Tithe: Should We or Shouldn't We?

Is Tithing or Tithe still relevant for the modern and contemporary church today?

Is asking people to give ten percent of their hard earned income to the church is a little bit way over the top?

Considering the "economical downturn" that we are currently facing should bible believing christians give only what they're comfortable with?

Is the church sometimes places a high demand way too much from their parishners?

What are your thoughts on this matter?

All input is dually noted and appreciated.

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Tamani on February 8, 2012 at 9:45pm

THIEVES IN THE CHURCH

ALL ABOUT TITHING

Introduction

     Do you know about the sin nobody admits? It's a sin we're afraid to mention. We must be afraid to mention it, because nobody ever mentions it about himself, anyway. Now people have confessed to me that they've committed some terrible, dark sins. I can recall people who have admitted being drunkards, who confessed to stealing, breaking up another's home, murder, taking the Lord's name in vain, trifling on the marriage partner, Sabbath breaking - all the rest - but as far as I can remember in all my time in the ministry, nobody has ever admitted to me that he was guilty of the sin we're going to talk about now. And I suppose the reason for it is that it's the root sin; the basic sin; the very foundation sin.
     The Lord Jesus Himself solemnly warned us of this sin in Luke 12:15: "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a men's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." You see, the sin that nobody admits is covetousness.
     People just simply don't say "Well, I'm a covetous person. I want to get hold of that extra dollar. I want to reach out and grab and pull in everything I can get hold of." And people never come to you and say, "I want to admit something. Greediness is my problem. I'm just a covetous person." It has always amazed me just a little bit. People don't mind at all admitting some of those grosser, blacker sins; but when it comes right down to those refined sins like covetousness, I guess it is just too humiliating. Of course, it is a sin that's not condemned very much by our materialistic age, either. It is not even condemned very much by the church, it seems. You break any of the other commandments and immediately you get into trouble, but coveting -- well, nobody knows whether you're coveting or not. But there it is -- it is a commandment of the Lord, and it is one that most people seem to overlook; yet in God's sight it's one of the blackest of all sins because it's the root of every other sin. Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 7:7. He said, "I had not known sin ... except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." The point he was trying to get across was this: Every single sin has its roots in the sin of covetousness, and that's why God thought it was important enough to include in the Ten Commandments. It's the sin that comes before and leads to every other sin that you could possible commit.

God Called a Man a "Fool"

      Now I may as well warn you ahead of time that there's no possible way of getting rid of coveting except through the Lord Jesus Christ - absolutely no way at all. It takes special power from heaven to overcome this sin. But now let's go back to Luke 12 for a moment. After Jesus said "Take heed, and beware of covetousness," He told a story to illustrate the point a little bit further. Let me read it to you, beginning with verse 16: "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
     Now, notice something. God calls this man a fool. Now I may call a man a fool and be entirely mistaken, but when God calls a man a fool, he's a fool. Now this man was a fool. Why? Well, because he was concerned only about himself - "I," "I," "I," - and he forgot all about the solemn fact that one of these days we all have to stand before the Lord in judgment. So God said, "You're a fool. Tonight your soul will be required of you. Then whose will all these things be?"
     This is a very solemn story. Every single Christian should give it very earnest attention and heed its message. The Lord is just saying here, "You go ahead. If that's the way you want it, get anything you want. Keep the things that are not yours. Make provisions for more and more sins. You have the right to choose, but when the day of reckoning comes and your soul will be required of you, then whose will these things be?"
     You know, a lot of people think they are getting by with secret sins - things that are on the inside; things that don't show up - like coveting, for example. A person can go along and be quite a respectable Christian as far as other people are concerned, and yet be guilty of coveting. It just doesn't show up like many of the grosser, outward sins. But mark you this: On the great judgment day when the light from the judgment throne of God shines into every life, all of those things are going to be revealed and people are going to see them in all their rotten, disgusting fullness. And one of the worst sins to be shown upon the judgment day will be the sin of coveting.

Coveting Another's Praise,
Honor, or Position

     I'm afraid we don't realize just how far this thing reaches. Take for example, professional jealousy. Have you ever heard that expression? I want to tell you, it's not limited to just the professions, either. It's a term that we ought to use loosely, because it can apply to everybody, everywhere. Wives are jealous of other wives; husbands of other husbands; workmen of other workmen; and it's covetousness - this professional jealousy - coveting another person's praise, or his honor, or his position. It's so widespread that there is hardly a place anywhere that it's not named. It even exists among preachers, and here's where the thing comes home.
     A person could build a very beautiful home and I could go look at it one day and say, "You know, this is a lovely home. It's a masterpiece. You've done a very beautiful job." And that wouldn't take anything out of me - it would be easy for me to say that, because I'm not a builder. A person could paint a beautiful masterpiece - delightful, exquisite - and I could say, "Listen, that's beautiful; it's superb; never have I seen anything like it." I could just lavish praise on that man and it could be nothing to me because I'm not a painter. But when somebody stands up and preaches a better sermon than I can preach - then for me to say honestly and truly from the heart, "It's a masterpiece; the Lord was with you" - then that is something else.
     Do you see what I mean? Now that is what we're talking about today. This matter of coveting somebody else's praise, somebody else's success, somebody else's prestige, is one of the greatest sins mentioned in the Book of God. It is my prayer that as we go further into this study, every person will determine in his heart to begin right now laying hold of God for victory. It's a very terrible thing for a Christian to be guilty of coveting. It is bad enough for a worldling, but it's an awful thing for a person who names the name of Christ to be guilty of coveting something. We need to learn to give God the praise for everything; then we will stop worrying about credit-who deserves credit for that. We will give it all to God, where it belongs in the first place.
     Another place where many of God's people seem to be crippled by the sin of coveting is the area of giving. Far too many of God's professed people are guilty of embezzling God's money.

Every Day We Handle Someone Else's Money

     We often read in newspapers about individuals who misappropriated millions of dollars. These embezzlers often skip the country, taking the money, and leaving financial ruin for scores of people who lost all they had. We secretly hope the law will catch up with them, and throw the book at them. But now, wait a minute. Let's not move too fast here. All of us handle money.
     Furthermore, regardless of who you are-you handle money that is not yours. You handle money that belongs to God. Could it be that someone reading this is guilty of embezzling heavenly funds? Did you know the greatest holder of lands and good in the world has been chiseled and robbed repeatedly without going out of business? God is that great Owner of whom I speak. I'm referring specifically to tithes and offerings. In Leviticus 27:30 the Scripture says that the tithe is the Lord's. There is just no possible way to miss it.
     Perhaps I should read that verse. This is what it says: "All the tithe of the land ... is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord." All the tithe is the Lord's; that is specific.
     Then in Malachi 3 we find something added. Verse 8 says: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Now notice: A person who does not tithe is a robber, but in addition, a person who does not give offerings is guilty before God of robbing Him; so, your tithes and your offerings belong to God. Oh , may it be engraved upon every heart with a pen of fire: These things do not belong to us; they are God's. We are handling sacred funds, and the question is - how are we handling them? Could it be that some of us are guilty of misusing God's money?
     What is a tithe anyway? Read Leviticus 27:32: "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." This means that one-tenth of all our increase belongs to God. We may not have thought of it before, but ten percent of our income is holy for the Lord. We can't keep it for ourselves without actually breaking that eighth commandment again and stealing what is not ours. If a man earns $1,000 a month, $100 is not really his own. Of course only the profit, or increase, is subject to the tithe. In other words, a businessman might realize an increase of $5,000 a month but $4,000 would be needed to pay the salaries of his helpers and other overhead expense. In such a case, he would only have to pay $100 tithe on the $1,000 profit for that month.
     Somebody is bound to object that tithing belongs to the Mosaic Law, the Old Testament, and doesn't apply to us in the New Testament. But the fact is that this plan of tithing antedates the time of Moses by hundreds of years. Abraham paid tithe at the Lord's own direction long before the days of Moses. Jacob also tithed on all that he had. It was an obligation before either the Jewish race or the ceremonial law had even come into existence.
     But now let's read what Jesus had to say about tithing. After all, He's the great guide and example for all of us in spiritual things. 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." That word "ought" denotes obligation and immediately creates a moral basis for the doctrine. It is moral because it involved stealing from God, as we have already read.

Tithe Is to Be Used for Only One Purpose

     Let's ask this question before we go further. What is the tithe money to be used for in the Lord's work? Please turn to 1 Corinthians 9:13: "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?" Here Paul is referring to the priesthood of the Old Testament and how they received a livelihood for their work of ministry at the ancient altar. But now read the very next verse: "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Verse 14. This text clearly teaches that the gospel minister is to be supported exactly the same way as the priests of the Old Testament.
     We now turn to the Scriptures to find out what God's plan was for the support of the ministry, both in the Old Testament and in the New. In Numbers 18:21 we read, "And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." The tribe of Levi was not given any inheritance as the other Israelites were. They had no herds, or business ventures. All the other tribes paid tithe and that one-tenth was used to pay the priests, the Levites.
     All right, "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," so Paul said. The tithe is not to be used for an education fund, a church expense fund, or even a poor fund. It is ordained of God only to pay the ministry. This is the biblical way for preachers to be supported.
     I heard of one preacher who closed all the doors of the church and refused to preach until the offering goal of a certain sum was reached. Other churches have resorted to religious fairs, lotteries, bingo, etc. to meet their pastoral financial obligations. Is this the plan of God? Is this the way He had ordained for churches to meet the deficit in their budgets? This is not according to God's plan. Something is desperately wrong with a church which has to bring the world into its operating plan. If Christ should walk into some of these temples and cathedrals of our day, He would be just as indignant as He was in days of old. He would say once more, "Take these things hence. You have made my house of prayer a den of thieves." What a tragedy it is that many young people have learned to be expert in gambling inside the walls of their own church. What a sad commentary on the state of modern religious leaders who encourage such demonstrations. Is this what God expects from the people who are called by His name?

Some Preachers Fear to Preach Truth

Because of Money

     God never intended for preachers to dabble in real estate, car sales, or some side business. A man called of God should give his whole time to the Word of God. His livelihood, in other words, should be supplied by the divine plan of the tithing system. This system eliminates one of the greatest temptations facing the modern minister of the gospel. Some preachers are actually afraid to preach the plain truth for fear of cutting off their own salary.
     When a pastor is paid directly by the local congregation and has to depend solely upon the liberality of one church group, he is in an anxious dilemma. If he rebukes sin as it should be rebuked, he may offend the very ones who may stop giving offerings, and thus his own salary will be jeopardized.
     Now I know that no true pastor would preach smooth things just for worldly gain; nevertheless, many are actually afraid to preach plainly under the conditions I've just described. God's plan eliminates that temptation to soften the truth. A local congregation shouldn't be directly paying the man who preaches to them, and this would eliminate that great danger. His method of tithing eliminates the temptation for a pastor to soften the truth.
     Some people complain that they can't pay the tithe because there's nothing left after all the bills are paid. But, are we doing the right thing by waiting until every- thing else is paid before we give God the tithe? In Proverbs 3:9 we read: "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase." In other words, pay the tithe first. Even the ministers - who themselves are paid from the tithe fund - pay one-tenth of their salary in tithe. After all, everything belongs to God, doesn't it? All the silver and gold and the cattle on a thousand hills - we are simply stewards of these things. He has let us use them. We pay the rent on a house in order to acknowledge that the house is not really ours. We just use it. In the same way, we give the tenth back to God to acknowledge that all our possessions are just given to us to use. They really belong to God, the great Creator, and Owner of all things.
     Now, a great many people say, "I go to church and I pay my tithe," when what they really mean is that they go to church and give offerings; because nobody is a tithe payer who does not give one-tenth of his income. Tithe means one-tenth. And that is what the Bible is speaking of, one-tenth of a person's increase.      Some people say, "Isn't that a great deal to give, one-tenth?" Suppose somebody came to you and said, "I would like to set you up in business. I would like to furnish the capital, the buildings, the equipment-everything. I want you to run it. Then at the close of the month I want you to figure up the profit. When you have found the profit, I want you to keep nine-tenths and give me one-tenth." Would you say, "Whew, you mean you want a whole tenth?" No, you would look at the man and say, "You've made a mistake, haven't you? You mean you want nine-tenths and give me one-tenth."
     Why, you have never heard of an offer like that. People don't make offers like that today - not at all - but that is the offer God has made. There is no question about it. This world and everything in it belongs to God. He made the whole thing and everything here is His. The Bible is so clear on it. I read from Psalms 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalms 50:10-12: "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." Haggai 2:8 says, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." We forget that sometimes, but he says, "It is mine." Now notice Deuteronomy 8:18: "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth."
     When we add that all up and put it together, the Bible is simply saying this: Everything is God's. If you have anything at all, it is because God gave you the power, the strength, and the intelligence to obtain it. And then He says to you, "Now, ten percent of what you receive is mine. I want you to give it to me." Is that a fair offer? I submit to you today, you have never heard a more fair, generous offer anywhere. Remember the text, Leviticus 27:30, that says the tithe is the Lord's. Oh, may God impress us with that point. It isn't a question of our deciding whether we ought to turn it over to Him, whether it should become His, or will become His; it already is the Lord's. That has been settled. The tithe is the Lord's, and so one-tenth of every man's income belongs to God. He may be a complete heathen and knows nothing of our God, but still one-tenth belongs to the Lord God of heaven.
     Finally, we come to that very important text in Malachi 3:8-11: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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 I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground."
     There it is, people robbing God! In one year the FBI records revealed that there were 111,750 cases of robbery in the United States and more than a million cases of burglary. But this is only a fraction of the true picture. How many million church members have been guilty of the worst type of stealing - and from God, at that? Probably there are more thieves in the church, on this basis, than outside the church. In fact, there's no question about it; God says if we take the tithe, we are stealing from Him.
     Incidentally, have you noticed the amazing parallel between the tithing tenth and the tenth commandment of the Decalogue? The command against coveting is the tenth one, and the command to give a tenth is God's remedy for covetousness. The root reason for breaking either one of these basic biblical laws is selfishness. The opposite of self is love, and all obedience should be based on loving God more than ourselves.
     Love means giving, as we learn from John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave." We could never match the love-gift of God in surrendering His Son, but we should love him enough that the surrender of 10 or 50 percent of all we possess should not be counted a sacrifice. God's challenge to "prove me" has always produced the same results in those who took Him at His word. The promise is literal that "there shall not be room enough to receive" the blessing as it returns to us "pressed down, shaken together, and running over."
     Never underestimate the blessings and benefits of turning away from the robbing business. When we rob God we are, in reality, robbing ourselves. We lose the blessings which are a part of the package called obedience. Unbelievable promises of protection and prosperity are made to those who go into partnership with God through faithful giving. The fruits of unselfish stewardship, based upon love, are fantastic to contemplate. "Prove me," says the Owner of everything. Will you dare to do it right now by making a covenant with God to be an honest steward in both tithes and offerings?

What Is Time Worth?

     A few days ago I wasted thirty minutes of valuable time waiting for a shoe repairman to finish a job that had been promised earlier. Mentally I did some rough computations and concluded that my thirty minutes of time was worth much more than the cost of the shoe repair. I can assure you that the results of my arithmetic did not relieve my frustration in the least degree, but it did start me thinking more about the worth of minutes and hours.
     Unfortunately, we equate the value of time with a certain number of dollars and cents. People are paid so much an hour, or so many dollars a month. On the basis that one is paid $10 an hour for his work, let's try to evaluate the true worth of that 60 minutes. The equation would go something like this: one hour of time equals $10 in cash money.
     Having translated the hour into money, and assuming that the money is fully equivalent to the 60 minutes of time, we can determine the true value of the hour of time as we trace the value of the $10. How valuable is that $10 to the person who exchanged his time for it? How much good will it perform for him, and how much will it contribute to his quality of life? If the $10 adds more happiness, longer life, and greater security, then we must conclude that the man's time was easily worth the amount and perhaps even more.
     But suppose the $10 is spent for liquor, which leads to alcoholism or disease? Instead of having any real worth, the money would have a negative value, and the hour's time would also really be worth less than nothing. In other words, our time is worth only as much as we are able to squeeze out of the money we are paid for our time. If the things we spend the money for result in better living and longer, happier life, our time may be worth infinitely more than any amount of money. On the other hand, if we spend the money for things which create disease, cheapen the moral worth, and prevent our receiving eternal life, then our time has a negative worth.
     If this principle is true, the world's standard of evaluating time is totally wrong. Some men who are paid over a million dollars a year are using their wealth to defile body and mind, and destroy spiritual perceptions. Society can say what it will, but those men are wasting their time, because they waste the money which their time purchased.
     Other men are paid little in dollars, but they invest that little in things which contribute to peace of mind, building a strong moral character, and preparing for eternal life. They are the people whose time is really valuable; in fact, more valuable than the highest paid executive in the corporate structure who is misusing his wealth.
     Do you get the picture clearly in mind, that your money represents your time? What you do with your money, then, is the same as what you do with your time. The benefits drawn from your money represent the true value of your time.
     Think about it for a moment. How are you using those dollars? Are they invested in ways that will lead to your eternal happiness and security? Are you making it possible for others to reap the blessing of God's saving grace? As a result of your use of money, will souls be able to rejoice with you in Heaven?
     The imprudent, wasteful manner of treating money will lead millions to lose eternal life. Not only are their years of earthly time lost, but the endless time of afuture eternity is also forfeited. All the money purchased by a lifetime of labor is worthless unless it contributes to building up the true quality of life. Sorrowfully we observe how billions of dollars are spent for selfish indulgence, drug addiction, and destructive purposes. How many wasted lives are represented in those wasted dollars!
     Much has been written about Howard Hughes, the eccentric millionaire, whose limitless wealth became the ultimate cause of his horrible and dehumanized death. Suspicious of everyone, he isolated himself from friends and society for fear of being exploited for his money. After his death additional animosities and selfishness were stirred among those who fought like animals to acquire a portion for themselves.
     Was Howard Hughes' time really that important and valuable? His time produced money that produced misery which finally brought death. Make no mistake about it, it is better for a man never to be born than to live for self and to lose eternal life in the end. It is better for a man to be a pauper than to earn millions which cause himself or others to be lost.
     At the risk of sounding redundant I come back to the question, How are you spending your money? The years of your life are tied up in that money. Disposing of it is disposing of years of your time. When your life is over, all your years of remunerated time will be reflected in your estate. It may be small, but it is important, because it represents the value of all the time you exchanged for it.
     How do you value that time? How do you appraise those years that made up so much of your life? The answer to those questions will be revealed by the way you relate to your possessions. If that money now ministers to your deepest priority needs, then the time it took to acquire the money was well spent. And if the money becomes a vehicle for reaching souls for God's Kingdom, the value of the time in earning it is far beyond the computation. Why so? Let me illustrate.
     If your money can be used to turn just one soul to Christ, how much would the time investment be worth? Try to understand it in these terms: one soul saved for eternity will live longer than all the combined years of all the people who ever lived and died on this earth. Can you grasp that fact? Eventually that one person's life in eternity will outstrip the total number of years that all the millionaires, corporation presidents and world thought leaders lived out in their lifetimes. And if those millionaires and famous personalities are not saved, then the time of that one redeemed soul will have been more valuable than the time of all those leaders combined.
     What I'm really saying is this: money, success, and all that goes with it are less than worthless unless those things are used to prepare for eternity, and to help others prepare. Our time is valuable, but it is only valuable in proportion to the eternal benefits we derive from the money we receive in exchange for our time. If our money is wasted, our time has gone down the drain in earning the money. How true the saying of Jesus, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26.      Even Christ spoke of a trade-off. There is an investing of one thing to get another. We exchange our time for money. Then we trade off the money - for what? For things that unfit us for heaven? If so, our time as well as our money is misspent and worthless. I repeat, it would be better never to be born than to live and die without Christ. It would be a thousandfold better to live as a pauper than to be a billionaire oilman who fell one step short of heaven.
     Analyze that statement carefully. The Christian pauper had to live with physical want and deprivation, but he had peace of mind and joy in his heart. The rich man lived with all the creature comforts, but his mind was distressed and unhappy. Even if there were no eternal life beyond the grave, the Christian pauper had a better life in this world than the unsaved billionaire.
     But think about those two men in terms of eternity. For a sextillion times longer than the rich man had life, that redeemed pauper will live in a mansion more magnificent than the oilman could have imagined. When his years finally exceed the life span of earth's total population, the saved poor man will still be in the bloom of radiant health and immortal youth.
     And what of the man who had everything? (Well, almost everything! He really lacked only one thing - a simple, saving faith in Jesus.) What will happen to him? Just before being cast into the lake of fire he will have opportunity to look through the transparent walls of the New Jerusalem. In the total recall of that moment the miserable Midas will recognize the utter emptiness of a life lived without God. The time which had been worth a million dollars a year will be seen in retrospect as vainly squandered. The agonizing remorse of that instant in eternity will overpower the mind and constitute the most sensitive and supreme punishment that anyone will ever have to suffer.
     Now, aren't you thankful that we are still living in the realm of time where things can be changed? Eternity is at the door, but we have a fragment of time left in which every one of us will be exchanging minutes for money. But then what? The money will be exchanged for something else. That something else will either help fit us for heaven or condition us to be lost. Which will it be for you?
     One more important truth about money: since it really is the equivalent of the time you invested in earning it, as long as your accrued money remains, your influence can still be felt in time. Even after your death your money will be representing hours, months, and years that you spent in gathering it. Many are abdicating all responsibility for the influence of that time after they die. The accumulative result of an entire lifetime is casually left in the hands of disinterested relatives or even unscrupulous lawyers. It is used often to tear down and disannul the very cause for which the deceased gave his life. His invested time, in the form of money, now turns against the investor, and is employed to blot out the results of carefully planned years.
     All men and women should have a will which can protect the interest of their time investment. Just as they did not want their time wasted in life, they do not want their money, representing their time, squandered after life is over. By designating in a will exactly how the estate should be divided, an individual can guarantee that his influence will still be extended in time. The value of those invested years can still be revealed through the spiritual benefits of his bequeathed wealth, whether small or great.
     Even those who have been fearful of making expenditures while living need have no fear of boldly assigning, in a will to be executed after death, the fruits of their lifetime investment.
     Many have a legitimate fear of depleting their saving and becoming dependent on others. But after death they have nothing to fear. They can accomplish for Christ what circumstances never permitted while they were alive. Souls can still be won for the Kingdom. Their means can prepare people for heaven. Many a Christian who never had the personal joy of winning a soul for Christ, will meet souls in the kingdom who will thank them for their post-humous provisions, which made it possible for them to hear the truth and be saved.
     Perhaps you are now in this category. You dare not give largely to God's cause for fear future disease and hospital costs will require all your savings. You long for Jesus to come, and the gospel to be proclaimed everywhere, but you dare not invest the nest-egg which might be your only buffer against dire need. You do well to make provision and retain that nest-egg for future eventualities. I think God wants us to be wise in planning for economic independence and security. But if, through His blessing and protection, those funds are not needed, they can be directed into the winning of souls; but only by the one who makes the careful, deliberate decision beforehand.
     Many souls have been won to Christ just because people cared enough, and designated their funds to keep working after their death. What a thrill it will be for those committed Christians, in the resurrection of the righteous, to learn the wonderful results of their dedicated means which continued speaking for them long after their departure.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bose on February 9, 2012 at 4:18pm

Ok this question is for the non-tithers.

If the tithe belongs to God in the Old Testament, and the tithe is holy unto the Lord in the Old Testament (Leviticus 27:30).

How has the New Covenant in Jesus Christ changed the Tithe(ing) status to be no longer a requirement for the New Testament believer?

TITHE—the practice of giving a tenth of one’s income or property as an offering to God. The custom of paying a tithe is a timeless practice established as a part of believing worship. The first recorded instance of tithing in the Bible occurs in Genesis 14:17-20. The practice of giving a tenth of income or property was a part of the Mosaic Law (Lev. 27:20). Jacob also, long before the Law of Moses, promised that he would give to the Lord a tenth of all he received (Gen. 28:22).

The Law of Moses prescribed tithing in detailed ways (Lev. 27:30-32) that extended in practices observed in Israel’s history (Num. 18:21-32; Deut. 12:5-7, 11-12, 17-18; 26:12-15; 2 Chr. 31:6). Malachi indicated that Israel had robbed God in withholding tithes and offerings, thus the Israelites were exhorted to bring their tithes into the storehouse in order to enjoy the Lord’s blessing (Mal. 3:8-12). He also asserted the promise of God’s abundance and deliverance as related to believers’ obedience with the tithe.

God does not make a legal demand, declaring that if we don’t tithe, we will not go to heaven. Salvation’s promise transcends legalistic demands. But there is a principle of tithing and giving which God has wrapped into the very structure of creation. Just as the law of gravity manifests predictable responses in the created universe, so does giving or its absence manifest effects in the spiritual realm—and practical outflow of our spiritual responses. Thus, when redeemed humans learn to let go, to give, to release, room is made for life and abundance to flow into their lives according to God’s order.

Even though the Bible clearly reveals tithing as a divinely ordered, financial discipline with the wonderful promises attending and guaranteed by God Himself, some still ask: “Isn’t tithing only in the Old Testament?” This doubt makes tithing a part of the Law and therefore without meaning to New Testament believers. Some even say to teach tithing will deprive a believer of “liberty” and move him or her “into law and out of grace.”

But the truth of the tithe is not only in the Old Testament. The New Testament shows tithing as being as appropriate today as for believers during all history. God’s Word also reveals that all His blessings and covenants are of grace, not law.

Jesus Himself addressed the issue of tithing: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matt. 23:23; see also Luke 11:42). Jesus was dealing with the Pharisees, that cadre of religionists who attended to the letter of the law but neglected its spiritual demands. In observing that they tithed, Jesus was challenging their supposition that obedience to a “ritual” released them from the larger reality of obedience to love’s responsibilities.

The “woe” He issued on them was not for their tithing, but for their neglect of “weightier matters”—justice, mercy, and faith. If tithing were unimportant to Christ, or meaningless to maintain within the new kingdom order, then as a part of emphasizing that new order He could well have said, “Take care of justice and mercy, and quit bothering with tithing—mint, cummin, or anything else!” But instead Jesus says, “These you ought to have done”—referring to their tithing—“without leaving the others undone”—maintaining righteous attiitudes in righteous works.

In affirming tithing, Jesus employed “the moral imperative”—ought. To acknowledge something “ought to be” appeals to a preceding or higher order—to the divine will. Thus, Jesus affirms the timeless practice of tithing.

Tithing as a New Testament practice is even further verified in the Book of Romans. We are specifically admonished to walk “in the steps of faith which our father Abraham” walked (Rom. 4:12). In tracing the footsteps of Abraham, we find “And he gave him [Melchizedek] a tithe of all” (Gen. 14:20). Abraham reveals that tithing was established in the Scripture before the Law of Moses. It precedes and transcends the Mosaic code as a principle built into the fabric of the human order of things.

Tithing may have begun in the Old Testament, but its spirit, truth, and practice continue today. God’s Word underscores it as ours to believe, rejoice in, worship with, and be rewarded by!

As believers we are also to be generous in sharing our material possessions with the poor and in offerings for the support of Christian ministry. Christ Himself is our model in giving. Giving is to be voluntary, willing, cheerful, and given in the light of our accountability to God. Giving should be systematic and by no means limited to a tithe of our incomes. We recognize that all we have is from God. We are called to be faithful stewards of all our possessions (Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 9:3-14; 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians 8-9).^{^[1]}

Vinaka.

^{^[1]}Hayford, J. W., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Hayford's Bible handbook. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

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Permalink Reply by Sailosi on February 10, 2012 at 7:16am

Joe

vinaka nai topic qo

da bau vulica kina e vuqa sara na ka me baleta tiko na tithe

vuqa na mata lotu nikua sa ra vakabibi taka sara toka ga

vaka me dau uto toka ni vunau nei tala na tithe

io vakcava koya e da dau raici ira tu ga ena dua na gauna warai na motoka warai na vale

qai oti ga e vica na yabaki sa dua sara na vale levu,sa motoka sara ya beka na yaga ni tithe?

rawa ni o drau vakamacala ma da kina.

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Permalink Reply by Waisake Bogirua on February 17, 2012 at 12:29am

Sai..drau bula..drau sa sauma saraga vaka vinaka na taro..na tithe na gauna nikua sa uro uro tu kina na lomadra na dau vunau se i talatala qase...e sega ni vinakati na vakamacala vaka balavu ni sa laurai levu tu nai yau nodra nai talatala qase..qoka sega ni o viti walega e veiyasai vuravura kece..na gauna nikua sa tithe totoka duadua na loloma..ke mani 5cents madaga o solia ena yalo dina kei na loloma sa donu vinaka sara tu ga ya..se va evei..kena levu

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bose on February 10, 2012 at 7:08pm

@ Sailosi ni bula vinaka. Nomuni taro au gadreva meu sauma toka vaka oqo:

God is a god of principle. If we obey the principles of God, God will bless us. God will perform His word for our sake in accordance to the obedience we reckon to His word.

... for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Samuel 2:30b) KJV

This truth is true no matter who you are or wherever you are. The prostitute Rahab trusted in God and her entire household was extended salvation in accordance to the help she accorded to the two Israelite spies. Now get this, she never been to church. Never had a bible and we don’t know who witnessed to her. Yet she choose to put her faith in a God she knew very little about.

⁸ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; ⁹ And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. ¹⁰ For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. ¹¹ And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. ¹² Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: ¹³ And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. ¹⁴ And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. (Joshua 2:8-14) KJV

Another example is Joseph, who was unfairly treated by his brothers to the point where they sold him into slavery. Despite of hardship he encountered, he maintained his fear of the Lord to the point he had to dismiss the sexual advances of Mrs Potiphar (Genesis 39:7, 10). Understand something this young went into as a 17 years old and got promoted by Pharaoh at age 30 years old (Genesis 37:2; Genesis 41:46). So for 13 years no church, no bible study, didn’t even have a bible. How does someone like these maintained their godly integrity?

You don’t have to be a church going person to be blessed by God. But a person who is being blessed by God finds the time and makes an effort to go to church. If we honour the principles of God, then God is obligated to pour His blessings on our lives. God will not and cannot deny a person who is obedient to His word.

The “sowing and reaping” principle (Galatians 6:7) is very much in operation in the kingdom of God and in the kingdom of darkness.

At the very heart of “tithing” is the principle of LOVE. Our love for God and the work of God causes us not withhold the very best of our substance from Him. The reason is we recognised that God owns everything (1 Chronicles 29:14, 16; Psalm 24:1) and we are only stewards of it for a very short time.

Not until we honour God with TITHE we haven’t honoured Him. Bringing an offering without the tithe is not honouring God. The tithe belongs to God and it is holy unto Him (Leviticus 27:30)

Tithe/Tithing reveals the heart condition of a person. This person recognises the reason why he/she is productive and blessed that working week is because of God. It is God who is enabling him/her to be able to do what he/she does.

“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18) NKJV

Vinaka.

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Permalink Reply by Nafi on February 10, 2012 at 9:12pm

Bula J.Bose...One of the blessing of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Lattter-day Saints is the privilege of paying tithing.By Living the Law of Tithing,you participate in building up the Kingdom of God on the earth.To pay a full tithe,you give one tenth of your gross income to the Lord through His Church,You submit your tithing to a member of your bishopric or branch presidency;Local leaders transmit tithing funds directly to the headquarters of the Church(Utah)Acting according to revelation,they make decisions as they are directed by the Lord.Tithing funds are always used for the Lords purposes-to build and maintain temples,and meetinghouses,to sustain missionary work,and to carry on the work of the Church throughout the world.The law of tithing requires sacrifice,but your obedience to the law brings blessings that are far greater than anything you ever give up.The prophet Malachi taught:"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 host,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.These blessings come to all who pay a full ten percent of their income,even if that amount is very small.As you obey this law,the Lord will bless you both spiritually and temporally.If you have not yet established a pattern of consistent tithe paying,you may have difficulty believing that you can afford to give up one-tenth of your income.But faithful tithe payers learn that they cannot afford not to pay tithing.In a very literal and wonderful way,the windows of heaven are opened and blessings are poured out upon them.Remember that paying tithing is not as much a matter of money as it is a matter of faith.Trust in the Lord.He gave the commandments for our benefit,and He made the accompanying promise.Seek strengh in the faith of Nephi,who said,'Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord;for behold he is mightier than all the earth..sa malo

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Permalink Reply by Tamani on February 11, 2012 at 11:35am

Vinaka Nafi,

It seems that more people now believe in Tithing. It is something between the person and God and the blessings that he receives if he trusts in God.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bose on February 13, 2012 at 3:50am

Honoring God with Our Leftovers
by Rick Warren

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10 (NIV)

We’ve all heard the word “tithe,” but what does it mean? Tithing means a tenth. From Abraham on down, people would take the first 10 percent of their income and give it back to God. Why?

We tithe out of gratitude for the past. “God, I realize that everything I’ve achieved up to this point, anything I have, all belongs to you anyway. I want to give 10 percent back to you as an act of gratefulness.”

We tithe to keep our priorities right in the present. Deuteronomy 14:23 says, “The purpose of tithing is to teach you to put God first” (TLB). It’s a reminder that God is really first in my life, and it helps me set my priorities.

We tithe as a statement of faith for the future. When I write out the check or give the money, I’m saying, “God, you’ve taken care of me in the past, so I trust you and I’m giving this to you as a demonstration of my faith that you will provide in the future.”

We like to honor God with our leftovers. We say, “I’ll pay all my bills, and once I’ve got everything paid and if I have anything left over, I’ll give God a little tip.” In Malachi 3:10, God gives us a challenge: “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” (NIV).

God is saying, “I dare you to put me first in every area of your life — including your finances — and see if I don’t bless you.”

What is the cost if we don’t do this?

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Permalink Reply by J.T.Law on February 13, 2012 at 5:16pm

Tithe should be the first 10% of your earning, and not the last 10%...

thats all i have to say

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bose on February 15, 2012 at 7:59pm

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10) NKJV

Christians are often urged to tithe based upon a mistaken appeal to this Old Testament text, which is wrested out of its rightful context, when applied to such a purpose. Grounds for New Testament tithing must be placed on a different basis (Mt 23:23n). The storehouse is clearly the temple, not the church. The tithe constituted the Jewish income tax to support their national government, which was a theocracy. Reading further in the context (Ml 3:12), the time of application is particularly related to the yet future restoration of Israel (Is +*11:11n), not to the present church age. See related notes (Ge 14:2... *3:9, 10. into the storehouse. The storehouse was part of the Jewish temple, and was used to store food grains for the Levites. Taken in context this passage lends no support whatsoever to the mistaken doctrine of “storehouse tithing,” whereby Christians have been directed to restrict all their financial giving to their own denomination or local church, or as a variation, church members have been directed to pay the tithe to the local church, and restrict giving to outside organizations to amounts over and above the church tithe.^{^[1]}

STORAGE CITY, STOREHOUSE — a supply depot or warehouse for the storage of government supplies, such as food, treasures, and military equipment (1 Chr. 26:15; 27:25; 2 Chr. 11:11). The difference between a storehouse and a storage city may be only one of size or complexity.

The Hebrew slaves in Egypt were forced to build Pithom and Raamses, “supply cities” for Pharaoh (Ex. 1:11; store cities, REB, NIV; treasure cities, KJV; storage cities, NASB). Various kings of the Israelites also built storage cities. These included Solomon (1 Kin. 9:19; 2 Chr. 8:4, 6), who built facilities to house his chariots, horses, and cavalry; Baasha (2 Chr. 16:5–6); Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. 17:12); and Hezekiah (2 Chr. 32:27–29).

The concept of the storage city or storehouse is at least as old as the time of Joseph. He established a food reserve that saved Egypt from famine (Genesis 41). During seven years of plenty, Joseph had the Egyptian farmers store one-fifth of their produce. Then, when seven years of famine struck, the grain in the storehouses kept starvation from the land.

In the ancient world, storehouses were sometimes situated underground. Oil and wine were often kept in cellars. At Megiddo archaeologists discovered a large underground silo pit for grain storage. This pit, with a capacity of almost 13,000 bushels of grain, apparently dates back to the time of King Solomon.

The prophet Malachi accused the people of his day of robbing God by withholding from Him their tithes and offerings (Mal. 3:8–9). Then he said, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse” (Mal. 3:10). “Storehouse” apparently refers to a special treasury-chamber, probably within the Temple precincts and administered by Levites. ^{^[2]}

+ + More references at verse indicated

* * Clear cross reference

^{^[1]}Smith, J. H. (1992; Published in electronic form, 1996). The new treasury of scripture knowledge : The most complete listing of cross references available anywhere- every verse, every theme, every important word (1026). Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[2]}Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.

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Permalink Reply by Tomasi Niucavu on February 15, 2012 at 2:31pm

James 2.18 - "But someone will say, You have faith, I have deeds,show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do."You believe that there is one God, good!! Even the demons believe that and shudder.

I just want to point out a few things:- 1. GOD IS ONE. - the same God who was preached and spoke in the Old Testament is the same GOD of the New Testament. If some one say ,"I believe in God!" then he should believe and be obedient to the God he/she said he /she believe in, Ena sega ni rawa nio kaya nio vakabauta na Kalou qai sega ni vakabauta na nona vosa, nai Vola Tabu e kaya , kevaka eda lomani Jisu ia meda talairawarawa kina nona vosa. E vuqa era sa tukuna oti mai cake ni TITHE was first done by Abraham, Issac and Jacob, befre the Law was given to Moses; however it was also included in the because of the Tribe of Levi who were to take care of the House of God.

2 We are saved by grace thru faith in Jesus. "FAITH IS A VERB" Faith goes with works, Faith without works is dead Faith. This is a Fact; Our opinion has no value when we talk about the word of God, because God does not want to hear what your opinion is, He is interested to see YOUR UNDIVIDED OBEDIENT as a result of your faith in Him.Baleta nio na yaco i lomalagi ena sega ni lai tarogi iko na Kalou se cava nomu nanuma ena nona vosa? warai kemudrau!!! Ona tarogi ga se cava o cakava ena vuku ni nona vosa.REMINDER!!! Ke vunautaka e nomu i Talatala se warai, se vakatavuvulitaka o nomu Soqosoqo lotu se warai, You have a bible and your duty is to read it, study and obey it.

3.Do not criticize the PASTORS please. You did not call them, God did. If they preach with the wrong motive or whatever spirit, God will judge them, you keep away from the Pastors and stay on your side of the boundaries.

4.Nai naki ni Forum qo meda wasea ga na ka eda vakabauta, because if you are a REAL BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN then you should love as God loves, do not be critical, or judgmental, or selfrighteous, like you are the only one who is right.

if anything is right with you, do not try to make me be like you, to tell me that your belief is the only right one and all the others are wrong. May be if you listen to others and their opinion you would learn some thing new.

5 Tithing is an act of FAITH demonstrated by obedience.God COMMANDED us to BRING IT TO THE STOREHOUSE, DONT GIVE IT, It is not something you give, It is something you take by faith in obedience to what God Commanded you to do. You give an OFFERING, OR PLEDGE, but you TAKE your Tithe to the STOREHOUSE. E noda yadudua na digidigi e sega ni vakasaurarataki iko na Kalou mo solia se kua, seo vakabauta se sega, kevaka ga sa kaya na Kalou meda cakava e dua na ka na ka ga e expect taka na Kalou na Talairawarawa, Galu na gusumu cakava na ka e tukuni vei iko. Thats a Jesus pattern.

Au nuitaka nina vakalougata taki keda vata na noda Kalou ena vuku ni noda talairawarawa kina nona Vosa. God Bless

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bose on February 15, 2012 at 8:02pm

What must be done? They must be obedient in the specific in which the disobedience lies: Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse. The word all is emphasized, indicating that this was the primary area of fault—they were withholding that which rightly belonged to God for what seemed good reason to them, economic hard times (cf. 3:11). They are to stop withholding the tithe and bring it all … into the storehouse. Feinberg summarizes the tithes which were incumbent upon Israelites:

“(1) the tenth of the remainder after the firstfruits were taken, this amount going to Levites for their livelihood (Leviticus 27:30–33);

(2) the tenth paid by Levites to the priests (Numbers 18:26–28);

(3) the second tenth paid by the congregation for the needs of the Levites and their own families at the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:18); and

(4) another tithe every third year for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28–29)” (The Minor Prophets, p. 263).

These were the tithes that the people of the prophet’s day were withholding from and hence robbing God (cf. Neh 13:10). The offerings were separate from the tithes. Feinberg notes: “The offerings in Israel were the firstfruits, not less than one-sixtieth of the corn, wine, and oil (Deuteronomy 18:4)” (page 265).

It is interesting to note that tithes are never mentioned in the New Testament. Though the fact of tithing does antedate the Mosaic law (cf. Gen 14:18–20; Heb 7:9), the New Testament measure for giving is summed up in I Corinthians 16:2; “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.…” The New Testament teaching of giving is that it is to be regular (“Upon the first day of the week”), all-inclusive (“let every one of you”), systematic (“lay by him in store”), and proportionate (“as God hath prospered him”). Nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that the believer is to give 10 percent of his income, though in view of the Old Testament example that is probably a good place to begin. The measure is “as God hath prospered him.” It is possible that one could give 10 percent and still rob God, if God had prospered him greatly.

The New Testament is more concerned with the motive in giving. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Cor 9:6–7). The storehouse, contrary to much popular preaching on the subject, is not the local church (which in no sense was in existence at that time or the subject of prophecy). When one understands the nature of the tithes and offerings (see earlier), he understands that the storehouse is a reference to the chambers in the Temple where the tithes were brought (cf. Neh 10:38; 13:12).

There is the principle of bringing the tithes and offerings to the house of God to support the work of God, and in that sense believers today should bring their tithes and offerings to the local church of which they are members to support the work of the Lord in and through that local church. There is nothing in this verse, however, which would limit their giving to the local church. There is no reason why believers today cannot support with their gifts ministries of the Lord that are carried on in avenues other than their own particular local church. Each believer is independently accountable to God for the allotment of the money God entrusts to him.

The reason why the people were to bring all the tithes into the storehouse was so that there may be meat in mine house. The Levites and priests were supported by the tithes and offerings brought into the storehouse. These offerings primarily took the form of meat (food) that was used by the Levites and priests for their living. And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts; the First Person of the Trinity issues a challenge for the people to attempt to outgive Him by their giving. If I will not open you the windows of heaven—a figure denoting a copious supply of blessing so that it flows down from heaven like a pouring rain (cf. II Kgs 7:2). And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it—hyperbole, the thought is that God will provide a superabundance. The blessings of God would come not because God got 10 percent of their wealth, but because in giving the tithe they were in the place of obedience and subjection to God. The outward sign of their obedience and subjection to God was the giving of the tithe. The principle holds true for today. God blesses His children not because they give 10 percent (or more), but because in their cheerful giving in keeping with the measure that God has blessed, they are giving testimony of their obedience, subjection to, and dependence upon God. ^{^[1]}