The truth your pastor would not tell you about tithes

“And my people shall know the truth and the truth shall set them free” John 8:32

“ will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say where in have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store house and prove me now here with saith the lord of hosts if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, that there would not be room enough to receive it” Malachi 3 : 8 – 10

The above quoted scripture is probably one of the most quoted scripture in the bible. Unfortunately it is being quoted out of context and used as a weapon of mass intimidation, manipulation, extortion, oppression, cajolery and outright lies and deceit by some church leaders to collect ten percent of the gross income of their church members who have been hoodwinked into believing that they are doing God’s will.
Before I go into the details of this discourse, I want to state categorically that I am a God loving, bible believing Christian who as the fear of God in his heart. I am also not writing this article to undermine any church or pastor but to let people realize the truth about tithes and remove the yoke of tithes being placed by some pastors upon them. I also want to state categorically that I strongly believe in giving to the church for the sole purpose of propagating God’s work and the Christian ministry. I would also continue to encourage all Christians to give their all to God as exemplified by the widow’s mite which Jesus Christ himself referred to in the bible.

Now back to Malachi 3 : 8 – 10, the first question one should ask is that who was this message directed at? The answer lies in the book of numbers 18 : 25 -28 which states that “the lord commanded Moses to say to the Levites when you receive from the Israelites the tithe that the lord gives you as your possession, you must present a tenth of it as a special contribution to the lord. This special contribution will be considered as the equivalent of the offering which the farmer makes of new grain and wine. In this way you would also present the special contribution which belongs to the lord from all the tithes which you receive from the Israelites. You are to give this special contribution for the lord to Aaron the priest” from the above it is clear that it was the Levites that were directed to pay a tithe of the tithe they collected from the Israelites to the priest who represents God and not the people of Israel. It was this Levites that were being referred to in the book of Malachi as those who rob God. A thorough study of the book of Malachi would reveal that in those days the Levites were collecting the tithe from the people of Israel and not remitting a tithe of it to the house of God, hence Malachi’s statement which is now being quoted out of context. To understand what tithes really means one would have to understand the social reasons and cultural / religious setting within which it was situated this concept of tithes was properly explained in the bible as stated in the laws of the tithe which can be found in the books of Leviticus 27 : 30 – 34, Numbers 18 : 25 – 31 and Deuteronomy 14 : 22 – 29. Upon reading this passages one would understand what tithes really means, but unfortunately most pastors prefer to neglect these passages that tell us the true meaning of tithes and emphasize on Malachi 3 : 8 - 10 which was directed to the Levites of that time to remit the priest’s share of the tithes they collected to him. It is worthy of note that Malachi does not even define what tithes is and how it should be paid. The definition of tithes as practiced today was manufactured by modern day pastors to suit their purpose as it is completely in contrast with what is in the bible and it only seeks to manipulate Christians to believe that God requests 10 per cent of their gross income from them.

So what is tithes and why did God request it be paid to the Levites? The answer can be found in the following passages : Leviticus 27 : 30 – 32 which states that “one tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit belongs to the lord. If a man wishes to buy back any of it he must pay the standard price plus an additional 20 per cent. One in every ten domestic animal belongs to the lord when the animals are counted, every tenth one belongs to the lord.”  And Deuteronomy 26 : 12 which states that “ every third year give the tithe a tenth of your crops to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans and the widows, so that in every community they will have all they need to eat” The above quoted passages clearly tells us what tithes is and the reason why God directed the people of Israel to pay tithes. It is very evident that it was a social arrangement for the less privileged in the Jewish society of that time, it was also meant to take care of the Levites because they have no land or property of their own. (today pastors are amongst the wealthiest property owners in Nigeria). This social arrangement is obviously not relevant to us today. It also states that every third year is the year of tithing not the weekly/monthly tithes being extorted from church members today. Another passage that illustrates the true meaning of tithes properly and also states clearly that tithe is not money is Deuteronomy 14 : 22 -29 which states that “ set aside a tithe a tenth of all that your fields produce each year then go to the one place where the lord your God as chosen to be worshiped and there in his presence eat the tithes of your grain, wine  and olive oil and first born of your cattle and sheep. Do this so that you may learn to have reverence for the lord your God always. If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the lord has blessed you with, then sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship spend it on whatever you want beef, lamb, wine, beer and there in the presence of the lord you and your family are to eat and enjoy yourselves. Do not neglect the Levites who live in your towns for they have no property of their own. At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in your towns. This is food for the Levites since they own no property and for the orphans, foreigners and widows who live in your towns. Do this and the lord your God would bless you in everything you do” from the above passage, it is very clear that tithe is not money and it is not the exclusive preserve of the Levites (church). It was a religious practice in those days to give reverence to God and to celebrate God in his place of worship. The Levites were only included for the main reason that they have no land of their own and that reason is not relevant in today’s society. Yet some pastors would tell you that you are cursed and would not go to heaven if you don’t give them 10% of your gross income. All this hypocrisy would not have bothered me if all the money being collected was being used to propagate God’s work, but the truth as we all know today is that this money is being used to finance lavish, flamboyant and exotic life styles that is unbecoming of a man who truly claims to serve God as a pastor who is expected to be meek and humble like our lord Jesus Christ was.
As a concluding part to this article, I would want to refer us to the book of Hebrews which was written to the early Christians, this provides irrefutable proof that Christians are not meant to pay tithes as the priesthood of our lord Jesus Christ does not require it. Hebrews 7 : 5,which states that “ and those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel  that is from there own country men even though their country men are also descendants of Abraham” from this verse we can jump to verse 11 - 13 which states that “it was on the basis of the Levitical priesthood that the law was given to the people of Israel. Now if the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect there would be no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek not of Aaron. For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. And our lord of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah and Moses did not mention his tribe when he spoke of priests” The above passage is self explanatory and it’s states clearly that the practice of tithing has no place under the priestly order of our lord Jesus Christ in fact the passage suggests that the collection of tithes is belittling of the priestly order of our lord Jesus Christ. It states that it is wrong for us as Christians to receive or pay tithes and is not relevant to us as Christians because we belong to a superior priestly order.

Once again I would like to state that this article is not meant for us as Christians to revolt against the church or our pastors, it is just meant to establish the biblical truth about tithes and remove the yoke from people who labour to pay tithes ( not required of them by God) while their pastors are living luxuriously. Today many pastors see the church as their personal business and even fraudulent people are opening up churches so that they can have access to people’s tithes and use it for their personal aggrandizement. I encourage all of us as Christians to remain vigilant and continue to serve God in truth and in faith to the glory of his holy name. Amen.

PS:
Another point of note is: how come out of the 613 biblical laws of Moses which were handed out to the people of Israel, it is only an adulterated version of the law of tithe that is still being practised today, apart from the Ten Commandments? How come we are no longer required to offer burnt sacrifices? How come we no longer stone people to death for sinning? The truth is that only tithing was dug out of the laws of Moses because it presents material benefits to the collectors of tithes. Given that most Christians do not study their bibles and depend on their priests to guide them through, it was easy for pastors to pick a passage in the bible (Malachi 3 : 8-10), quote it out of context and use it to manipulate the flock into parting with 10 per cent of their income. Furthermore, it is worthy of note that neither Jesus Christ nor any of the apostles ever preached about or collected tithe. In fact, in the bible, Jesus Christ only spoke about tithes in Luke 11:42 which states that: “But woe unto you Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue all manner of herbs, and pass over judgement and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Here we can see that Jesus Christ is rebuking the Pharisees for laying emphasis on tithes instead of the more important things of the spirit, like our pastors are doing today.

In Acts 15, we find outlined what the apostles all agreed was necessary for the newly converted Gentiles to practise, and by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, tithing is conspicuously missing. Yet, what is one of the very first legislated duties taught to Gentile converts by the Church today? It is that they must tithe their annual salaries to the Church. Where did this unscriptural law of Christian tithing come from?

Notice this telling bit of history from the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1963, volume 22, page 253, ‘TITHES’). “Tithes in Christendom—The earliest authentic example of anything like a law of the State enforcing payment appears to occur in the capitularies [Ecclesiasticals] of Charlemagne at the end of the 8th or beginning of the 9th century. Tithes were, by that enactment, to be applied to the maintenance of the bishop, clergy, the poor, and the fabric of the church. In the course of time the principle of payment of tithes was extended far beyond its original intention. Thus, they became transferable to laymen and saleable like ordinary property, despite the injunctions of the third Lateran Council; and they became payable out of sources of income [not just farming and herding, but other trades and occupations and salaries paid in the form of money] not originally tithable.”

The Catholic Church knows its own history. Here is how tithing got back into the Church after being absent for nearly five centuries:

“As the Church expanded and various institutions arose, it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy. The payment of tithes was adopted from the Old Law… The earliest positive legislation on the subject seems to be contained in the letter of the bishops assembled at Tours in 567 and the [canons] of the Council of Macon in 585.”—The Catholic Encyclopaedia.

They “extended” their base of tithe collecting to eventually include all forms of income. All Christian scholars know that although money was in wide use in ancient Israel, it was never a titheable commodity. But modern pastors don’t want tithes of goats or oil or corn, they want money–cold, hard cash! God has a word to the “shepherds of the sheep”, and it is the very same message that He had for the Levites in the book of Malachi. And it is this:

“My people have been lost sheep, their shepherds have caused them to go astray” (Jer. 50:6).

Were Israelites aware that they were being led astray by their spiritual leaders? Not most, and neither are Christians today aware that they are being led astray by their spiritual leaders.

How else pastor go chop, if dey no tell una to pay tithe.

It's no longer new we interpret our bibles in our own way and though you made some brilliant comments, your article may be seen as a way to justify ur decision not to pay tithe. Cant really begin to comment on al issues raised but my question to you is this. If we say tithin was directed to the isrealite/ levites as at tht time, does it mean the teachings of Jesus was also directed to those he was addressin as at tht time?

Countless time, I hav been severely purnished when I try to evade tithin. I'd miss my flight due to circumstance beyond my control, I'd get dupped on the high street and loads more but I thank God, it's al in the past.

ur article is sure to discourage loads of tithe payin believers but those who hav tastd the reward of tithin like me, will nt be moved. I however commend u for ur time in the article and hope nairalanders take time in readin it as well.

Pay your tithes.There's no need to beat around the bush.Hebrews compares Christ to Melchizedek and says he is greater than the Levites.So today we pay our tithes to Christ and don't have to send it to Shiloh temple or to some Isreali rabbi

First, i really must commend kunle for coming up with such an insightful teaching. I just wish all xtians will take their bible study seriously and as such we will all have less time talking about dead issues.
Its high time we all agreed to the fact that the bible is the standard for all we do in the church.If its not found and well grounded in the body of scriptures then its a lie and it doesnt matter whether it is wat everybody does or not.The fact that the majority of people do something doesn't make it true.
Tithing is never for the new testament church that our lord Jesus Christ bought with his blood.
I dont want to start going into much details since the poster as done justice to the topic.I will just urge every man to read between the lines of what the poster has said without any sentiment and without your "RELIGIOUS SPECTACLE" but with meekness as James 1:21 puts it.Also endeavour to read the book of Heb 7:1-end and you will understand that tithes is not meant for the church today but rather it is a tradition of the Jews before the death of Christ.

@Eclairs,
I must confess that u are very funny and am beginning to feel u are one sort of a comedian (LMAO)
So the reason why bad things doesn't happen to u anymore is because u now pay ur tithes and not because of your faith in God's word and prayer.Are you sure you a are xtian? Because if you are u wont start thinking your little coins is what is securing your protection rather than God's word and prayer.
This is just an example of what the church has turned to today, a case where our "MAN OF GOLD" has replace the word of God with money.The church now teaches and places emphasis on money(tithes and offering) and not on the word of God which Paul says in Acts 20:32 "that is able to build xtians up".The "MAN OF GOLD" now tell his congregation that as long as u pay ur tithes and offering bad things wont happen to u and those that bad things happens to are those that refuse to pay their tithes and offering rather than teach them to grow spiritually by studying God's word(1Pe 2:2).
Pls my bro God doesnt need youe tithes and offering before he protects and bless you.Did you pay any tithe before Jesus die for you?
If u didnt pay any tithe before jesus die for your sin why then should you pay before he can protect and bless you.The church is not a shrine where you have to pay money to gods before you are protected.The church is the house of God,your father and he loves u so much to require money from you to protect you.

@Kunleoshob,

Thank you for this article and I really admire your quest for knowledge. If Iamy ask you kunle, Do you beleive the word from Malachi is truely form God? Also I like to ask if you beleive that God cannever change no matter how logical our assumptions may be?

If you answer this question kunle, I will then make my next response to underscore some areas in your posting for a critical review.

Thanks.
Shallom!

LORD, I THANK YOU BECAUSE I`M PART OF THIS LAST DAYS ERA
@dafidixone,
YOU DON`T NEED TO STRESS YOURSELF ABOUT THE ISSUE
JUST DON`T FORGET WHAT BIBLE SAYS CONCERNING THE LAST DAYS. ALL
THESE THINGS/DOCTRINES ARE BOUND TO HAPPEN BECOS THE END IS NEAR.
@poster,
pls don`t forget that the lord knows those that are His.

@ Poster

U know it is really strange how we as modern day christians pick and select what aspects of the word applies to modern day and those that have lost relevance or where preached for a specific group of people that existed in biblical days. So what exactly is the aim of your post? Is it to condemn the modern day interpretation of Malachi 3:8-10 or to condemn the paying of tithes? All you did was undertake a long and windy treatise that was nether here nor there. Needless to say, the very foundation of your post was neither here nor there.

In trying to trace the origin of tithing, you referred to Numbers 18:25-28 where the Levites were directed to remit 10 percent of the 10 per cent they receive from the Israelites, to God. The bottomline here is that the people of God had been directed to pay tithes to men of God who were in turn requested to remit a similar token to the house of God. There is no dispute to that. It is pertinent for you to note here that God does not eat this 10 per cent but it was meant for the use or consumption of the people who work in the temple. The 10 per cent he asked the levites to remit was for the day to day running of the temple.

While I agree with you that certain modern day preachers go about it wrongly, it is nothing new. There is absolutely nothing new under the sun as far as Christianity is concerned. Over the ages, men have consistently tried to disprove or prove the existence of God and denigrate his commandments. It hasn't added or subtracted from his Godhood. God willl be God and his word will remain his word whether you believe it or not. If you don't believe in paying tithes, don't! We shall all answer for ourselves when the time comes.

I am not suprised that some people who have been brain washed into tithing are still adamant to pay it even after all the bible scriptures quoted that reveals that tithe is not money, and it is not required of us as christians. if any body as any doubt as to what is written in this article, i suggest you take up your bible and read the quoted scriptures for a true understanding of what tithe really is. if after you have read what the bible defines tithes to be and what it is meant for and you still deceide to dash some pastor ten percent of your income then that is your personal wahala!!! as i said the truth shall set you free from this bondage. the bible says "my people perish for lack of knowlegde" . this statement is directed to those of you who still insist on paying tithes. because if you trully seek the word of God as it obtains in the bible, you would know that God does not require tithe from you.

If we pay 10% of our income 2 men of God, who are they going 2 pay their 10% to? or are they not human beings. Look, we must not leave these men 2 lazy about waiting 4 d next sunday. They must contribute their quota towards d economic emancipation of this nation, afterall we are d church, not d pastor alone.

JAZES:


@Eclairs,
I must confess that u are very funny and am beginning to feel u are one sort of a comedian (LMAO)
So the reason why bad things doesn't happen to u anymore is because u now pay your tithes and not because of your faith in God's word and prayer.Are you sure you a are xtian? Because if you are u wont start thinking your little coins is what is securing your protection rather than God's word and prayer.
This is just an example of what the church has turned to today, a case where our "MAN OF GOLD" has replace the word of God with money.The church now teaches and places emphasis on money(tithes and offering) and not on the word of God which Paul says in Acts 20:32 "that is able to build xtians up".The "MAN OF GOLD" now tell his congregation that as long as u pay your tithes and offering bad things wont happen to u and those that bad things happens to are those that refuse to pay their tithes and offering rather than teach them to grow spiritually by studying God's word(1Pe 2:2).
Please my bro God doesnt need youe tithes and offering before he protects and bless you.Did you pay any tithe before Jesus die for you?
If u didnt pay any tithe before jesus die for your sin why then should you pay before he can protect and bless you.The church is not a shrine where you have to pay money to gods before you are protected.The church is the house of God,your father and he loves u so much to require money from you to protect you.

Fair say. Didnt hv to pay tithe before Christ died for me, God doesnt need my money, Perfectly brilliant points. Thank gudness I'm now a student and no longer in employment but let me point out that you understnd the reason for my comments before you make your conclusion. Al I was tryin to say is that at times when I tried to evade tithin, I loose my money is some painful fashion and its easy for me to relate the incident to tithe evasion.

I can only speak for myself and I don't think u are in the position to question my faith. You would agree with me you're not perfect yourself and expect the Lord to chastise you anytime u step out of line.

God's protection is got nofin to do with money neither has it anyfin to do with self righteousness (prayer/faith). Thts what makes him sovereign. You wldnt tell me your protection is based on your righteousness would you? Everyfin we enjoy is down to His Grace, His mercies and his loving Kindness and nofin to do with how prayerful and faithful we are. So, do not misinterpret my comments. Al I was tryin to say is that, I never lost my money in painful fashions when I was a faithful tither. I'm sayin this based on my personal experience.

If not payin your tithe works for you, fine but it doesnt work for me and it sure doesnt mean that even when I paid my tithe I experienced no difficulty. I certainly do not expect everyfin to be rosy as a believer but I enjoyed the benefits of faithful tithin and its hard to see why it's wrong.

I hope this makes more sense to you.

@Poster

I believe ur write up was made in gud faith and not wt any malicious intent,however allow me disabuse ur mind a bit,to wit:

1) The passage referring to the levites was an admonition to them to ensure they also pay tithes as d rest of d people.by implication,pastors themselves are not exempt frm tithing.

2) Tithing is d barest minimum required of any xtian who really has a heart 4 God and wishes to honour God by supporting the work. We in d new dispensation are not compelled to tithe,bt considering how much God has blessed us,10% of our monthly income is THE LEAST WE CAN DO!

3) Talk is cheap when it comes to giving to God,bt if u find giving a tenth of ur income cumbersome,then i wonder how much of a giver u are!

4) i agree that God does not punish us 4 not tithing as Vindictiveness is not one of his attributes,bt we punish ourselves wt guilt when we fail to pay our tithes and we encounter challenges in Life.
Personally,iam a faithful tither bt ive suffered loss inspite. Instead of crying to God bout hw undeserving i am of such an experience,i take it as an opportunity to learn.
Paying my Tithes is a voluntary decision i make and it does not st op at one tenth 4 me.i give as much as God blesses me and the Spirit urges me to give.but in any event,tithing is the least i can do to support the work,Malachi or no Malachi!

Kunle,you said 'I would also continue to encourage all Christians to give their all to God as exemplified by the widow’s mite which Jesus Christ himself referred to in the bible'.

How is that possible if you consider it so wrong to give a tenth to the 'church or pastor' who 'ld use the moni for 'propagating God's work and the Christian ministry'

Kunle says 'As a concluding part to this article, I would want to refer us to the book of Hebrews which was written to the early Christians, this provides irrefutable proof that Christians are not meant to pay tithes as the priesthood of our lord Jesus Christ does not require it. Hebrews 7 : 5,which states that “ and those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel  that is from there own country men even though their country men are also descendants of Abraham” from this verse we can jump to verse 11 - 13 which states that “it was on the basis of the Levitical priesthood that the law was given to the people of Israel. Now if the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect there would be no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek not of Aaron. For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. And our lord of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah and Moses did not mention his tribe when he spoke of priests” The above passage is self explanatory and it’s states clearly that the practice of tithing has no place under the priestly order of our lord Jesus Christ in fact the passage suggests that the collection of tithes is belittling of the priestly order of our lord Jesus Christ. It states that it is wrong for us as Christians to receive or pay tithes and is not relevant to us as Christians because we belong to a superior priestly order'.

Kunle,what you need to do is calm down,then re-read the Hebrew chapter again.permit me to assist you a lidu


Heb 7:1  For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2  To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:3  Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Heb 7:4  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Heb 7:8  And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Christ is very interested in receiving your tithes.Remember,the law God gave to Moses was what made people to pay tithes to the levite priests but tithe has always being paid before the law of Moses.The writer of the Hebrews is simply telling us that the new testament is better than the old.The NT's Priest Jesus is superior to the OT's levi priests.He is not bringing out some new revelation on why we shouldn't pay tithes.I hope God grants you better understanding

I am not suprised that some people who have been brain washed into tithing are still adamant to pay it even after all the bible scriptures quoted that reveals that tithe is not money, and it is not required of us as christians. if any body as any doubt as to what is written in this article, i suggest you take up your bible and read the quoted scriptures for a true understanding of what tithe really is. if after you have read what the bible defines tithes to be and what it is meant for and you still deceide to dash some pastor ten percent of your income then that is your personal wahala!!! as i said the truth shall set you free from this bondage. the bible says "my people perish for lack of knowlegde" . this statement is directed to those of you who still insist on paying tithes. because if you trully seek the word of God as it obtains in the bible, you would know that God does not require tithe from you.

In my last response to this thread, I was with the view that this poster is here to get knowledge and wisdom. Unfortunately form the quote above he has zero his mind to this sentive issue of tithe.

However, let me remind you that no matter how skillful you may be protecting your greed, the truth remain that God sees anyone who do not pay tithe as a Robber. I hope you will agree with me that no Robber (except repnt) would make heaven.

Tithe is a Command that we all must keep. If you have sentiment with men of God, then address your sentiment in the real sense of it. Your none payment of tithe is not away to deal with anyone. Your none payment even in the right proportion make you a coursed of God. Devourer will never be checked for your sake.

Tithe is im[portant as much as other work of faith so said Our Lord Jesus Christ.

@ poster, if you have not been paying your tithe regularly and in the right proportion change your way, you are aleady out of the way. the earlier the better.

I pray you will realise this before it is too late.

Shallom!

EVERYBODY IS A THITHER, ITS JUST A MATTER OF KNOWING WHOM YOU ARE PAYING IT TO.
IT IS EITHER GOD OR THE DEVIL(consciously or unconsciosly). GENERALLY THITHING DOES NOT
END ON YOUR INCOME ALONE,IT INCLUDES YOUR TIME,TALENTS & THE REST.

well am not exactly clear on this, but I think its safer to pay so if it was required its all well and gd …if it wan’t all well and good

LOL@ Poster.

Someone already mentioned how in modern times we pick and choose what is appropriate. If u do so u are insinuating that hte christian religion is meant for a particular time period. Therefore, u must drop christianity and adopt a religion supposedly fit for ur time.

If u choose not to tithe that is ur concern, but if u choose not to tithe because of what u wrote, then u must also choose not to follow the ten commandments because it was presented to the isrealites and not to u, and because it was presented at that time.

U must also choose not to spread the gospel because it was a command given to the disciples. Infact our pastors shouldn't exist because Christ did not directly command them to spread the gospel.

Christianity is not a religion of convenience, Christ asks us to carry our cross with him.

It seems we are missing a salient point in the initial post i.e.

tithes are to be eaten by the presenters in God's presence at a certain date year 1 & 2, then year 3 you give to levites (pastors) and less fortunate people in our midst.

Usually we may not be able to have access to give to those less fortunate, but the church organisation is expected to do that when you give fully. If it doesn't have a systematic way of doing so such as subsidies/scholarships for schools, subisdised healthcare, evangelism in rural areas then you will be acting in line with scriptures to find another means of fulfilling this injuction.
Moreover, Malachi says , so there will be food in His house. Therefore if you assess that the basic needs (food) of the pastor is met, you can give your tithes to less fortunate people.

@Segun'
THERE IS A RULE IN EVERY GAME. FOR INSTANCE, YOU DON`T USE HAND TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
THAT IS A FOWL. WHATEVER YOU GIVE TO THE LESS PRIVILEDGED COULD BE REFERRED
TO AS `OFFERING`, THAT IS NOT THITHE.
TITHE MUST BE PAID TO THE CHURCH. AFTER PAYING DON`T BOTHER URSELF ON HOW THE
MONEY IS BEEN SPENT.YOU HAVE FULFILLED YOUR OWN PART.
@Poster,
like i said b4, you can`t convince pple that have the knowledge of the last days.
I mean those that know their GOD indeed.

It may be useful to also read these scriptures.

1. Matthew 19:21 about the rich man to whom Jesus said "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor (not the temple/synagogue/church or even Jesus & His apostles)". This same message is recorded in Mark 10:21.
2. Luke 19:8 about Jesus' visit to Zacchaeus' house whereupon he said to the Lord "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Kindly note again that he is giving to the poor not the temple/synagogue/church or even Jesus & His apostles. Furthermore also note his restoration (or restitution) promise to those whom he might have defrauded.

and see this link:

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/a-pastoral-silence.html

Have a blessed reading.

Thank you seguno2 for your contribution, you seem to understand the issue at stake more than the average commentator who is just passionate about the issue and has not bothered to understand what tithes really means or what God truly requires from us. I challenge everybody especially image 123 to read again deuteronomy 14: 22 - 29 which clearly explains what tithes is and also states clearly that it is not money becuase it is meant to be eaten in the presence of God. The ironic thing is that this passage also states that you could use your tithes for whatever your heart desires which could be food, meat or wine it doesn't say you must pay it to the church. I also challenge any body to point out the place in the bible were tithe was stated to be money, because money existed in those days contrary to what some peolpe would like you to believe. Even the book of Malachi which is quoted so often never defined tithes nor did it suggest it was money Tithes was defined in the book of deuteronomy and leviticus and neither of them suggested it was money. The definiton given to tithes is a mordern day invention to suit the convinience of those collecting it. As i said earlier to all those who feel aggrieved by the revelations they should go back to the bible and do a thorough study using the quoted scriptures as a guide. As i said i am not against anybody giving to the church or contributing to God's work, what i can't stand is the fraudulent way in which the meaning and purpose of tithes as been misinterpreted.

Leviticus 27:30
" 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.
Leviticus 27:29-31 (in Context) Leviticus 27 (Whole Chapter)
Leviticus 27:32
The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod—will be holy to the LORD.
Leviticus 27:31-33 (in Context) Leviticus 27 (Whole Chapter)
Numbers 18:26
"Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering.
Numbers 18:25-27 (in Context) Numbers 18 (Whole Chapter)
But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away),
Deuteronomy 14:23-25 (in Context) Deuteronomy 14 (Whole Chapter)
Deuteronomy 14:25
then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.
Deuteronomy 14:24-26 (in Context) Deuteronomy 14 (Whole Chapter)
Deuteronomy 26:12
When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 26:11-13 (in Context) Deuteronomy 26 (Whole Chapter)
2 Chronicles 31:5
As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.
2 Chronicles 31:4-6 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 31 (Whole Chapter)
2 Chronicles 31:6
The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps.
2 Chronicles 31:5-7 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 31 (Whole Chapter)
Nehemiah 10:37
"Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.
Nehemiah 10:36-38 (in Context) Nehemiah 10 (Whole Chapter)
Malachi 3:10
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 you will not have room enough for it.
Malachi 3:9-11 (in Context) Malachi 3 (Whole Chapter)
IF YOU MUST CLAIM ABRAHAMS BLESSINGS YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES. DON`T BOTHER YOUR HEAD ABOUT WHAT THE CHURCH IS DOING WITH IT.

@ Rhaspsody, You talkin my mind

@ dafidixone, Nice point. I can tel u've also enjoyed the benefits of tithin.

@ Lady nd Kola , Brilliant contrubution

@ seguno2, Icing on the cake.

May you continue to enjoy the benefits of tithin. I'm glad, I am not alone.

KunleOshob:

Thank you seguno2 for your contribution, you seem to understand the issue at stake more than the average commentator who is just passionate about the issue and has not bothered to understand what tithes really means or what God truly requires from us. I challenge everybody especially image 123 to read again deuteronomy 14: 22 - 29 which clearly explains what tithes is and also states clearly that it is not money becuase it is meant to be eaten in the presence of God. The ironic thing is that this passage also states that you could use your tithes for whatever your heart desires which could be food, meat or wine it doesn't say you must pay it to the church. I also challenge any body to point out the place in the bible were tithe was stated to be money, because money existed in those days contrary to what some peolpe would like you to believe. Even the book of Malachi which is quoted so often never defined tithes nor did it suggest it was money Tithes was defined in the book of deuteronomy and leviticus and neither of them suggested it was money. The definiton given to tithes is a mordern day invention to suit the convinience of those collecting it. As i said earlier to all those who feel aggrieved by the revelations they should go back to the bible and do a thorough study using the quoted scriptures as a guide. As i said i am not against anybody giving to the church or contributing to God's work, what i can't stand is the fraudulent way in which the meaning and purpose of tithes as been misinterpreted.

Credit to you Kunle. Its obvious your post wasnt meant to be malicious. Have made a print out of your post and wld be going havin a vivid luk at it. But havin tasted the benefits of tithing, Its alwz goin to be hard to convince me. Al the same, U deserve to be commended for ur article.

KunleOshob:

Thank you seguno2 for your contribution, you seem to understand the issue at stake more than the average commentator who is just passionate about the issue and has not bothered to understand what tithes really means or what God truly requires from us. I challenge everybody especially image 123 to read again deuteronomy 14: 22 - 29 which clearly explains what tithes is and also states clearly that it is not money becuase it is meant to be eaten in the presence of God. The ironic thing is that this passage also states that you could use your tithes for whatever your heart desires which could be food, meat or wine it doesn't say you must pay it to the church. I also challenge any body to point out the place in the bible were tithe was stated to be money, because money existed in those days contrary to what some peolpe would like you to believe. Even the book of Malachi which is quoted so often never defined tithes nor did it suggest it was money Tithes was defined in the book of deuteronomy and leviticus and neither of them suggested it was money. The definiton given to tithes is a mordern day invention to suit the convinience of those collecting it. As i said earlier to all those who feel aggrieved by the revelations they should go back to the bible and do a thorough study using the quoted scriptures as a guide. As i said i am not against anybody giving to the church or contributing to God's work, what i can't stand is the fraudulent way in which the meaning and purpose of tithes as been misinterpreted.

hi,kunle.I've read it .it isn't a definition of tithes,it is a type.There are various forms of tithe.Tithe itself is a form of offering.See Gen14v20,Gen28v22,Numbers18v21,24Matthew23v23,Lev27v30-32 etc

@ Poster

What Jesus commanded and/or commended is what is to be done.

Matthew 23 Vs 23: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Jesus here did not condemned them for paying tithe, but for neglecting things He considered to be of more importance. We should understand the style of Jesus. When He was addressing the 7 churches in the book of Revelation, we will discover that His style was to commend and then rebuke. In Matthew 23 Vs 23, Jesus commended the Pharisees for paying tithe and rebuked them like is said earlier for omitting or failing to do the weightier matters.

Brethren, I think what is to be done are what Jesus Christ commanded and/or commended.

@ Jazes:
Its high time we all agreed to the fact that the bible is the standard for all we do in the church.If its not found and well grounded in the body of scriptures then its a lie and it doesnt matter whether it is what everybody does or not.The fact that the majority of people do something doesn't make it true.
Tithing is never for the new testament church that our lord Jesus Christ bought with his blood.

The comments on tithe is that majority of church people don't pay tithe.

Every believer will define his/her level of relationship with Jesus. If he is your High Priest you will know how to worship him.


Shalom!

THERE WAS NOT A TIME THAT JESUS SAID ANYTHING AGAINST TITHE RATHER HE COMMENDED THE EFFORTS
OF THOSE PROPHETS BEFORE HIM FOR JOB WELL DONE.

The Fulfillment of the Law MATTHEW 5:17
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.


REVELATION 22: 10-22
10Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."

12"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

14"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

17The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE GET UNDERSTANDING.

@ dafidixone, Nice point. I can tel u've also enjoyed the benefits of tithin.

Thank you my bros. I was like those guys before until I get the wisdom.

Eating our tithes is like keeping the basket GOd will use to give us blessings.

The Word of god is a command so it is not subject to human reasoning. No matter what anyone think about tithes payment it does not change the word of God.

None payment of Tithes is a sin to our cery self

Image123 i am beginning to suspect that you are a pastor who benefits from tithes and specializes in quoting the bible out of context otherwise when you were quoting hebrews 7 you would not have left out verses 11-13 which stated that "it was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the law was given to the people of israel" it also said "the levitical law must change" because the levitical priesthood is of a lower order to the priesthood of our lord Jesus christ. it also stated that jesus christ is not from the tribe of levites that collects tithes. It is preachers like image 123 that consistenly manupulate the bible to suit their purposes. As far as i know everything thing i have written in this articule is the undiluted word of God and not what somebody as manupulated it to be, and that is why i backed everything i wrote with the scriptures. if anyone is in doubt please pick up your bibles and crosscheck

Kola oloye, you seem to know the bible very well and i assume that deep doen inside you you must know that the definition of tithes as is presented in today's church is at contrast with what is in the bible, why i say so is when you quoted deuteronomy 14, you deliberately left out the part that said you should use the money to buy whatever your heart desires and eat it in the presence of God with your family, it also reminded the people of israel to share it with less priviledge people including the levites. it never said the money should be given to the levites. I would quote deut 14 : 22 -29 again which says “ set aside a tithe a tenth of all that your fields produce each year then go to the one place where the lord your God as chosen to be worshiped and there in his presence eat the tithes of your grain, wine and olive oil and first born of your cattle and sheep. Do this so that you may learn to have reverence for the lord your God always. If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the lord has blessed you with, then sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship spend it on whatever you want beef, lamb, wine, beer and there in the presence of the lord you and your family are to eat and enjoy yourselves. Do not neglect the Levites who live in your towns for they have no property of their own. At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in your towns. This is food for the Levites since they own no property and for the orphans, foreigners and widows who live in your towns. Do this and the lord your God would bless you in everything you do” from this passage it is very clear that tithe is not money and i am sure Kola as read it and he understands it yet he would rather like orders quote the bible out of context. Also when you were quoting the bible so copiously how come you forgot to mention hebrews 7 : 11- 13 which said the levitcal law must change as our lord Jesus christ is not a levite. That is clear evidence that tithing as no place in christianity. I encourage evrybody to go and read hebrews 7 from the beginning to the end to get a full understanding of why we shouldn't pay tithes as chritians

KunleOshob:

Image123 i am beginning to suspect that you are a pastor who benefits from tithes and specializes in quoting the bible out of context otherwise when you were quoting hebrews 7 you would not have left out verses 11-13 which stated that "it was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the law was given to the people of israel" it also said "the levitical law must change" because the levitical priesthood is of a lower order to the priesthood of our lord Jesus christ. it also stated that jesus christ is not from the tribe of levites that collects tithes. It is preachers like image 123 that consistenly manupulate the bible to suit their purposes. As far as i know everything thing i have written in this articule is the undiluted word of God and not what somebody as manupulated it to be, and that is why i backed everything i wrote with the scriptures. if anyone is in doubt please pick up your bibles and crosscheck

That is not all about tithe that you have quoted. You are neglecting the fact that there is more that is presented with tithe. When they gave tithe, it is given with other offerings, sin offering, thanksgiving offering, heave offerings, vows, freewill givings etc. The priests, levites and their children are entitled to tithe. What is shared with family member, the poor by the people are other offerings always brought with tithe. (See Hannah & Elkanah in Shiloh: The portion Elkanah used to give Hannah, is it the tithe)

Check these passages: Le 27:30; De 12:5-7,17; Ne 10:37

Thanx for your response Eclairs, i do admire your objectivity. and i am glad you said you were going to study the post further. But my point or my objective is not to discourage people from giving to the church my problem is with the misinterpretation of tithes. if you have seen benefits in giving tithes , it only follows the natural law of sowing and reaping because it is blessed to give. even if you were not Paying tithes but giving out of your income to the poor / less priviledge God would reward you as well. As i said my aim is not to discourage giving to the church, i am just trying to spread to real truth about tithes to the whole world. And truly i feel scandalized as a christian that our christian leaders who are meant to speak the truth at all times are not saying the whole truth when it comes to tithing. I cannot but wonder if it as to do with the personal gain they are making from it.