LETS NOT BE DECEIVED....Tithing is of the Law!

TITHING AND THE WORK OF GOD

Introduction

Tithing was established in the bible during the life of  Abraham, and he (Abraham) paid the first tithe to Melchizedek, long before the law was given - Genesis 14:18-20.

  

Later the bible further explained tithing and what it is used for in the house of God. The bible says all the tithes should be paid to support the Priess and the Levites - Leveticus 27:30-32, Numbers 18:26, Deuteronomy 14:22-28, Mathew 23:23.

When you study Mathew 23:23, where the LORD rebuked the Scibes and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, you will realize that tithe was a provision of the law. that scripture says: 

“Wow unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocites, for ye  pay tithe od mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, Judgement, mercy and faith.  These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone – Mathew 23:23

 

They were fasting and paying tithes and offering, while neglecting the deeper things of the law like judgement, mercy and faith. Check Leviticus and Numbers below:

 

Leviticus 27:30-32:   

And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.   And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.   And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.  

Numbers 18:24-26 - The Levites to pay tithes:  

But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,  

Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe.

Robbing the LORD - The Malachi Command

Another side to the explanation of tithing is recorded in Malachi 3:10-11, which says: 

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.  

And the reward?:  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.

The explanation in Malachi 3:8-12 has been the mindset with which I have looked at tithing since I became aware of the concept.  It was a great promise, which landed well in my heart, and probably many other people who love the LORD. 

It makes tithing look like an act of obedience for your own good.  Something you should do and be blessed by God.  It's such a wonderful promise that, once you pay your tithe, the windows of heaven blast open and blessing, so much blessing will be released unto you that there shall not be room enough to receive it. I loved it so much and still do today.

When you view tithing from Malachi 3:8-10, you will see it as an obligation of every believer to pay tithe for the progress of the work of God on earth.  I believe that it is on this basis that many Pastors and men of God have preached tithing for many years.  I have preached and published a lot of materials on tithing as well.

Tithing has worked for me personally.  Though there was a time when I experienced serious demonic oppression, for which I prayed God to deliver me from, since I was a 'Tither', NO.  Deliverance did not come because God wanted me to grow in the spirit.  Was I offended...NO!  Do I still tithe?  Yes,  I am still tithing.  

When I got into ministry, I discovered that tithe was a major source of income for the church and depending on the class of people and their income levels, the tithe income can be used to fund church building projects and other equipment required in the church.

The mission field and the Ministers who serve in different locations under the church are supported from the tithe income of the church.  In fact, when you see a church without projects and a mission field, you can also assume the members there are not paying their tithe as and when due.  

That is why big churches with large branch networks and mission work projects do not see anything wrong with tithing.  In fact, to show the importance of tithing, one of the churches I attended for years had a Tithe Card for every member, and tithe-paying members were the ones regarded as genuine members of the church.

Where are the Priests and Levites Today?

But in today's church, how many of the Pastors are full-time and consecrated unto teaching the Word and praying?  Let's assume the Pastors represent the Priests, where are the Levites?  Are they the other workers?

How many churches employ Pastors and commission them to give their 'all' in winning souls to Christ, whose life and family depend on inflow from the church?  Instead, some churches employ Pastors as 'cash cows' to go out there and gather a crowd and make returns to the Bishop.  

Branches are opened to reward members who are close to the Bishop, who may not be spirit filled or have a calling to serve the LORD at such levels.  The one quality such 'Bishop called' Pastors have is charisma.  They can talk and motivate the crowd to pay their tithe and offering in expectation of bountiful blessings.

Many years ago, I attended a bible college of one of the big churches in Nigeria, where I met an honest Pastor and one of the instructors of the bible college at that time.  

This man told the class one day that "He cannot say he has a 'Calling' from God, neither does he know what that means.  All he knows is his Bishop asked him to go to bible school of the church, after which he was made a Pastor.  It was the Bishop that called him, not God.

These are some of the reasons why the Pulpit is cold in some churches.  There is no more power, only stories and motivational talk.  However, they must be 'fruitful' in raising money and returning back to the Bishop to prove they are worthy of the appointment.  

 

Pastors who are unable to make adequate returns to their church headquarters will soon begin to look for short-cuts...demonic assistance!  They will succumb to the appeal of demonic agents, saying to Pastors "Come and get demonic power to grow the church", the only conditions being that you will make financial returns to the agent of darkness that makes the magic work.

The second condition obviously would be that you will not preach righteousness or criticize witches and wizards in your sermons. So, darkness continues to pervade the churches instead of light because of greed.  The demons are used to bring people to church and then manipulated to empty their pockets each Sunday.  

Mind you, if the devil sponsors your program and brings people to church, you cannot preach holiness or preach about witches and wizards, your promoters.  If you do, they simply withdraw their charms and your branch is empty - What a shame!

Did Tithe make some Pastors Greedy?  NO. Satan did!

The old church use to bring everything they had to church and it was used for the good of the church members the bible says no one lacked food.  If you study Acts 4:31-35 shows how the earlier church operated in love and oneness.  They were filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the word of God with boldness - Acts 4:31-35:

Today the church has a different structure, which tends to look at everything in the church as belonging to the Founder, instead of Christ.  Some Pastors will not close a sermon without telling members how they suffered with their wives to build the church, but after the days of toils and lack, they are now, the 'blessed of the Lord'.

So, the church is seen as an enterprise of the Founder, preaching the message of Christ.  This privatization and Empire building is a distraction that has not helped the gospel.  

It has made young ministers greedy, and money-driven.  It has created ministers who do not care about anything else, other than money and how to prophesy.  And the moment they discover any gifts at all, they jump out of the church to set up their own church.

Contrasting the Law and CHRIST:

The reason why tithing should be explained clearly is that, if you consider it an act under the law, it means that the day you do not pay your tithe, and I mean tithe on all your increases, you will miss heaven, which is not true.  

In Christ, you are called unto liberty - Gal.5:13.

Let me conclude by saying that tithing is of the Law.  We have been translated from the Law unto Christ, to liberty.  We would not be justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ.

Let's remember we're in a race and not be distracted by controversies. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

CONCLUSION

Some churches believe in tithing, which is giving 10% of your income to God. However, other churches just encourage their members to give according to what is in their hearts. 

Whatever your belief is, make it a habit to honour God with your resources. It is one way of acknowledging that everything you have is from God, and when you give back to Him, you should not feel bad because you know it will be given back to you.

Friends, Jesus is coming soon.  If you have not yet received Him as Lord and Saviour, I plead with you to do it now.  

Say this simple prayer: 

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ.

I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again for my justification. I repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness. I ask Jesus to come into my heart and reign as my Lord and Saviour.   

 

I receive Him by faith and I am born again.

FIRE...