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for your own study… While some have experienced the miracle of tithing for many years, others are new to their walk with Christ and have not yet learned about this wonderful act of obedience called “tithing”. If you want to learn more about how God desires to bless your life through the obedience of tithing, the following information is just for you. Whether or not you are a member at Community, you will find that God
desires for all of His children to be involved in this area of giving. The following information is provided as a learning resource. You will find both Old Testament and New Testament Bible verses that give instruction and I trust the information provided will be helpful to you.
what is tithing?
Tithing= tithe comes from the Greek word “dekatos” meaning a “tenth”. A tithe is 10% of one’s income.
God instituted tithing as a fundamental principle in Genesis nearly 500 years before the Mosaic Law was given. Genesis 14:18-20 says, “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; He was the priest of the God Most High. And He blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And He gave Him a tithe of all”.
We also read in Genesis 29:20-22, “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘if God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.’” In the New Testament, we read in Hebrews 7:2, “to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all…”
bible truth on tithing
1. Tithing is a reminder that God owns it all. Psalm 50:10-11 says, “for every beast of the forest is Mine and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
2. The tithe (tenth of one’s income) is holy to God. Leviticus 27:30 says, “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 to the Lord.”
3. Tithing reminds us that God has given us the power and ability to acquire what wealth we do have. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says, “then you say in your heart, ‘my power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
4. When we give the tithe to the Lord through His church, it honors God.
Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”
5. When we tithe, it opens the door for God’s blessings. When we do not tithe, we are robbing from God and we are cursed by God withholding His blessings from us. Notice carefully the words of Malachi 3:7-11. It reads, “Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. ‘Return to Me, and I will return to you’, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘In what way shall we return?’ will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘in what way have we robbed you’? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse. For you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts…”.
6. Is tithing to be practiced today by all New Testament believers? Yes.
A. Abraham commenced it – Genesis 14:18-20
B. Jacob continued it – Genesis 28:20-22
C. Moses confirmed it – Leviticus 27:30
D. Solomon and Malachi commanded it – Proverbs 3:9-10 & Malachi 3:7-11
E. Jesus commended it – Matthew 23:23 & Luke 11:42
F. God commissioned it – I Corinthians 9:14
G. Paul conformed it – I Corinthians 16:2 & Hebrews 7:8
7. How should Christians practice tithing? II Corinthians 9:6-8 says we should give cheerfully, not grudgingly. We are to give because we love the Lord. See also II Corinthians 5:14)
8. Where should the believer place his or her tithe? According to Malachi 3:10, in the Old Testament, the tithes were brought into the storehouse, which for the Jew, was the Temple at Jerusalem. According to Acts 4:35-37 and Acts 5:2, the Christians brought their tithes and offerings to the Apostles’ feet. According to I Corinthians 16:1-2, the Christians at Corinth were to collect their tithes and offerings and bring them to their local church at Corinth, or ‘lay by him in store’ on the first day of the week. Today, the storehouse for your tithe is your local church.
9. What will happen after I give my tithe and offerings? Acts 20:35 says, “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
This verse tells us that we will be happy and experience joy knowing that we have obeyed the Lord. Luke 6:38 says, “Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you sow, it will be measured back to you.”
10. How can I please the Lord when tithing?
A. Matthew 6:33—Give the Lord first place in everything. He not only wants the tithe. He loves you and desires all of you!
B. Proverbs 3:9—Honor the Lord with the first fruits (meaning we set aside the
tithe first…out of our gross income, before all other bills and expenses)
C. Bring the tithe on the Lord’s Day and do it cheerfully
(see I Corinthians 16:2 and II Corinthians 9:6-8)
D. Give offerings above your tithe to the Lord and other worthy ministries
outside of your local church if they are God honoring ministries.
E. Keep your giving secret. Do not boast to impress others. (Note: Matthew 6:1-4)
For more information on the subject of tithing, please consider ordering one of the following messages given in our worship service. Our bookstore is a resource for further study on the subjects presented in our worship services. Simply request the following message titles:
“The Ministry of Giving” July 2005
“The Basis of Blessing” July 2005
“The Priorities of Giving” July 2005
"That's Not Your Cantaloupe" November 2007
The content of these messages found their roots in many different resources. Dr. Stephen Olfords book on the "Grace of Giving" was most helpful in preparing these messages.
We are certain you will find the information very helpful.
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