What I concern myself with is the idea that not paying ones tithe is a sin. No, it is not. It never has been. And it is not an heresy either. The list of heresies in Christendom are adoptionism, Apollinarism, Arianism, Docetism, Luciferianism, Macedonians or Pneumatomachians, Melchisedechians, Monarchianism, Monophysitism or Eutychianism, Monothelitism, Nestorianism, Patripassianism, Psilanthropism; Sabellianism, etc. There is quite a long list of them. If you are curious you can read them here. I have listed these items, it does not mean I listed them because I disagree with them or that I agree with them. The reason for all the confusion today is because some folks just won't go read the holy writ for themselves. They lazily prefer to listen to someone who has read it. I must tell you, listening to someone isn't just enough. You need to be able to listen and search your own thoughts. You need to be able to test, taste and see the truth for yourself. truth is like a great light. Well, I think that last construction is even wrong and misleading. Truth is a light. That is an equally misleading last statement as well. I totally need to say this rightly. TRUTH IS LIGHT.
And before I shed more light on why not paying your tithe is not going to take you to hell, and why it is not a sin, let me shed some lights on what light is. And by the way, don't get me wrong, I pay my tithe, okay? I do. I pay my tithe. I do it because I am convinced it is right to do so. I do it because it has great benefits. Benefits I have experienced firsthand. I fail a few times in payment, but I don't kill myself about it. I still pay the next one. I don't make any attempt to strangulate myself or allow the devil use it to strangulate me if I do not pay. What most practicing believers in Christ have done is to make a religion out of it and stab themselves with many unnecessary wounds when they fail. So, back to light.
Light is first of many categories, visible and non-visible. Visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. I am able to write this blog because light helped me. I can't do that without light. Light is the first step in enablement, to do anything. You are able to read this because there is light. Then there are other light types, the non-visible, such as infra-red, gamma, x-ray, and even the human body is a light source, just that it is not visible to the optical eyes. There are lights that can travel very far, there are those that cannot. There are lights that burn and can hurt, there are those that do not. There are lights that recognize barriers and there are those that pass through barriers. There are lights with origins and sources, and there are those without origin or sources. THE WORD OF GOD is a type of light. Light describes. Light gives shape, meaning and definition to things. The Word of God gives shape, meaning and definition to anything. Even more, the this particular light type, the Word of God can give substance to anything from material to immaterial things.
Now, we need the Word of God to give light to TITHE.
This is what the Bible says about tithe.
Malachi 3:7-12 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
This scripture has absolutely nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now don't get me wrong, and don't mis-read and mis-interprete what I just said. The gospel of Jesus Christ has nothing to do with tithes. But tithe is a good practice. And if you do not tithe, you will not go to hell. I have heard people, I have read people, and I have seen people who say you will go to hell if you do not tithe. In fact I have read and seen a video of someone who said she saw people in hell fire who were there because they did not tithe. No. Not true. According to the Holy Bible which contains the Word of God, which is light, below is the basic rule of tithing.
1. Tithe has a pre-testament origin. This means it was not institutionalized as an old testament practice, it came before the old testament. It started with Abraham paying tithe to a mysterious personality called King of Salem by name Melchisedec. (Genesis 14:18-20And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.)
Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
This is however where we make the mistake. The Bible never said Abraham has had this practice before this day, neither did it say Abraham gave it as an institutionalized act of giving called tithe. Abraham actually gave it free-willed and cheerfully! The equivalent of this in the new testament for this practice is
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly,or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
What Abraham did was called cheerful giving. It is that simple. It has no repercussion on eternal salvation or damnation any more than giving or not giving alms will take you to hell or not.
2. Tithe is practiced in the old testament as a law. And the law is practiced by the Jews. If you are not a Jew or an Hebrew person, you have no business with the law, any more than you have any business practicing Aztec or Inca or some deep native African village's ritual practice! It is none of your business. You don't have any obligation to do it. In fact I am reminded of a story in the Bible, it was a rape. And the family of the victim could not punish the violator and his family because they were not Jewish people. In other to take their blood-thirsty revenge on the rapist and his family, the Jewish girl's family deceived the non-Jewish people into circumcision, and right after that they applied Jewish justice of rape on the non-Jewish guys and basically slaughtered them off...yikes! (Genesis 34:1-27). So, if you really want to live with tithing law, go and convert to a Jew. If you are not, you are basically doing the wrong thing, practicing Nigerian legal system in the United States of America, how terribly uncool and insane could that possibly be? So uncool. DO NOT FORGET though I pay my tithe. There is a reason for it. But I am establishing with you that not doing it is inconsequential on your eternal salvation.
3. There is no tithe in the new testament. Simple straight, basic, no arguments. There is no scripture in the new testament that said you should give it. Paul never said you should give it, he only mentioned it as a reference point while establishing another spiritual truth, and cross-referenced to tithe (Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.)
Sometimes, all I wanted to blog about was just a simple thought, and then it gets out of hand, and I have to go the whole 9 yards. I wasn't expecting to write and research this long. Sometimes I really do hate blogging. Jeez. Takes so much of your time, putting thoughts to paper, or in this case thoughts to blogging. Bites and chews off your official working productive time. So, basically I need to establish with you that your mind, including your spiritual mind, but mostly your regular fleshly mind has a way of going round in circles and generally get you confused, especially if you have been properly indoctrinated by a church sect. You basically end up being dumb enough to be silly. You need to free yourself from idiocity. I mean stop being an idiot for religion's sake. I must admit there are certain people I would rather have as idiots really, I mean, they just basically deserve it. But if you really want to grow in Christ, you need to start by questioning things, and then consciously ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and that you do not intend to be a rebel who is hell bound. You just want the truth. You want light. You want Him. He should fill you through and through with light. Illuminate your life with His love and fellowship. It is here that you will discover the next set of light I am about to show you. Read on.
1. How Should You Give?
a. It must be done with love.
1 Cor 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Anything you've ever done as a Christian will be burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, unless it was done just because you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you didn't get a reward or praise for it. See 1 Cor. 3:8-15
b. It's a "Spiritual Sacrifice"
Heb. 13:16 But to do good and to communicate (Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:14,15) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
You don't have to give of your means, but you should give because of what the Lord did for you.
c. You put aside what you are to give.
1 Cor. 16:1,2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
They didn't have "direct deposit" or "checking accounts" back then. What they did was put aside whatever they were to give in a certain place so when Paul came by they could bring it to the meeting place and give it to him to take to Jerusalem for the poor saints, verse 3. Which brings me to the next point.
2. To Whom Should You Give?
a. Give to Poor Saints!
1 Cor. 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
Rom. 15:25-27 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
2 Corinthians 9:1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
b. Give to Missionaries
1 Cor. 16:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
This looks like Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus on their own brought money or goods to Ephesus to help Paul out.
2 Cor. 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
Here in this verse Paul isn't saying that he stole from other churches, he's saying other churches supported him in his ministry so he could help the Corinthians.
2 Cor. 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
Here some brethren from a church in Macedonia or some saints that knew him just came to Corinth to give him some money.
c. Support the Preacher
1 Cor 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Tim. 5:17, 18 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Getting up messages that are scriptural is work. Most of the time it takes me several days to get together one message. First I have to ask the Lord what He wants me to preach, then if it's a new message, I have to search for the verses and the illustrations and put it in some sort of an outline.
3. How Much Should You Give?
a. All You Can in Good Conscience!
2 Cor. 9:6,7 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Abraham gave 10% one time of the spoils he got from rescuing Lot and he didn't give it to any local church, he gave it to a type of Christ or a theophany.
Jacob made a vow: Gen. 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Well, I don't see where he ever gave the tenth. But he sure got into a lot of trouble and maybe God got the tenth through Laban.
Gen. 31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
The conclusion of the above is; Don't make a vow unless you intend to pay it, which is entirely tricky in itself. Just don't make it. Don't make that vow. You are safer not making it. God is still God with or without your vow which you will not keep anyway. And you should spare the good Lord the grief of having to punish you goodly for your good intents which ended up as wrong action.
Ecc. 5:4-6 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
The poor widow gave all she had although it was just 2 mites. Evidently she gave it with the right motive or the Lord wouldn't have bragged on her.
Conclusion: He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
1. You will reap what you sow. Give little, reap little. Give big, reap big.
2. Give what you have decided in your heart to give (why doesn't he say 10%? - there is no law of tithe here).
3. Do not give reluctantly [as some do, begrudgingly]
4. Do not give under compulsion [not be forced by some legalism -- most Christians feel forced to give their 10%],
5. God loves a cheerful giver. You cannot be a cheerful giver if, (1) you family is hungry (2) someone has forced you, by a twisting of the Scriptures-i.e. Malachi 3:10--to feel guilty if you don't give.
a. It must be done with love.
1 Cor 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Anything you've ever done as a Christian will be burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, unless it was done just because you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you didn't get a reward or praise for it. See 1 Cor. 3:8-15
b. It's a "Spiritual Sacrifice"
Heb. 13:16 But to do good and to communicate (Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:14,15) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
You don't have to give of your means, but you should give because of what the Lord did for you.
c. You put aside what you are to give.
1 Cor. 16:1,2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
They didn't have "direct deposit" or "checking accounts" back then. What they did was put aside whatever they were to give in a certain place so when Paul came by they could bring it to the meeting place and give it to him to take to Jerusalem for the poor saints, verse 3. Which brings me to the next point.
2. To Whom Should You Give?
a. Give to Poor Saints!
1 Cor. 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
Rom. 15:25-27 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
2 Corinthians 9:1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
b. Give to Missionaries
1 Cor. 16:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
This looks like Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus on their own brought money or goods to Ephesus to help Paul out.
2 Cor. 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
Here in this verse Paul isn't saying that he stole from other churches, he's saying other churches supported him in his ministry so he could help the Corinthians.
2 Cor. 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
Here some brethren from a church in Macedonia or some saints that knew him just came to Corinth to give him some money.
c. Support the Preacher
1 Cor 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Tim. 5:17, 18 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Getting up messages that are scriptural is work. Most of the time it takes me several days to get together one message. First I have to ask the Lord what He wants me to preach, then if it's a new message, I have to search for the verses and the illustrations and put it in some sort of an outline.
3. How Much Should You Give?
a. All You Can in Good Conscience!
2 Cor. 9:6,7 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Abraham gave 10% one time of the spoils he got from rescuing Lot and he didn't give it to any local church, he gave it to a type of Christ or a theophany.
Jacob made a vow: Gen. 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Well, I don't see where he ever gave the tenth. But he sure got into a lot of trouble and maybe God got the tenth through Laban.
Gen. 31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
The conclusion of the above is; Don't make a vow unless you intend to pay it, which is entirely tricky in itself. Just don't make it. Don't make that vow. You are safer not making it. God is still God with or without your vow which you will not keep anyway. And you should spare the good Lord the grief of having to punish you goodly for your good intents which ended up as wrong action.
Ecc. 5:4-6 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
The poor widow gave all she had although it was just 2 mites. Evidently she gave it with the right motive or the Lord wouldn't have bragged on her.
Conclusion: He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
1. You will reap what you sow. Give little, reap little. Give big, reap big.
2. Give what you have decided in your heart to give (why doesn't he say 10%? - there is no law of tithe here).
3. Do not give reluctantly [as some do, begrudgingly]
4. Do not give under compulsion [not be forced by some legalism -- most Christians feel forced to give their 10%],
5. God loves a cheerful giver. You cannot be a cheerful giver if, (1) you family is hungry (2) someone has forced you, by a twisting of the Scriptures-i.e. Malachi 3:10--to feel guilty if you don't give.
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