Tithe: Has It Been Cancelled By JesusChrist?

The issue of paying tithes has become a thing of confusion and debate by different Christian denominations. Some see it as mandatory while others see it as exploitative and unbiblical. Some even believe that when it is paid, it goes into the pastor’s pocket; so they would rather keep their moneys than enrich the pastors.

Tithe is the one-tenth of an individual’s income which he/she pays to God as a way of appreciating him for securing his business or job. It is instructed by God that it should be paid from our incomes (Malachi 3:10), and on our lands (Lev.27:30).

Our patriarchs Abraham and Jacob paid tithes (Gen.14:18-28, 28:22), and we are to follow their example by giving what belongs to God to him. God declared in Malachi 3:8-12 that we rob him if we do not pay our tithes; he also challenged us to pay up and see if he would not protect our establishments, and also release his divine blessings upon our lives.

What did Jesus say concerning tithe?
Jesus said “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” (Matt.23:23) KJV.

Do you now see the portion “this ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone?” He did not in any way say he had abolished tithing; he only condemned the act of selective implementation. He condemned the act of doing one and neglecting the other; he made it clear that tithing and judgment, mercy and faith were all necessary, and that one should not be shoved aside because we want to observe the other.

We should therefore be careful when we preach the word of God and be sure we rightly interpret what is written therein. We should not seek to be heroes by deliberately omitting some portions of God’s word. When we are tempted to do so, we should remember what is written in Rev.22:18-19.

By the way, why do we have to pay tithes?
Tithes are paid so that there is abundance in the house of God (Mal.3:10), to honour God (Prov.3:9), and to make sure the house of God is well maintained and the church workers are taken care of.

It is not our duties to determine who eats the tithes; we pay it to God and receive our blessings for being obedient. God on the other hand chooses his pastors, priests or Levites as the case may be and gives them permission to eat from that which is paid to him (God). We should therefore remove our eyes and attention from that which is not ours so that we could receive God’s blessing. We lose our blessings when we pay our tithes grudgingly.

We also pay it as a way of providing spiritual insurance for our businesses, and rebuking the devourer from them. Disobeying God’s order has led many business men and workers into losing their businesses and jobs. A lot of people have lost their life investments to fraudsters because of their refusal to pay their tithe. So pay yours and ask God to use it as a contact point to bless you and your business.