2014-10-28 Tithing?

QUESTION
Hello, from Sunday’s message in the morning it was unclear if we should still tithe or not.
I get that we must link our finances to God but what if I am struggling to feed my children

Certainly non-Christians prosper even thou they don’t tithe or give necessary. They seem to work hard and do other things which bring prosperity like wisdom and ladder climbing. Seems like Christians come under a curse where as non-Christians aren’t.

Was it really 10% as I read some things saying it is 23% or more and different types.

Will God still curse me if I don’t call it a tithe and just give not declaring it as a tithe before him or in my own heart?

One thing I found on tithing – http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id29.html shows many things that it is confusing…

So perhaps the series will answer all these questions which is great but I wanted to check as being cursed or not being blessed is terrible to imagine.

RESPONSE
Yes we should still tithe (though we should not get hung up on the term), and give of our firstfruits to our glorious God and the work of His Kingdom coming on earth.
If you are struggling to feed your children, please come and speak personally to one of us and we can advise you personally.

Regarding the tithe, there is a dramatic change for us under the new covenant, that brings tremendous freedom to us. No longer do we have to give out of fear of being cursed by God. The New Testament is clear that Christ became a curse for us, took our place, endured what we deserved and we now no longer live by the law, as Christ fulfilled the law and is the end of the law.

The giving of “firstfruits ” to God, was practiced by Cain and Abel (please be careful about listening to some nonsense teachings on the firstfruits, which some teach. It simply means that from my first harvest, I give my first and best to God. A percentage, like one tenth).
Long before the commandments Abraham himself gave a tithe to Melchizedek. Jacob and others practiced this up until Moses and when Moses received the law, it was instituted as a command for Israel, God’s people. The word tithe means tenth, so 10% is the amount related to the tithe (as practiced by Abraham). The amount of 23% (as calculated by some) is related to further giving as stipulated in the law of Moses. When the law was not obeyed, there were immediate judgements and even curses, in order to teach Israel to honour God and take God seriously.

But we, in Christ are no longer under the law. We are set free from curses and now give out of love, out of the law of the Spirit written upon our hearts, without fear of punishment. But we still give, and we give generously, with joy.

Jesus never ever told anyone to stop practicing tithing. There are other things written in the law of Moses, which the bible clearly teaches us to stop practicing, but not giving to the work of God. Paul spends much time teaching on this in his letters to the Corinthian church, who had no concept of tithing as they were not Jewish. However the tithe / firstfruits giving of the NT, is used differently from the way of the OT. In 2 Corinthians 9, one can read about how the finances given support those who’s life and ministry is to preach/teach the Gospel.

Although one may feel like Christians are cursed comparatively, we are not. The psalmist speaks often of feeling like this, where unbelievers prosper. Anyone who is wise with finance will prosper, no matter what they believe. Anyone who is generous with finance will prosper, no matter their spiritual belief. As God says in Galatians 6, whatever a man sows, that he will reap, for God cannot be mocked. By the way, this is the joy we get to share in too, with respect to tithing. Give and it shall be given to you, Jesus said. We get to share in the harvest we sow down here, as well as the one being laid up in heaven.

Non Christians can also prosper by corrupt ways and ways which lacking integrity, and they may get away with it for a while, but they will not prosper forever.

Work hard, be wise, be generous, both to God’s work and others, and it will go well with you. But if you just want to get rich, that is a different story.

The fact remains, there are no more curses. Don’t give out of fear or live in fear, but give out of love and live in love with God. 10% is just a great and wise amount, God given, before the law ever came. The NT, doesn’t make a big deal on the term tithe, so if you don’t want to call it that, it’s ok. Freely give to God with a joyful heart. However those who stop practicing giving 10%, inevitably end up being less generous to God’s church and her workers, and give sporadically when they feel like it. Personally I give at least 10%, of the firstfruits of my income, and love doing it. It brings stability to my life and the ministry and I get to involve God in all my finances through this by partnering with Him and needing to have faith in His provision to meet all the needs my family has. If I never give the firstfruits, its like I am saying,”God I got this covered, I don’t really need you every month.”

We will preach more into this topic as the series unfolds. many out there make it confusing and try to get others to stop tithing so they feel better about themselves not being as consistent in their giving to God’s work of the Gospel being preached in all the earth, which is when the end will come.