Tithing has always been that one controversial topic almost every Christian has sought clarity on at least once in their Christian lives.
Today is your day!
In this new guide, you’ll learn about tithing, and we’ll cover the following topics;
- What tithing is
- The power of tithing
- Who does tithe belong to?
- God’s promises on tithing
- The power of tithes
And much more!
So if you want to know whether tithing is even necessary, then this guide is for you.
With that said, let’s get started!
What Is Tithe?
According to the Bible, Tithe is one-tenth of your income belonging to God, which we give back as a special offering to our local Bible Church.
The custom of tithing is very old – so old that the patriarchs participated.
Abraham paid tithes (Genesis 14:18-20), and even Jacob vowed to give back ten percent of his wealth if God blessed him (Genesis 28:22).
The word “tithe” comes from the Hebrew word “ma’aser rishon,” which means tenth. It first appeared in Moses’ book of Numbers, where God commanded that all the tenths of the land belong to the Levites.
So every Israelites’ tithe, an offering to God, was paid to the levies – since they were not permitted to have an inheritance in Israel (Number 18: 20 – 28).
And in the book of Malachi, we are reminded that we must still pay our tithe in the house of God, so there will be enough provision to carry out the work of God effectively.
What Is The Power Of Tithing?
One truth every Christian should have at the back of their mind is that tithing is much more than the money we pay.
It’s a matter of the heart and can be very powerful spiritually.
Here are some of the powers of tithing every believer should know;
Tithing Builds Our Faith In God
It takes faith to believe there will surely be a reward in offering tithes.
God has promised to replenish us when we pay tithes (Malachi 3:10). So if we obey and pay our tithes, we show God that we are confident he’ll fulfill his promise – faith in action.
Tithing Purges Greed
You might now believe it, but this is true! Humans are naturally greedy and find it difficult to give out.
Giving doesn’t come naturally – we learn to give and become givers by practicing giving. God only asks for ten percent of our income (we can keep the other 90 percent to ourselves).
Naturally, our greedy minds would want to keep everything for ourselves, but when we practice tithing, we train ourselves to become less greedy, and over time, we’ll become natural givers. It’s the best greed therapy from heaven!
Tithing Helps Us Demonstrate That We Love God’s Work
God does not eat the tithe we pay; it’s used to help the church financially, furthering God’s work.
In the New Testament – where the church thrives by going on missionary journeys, sharing God’s love in society by charitable giving, supporting the widows, and providing for the orphans – the financial benefits of our tithes can be much needed.
The bottom line, we can show God that we love his work and want it to thrive by being faithful tithers.
Since tithing can be so powerful, God has promised to reward those who faithfully pay their tithes (Isaiah 1:19), which can encourage us to become better tithers.
What Does God Promise When You Tithe?
(Note: Regardless of whether you pay your tithe or not, you can still be blessed through Christ. And you can never be cursed for nor paying tithes – we are no longer under the law’s curse (Galatians 3:13). God still loves to love you, and you don’t have to pay tithes for it. However, tithe’s blessings are still very effective and open for every believer to benefit from. So wouldn’t you want to help too?)
So with that said, here are some of the blessings God has promised us when we pay our tithes;
1. When We Pay Our Tithes, We Are Guaranteed A Downpour Of Blessings;
The book of Malachi made us understand this downpour would be so great we would not be able to contain it. (Malachi 3:10b)
These blessings could come in various ways, like life-saving ideas, business opportunities, unusual favors from men, and more.
2. When We Tithe, God Promises To Rebuke The Devourer For Our sake;
Tithers are promised protection against devourers (Malachi 3:11).
Devour era can be sickness, medical bills, constant car breakdown, business failure, job loss, etc.
Although, under the new covenant, not paying tithes doesn’t mean the devourer will eat you up. Still, if you do, you’ll get extra protection from obeying his command. Bonus protection!
3. When We Pay Our Tithe, We Experience More Of God’s Love
God himself has proclaimed that He loves cheerful givers, which include tithers.
Don’t forget God has always had unique lovers throughout Bible history. And He loved calling them friends (2 Chronicles 20:7).
Being a giver can attract special love from God, and who knows, one day, God can proudly call you a friend who obeys him without a doubt.
4. For Promised That All Tithers Would Be Call Blessed By All Nations
This is according to v.12 or Malachi 10. If you want to be the envy of nations as a Christian, you should start taking your tithe seriously.
Tithing makes God committed to being involved in your business, career, and financial life. Because when you tithe, he sees you as an exceptional money steward capable of managing the 90% you kept for yourself, hence deserving more.
So Who Does Tithe Belong To?
Once again, God doesn’t eat your tithe. According to the Bible, our tithes belong to the altar and those serving at the altar.
When Abraham paid the first tithe, it was to a priest – Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18).
And when God established tithing () in the book of Numbers (Numbers 18: 20-28), He made it clear that this offering must go to the Levites, “The Priestly Tribe.”
Although you might say Christ is the new high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), and rightfully so, He left us under the watch of appointed priests like pastors, bishops, popes, evangelists, apostles, etc.
Most of these ministers serve their congregation full time without having their own private business. But with tithes, their needs can be cared for.
In 1 Corinthians 9:13, Apostle Paul thought that those who serve at temples should get their food from the temple.
Besides, there are other full-time church roles like church secretary, church security, assigned missionaries, touring evangelists, personal assistants, etc.
The principle is that those who actively serve in God’s Temple full-time are entitled to tithes(Corinth 9: 13).
Top 5 Purposes Of Tithe
Tithe Provides God Work With Enough Resources To Function
God says that our tithe to His church ensures enough meat is available.
Meat symbolizes strength, energy, effectiveness, or in other words, enough tools and workforce for the work of God to continue in His house.
Tithe Make Provision For The Need Of Ministers
Like we said earlier, ministers who work for God, serving the congregation, are to be paid using tithes as commanded by God.
This becomes very important when there are many full-time church workers who wouldn’t have the time to run their businesses.
Tithes Make Room For Believers To Be Blessed
God is still looking for those who trust and have faith in him to show his power in their lives.
And since tithing is a demonstration of faith and trust in God’s word, it will be acknowledged and rewarded accordingly.
Remember, with faith, God shall make every impossibility in your life possible.
So test Him and see.
Tithing Trains Believers To Be Good Stewards Of Their Finances.
When we tithe, we learn how to manage what we have left. This makes us good financial stewards, and God loves people who can manage their money.
Come to think of it, if you can manage the little 90% percent you have, why would you expect God to bless you with more?
But if you do well in spending your leftovers wisely, God will see that you deserve more, and just like the good money steward (Luke 12:43-43) in the Bible, he will bless you with more money.
Wrapping Up
Contrary to some independent opinions, tithing is still very much effective.
Granted, there are no longer consequences for not paying tithe, but that doesn’t mean the blessings are not there.
When we tithe, we bless, and we are blessed in return. Therefore, I encourage every believer to lay their tithes; it helps the church, the work of God, and, mostly, the tither.
Originally posted 2022-09-11 00:27:19.
