Tithing and offerings are an expression of your faith. Do not make excuses not to give what is unto God. Many are stealing His money. Many say there is nothing in the NT that says we have to tithe 10%. Well, I replied back, there is nothing in the NT that says we DO NOT! Tithing is a commandment of God. Do you have the faith to know He will provide?
Why is it that when the economy goes down, the first thing many Christians cut back is to God? They rather cut tithe than their cable bill? They rather cut tithe than their cell phone bill? They rather cut tithe rather than cut back on their leisure activities or expenses?
And we are wondering why we are not being blessed and why some may be lacking? We must know when we are being squeezed, are we being tested or judged. Some may be tested for the greater blessings but one should continue to tithe 10%. It is when we tithe in our lack when it really counts. All can tithe in their abundance.
Malachi 3:10 (AMP) Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Psalm 37:25(AMP) I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread.
Are we able to tithe and offer even in our lack knowing God will not forsake us?
NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE pays the Biblical tithe today.
ReplyDeleteLeviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18: The First Tithe - a tenth of crops and animals and commanded to take the tithe to the Levites.
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: The Second Tithe aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: The Third Tithe aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Now, tell me. Which of the above three tithes commanded by God does anyone follow today?
The ONLY people in the Old Testament that were commanded to tithe were those who INHERITED THE PROMISED LAND WITH EVERYTHING ON IT. They got the land, house, animals, crops, etc. ALL FREE AND CLEAR. No mortgage payment or rent to pay. And THEY were commanded to tithe on the crops and animals and take it to the Levites who INHERITED the tithe INSTEAD OF the promised land with everything on it. No one else tithed. Wage earners did not tithe. Jesus didn’t tithe as a carpenter. Paul didn’t tithe as a tent maker. Peter didn’t tithe as a fisherman.
The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, even giving 50% of their income might not induce a sacrifice. In the Old Testament, ONLY the farmers tithed, and it was equal percentage (a tenth). The New Testament teaches the principle of equal sacrifice instead of equal percentage. Equal sacrifice is much harder to achieve, if not impossible, than giving ten percent.
And this is why preachers do not teach properly. They are so afraid of offending their congregation. But sadly, he will be responsible for the blood will be on his hands.
ReplyDelete