Someone close to me also lost his bank job in that banking tsunami. Since then, he has gone back to school and today he is a lecturer.

What I have discovered about[b] people working in banks is that 96% of them are skill-less[/b]! Once they are out of banking they can't survive on the outside. Tell your friend to go and acquire some extra skills and be employable again. And don't give me the crap about him not having money to pay for anything. There has been a time in my own life when I was selling items moving from office to office and from house to house. And I was married at the time. And the situation created all sorts of marital problems for me.

But I got out of it and today I and my family are very comfortable. Your guy needs to look inwards and get himself and his family out of the situation. He needs to get his hands dirty in order to get them clean again. That is my candid advice.

I agree especially the bolded part !!!

Let A = Poster and B = Brother in need
Let’s assume A is a practicing Christian and earns N1000. Thus tithe = N100 and remainder = N900
If N900 is not even enough for A’s transport to work that simply means he doesn’t have excess cash to give B.
Does it mean that A has only N900 remaining in his account for all the time that he has been working? I guess not. But if so, it means A needs help too.
I think A can help B through other ways like contacting people he knows that can help B get a job; or speak to his pastor who could know some other members that can help; or even sharing food with him (after all, food for one is enough for two)
B can also pull his kids temporarily out of school or put them in a cheaper one.
What I’m trying to say is that tithe is tithe and belongs to God. You cannot tell God how best to use it. Your part is just to bring it. If you think helping your neighbour or brother is by giving him your tithe, then there won’t be any tithe at all as we can never exhaust the number of people we meet daily that need help in our society. So please help the guy from what you have left after paying your tithe or do it in kind.

In my opinion tithe is for the needy, I take it to the needy that where the church should be taking it to as well.

So if I sidetrack the middle man , and take it to the needy directly its the same ko.


This is just my opinion and may not influence your decision.

I'm a pastor. But you just said my mind here

Image123:

Frontpage and generating a lot of noise, maybe'll come back later. But i had to respond at least to these who should know better. Fortunately, the OP's not asking whether it's right to tithe or not. He says tithe is God's money.

The issue is that OP says 10% of his money can cater for his friend's need and help with school fees. He has this 90% that's not enough for his transport and himself. How the whole crowd's missing that is alarming. i'll repeat, the OP is a selfish hypocrite just like those sending him sympathy votes.

I don't think it's been missed - I think the poster was saying he already struggles to make ends meet with what he has left after deducting 'tithes'. The issue here is that if he has already decided to sacrifice that portion of his income for God, there is no better usage than helping the person next to you - God considers that way more important than some 'religious' exercise of 'tithing' into a church.

That is what is being missed by those I have deemed 'religious' folk - I have no issues with those choosing to give tithe to their local assemblies, but it is very wrong to elevate that beyond meeting the pressing needs of your fellow human being. This warped thinking is what is causing issues in today's churches.

Giving to the church should ostensibly be for improving the lot of both the members and those less privileged elsewhere. By giving directly to his brother, it fulfils the same purpos quickly without the admin and time delay that going through the church might introduce.

Tithe is meant for the work of God. The work of God is spreading the Gospel and helping the needy: Just make sure your tithe goes into one these and you are cool with God. We call it serving God in truth

@Chiteny, That was a well written post but you ruined everything at the ending by saying[b] "it makes us look worse than unbelievers". What's that supposed to mean? That Atheists are evil and don't help people?[/b] Look up any any Atheist you know and google the name with the word "charity" and see if nothing comes up. Is bill gates a christian? Yet he shells out millions and billions to help sick and starving kids in africa and he doesn't make too much noise about it. Every now and then, I give to the motherless babies home without making a big fuss. There is no week I don't get one request or the other from some family member or friend in need and I do my best. I don't need to read a bible or Quran to help out. I don't do because I want blessings. I do it because it feels good doing it. That's what differs "unbelievers" from people like yourselves. How can you claim the moral high ground when every "good deed" you do is either because the bible orders you to do it or because you want blessings?

Thanks for the observation. Maybe out of anger I did not have time to reread the writeup before posting. Thanks for the correction. But what I meant was evil doers and not necessarily unbelievers.

@stagger,When you disregard someone's post as a "meaningless analogy",you should have the decency to show the facts that led you to arrive at that conclusion (not sentiments).

Talking about "skill-less" graduates, how did you arrive at that? Anybody who went through Nigerian university knows that a lot of them lack the facilities that match the challenges in today's world e.g I studied computer engineering but most of the knowledge about coupling computers,setting up servers,networking and so on where things I learnt with "computer village" guys. I was taught NOTHING that would make me useful in the real world (imagine teaching students Q-basic and Fortran 77 in an age where VB,C++,J++ etc was the in thing). Is the "skilllessness" of such graduates their fault? I know people who graduated with me since 2003 that are still jobless till today. Some are managing less than deserving jobs just to get out of the house. A lot of them have patrolled the whole Lagos in search of jobs,submitted CV to every organization they have access to. Is it their fault? Some will say, go and learn a skill. What skill? Fish farming? Basket weaving? Road side mechanic? Plumbing? What? Some will say go into business. Where will the capital come from? If things sailed smoothly for you doesn't mean you are better than others. You are just lucky. Get your mind right. Things are really hard in this country and the people aren't lazy. A Nigerian can survive anywhere in the world but put an american/canadian/italian in the same spot as those Nigerians and see how they'll fare woefully.

Assuming you give him this time do you think all his problems will go away?
If not, what will you do? Will you keep giving him God's Tithe?
When dealing with God you must learn to cast down reasoning.
You are not in a position to decide on tithe.
IT'S NOT YOUR'S in the first place.
If you give away that money, the blessing will stop and the curse will follow.
The devourer will be allowed to do his job.
Read malachi 3.
Fear God my brother. He is not a man.

Leviticus 27:30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD. it is holy to the LORD.;

Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. 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

Lacoolmley:

Let A = Poster and B = Brother in need
Let’s assume A is a practicing Christian and earns N1000. Thus tithe = N100 and remainder = N900
If N900 is not even enough for A’s transport to work that simply means he doesn’t have excess cash to give B.
Does it mean that A has only N900 remaining in his account for all the time that he has been working? I guess not. But if so, it means A needs help too.
I think  A can help B through other ways like contacting people he knows that can help B get a job; or speak to his pastor who could know some other members that can help; or even sharing food with him (after all, food for one is enough for two)
B can also pull his kids temporarily out of school or put them in a cheaper one.
What I’m trying to say is that tithe is tithe and belongs to God. You cannot tell God how best to use it. Your part is just to bring it. If you think helping your neighbour or brother is by giving him your tithe, then there won’t be any tithe at all as we can never exhaust the number of people we meet daily that need help in our society. So please help the guy from what you have left after paying your tithe or do it in kind.

you are missing the point. Did Jesus or his apostles pay tithe?
Is paying tithe a commandment or a law?

To me it is a law. And as st Paul said, my standard is Christ. The same Christ answered this question in matt, where he said GOD is the brother in need. So giving a brother in need, is that not the same as giving GOD?

So brother, forget about ancient laws out of selfishness and greed of wanting financial blessings and follow Gods commandments. Love God and your neighbor.

^^^ Thank you! Jesus told us how to give to HIM ---- "as long as you did it for the least of these (your brothers) you did it for Me"!

harakiri:

@stagger,When you disregard someone's post as a "meaningless analogy",you should have the decency to show the facts that led you to arrive at that conclusion (not sentiments).

Talking about "skill-less" graduates, how did you arrive at that? Anybody who went through Nigerian university knows that a lot of them lack the facilities that match the challenges in today's world e.g I studied computer engineering but most of the knowledge about coupling computers,setting up servers,networking and so on where things I learnt with "computer village" guys. I was taught NOTHING that would make me useful in the real world (imagine teaching students Q-basic and Fortran 77 in an age where VB,C++,J++ etc was the in thing). Is the "skilllessness" of such graduates their fault? I know people who graduated with me since 2003 that are still jobless till today. Some are managing less than deserving jobs just to get out of the house. A lot of them have patrolled the whole Lagos in search of jobs,submitted CV to every organization they have access to. Is it their fault? Some will say, go and learn a skill. What skill? Fish farming? Basket weaving? Road side mechanic? Plumbing? What? Some will say go into business. Where will the capital come from? If things sailed smoothly for you doesn't mean you are better than others. You are just lucky. Get your mind right. Things are really hard in this country and the people aren't lazy. A Nigerian can survive anywhere in the world but put an american/canadian/italian in the same spot as those Nigerians and see how they'll fare woefully.

Let me address some of the bolded points.
Many bankers are skill-less. In today's world, anybody who wants to make it has to acquire skills outside the regular stuff you get from the university.

I did not attend any private schools. I went public the whole time. My secondary school had no functional Physics or Biology labs. I learnt practical Physics from PN Okeke's Practical Physics textbook on my own. The first Physics experiment I ever did was during the SSCE exam. I made an A2 in Physics, and an A2 in Biology.

If I had relaxed and said "oh, there was no functional lab in my school", what would have become of me?

Most of what I use today to feed myself and my family are skills I picked up outside of what I studied in University. I understood that to survive in this world, one has to be versatile, and many bankers don't have that.

Did Bill Gates or Steve Jobs go to conventional universities to learn how to write computer programs or build computers? THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LUCK IN THIS WORLD.

We have a saying in my language: that when an individual agrees to make progress, his God will also agree with him.

The first capital for my business was N500. Yes, N500. I crafted a business idea, used N500 to print out the advert on A4 and shared it out on the streets. I made N42,500 out of it and the rest is history. So anyone who languishes in his pitiful state by saying there is no capital is just deceiving himself.

The journey of a thousand miles always begins with a small step. I know the ex-banker's problem; having tasted the perks of banking, he is probably too proud to engage in certain "demeaning" ways of making money. There is a woman who used to live close to my house in one of the Northern states. I got to know that her business of frying plantain, akara and yam at night was giving her N40,000 daily. Honestly the day I heard it was the day I made up my mind that I had no excuse to be a poor man.

The ex-banker should wake up!

Help ur guy if u want to help him don't make tins worst by using tithe.

@op
If you are genuinely wanting to get sound, scriptural advice Nairaland is the last place you want to ask.
You will receive all manner here based on logic, atheism, Rotary clubs 4 way test and even Muslims. Even Anti Christs are here.
You are obviously from a tithe paying church, don't you have christian brothers and sisters? mentors that could advice you?

TITHING IS NOT BY FORCE, you are not under obligation to pay tithes and it is not the bases for salvation, and our God is not some beggar that is all out to get your money.
He knows this person is in need and He can provide for this person with or without you, and He will not allow you to go through this 'temptation'. He will rather send help to this needy person through other source than to send you and instigate a debate as we are having now.
Besides, if God is sending you to give your tithe to the family, you do not need man's validation.

Tithing is one of God's channels for prosperity and protection available to the believer and just like every other channel, it is engaged in faith.
If you are the member of any church, you pay to that local church where God has commanded blessings for you and where you are nourished spiritually. Then after you pay your tithe, it is no longer your business what the church does with it, your concern should be that you have tithed in faith and that there are blessings attached to it. If for any reason you can't take paying your tithes there, then you are free to move to another church where you are more comfortable. If you do not want to move, THEN STOP PAYING TITHE and like someone wrote here, start helpimng the needy, which is also a channel for God's blessing but cannot be compared to tithing.

Your tithe is different from your giving to the needy, you don't mix up the two. The hesitation you are experiencing in giving the family your tithe may be a sign that you need to pay attention to, not on Nairaland though. Note that every thing God asks you to do is for your blessing, not to bless Him, He is the All-Sufficient One.

Now if the money is 'God's Money' as you wrote then it is best to give it to God and your local church is the best avenue.

The problem is that no help is coming from the church.
No one ever want to listen to his opinion anymore since he lost his job.

Just a little defense on the side of the church - was your brother friend up and doing in the church when things were rosy for him? was he paying his tithe? was he committed to the will of God through the vision of the church?

As regards you giving your tithe out to help a brother, personally i will suggest you do that with other source, Pay your tithe, divide the remain (no matter how small) and give the brother part of it just to assist a little and God will see you through transportation and feeding for the rest of the month

I'm sure your tithe is not enough to pay your friends three kids school fees ( I stand Corrected though!), so a little help from the remain after paying your tithe is advisable.

debosky:

I don't think it's been missed - I think the poster was saying he already struggles to make ends meet with what he has left after deducting 'tithes'. The issue here is that if he has already decided to sacrifice that portion of his income for God, there is no better usage than helping the person next to you - God considers that way more important than some 'religious' exercise of 'tithing' into a church.

That is what is being missed by those I have deemed 'religious' folk - I have no issues with those choosing to give tithe to their local assemblies, but it is very wrong to elevate that beyond meeting the pressing needs of your fellow human being. This warped thinking is what is causing issues in today's churches.

Giving to the church should ostensibly be for improving the lot of both the members and those less privileged elsewhere. By giving directly to his brother, it fulfils the same purpos quickly without the admin and time delay that going through the church might introduce.

His 10% would do the job, but his 90% won't? Commoooon. He'd die if he had 80% for himself this month?
The point is that nobody's saying he shouldn't help others. But if he considers it God's money, then he should use his own money.s with those choosing to give tithe to their local assemblies, but it is very wrong to elevate that beyond meeting the pressing needs of your fellow human being. This warped thinking is what is causing issues in today's churches.

Giving to the church should ostensibly be for improving the lot of both the members and those less privileged elsewhere. By giving directly to his brother, it fulfils the same purpos quickly without the admin and time delay that going through the church might introduce.
[quote][/quote]
His 10% would do the job, but his 90% won't? Commoooon. He'd die if he had 80% for himself this month?
The point is that nobody's saying he shouldn't help others. But if he considers it God's money, then he should use his own money.