from good to great 2: Tithing

haha, i knew it was Pledge Sunday when my pastor gingerly broached the subject of tithing. All nervousness disappeared, though, when he prayed that God would hide him behind the cross, and use him to speak only God’s message alone.

Pastor Kow Shih Ming adressed a few queries that have been raised about the subject of tithing.

1. What does it mean to tithe? basically tithing (as expressed in the OT) = the giving of 10% of the first fruits; i.e. 10% of your income. An offering, on the other hand, =giving above and beyond what we tithe, and this we give to the best of our ability. That’s why during service we offer God His tithes and our offering.

2. Isn’t tithing only in the OT and not the NT? Apparently not so. In the OT, Lev 27 records that the Lord (through Moses) expounded on the many rules that governed the practice of tithing. In the NT, (ref. Matt 23: 23, 1 Cor 16:2) the idea is that GRACE is OVER the LAW. So we do not tithe because the Law decreeds it; we tithe because we can never be thankful enough for what Jesus – who is the fulfilment of the OT, and the physical manifestation of God’s grace – did for us.

Matthew 23:23

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a 10th of your spices -mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law -justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, WITHOUT neglecting the former.” (emphasis mine)

3. Therefore, should you tithe to the local church? yes, to the local church. All ministries (and supported missionaries) and should be supplied from the funds allocated to them by the local church, and all connected but otherwise independent ministry bodies should be supported by the offerings given by the congregation.

Malachi 3:10

“…Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

the storehouse here refers to God’s house, which in the OT means the temple. In our language today it translates into the local CHURCH. Did you know that this is the only time in the bible that God asks us to test him? Shouldn’t we seriously take Him at his word?

4. So should we tithe in financial trouble? It’s a paradox but it’s true; financial freedom comes when God is first on our list of priorities. When God is in his rightful place, everything else will fall into order.

Deuteronomy 14:22, 23b

Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year… so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

5. Does tithing guarantee financial prosperity? It does not… it is good stewardship that may bring on material prosperity (see the parable of the 10 talents in Luke 19:11-27). However, God DOES guarantee that he’ll meet your NEEDS if you give. Malachi 3:10 (quoted above) is the ONLY text in the bible where God tells us to test him. Take him at his word; you’ll only find that you can never outgive God.

6. How does tithing help me grow as a christian? Tithing will result in several things, among them being

1. it demonstrates that God is FIRST priority in my life,
2. it sets my hope upon Christ and not on my possessions
3. it promotes a simpler lifestyle
4. it teaches contentment

Upside down priorities will give one a consumer mentality -the more you see, the more you want, and the more you want, the more you are dissatisfied. Putting tithing as first priority helps us honour God with our resources -and as much as it honours Him from whom all blessings flow, it helps us keep a sober and right attitude towards our earthly possessions.