"A DEEP BIBLICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DOCTRINE OF TITHING"

(i) THE "VOLUNTARY TITHERS" IN THE BIBLE: Only two individuals were reported by the Scriptures or the Bible to have tithed ONCE, VOLUNTARILY, and never REGULARLY or by  God's DIVINE COMMAND before the Law of Moses was given to the nation of Israel. These two individuals were Abram who was already RICH and he gave a tenth of his spoils of war not his true riches voluntary to Melchizedek, the King of Salem on his way back from the war victory. Isaac voluntarily vowed a tenth. These tithings were voluntary and were never required by God's law or divine commandment.

(ii)‎ THE "MANDATORY TITHES" IN THE BIBLE BASED ON THE LAW OF MOSES:The first FIVE BOOKS of the Bible are the LAW of MOSES given for the DAILY LIFE of ISREAL by God. Tithing was MANDATORY and COMMANDED in the LAW of MOSES for ISREAL. Tithing was the Law of God for Israel and tithing cannot be separated from the Law of Moses. The Law was fulfilled, abolished, set aside and replaced by the NEW COVENANT of JESUS CHRIST that EXCLUDED TITHING for the CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS.

(iii) THE ‎"MANDATORY TITHES" THAT WERE REQUIRED BY GOD FROM ISREAL BASED ON THE LAW OF MOSES:ISREALITES paid a GENERAL TITHE to the LEVITES (Numbers 18:21). The LEVITES paid a GENERAL TITHE to the PRIESTS (Numbers 18:25-31). The people of ISREAL kept a TITHE for their ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE to Jerusalem (Deut 14:22-26). The people of Isreal paid a tithe to the POOR, ORPHANS and WIDOWS (Deut 14:28-29). ALL these tithes were MANDATORY tithes for ISREAL ONLY and were all based on the legal requirements of the law of Moses.

(iv) ‎THE "UNBIBLICAL PRO-TITHING ARGUMENTS" OF THE SO CALLED PROSPERITY GOSPEL TEACHERS:Prosperity preachers teach the following unbiblical doctrine about tithing. (i) Tithing is commanded and is mandatory for Church Age believers or Christians. (ii) Any refusal to tithe will result in the destruction of a believer's finances by devourers. (iii) Any refusal to tithe means that a Christian is robbing God of what belongs to God. (iv) Tithing is the key to overcoming poverty, enjoying a life of high finances, divine  blessings and good health in this life.

(v) THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF TITHING AND DEVOURERS:God commanded ISREAL under the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) to tithe. From every biblical and historical records that are available, the nation of ISREAL lived in the era of FARMING ECONOMY and IRON AGE TECHNOLOGY. Prosperity teachers teach erroneously that devourer will destroy the finances of any CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS that refuse to TITHE. The DEVOURERS of ISREAL were the LOCUSTS that destroyed their CROPS.

(vi) "TITHING IN THE BOOK OF MALACHI AND THE CHURCH":The opening sentence of the Book of Malachi who was the last prophet of God to ISREA under the OLD COVENANT or the LAW of MOSES said it all. That body of divine truth, the book of Malachi was written to ISREAL that refused to follow God's mandatory commandment to tithe according to the Law of Moses. The Book of Malachi was NOT WRITTEN directly and as a divine commandment to the CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST under the NEW COVENANT.

(vii) TITHING IS NOT FOR THE CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS:How did the Early Church give according to the Bible? Did they practice tithing as their standard and mandatory form of giving? The Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles recorded the full records of their givings in this light, manner and order:they gave voluntarily, willingly, continuously, freely, sacrificially and according to what they individually decided in their hearts to give.

(viii) THERE ARE ‎"NO BIBLICAL EVIDENCES THAT SHOWED THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WAS FINANCED BY TITHES" IN THE EARLY CHURCH:Prosperity gospel preachers always justify their demand for tithes from Christians by claiming to be the only financial avenue through which the gospel is financed and preached worldwide. From the day of Pentecost to the end of the Book of Revelation, there is no single evidence of tithing in the early church, yet the gospel was preached worldwide and reached the four corners of the then Roman empire.


(ix) IS "TITHING" THE ANSWER TO YOUR FINANCIAL LACK? Prosperity gospel teachers teach that financial abundance comes by tithing. What roles do a person's occupation, education, work experience, skills, type of career, salary, wage, job responsibilities, commission, financial prudence, money management skills, investments, savings, business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, economic systems and market forces play?


(x) THE GOSPEL OF MONEY, GREED, MANIPULATION AND DECEPTION:Why are the "faithful tithers" worldwide not living in the unlimited wealth, luxury or high finances that they were promised for tithing? Why are the "preachers" the "only ones" that live in the true reality of those promises of material and financial blessings that they always promise others for their tithes and offerings? Why are believers refusing to investigate these fraudulent men with the truth of the Bible?

The Supporting Bible Verses:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
And blessed be the most high God, wh...ich hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all - Genesis 14:18-20.

And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee - Genesis 28:20-22.

 

“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 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 there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty - Malachi 3:8-11 (NIV Translation).

A prophecy: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi - Malachi 1:1 (NIV Translation).

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver - 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV Translation).

In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tends only to penury - Proverbs 14:23.