₦airaland Forum

I have been tithing for a while and i believe it is the right thing to do, however, i realised that many people do not believe in it or are just have very different views from what the Bible advocates, so i thought i'd share this note on the topic based on a commentary on 1 cor 13: 3. i personally think this sums it all up and answers all questions about tithing, here goes,

Actions can be negated by motives. Motives of the heart are more important than actions. This is why many Christians have paid their tithes, and yet haven't seen the financial blessing that God's Word promises (Mr 10:29-30; Lu 6:38) come back to them. There is more to giving than just the action. The motive is very important.
Probably the most dominant motive for giving in the church today is that of debt or obligation. Ministers often use Malachi 3:8-10 to tell their congregations that they are robbing God if they don't tithe. They go on to say that God will curse them for not tithing. That motivates the people to give, but for the wrong reason, and makes their giving profit them nothing.
In the New Testament, Paul made it very clear that every person was to give "as he purposeth in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2Co 9:7). Giving because it's a debt, or we'll be cursed if we don't give, is definitely not consistent with the motivation Paul gave in 2 Corinthians 9:7. There is a difference between New Testament giving, and giving under the law, and that difference is the motive.
Tithing was in effect before the law of Moses (Ge 14:20), so tithing is a biblical principle that still applies to us New Testament believers who are not under the law . But the curse placed on those who do not tithe was a part of the Old Testament law and it doesn't apply to us today. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Ga 3:13). I am not cursed if I don't tithe. I'm stupid if I don't, but I'm not cursed.
Those who want to cling to the curse of Malachi 3:9 need to read verse 8 more carefully. It says we have not only robbed God in tithes, but also in offerings. Some people have estimated that all the tithes and offerings prescribed in the Old Testament amounted to as much as 33%. So, to honestly use these scriptures in Malachi to motivate people to give, the preacher has to preach that any gift below 33% of one's income is just the payment of a debt and he is cursed if he doesn't give at least that much. I don't know anyone who believes that and yet that's what Malachi 3:8-10 says.
Giving, including tithing, should first and foremost be an act of worship and thanksgiving, an acknowledgement that it is God who gives us power to get wealth (De 8:18). It also is an act of faith. If there was no God, and if His promises were not true, it would be foolish to give our money away. Our resources would diminish, not increase. But because there is a God who honors faith, we can actually increase by giving (Pr 3:9-10; Pr 11:24-25).
It takes humility and faith to give. It is also smart. But if you don't tithe and give, God still loves you. You won't have a crop to harvest if you eat all your seed, but God will still love you.
When a person applies this New Testament attitude to his giving, then it becomes an acceptable offering to the Lord, and releases all the blessings that God has promised in His Word upon the cheerful giver (2Co 9:7-11). But those who give with the wrong motive will not be profited anything.
—Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary

I hope this bless you as much as it blessed me and i hope it has answered all questions regarding tithing once and for all!