The Truth About Tithes & Offering

Most of you reading this have at some point heard of tithing or may have even grew up in church and experienced tithing first hand, but what if you were told that you didn’t have to tithe?  How would you respond to that statement? As you read this newsletter, the Truth Center wants to present to you by scripture the truths about tithes and offering so you aren’t lacking knowledge in the final hour of these last days. Let’s begin by listing some of the most common statements you hear from ministries concerning tithing:

1. Malachi 3:10 - Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

2. Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

3. Shall a man rob God…

4. If you give God’s got a blessing for you...

5. You reap what you sow...

6. If you don’t give you won’t be blessed...

7. Pay your tithes before you pay your bills...

Sounds familiar right? Well consider this before you read any further. If a ministry told people that they didn’t have to pay tithes, would they stay open? You see, pastors and church leaders don’t want you to know the truth about tithing because they need their jets, their mortgage paid, and their car note paid. It’s ultimately the responsibility of the Lord to keep the building open, not your tithing, not a bake sale, not a car wash, not even fish and chicken dinners. Consider all of these factors that can help you determine if your leaders were in fact called by the Lord. So where did tithing come from and how did we get to this point? We’re glad you asked!

So who was originally commanded to pay tithes?

Before we answer that question, let’s have a brief scripture lesson.

1 Corinthians 10:32

God divides the human race into 3 distinct groups:

Jew, Gentile, and the Church of God.

The Jews are those who are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 tribes of Israel. All other nations of the world are the Gentiles. The church of God is the group of believers which consists of the both Jews and Gentiles who by faith personally received the Lord Jesus Christ and have been born from above. Of these 3 distinct groups, the Jews were the only people ever commanded to pay tithes.

Numbers 18:21-24

Out of the 12 tribes of Israel; the tribe of Levi was the only tribe among them who could not own any land. They were not allowed to cultivate land, or engage in business because their job was to take care of the temple, and to serve and administer spiritual things for the Jewish people.  So if they had no inheritance of land and couldn’t engage in business, how would their needs be met? This is what tithe was created for. The Levites were to receive the tithe because they served in the temple and because they were the special servants of the Lord who were called to serve Him full time.

Leviticus 27:30-32

Tithing was a distinct command for the Jews to practice. The word tithe means tenth and the tithe came from their income tax, not their daily money. Now contrary to what most ministries teach; tithing has nothing to do with your paycheck, mortgage, or rent. When you consider that the tithe originally came from the Jews income tax; here’s an illustration that might help. Just like the Jews had to pay the tithe with their income tax, how do you think the president, senators, and police get paid in our society…?

The answer is from our income tax!

Hebrews 7:5

And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham. 

ONLY THE LEVITES ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE TITHES ACCORDING TO THE LAW!

So how many pastors and church leaders do you know that can claim to be sons of Levi by the loins of Abraham…

Speaking of Abraham, didn’t he tithe? Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek. What about the “blessings of Abraham”, aren’t we his children…we’re glad you asked!

A lot of prosperity churches will teach you that because Abraham tithed you are supposed to. Some ministries will go as far as using scriptures to back up this distortion such as Genesis 14:17-24 so let’s talk about Abraham’s tithing:

Generally those who make the argument about Abraham’s tithing fail to realize a couple things:

1. Abraham’s tithing to Melchizedek was a free will act, it was not under pressure. Pastors will tell you to give and tell you that God said how much to give.

2. Abraham’s tithes were not brought to a storehouse or church.

3. Abraham was 80 years old before he tithed.

4. Abraham never tithed again after that.

5. Abraham was not promised any blessings for giving Melchizedek a tenth.

So how can I pastor or ministry tell you that you are blessed if you give. What if someone was sent by satan to a ministry and gives. Are we in the business of blessing demons now?

Genesis 14:16

See when people use Abraham as an incentive to tithe, it’s as if they’ re suggesting we go back to Abraham and do what Abraham did to get an Abraham blessing.  This is a situation of returning people back under the law when we are supposed to be living under grace.

Romans 6:14…for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

If we’re not under the law, what’s Malachi 3:10 about?

When God originally spoke through Malachi to the people they were in terrible backslidden conditions. God had allowed a bargain with the Jews and told them that if they would tithe He would give them rain from heaven and bless the land physically, but we don’t have to bargain with God now based on Ephesians 1:3 which states that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Over time people have used Malachi 3:8-10 as a scare tactic to get people to give and many ministries and church leaders terrify the people and tell them that if they don’t tithe that they will experience sickness, poverty, etc. but remember that all curses and penalties of the law were abolished.

Galatians 3:13 says that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

If Jesus was made the curse how can someone curse you because you don’t give? So...if He is the curse...and I didn't give...then technically...I’m blessed!

Using Malachi 3:10 to condone tithing without understanding all of chapter three can cause confusion as it has in this present age.

Let’s look at Malachi 3:14 - Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

Tithing was an ordinance under the law. Now that we are under grace and not the law, what about those ordinances, are they still in effect?

Colossians 2:14 states “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

All ordinances of the law are blotted out and because tithing was an ordinance under the law it is no more. The Old Testament was tithing and the New Testament is giving. Now that we are under grace and not the law, we are to give freely without compulsion.

2 Corinthians 9:7 - Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Giving freely is Spirit led giving not law led. Spirit led giving always honors God and creates scriptural results. How can we give God 10% but want Him to be our all?

Even Jesus understood this and that is why the disciples were never taught to tithe because tithing was under Moses' law, but the disciples were under Him.

Luke 18:9-12

Tithing is what you do when you are not born again, but when you’re born again…you give!

Galatians 5:18 says that But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Now let’s reverse that scripture. If you are lead under the law (by tithing, by your pastor knowing what you give when they shouldn’t)...you can’t be lead by the Spirit. Consider this; what if the Holy Spirit told you to give more than a tenth. Would you obey the Holy Spirit or the law?

Freedom from the law is yours today through acceptance of His word!