Should Christians tithe?
Tithing is the act of giving ten percent of any income or profit we make to God. There are a lot of controversies in churches today about this concept. The main debate is on whether to tithe and if tithing is relevant for the new testament church. The answer to both questions is a definite yes!
Why is tithing important?
Tithing isn’t a human concept but something that God Himself established. We find this in Malachi 3:10.
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.
What I find even more amazing about this is the fact that after asking us to bring our tithes, He asks us to prove Him. God asks us to test Him if He won’t pour out His blessings on us. This means that you can hold God to His words and that blessings are guaranteed for tithers.
Is tithing only under the old testament?
Indeed, Christians are not under the law. But was tithing instituted first under the law is a question worth asking. The answer is no! In Genesis, we see clearly that Abraham gave a tithe of all he possessed to the priest of God, Melchizedek, who is said to have the same sort of priesthood as our Lord Jesus. Hence, our father Abraham who existed way before the law came into being gave a tithe. If tithing came before the law, there is no question for it to remain after the law.
Did Jesus talk about tithing?
Yes, Jesus mentioned tithing. Jesus mentions tithing in Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
He admonished the scribes for abandoning parts of the law like mercy and faith when they should have done those alongside tithing! Now since Malachi 3:10 is found in the old testament, a lot of people wonder if it is relevant to us born again Christians. Is the old testament irrelevant? Because if so, we should only have 27 books in our Bibles. Let’s be sure to take into account all scripture, especially a clearly stated order as tithing.
Apart from these controversies, people find other reasons not to tithe. “I earn too little to tithe” and when they begin to earn a lot, “I earn too much to tithe”. “Ten percent is too much to give”, “Pastors are con-men and will misuse my hard earned money” and so many other excuses. What do you have that you did not receive? What is really yours?
All these doubts and excuses are put to a stop by one thing: recognition. Can you recognize that a hundred percent of all you have is from God?
If you can align your heart to that fact, is it so hard to give Him a tenth of it? Because when you give your tithe, you acknowledge that God is the One who provided it all and you’re also assured that He will protect and even multiply your 90%.
Tithing or any form of giving is really a heart thing. Your actions are made easier when they are backed by a belief in your heart. Without that belief, you give grudgingly and wish you had used the money for something else. If you’re a non-tither and would like to change that, work on your heart. Where your heart is, your treasure will be. It’s never too late to take up tithing and there’s never a time to stop tithing. There’s great blessing and prosperity awaiting all tithers, don’t miss it!
