Yauwana Janam

For some time now I am reading many posts on WHY NOT TO TITHE? and ever since I feel burdened to reach out to earnest, honest Christians(born-again ones for if you are not saved giving is not for you) who are really confused by such posts and really want to know the truth behind the GIVING PRINCIPLE.

So there are some common phrases used by certain people, like

1> We are not to give TITHE because we are not UNDER LAW.

WRONG - So if we are not under the law, then can we commit ADULTERY? No.

a. First Jesus never abolished law, he fulfilled it - Mt 5:17-19. It is true that we are not UNDER LAW but that does not MAKE US LAWLESS. The Law of God is written in the hearts of true believers and not on the tablets of stone. Always remember, we are not saved by LAW but by GRACE and for THOSE who are SAVED by GRACE will OBEY GODS LAW. They don't live LAWLESS.

b. The tithe did not start with LAW, it started with FAITH. It was Abraham when he encountered a Melchezidek as he was returning from battle. Abraham gave him his tithe and in response Melchezidek the priest of the most high blessed him. (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 7:1-11). So tithing came 430 years before the Levitical Law was established. It was much later , when the Law was given that the first tenth of all increase was declared holy and belonged to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30).

c. Jesus Christ is not after the order of Aaronic Priesthood but after the order of Melchezidek. So one does not need to give tithe under the law but by faith LIKE THE FATHER OF FAITH ABRAHAM as unto the PRIEST WHO IS AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHEZIDEK.

->"Heb 7:17 For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."

-> This statement is only for JESUS and no one ELSE.

-> “The tithe is holy unto the Lord and all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tress, it is the Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord" (Leviticus 27:30). IF TITHE WAS HOLY UNTO THE LORD THEN IT IS HOLY NOW ALSO.

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2> We are not to TITHE because It is an OT Principle and nothing to do with NT.

WRONG -

Christ taught it - Mt 23:23- Christ never stopped Tithe instead he said to the Pharisees you do it, but be FRUITFUL as well. So if Christ abolished TITHE he also ABOLISHED Law, Justice, Mercy and Honesty. He said, do BOTH. Not to leave one and do another.

Hebrews 5-6 & 7 is about TITHES and who receives it, about the ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

Heb 7:8 In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says.

Mat 23:23 "How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give to God one tenth even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint, dill, and cumin, but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice and mercy and honesty. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.

Interestingly, the present day Pharisees are much worse. At least in the Old days Pharisees gave their tithes and taught others to give it, present day Pharisees don't give their tithes and teach others also not to give it.

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3> We are not to TITHE as the early church did not do it

WRONG -

Consider these statement my early Church Fathers:

"The Jews were constrained to a regular payment of tithes; Christians, who have liberty, assign all their possessions to the Lord, bestowing freely not the lessor portions of their property (i.e., giving no less than the tithe), since they have the hope of greater things." Irenaeus

"Tithes are required as a matter of debt, and he who has been unwilling to give them has been guilty of robbery. Whosoever, therefore, desires to secure a reward for himself . . . let him render tithes, and out of the nine parts let him seek to give alms."-Augustine

"If anyone shall not do this [pay tithes] he is convicted of defrauding and supplanting God."-Jerome

So even the early Church forefathers gave tithes and taught so.

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 4> We are not to TITHE because MINISTERS make money out of poor believers and don't use it well.

WRONG:

We cannot point finger on others and get away from our own duty. Any person who gives with a good heart gives unto the Lord and even if ministers don't use it well, that does not mean that we don't be obedient with our giving. When we give with RIGHT MOTIVE we receive blessings. So there are many people who talk about ministers fault as an excuse not to give tithe. Our Job is to KEEP OURSELF RIGHT WITH GOD seeing that Jesus is the Lord of the tithe, is He our lord? Hebrews 7:8 says "that men (subject to death) receive tithes on this side; but on the other side, Jesus Himself receives them." Why should we look for ways to excuse us from what we know we should be doing? The tithe was, and is and shall ever be holy unto the Lord.

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5> We are not to TITHE because tithing it is a prosperity gospel.

WRONG 

- Giving is not a prosperity gospel. Prosperity gospel is a cross less gospel which gives false hope of better living without CROSS and HOLY LIVING but on the other hand every true believer wants his blessings from God. Why do we want to stop the door of blessing. There is no reaping without sowing so if the same holds true for Gospel and for all other matters then why not FINANCIAL. Does not God wants to Bless his people? Was not Abraham blessed when he gave his tithes? What is wrong in God's people being blessed because of OBEDIENCE? Most believer see any form of prosperity as a prosperity gospel but there is blessing which comes because of obedience and there is a giving principle in bible called TITHE.

- God is a SUBJECT of HONOR not the OBJECT OF INVESTMENT.

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 6> We are not to TITHE because tithing was for the temple.

WRONG:

Consider this verse in Rom 2:22 - thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Scrilege is the word used for ROBBING THE TEMPLE. Malachi 3:8 asks the question "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation."

Don't say I am under debt so I can't tithe. May be you are under debt because you have not tithed.

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7> We are not to give TITHE because God not not need out money.

WRONG:

God does not need our worship either, but we are suppose to worship him. It is the "gateway for the believer into the covenant of blessings." In the Hebrew "maaser" or "maasrah," is translated tenth, or tenth part, and in Greek "apodekatoo" and in both, it means a payment or giving or receiving of the tenth.

The Bible records numerous accounts of man tithing to God. God is the creator of everything that exists. He owns everything and we are simply stewards of what we have been entrusted with. The tithe principle is this; "He gives unto us, we give back to Him one-tenth of all that He has blessed us with."

Matthew 6:21 - "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"

Luk_6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

1 Samuel 15:22: "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

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8> We are not to give TITHE because in NT our 100% belongs to GOD

WRONG

- Are you giving your 100% to God every time then? A Spirit filled person is led by God in all his givings and it can be sometimes all you have in your hand but that does not change the fact that when it comes to giving as a principle then bible is very clear about the blessings that comes from TITHING.

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So who is COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TITHE?

> As strange it may sound, ONLY THE NON TITHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT TITHING NOT THE TITHERS. People who tithe are not angry with NON TITHERS but the OPPOSITE. In fact, I am yet to find a faithful tither who is not blessed or who complains and I have found out that all allegations are made by people who don't tithe. Now giving is a personal decision and should not be forced on anyone. Most tithers do it by FAITH in the WORD and not by any COMPULSION.

The bible says, those who don't tithe are ROBBING GOD but today people say that those who TEACH TITHE are ROBBERS. It is for you to decide WHICH ROBBER YOU WANT TO BECOME.

- Ricky Dhingra