Before I came to faith in Christ, I advocated tithing because tithing
gave me a false assurance of God’s favor. In fact because I thought of
righteousness in terms of works, everyone who did not tithe seemed very
lax and unspiritual to me. Of course, that should have changed once I
came to understand the way of salvation, nevertheless, I continued to
tithe for several years. However, my opinion of tithing changed
radically after I was confronted by a form of extortion, that is being
carried out in the name of tithing. Through that experience I came to
see that men who would make God’s favor depend upon our ability to pay,
are perverting the gospel.
Those who gouge money out of God’s people by telling
them that if they do not give ten percent God may cause them to have a
wreck, cause their baby to die, cause their house to catch fire, or
cause them to get sick are teaching a satanic lie! Personally, I see
little difference between such people and a Mafia thug who threatens
harm to those who will not give. Those who teach that doctrine are
slandering God by portraying Him as a greedy Ogre who cares only for
money. Furthermore, because they think that His blessings can be
bought, His word to them is, “Thy heart is not right in the sight of
God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness” (Acts 8:20-23).
The practice of tithing predates any mention of it
in the Bible. It was practiced by pagans in both Egypt and Ur of the
Chaldees. Therefore, when Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to
Melchizedek (after defeating an army that had taken Lot captive) he was
simply following local custom (Genesis 14:20). The same holds true for
Jacob, who vowed to give to God a tenth of all that God would give him
(Genesis 28:22). Those who assume that Abraham and Jacob were required
to tithe are adding to God's Word, for the Bible says nothing about a
requirement (Proverbs 30:6). Furthermore, the question of who Jacob’s
tithe was given to, is usually avoided, but it was never given to a
church for churches did not exist at that time.
When God did institute a tithe (to support the
Levitical priesthood), He said nothing about any moral requirement to
tithe. Moreover, the tithe was to be paid on the increase of flocks and
crops, not on wages. In addition, some of those tithes were to be eaten
by the very people who gave them (Numbers 18-21-24, Numbers 28:26-28,
Deuteronomy 14:22-27, Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
While the words of Malachi 3:8 are often used to
make people feel guilty if they do not tithe, Malachi was talking about
support for the Old Testament priesthood, not the church. Moreover, the
tithe that God instituted for the support of the Old Testament
priesthood can only be paid to members of the Aaronic or Levitical
priesthood. Anyone else who claims that tithe falls under the same
condemnation as Korah, for he is taking to himself that which has been
reserved for the priests (Numbers 16:40). Furthermore, Christ has freed
us from the law, and the storehouse that Malachi spoke of was just
that, a storehouse not a church (Romans 7:4, Acts 15:28-29).
Because Christ suffered and died to free us from the
bondage of sin, we should want to support the work of His church.
However, we should be motivated by the love that flows from that faith,
not the constraint of the law. Those who give only because they believe
that the law requires them to, are not cheerful givers. As a result,
their giving does not please God no matter how much they give, “for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin”(Romans 14:23). [2 Corinthians
8:9&12 and 9:7]
Once we come to faith in Christ, all of our sins are
washed away. And because they are washed away, God sees no fault in us
(1John 1:7-9). For that reason, He is not going to be displeased with
you (or angry) because you do not give enough (Romans 8:1). Therefore,
those who tell you that you must give in order to have God’s favor, or
that God may cause harm to befall you if you do not give, are teaching
a false gospel (Galatians 1:9).
When Paul instructed the Corinthian congregation in
giving he specifically told them that he was not commanding them to
give, and did not want them to feel that they had to give out of
necessity (2Corinthians 8:8 and 9:7). At the same time, he made it
clear that God would bless their giving if it was done in faith, no
matter what the amount (2Corinthians 8:12). Moreover, God blesses us so
that we might be able to help others, not because our giving places Him
in our debt (2Corinthians 9:8).
I also want to point out that when Paul spoke of
giving, he was talking about giving to help fellow believers, not
giving to pay for expensive programs and projects (2Corinthians 8:14
and 9:12). Nevertheless, there are some who try to get around what Paul
taught by claiming that such giving must be given over and above the
tithe. However, the Bible says no such thing! The Apostles never
commanded believers to tithe, and Jesus never mentioned tithing except
to condemn it (Mathew 23:23, Luke 11:42). Therefore, while we should
want to support the work of the church, anything we give should be
given freely, out of love, not because we are constrained by the law
(1Corinthians 9:14 and 16:2, Romans 7:6).
Although I enjoy giving to help Christians in need,
I do not even want to know if I am giving ten percent or not. Because
the flesh wants to believe that works bring God’s blessing, paying
attention to the amount only provides an occasion for the flesh. Since
I stopped paying attention to the amount, and began giving out of love,
I have seen God's hand of blessing on my life as never before
(2Corinthians 9:8). When I was tithing on a regular basis, I managed to
pay the bills, even though I often had to struggle to make ends meet.
However, it was only as I began to walk by faith that I experienced the
true blessing of giving (Luke 6:38, Romans 4:4, 2Corinthians 9:7-11).
I was told of a pastor who, after being shown that
tithing is not Scriptural, declared that God had told him to use
tithing to support the congregation. When he was then asked why he had
not told the congregation that he received that doctrine by direct
revelation, he advised the person asking the question to look for
another congregation. Apparently that pastor was not willing to submit
to God's Word in the matter of tithing.
Over the years, I have encountered people who no
longer attend church because they have been turned off by constant
appeals for money. Therefore, it is important for pastors to understand
that if they are lifting up Christ, as the Holy Spirit wants Him to be
lifted up, God will provide any funds needed to support their ministry
(without constant appeals for money). In fact, because God does not
really need our money, if He uses our giving to help others (or further
His kingdom), He does so because He wants to bless us, not because He
needs our help. His blessings are not for sale, and false teaching
about tithing is the work of the devil (Romans 14:23, Acts 8:20-23).