The Importance of Tithing
Pastor Leslie Chua
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Frequently, I hear Christians say that it is better to give than to receive. That sounds altruistic and it is true. After all, this saying is found in the Bible. Paul said that to the Ephesian elders as he was bidding goodbye to them. He attributed these words to our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:35).
Saying it is one thing, but practising it is another thing altogether. Giving generously is a challenge for most people, including Christians. Especially when money is concerned.
We are encouraged to give generously in the Scripture. Serious and faithful Christians give generously. It is an expression of our gratefulness to God for His love and goodness toward us.
We should not be stingy in our giving because all that we have are blessings from our Heavenly Father. So, our attitude in giving should be one of joy. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
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Serious and faithful Christians give generously. It is an expression of our gratefulness to God for His love and goodness toward us.
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Two Levels of Giving
There are two levels of Christian giving, namely, tithing and freewill offering.
Tithing means giving ten per cent of our gross income to God. Freewill offering refers to giving that is over and above the tithe. In other words, Christians are expected to give more than one-tenth of their income.
Tithing is important for a few reasons.
The Tithe Belongs to God
First and foremost, the tithe is important because it belongs to God.
In Leviticus 27:30, it says - “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.”
The tithe is holy to the LORD, which means it is to be consecrated or set apart for God.
Why? Because the tithe belongs to God. It does not belong to us. So, no one is supposed to keep it or use it for himself. Given that, tithing is mandatory. It is a requirement. Every believer must tithe because the tithe belongs to God.
Some Christians argue that tithing is an Old Testament concept. Therefore, while it is mandatory for the Israelites, Christians living under the New Covenant are under no obligation to tithe. This argument is flawed. I will address this issue in my next reflection.
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Tithing is mandatory. It is a requirement. Every believer must tithe because the tithe belongs to God.
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Strictly speaking, tithing is not giving to the Lord. It is returning to Him. It is giving back the portion of our income that rightfully belongs to God. So, it is more appropriate to say that we pay our tithe rather than we give our tithe.
Withholding the Tithe is Robbing from God
Since the tithe belongs to God, withholding the tithe tantamount to stealing from God.
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Withholding the tithe tantamount to stealing from God.
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This is a serious charge.
The eighth of the Ten Commandments states – “You shall not steal.” Stealing is breaking one of God’s most sacred commandments.
Given that, stealing from God must be a worse sin in the eyes of God. It is utterly unimaginable. Who dares to steal from God?
We read this fascinating dialogue in Malachi chapter 3 (Malachi 3:8-9).
“Will man rob God?” the Jews asked.
“Yet you are robbing me,” the LORD replied through the prophet, Malachi.
“How have we robbed you?” the people pushed back.
“In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you,” said the LORD.
In this short dialogue, God accused the unfaithful Jews of stealing from Him. Not because they stole from the temple treasury, or they overcharged the priests for goods sold to the temple. But because they failed to pay their tithes.
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Do you tithe?
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We do not want to be found guilty of the same charge. It is a serious charge. A Christian who knows the truth about tithing, but he does not tithe is robbing God. There is no gentler way of putting it.
Do you tithe?
Cursed for Not Tithing
God told the Jews – “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you” (Malachi 3:9).
What was the curse? God was referring to the curse of locust plagues on their farmlands. Consequently, they constantly struggled with their harvests. They did not have food security. They did not have enough to eat.
The locust plague is frightening. Modern city-dwellers like us cannot fathom the scale of havoc and devastation it could bring. Locusts attack in swarms of up to millions. A 2020 report claimed that swarms covering about 926 square miles and containing up to 192 billion locusts attacked Northern Kenya. They destroyed vast swathes of farmland and vegetation in their path.
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Tithing brings financial blessings and security.
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God pointed out to them the reason for the curse. In not tithing, they were essentially robbing Him. God provided them with the solution. He urged them to start tithing. Then, He would intervene and reverse their pathetic situation – “I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear... Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:11-12)
Besides rebuking the devouring locusts, God promised “your vine in the field shall not fail to bear” and “you will be a land of delight.” God guaranteed them abundant harvests if they tithed faithfully.
Tithing brings financial blessings and security.
God’s Challenge
God challenged the Jews to put Him to a test. We are not supposed to test God. This is perhaps the only time in the Bible when we are told to test Him.
This is God’s challenge. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse and see “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10).
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The same promise of abundant blessings applies to us if we tithe faithfully. God will bless us and prosper the works of our hands.
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This is a description of overflowing blessings. God would shower His provisions on His people from above until all their needs were met. They would have more than enough. They would prosper materially and in every way.
The same promise of abundant blessings applies to us if we tithe faithfully. God will bless us and prosper the works of our hands.
There are many reasons people experience financial lack and troubles. But often, Christians do not realise that the primary cause could be a spiritual one. They disobey God and fail to tithe faithfully. Consequently, they come under God’s curse in the area of their finance.
Why put yourself in a quandary when you can simply do the right thing and be blessed? Tithe faithfully and God will take care of all your financial needs.