Tithing…you are probably doing this all wrong…

10 percent is not enough but the practice itself is not correct either. Let’s get this corrected from a Biblical perspective.

Tithing is yet another new doctrine practiced by the modern church. This needs to be called out that this requirement between God and the children of Abraham was designed to support the Levitical priesthood processes and it was not intended to carry over post-resurrection. Please do not tune out at this point as I anticipate that many reading this will immediately start jumping to conclusions based on the modern indoctrinations they have received regarding this topic. I as well fell prey to this for the majority of my life. That is until I seriously read the Bible over and over again. The more I read it the more it became clear that something was indeed wrong with the modern practices of tithing.

The focus on giving, both Old and New Testaments, is essentially that God wants us to give all of ourselves to Him. Even Malachi, which many today refer to as the so-called ‘Book of Tithing” does not focus on the aspect of giving 10 percent. It was written to a people who willfully walked away from God. They were withholding themselves from God and with that included their tithes that should have been for God through the process He set up for them. In its fullest and most precise context, God was speaking through Malachi to inform the people of their falling away from Him and that a redeemer would come and purify them on a future day and that some would return to Him.

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?…Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Malachi 3:7 and 18.

Today’s teachings on tithing focus only on Malachi’s reference to the 10 percent tithing as if it has everything to do with the modern church, which it does not. It was instead specifically speaking towards tithing in regards to the Levitical process. They focus on this ten percent instead of really addressing the heart of the matter. God wants all of you. He wants all of your mind, body and soul and with that includes any physical belongings including the money.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Luke 11:39-42

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. Luke 18:18-23

The church’s today insist on the ten percent because without this they could not pay for their buildings, utilities, pastor’s salaries and other things that do nothing to directly further the Kingdom of God. These needs were not present in the pre-Constantine churches that grew out of the direct impact and teachings of the very first disciples who were taught directly by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The New Testament church gave to each other to help with any physical needs and more importantly to help bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:13

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:33-35

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Luke 3:11

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.2 Corinthians 9

Jesus has called us to preach the gospel to all creatures not to maintain a clubhouse of sorts. Really, the modern church is not much more than that with rare exceptions. The majority of this 10 percent, as mentioned previously, goes towards facilities and professional preachers and church staff in most churches and whatever is left over may go to some sort of outreach but rarely is it in the pure form of actual evangelizing. Keep in mind I am talking about the average church here as there are rare exceptions as previously noted.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

Something more that needs to be called out regarding the modern church and tithing. Today’s 501 (C) (3) requirements ensure that that membership and tithing are not always between the individual and God. The open passing of the plate also contradicts what Jesus taught. For more on 501 (C) (3) see http://www.kuwlministries.com/2016/07/church-and-state-bribery-aka-501c3-and.html  and http://www.kuwlministries.com/2016/07/separation-of-church-and-state-no-it.html .

See Matthew chapter 6 and the rest of the Bible for an understanding of Jesus’ position on tithing:

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6

Think this over a bit. The modern tax code allows for a certain amount of charitable contributions which includes tithing to be claimed as deductions on your taxes. The person would get a written statement from the church (see the right hand and left hand reference mentioned above in Mathew 6…) and then the individual would file that with his taxes. The result would be a potential return of investment of sorts in the form of a decrease in the amount required to pay in taxes. Thus, in reality, the giver who gave 10 percent ultimately got some of that back to him and thus did not actually pay the full ten percent. What do you do with that? This brings to mind the story of Ananias and Sapphira, at least the spirit of what it is saying that is…They sold a piece of land and gave the impression that they were giving the whole sum of money from the sale to the body of believers but they chose to keep back a portion of the profits for themselves.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. Acts 5:1-10

Since folks today are so fixated on the ten percent and they base that off of the Mosaic Law it then stands to reason that we should look at that more closely then.

And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. Leviticus 27:30-33

God directed that the people were not to give money but instead out of their crops and herds. In vs 31 it seems an exemption was allowed to pay money instead but that was at a fifth part more which would place the tithing in reality above 10 percent if paid in cash. Interesting that this is not brought up in churches when this is taught on. Churches would not do well in paying rent or mortgages if we only gave in crops or animals but they would go far in feeding the hungry no doubt. One cannot say that money was not available during that time either because it was. Churches would also have a harder job in trying to explain it to the people that they had to really pay above the ten percent. Simply put, the modern church has gone awry on this doctrine and for the plain reason that if they didn’t then they would be out of business.

The lesson we ought to learn from scriptures regarding giving is that if we do not give all to God then we are really not getting what His plan really is. He gave his all for us so in return anything less, whether it be 10, 50, or 99 percent is far short of truly giving of ourselves to Him! This giving should also be solely focused on helping the needy in both body and soul. If the giving does not bring glory to God then it is not a sacrifice that He approves of. What gives God the greatest pleasure? It is the reconciliation of souls back to Him. The first step towards this is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls and if the giving does not build upon this then God’s Kingdom is not advanced either and then God is not blessed.

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:44-45

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16