The tithe binds many Christians, why?

Why are so many Christians required to tithe? A tithe means a tenth. It is not sacred, just a tenth. Why do people refuse to study the Bible to see God’s truth on this subject? They insist that it is the biblical norm today. However, that is an intellectual exercise because the average donation is less than five percent.

After presenting the truth about tithing to various groups, I am told that it is a “different way of thinking.” These people agree with the Scriptures that the tithe under the Mosaic Law was a tax on farmers only, designed to serve three specific purposes: (1) to provide for the Levites Numbers 18:21-32, (2) to celebrate and revere the Lord, Deuteronomy 14:23-27, and (3) feed the less fortunate in society, Deuteronomy 14:28-29. Still, they find various dubious reasons to continue holding on to that belief, but not practicing it.

The topic goes beyond a new or different way of thinking. It is a journey to find the truth.

The law of tithing ended when Jesus rose from the dead. Read the Scriptures, particularly Hebrews chapters seven and eight; you will clearly see that the thing does not apply today.

Friends, Christians have the Holy Spirit to show us the truth. The tithe does not apply today; This is true. So decide if you want the truth, and then look in the Bible, and you will find it. After this, ask the Lord to show you how to adjust your lifestyle. You will have to move from the North American trinity Me, myself αnd Iand the teachings of the prosperity gospel.

When you see tithing as a “way of thinking”, subconsciously, you see keeping the 90% as the “way of life”. When you see that that doesn’t apply today as the truth, you’ll see the right way to handle God’s money. After that, the goal becomes a journey with the Lord to adjust his lifestyle to fit his truth.

If we say that God owns everything, we mean that we must manage 100% of lifestyle decisions as His steward. This is another way of saying that tithing would show an inappropriate response to God’s 100% ownership. The real question is this: what is it like to manage 100% of God’s money? It is the lifestyle of God’s steward. That is the essence of managing God’s money for his glory.

In North America we have a big problem because we live in silos. We have a money life, a church life, a work life, etc. Therefore, we separate handling money from following Jesus according to the Scriptures.

Also, many television preachers twist the word and tell us that we deserve more and better. These preachers knowingly or unknowingly take Malachi 3:10 out of context to appeal to people’s greed. They ignore the truth that this verse refers to the priests who were stealing God’s portion as stated in Malachi chapter one. They forget to tell you that in Malachi 3:10, God challenged these priests to do the right thing according to Deuteronomy 11:26-28. After that, he said that he will bless his obedience. It is his obedience that He promised to bless. Instead of teaching this truth, these preachers tell you the lie that you must give and you will get; the more you give, the more you receive. Nonsense!

These preachers will have to answer to God for this distortion. No doubt they teach this misinformation about tithing because it is a “safer” way to obtain funds. People hear this teaching so often that it seeps into their psyche.

Some preachers tell me that if they spoke the facts about today’s standard of giving, many people would stop giving. What is this standard? The Apostle Paul tells us how to give in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. Each person must decide to give, and God loves a cheerful giver. We don’t have to give, but God will hold us accountable for our actions. His activity needs funding, and Christians should look to him to find out how much to give to his work.

Jesus says that when we seek him, we will find him. I trust that people willing to hear God’s truth, with a heart submitted to God, will understand that tithing is one of the easiest areas of Scripture to understand, in context. I found this truth when I was a Christian baby, when I asked God to show me the truth.

Tithing is never taught or mentioned in the New Covenant after the death and resurrection of Jesus. I repeat, it was not taught or practiced. In the book of Acts in the New Covenant, we see people presenting everything they had. They did not title

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, each of His sons became a priest (1 Peter 2-5-9). Furthermore, he eliminated the need for animal sacrifice. That is why things cannot be applied today. His purpose ended. However, it existed when He was alive.

I suggest that each person consider this in stages. Search the Scriptures for yourself. As you go, seek God’s truth. This can be difficult to receive, difficult to apply, even a different way of thinking. However, ask God to show you what is true. Jesus says, He is the truth and whoever seeks the truth is his follower whom he will never leave. After you decide that is true, ask the Lord to show you how to apply it. He will be stuck in a rut if he considers the application of God’s ownership of 100% to be difficult, rather than the truth.

In my years in ministry, I see nothing that binds people as much as anything. I pray that you will see the truth of God, and it will set you free.

Copyright (C) 2012, Michel A. Bell