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This is a multi-part article. Please start from Part 1

2 Corinthians 8 (NIV)

¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ²Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ³For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.

The New Testament principle is giving from the heart, cheerfully, out of love and in light of Christ’s sacrifice. We must give in secret in order that the father who sees in secret may reward us openly. Those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly. The rich are to give of their abundance in readiness and the poor out of their poverty, sacrificially. These principles and attitudes are listed below.

Principles for Christian Giving:

1) Give of yourself to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 8:5

2) Give according to your ability. Acts 11:29; 2 Corinthians 8:12

3) Give regularly. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

4) Give as a ministry 2 Corinthians 9:12-13

5) Give as unto the Lord and not to be noticed by men. Matthew 6:2-4

 Attitudes when Giving

1) Give willingly.  2 Corinthians 8:12

2) Give cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7

3) Give out of love. 2 Corinthians 8:24

4) Give thankfully. 2 Corinthians 9:11-12

5) Give with a pure motive. Matthew 6:2-4

6) Give generously. 2 Corinthians 9

7) Give honestly. Acts 5: 1-11

Conclusion

Tithing is a deeply engrained tradition, reinforced each week by preachers all over the world, so it is not surprising many believers assume this is the requirement for giving.

Serious study of God’s Word however suggests that God is more interested in us doing things freely rather than under compulsion. As stated earlier, the New Testament is about giving from the heart, not grudgingly or of necessity but out of love and in light of Christ’s sacrifice.

I am not against anyone giving 10% to their Church … my concern is why they tithe.  Do you tithe because you feel you ought to, because you want to or because its the tradition of your Church?.

I give more than 10% to Christian causes because I believe my giving will help establish God’s Kingdom on earth (not because I am afraid of a curse).  God is not necessarily interested in percentages, He is more interested in YOU because once He has you, He can have all you have.  

To tithe or nor to tithe? My response is GIVE … give generously, give lovingly and give with a pure motive to further the kingdom of God.

Be blessed!

For those who wish to research this further, I recommend that you read ’Beyond Tithes & Offerings’ by Mitchell T. Webb .

You can find it in mylittlebookshop or in selected bookshops. 

This is a multi-part article. Please start from Part 1

In the early Church, there were those who tried to force the Gentile believers to live under the Law e.g. you had to be circumsized. A dispute arose and quickly led to the first ever Christian Council tasked with addressing what old covenant laws were to be carried over into the New Covenant.

Do Gentiles have to observe the Law of Moses?

In Acts 15, Gentiles were given 4 instructions. Abstain from:

1) Things contaminated with idols

2) Fornication

3) Meat of strangled animals

4) Blood 

Its important to point out that, the Apostles did not require Gentiles to tithe. Also Paul, later on, condemned obedience to the old laws in Romans 14 and Galatians 2.

The New Testament and Giving

There are 2 main objects for giving in the New Testament.

1) To support believers in need

2) To support the elders

New Testament giving is not really about giving to God because with Christ’s death, God no longer requires a sacrifice or offering. It’s instead about meeting the needs of His people and furthering the gospel of Christ.

Supporting Believers

1 Corinthians 16 (NIV)

 ¹Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. ²On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Acts 11 (NIV)

 ²⁷During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) ²⁹The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. ³⁰This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Although some like to interpret ‘setting aside a sum’ and ‘in keeping with his income’ as some code for tithing to the Church, it is not. The foundation of Christian giving is not in terms of percentages but love. The principle here is to be ready to give to meet needs or to support other believers. This may involve saving (as in a piggy bank) so that when there is a need there is no requirement for a special offering. 

Supporting Elders

1 Timothy 5 (NIV)

¹⁷The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

It is clear that Church elders (Apostles, Pastors, Deacons etc) should have the support of the assembly. The assembly is to return material good for the spiritual benefits they receive but the object of this support is not financial gain or material advancement for the elder. 

Elders were not exempt from working. Paul for instance earned his money as a tent maker and did not receive tithes. Being a member of the tribe of Benjamin, there is no way he  (or the other disciples) could have received tithes which were for Levites. He however was supported by the churches he founded and visited. Other relevant scriptures are Philippians 4,  2 Thessalonians 3, Hebrews 13.

Summary

The motive for giving in the New Testament age is not obedience to a tithing law but rather love. The believer should, out of love for other believers and those who teach good things from the Word, give of his material blessing.

We will discuss how to give in Part 5. 

This is a multi-part article. Please start from Part 1 

Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)

 ⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.   ”But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’  ”In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

This is the key text used to support tithing and below are the inferences made by Churches that preach tithing.

1) Tithes = giving a fixed percentage of your money (the only controversy is whether it should be based on gross or net income). Some preachers actually say its gross (offensive) not to tithe your gross (pretax) income.

2) Storehouse = Church

3) Not paying tithes = stealing from God. The 10% is not yours, so if you keep it you are a thief, hence cursed.

4) Paying tithes = passing the only test God has set. Blessings will abound because of your obedience.

Little care is taken to examine these views in light of the scriptures and the meaning of the individual words are often badly distorted by assuming things which have no support in the Word of God. We shall examine some of these views in greater detail.

No requirement to give a fixed percentage of your money

In the New Testament, the practice was for believers to share what they had. Tithing was not a requirement because the disciples were not all Levites, so could not demand or expect a tithe from other believers.

In Acts 4 and 5, we see that there was a spirit of giving and the disciples shared their possessions by selling homes or lands and giving it to the apostles to distribute. The case of  Ananias and Sapphira highlights why I believe it was not mandatory to tithe in those days. This couple acted dishonestly by not disclosing the full amount of a property they had sold and tried to deceive the apostles.

Peter said something interesting “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.  The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” 

As you can see,  the income was theirs to keep or give away. There was no requirement that they support or give a fixed percentage of any income to their fellowship.

Tithe was never money

If one is to search the scriptures from Genesis to revelation, one will not find a single example of monetary tithes. This is because these tithes and offerings helped sustain the Levites and God’s primary concern was to ensure that the Levites had food to eat. 

The common and misleading argument is that in ‘those days’ there was no money. This is Biblically incorrect for the following reasons:

1) Abraham used money to buy Sarah’s grave in Genesis 23 (pre the Law).

2) Joseph’s brothers sold him for money in Genesis 37 (pre the Law).

3) Joseph’s brothers later on bought food in Egypt with money in Genesis 42 (pre the Law).

4) There was atonement money under the law in Exodus 30 (under the Law).

5) In Exodus 35, offerings could be monetary or in kind but interestingly enough there is never a monetary tithe mentioned (under the Law).

Of the 45 times the tithe is mentioned, 38 state exactly what it is (produce from crops or animals); 5 mention the tithe without specifying what it is and 2 refer to a tenth. Even in Matthew 23:23 (a verse often used to justify tithing) we see that the Pharisees tithed their spices and not their money.

There are 2 instances where money is mentioned in relation to the tithe:

1) Redemption of tithe:  In Leviticus 27  an individual who wished to keep his tithe could have a priest estimate its value in money. This value was then increased by 20% and the total value in money (120%) could be substituted for the tithe.

2) Travelling: In Deuteronomy 14 you could change your tithe into money if the distance was too great. Those travelling to Jerusalem for the feast could take the money but could not offer the money to God. They were to convert the money and buy for themselves the necessities for a feast in order to eat in the presence of the Lord.

Temple was not the only storehouse

Fact: Only 1% of the tithes of the people of Israel ended up in the Temple storehouse. Nehemiah 10

We are told that the ‘storehouse’ means the ‘Church’ however serious exposion of this interpretation is always avoided.

No mention is ever made in the New Testament that likens the Old Testament Temple with the modern church. Nor is there any mandate that says tithing or giving should go through the local Church treasury.

The storehouse in Malachi has reference to the Temple which in the New Testament passed away.  There is no ordained place of worship under the New Covenant  therefore to identify the storehouse with the Church building, or where the assembly meets, is incorrect.

The Levites collected the tithes in the towns where they lived and then gave 10% of that tithe to the priests. Some rooms in the Temple were storehouses for these ‘tithes of the tithes’ which the Levites gave to the priests. 

Example:

Let’s assume the tithe was money and apply the Biblical principle. If an Israelite earned $1000, he would give $100 to the Levites in his town. These Levites will then give the priests (Aaron’s descendants) 10% of what they received – which amounts to $10. 

Implication: 

The Temple recieved only 1% of the total tithes paid in Israel. Based on this Biblical principle, those who argue that the tithe should come to the Church should expect only 1% as the other 9% ought to go the ‘Levites’.  

This shows that even if tithing is mandatory, the Church is not supposed to be the sole recepient of the ‘tithe’ but it should rather support all those doing God’s work.

The Curse

Obeying the Law is the whole thrust of Malachi. Malachi 4:4.

If you choose to submit yourself to even a part of the law, you have a problem because ‘cursed is everyone who does not abide by ALL things written in the book of the Law‘. Galatians 3:10. That is why they (the whole nation) were cursed for not tithing. We are no longer under the law but live under the grace provided in Jesus Christ.

Reflect on this: if you were to murder, steal, fornicate or commit adultery would you be under a curse? However, if you are to ‘rob’ God by giving Him 5% of your money instead of 10%, you will supposedly be under a ‘financial’ curse. What sort of God do you serve? is it a God who curses you for not giving Him 10% but gives grace when you do not live a righteous life?  Is money more important to Him than your righteousness?

Summary

Tithing as preached today is erroneous and makes people guilty and condemned if they do not give 10% of their income to the Church. The New Testament has instructions for Christians on how to use their money and that is what we shall discuss next in Part 4.

 This is a multi-part article. Please start from Part 1

Abram and Melchizedek

Genesis 14:18-20

¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, ¹⁹ and he blessed Abram, saying, ”Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”  Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

This verse is often used to try to make the point that it is OK to pay tithes because Abram ‘paid tithes’ before the Law. What is often overlooked is the context in which Abram ‘paid his tithes’.

1) Abram’s ’tithe’ did not belong to him. It was the property of others and Abram wanted none of it.

2) Abram’s ‘tithing’ was a freewill act and completely voluntary. It was not a commandment from God.

3) It was not taken to any storehouse

4) Abram was 80 years before he tithed to Melchizedek and it is never recorded that he tithed of his own income or ever again.

Whether tithing was required from Abram’s day cannot be proven and neither can it be disproved. However, we cannot argue that because of Abram it is a requirement for God’s people today. More importantly it cannot be argued that the tithe should go to a Church or that you are under a curse if you do not tithe.

One thing to point out, Abraham was a giver and that is what God loves. He was willing to give his son Isaac to God as an offering and that is what is required of us as Christians … to give our all, our very lives to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us.

Jacob

Genesis 28:20-22

²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear ²¹ so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God ²² and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

It is important to remember that this ‘tithe’ was not a commandment from God but rather a vow or conditional promise from Jacob. There were 4 conditions:

1) If God will be with me

2) If God will watch over me on this journey I am taking

3) If God will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 

4) If I return safely to my father’s house

Then, and only then will the LORD be my God and I (Jacob) will give God a tenth of whatever He gives me.

Jacob returned to his father’s house some 20 years later and there is no record he ever kept this promise.

The above examples are very different from the generally accepted approach to tithing. We will now look at how tithing is currently preached in most churches.

Part 3

Malachi 3:8-11 (NIV)

 ⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.   ”But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’  ”In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty.

If you have spent any time in evangelical or charismatic churches, you will have heard the above passage.  Basically Christians are taught to tithe (give one-tenth of their incomes) every week or month to the Church. The rationale is that once you tithe, you have obeyed God and the ‘doors’ of heaven will be open so you can receive His financial blessing. If you don’t tithe God is not obligated to bless you,  due to your disobedience, but rather a financial curse looms over you.

Do Christians need to tithe?

It is important to point out that tithing is a Biblical concept which formally applied to ancient Israel under the Law … but it is not Christian.

From Matthew to Revelation, you will find that tithing is not a requirement. Rather, Christians are urged to give cheerfully and to support their instructors joyously. 

Do you want to know the truth?

The Bible says if you seek and find it, the truth shall set you free.  The Bible also says we are to study to show ourselves approved.

Studies show that most Christians have not researched tithing beyond Malachi 3 so we hope to rectify that with this series of ‘littlebooks’.

What you will find is that, contrary to popular belief:

• The Patriachs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) never tithed their own income
• The tithe was NEVER money (despite there being money)
• The temple never received 10% of the tithe of the people of Israel
• Never do you find the Apostles and other first century Christians being tithed to in the New Testament. 

We look at tithing, its historical and modern application, and question whether Christians need to tithe.

What is Tithing:

Under the Law, the tithe is defined as the tenth of all things dedicated to sacred use and its purpose is to meet the material needs of 1) the Levite  2) the stranger 3) the fatherless and 4) the widow.

 Tithing Under The Law

1) The people paid a general tithe to the Levites:

All the tribes of Israel, except the Levites, had a designated geographical area as an ‘inheritance. The Levites did not receive a land inheritance and so received income from the rest in the form of the tithe.

2) The Levites paid a tithe of the general tithe to the Priests:

All the priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests. The priestly caste descended from Aaron and they had specific responsibilities related to temple worship.

Once the Levites received the tithe from the people they had to give a tenth of that to the priests. This ‘tithe of the tithe’ guaranteed the financial security of the priests and temple workers.

3) The Eaten (Festival) Tithe:

The people had to set aside a tithe to pay for their annual pilgrimmage to Jerusalem. They were required to eat this tithe in the presence of the Lord and rejoice.

4) The Third Year Tithe:

At the end of every third year, the people paid a tithe for the poor, aliens, orphans and widows.

Tithing Before The Law

There are a couple of references to tithing before the Law.

1) Abram and Melchizedek:

Abram defeated a number of Kings and rescued his nephew Lot. In a representative act of thanksgiving to God he gave a tenth to Melchizedek.

 2) Jacob

Jacob vowed to give a tenth of whatever God gave him if God met certain conditions.

In the next littlebook, we will analyse tithing before the law in greater detail. 

Part 2