IINTRODUCTION
Tithes were a form of obligatory payment under the Old System of Worship. Under the OT Laws, it was required of Jews to give a tenth of their income back to God - for God's work - through the Levitical Priests. No Christian today is under the Old Testament and so no Christian is under the obligation to pay tithes. Giving as commanded under the new testament is liberal, cheerful and sacrificial contribution which should be better than tithes Matthew 5:20]
Please be objective in your reading this and let the bible speak...
Continuation in no time

Unfortunately, many religious leaders around us are not interested in what the bible teaches about the subject of giving. They are interested in many ways they can get their followers to pay more money to them. And since such church leaders can easily find biblical references Malachi 3:8-11, to tithes and tithe-paying, they think they have all the justification for extorting these payments from their members in the name of tithes. Among others, the questions we want to consider in this context are:
1. What were tithes in the Bible?
2. Were they money or products?
3. Who paid tithes and to whom were tithes paid?
4. Did Christ or anyone command tithes in the New Testament - Under Christianity?
5. When did the law of tithing end?
6. What is the law of giving in the New Testament?
7. How many are actuall/truly/honestly paying tithes in their churches today?
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All these shall be discussed subsequently. Just keep reading

TITHES UNDER THE PATRIARCHAL AGE
1. Tithes were paid before the Mosaic age. VP Black wrote: Not only the Hebrews, but other ancient people devoted the tenth part of their produce, cattle, or booty to sacred purpose. The Phoenicians offered a tithe of their booty as also the Greeks. Further, he wrote: when we study religious history, we learn that the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Romans, and other heathen people centred their giving around tenth.
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Abraham and other patriarchs in the old testament practiced some form of tithing. Genesis 14:20, Genesis 28:22

TITHES IN THE JEWISH AGE
So many in churches today feel that as soon as they pay tithes, they have fulfilled all requirement of giving to God. But this is gross error. In the first place, God has not commanded tithing for Christians in the churches. Tithes were only required of the Jews in Judaism - in the OT. Most people who say they are paying tithes today are not really paying tithes (1/10). Most people I have come across do not pay 1/10 or 10%, they only pay some money to the church or pastor and call it tithe. Third, when we study the history of the Jews we find out that they gave more than tithes. They gave not just one tithes but three (3) tithes. Two tithes every year and one tithes every 3 years, thus -
1. The priestly tithes: Leviticus 27:30-34. Also called the Tithe of the Lord. It comes from all income of other Jews' herds, flocks, fruits - and were paid to the priests - the Levites Exodus 28:29, Exodus 32:26-29, Leviticus 8, Numbers 8:14-26, Numbers 18:28-29. Don't forget that God did not allow the Levites to have a share of the land Numbers 18:20-30, Joshua 13:14, Nehimaiah 10:38. The priests - who were levites - ate from the tithes that came into the temple.
2. The festival tithes. Deuteronomy 14:22-23. This tithe (a) consisted of the yearly increase of the Lord. (b) was to be eaten by the offered, his household and the levites. (c) was to be eaten at the place that the Lord will choose. (d) may be converted into money if the distance where the Lord had choose was too far to carry the products involved. And the money is to be re-converted into products to be eaten at the location of the Lord Deuteronomy 16:3, 13, 16

3. The poor tithes. Deuteronomy 14:28-29. This 1/10 was set aside at the end of every 3 years to cater for the levites, strangers, orphans and widows. In total, an average Jew gave not just a tenth, which is 10 per cent, but up to 30 - 45 per cent of his income to God in the form of the various tithes he paid. And for all the tithes a declaration of honesty was required to avoid cheating Deuteronomy 26:12-15. There was no tithing on the 7th year, that is the Sabbath year during which no formal income is anticipated. Leviticus 25:1-12

OTHER LAWS ABOUT GIVING FOR THE JEWS
Apart from the 3 tithes discussed above, the Jews had other commandments from God as to how to further give of their income for His purpose:
a. The law concerning gleanings: Leviticus 19:9-10. By this law, a Jew was not allowed to reap/harvest to the last comer. He was to deliberately leave some for the poor, widows, and strangers. How man pastors teach their members to observe this in their cocoa, cassava and maize farm today?
b. The law concerning forgotten sheaves: Deuteronomy 24:19-20. By this law, a Jew was not allowed to go back to pick up forgotten or dropped sheaves. Again we ask: How many pastors today teach their members to observe this law? Do pastors teach their members not to pick up forgotten or dropped tubers of yam? Or not climb their orange trees for the second time? So that the widows and the strangers can eat from them? We all know these pastors only collect money for themselves.
c. Annual claims of first fruits. Exodus 22:29: If you read also Exodus 13:2-12, you will see that this include the first born also. God lays claim to the firstborn of human and animals. But there is no price of redemption for sons.
d. Free will offering and vows. Deuteronomy 16:10-11, Exodus 36:6. Leviticus 23:21. Deuteronomy 23:21-23
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From the above, anyone can see that a faithful Jew gave more than a tenth to God. A faithful Jew gave far, far more! And a faithful Christian living under a Better Covenant with better promises must give more than the Jew. Luke 12:48, Matthew 5:20, Hebrews 8:6

THE PURPOSE OF TITHES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The major purpose of tithes in the OT was to help sustain the Priest - who were all levites - working in the House of God - the temple. God did not want the levites to do any other work to earn a living, so He did not allow them to receive a share of the land. Numbers 18:20-31. Joshua 13:14-33, Nehimaiah 10:38. God's plan was that the levites were to eat from the Temple - the tithes offered by the rest tribes. Therefore, if you were not a levites, you could not receive tithes. Today, no Nigerian is a Levite, that is, no Nigerian is from the tribe of Levi in Israel and Nigerian belongs to the rest eleven tribes who paid tithes to Levi. Therefore, no Nigerian is under the obligation to pay tithes

THE PURPOSE OF TITHES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The major purpose of tithes in the OT was to help sustain the Priest - who were all levites - working in the House of God - the temple. God did not want the levites to do any other work to earn a living, so He did not allow them to receive a share of the land. Numbers 18:20-31. Joshua 13:14-33, Nehimaiah 10:38. God's plan was that the levites were to eat from the Temple - the tithes offered by the rest tribes. Therefore, if you were not a levites, you could not receive tithes. Today, no Nigerian is a Levite, that is, no Nigerian is from the tribe of Levi in Israel and no Nigerian belongs to the rest eleven tribes who paid tithes to Levi. Therefore, no Nigerian is under the obligation to pay tithes

Nice work OP.

THE END OF THE LAW OF TITHING
Many people in denominational churches today who insist on paying/receiving tithes do so in error (mistake) not knowing the scriptures Matthew 22:29 and because the do not rightly divide the Word of God 2 Timothy 2:15.
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The law of tithing ended when the OT was blotted out/take away. Colossians 2:14-17, Galatians 3:24-25. Romans 16:4, 2 Corinthians 3:11
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Christians in the new testament are all priests 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6.
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The law changed and the priesthood changed also Hebrews 7:12
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Note: If the OT was not abolished when Christ came and died on the cross, only the Jews would still be God's Children. Ephesians 2:11-22, 2Corinthians 3:12-17, Colossians 3:12-26

ichuka:
Nice work OP.

thanks bro. Buy the truth but don't sell it Proverbs 23:23. Share this truth bro

GIVING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. The fact that the law of tithing was for the Jews alone doesn't mean that God has no laws on giving for the Christians, rather, we insist that the new testament is batter covenant, superior to the old testament. Thus, giving today must be better and superior. Luke 12:28, Matthew 5:20, Hebrew 7:12
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2. CONDITIONS FOR ACCEPTABLE GIVING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
a. Christian giving is regular and proportionate, that is, Christians are to give weekly of their income as God has prospered them. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
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b. Christian giving must be liberal, sincere, honest, motivating, generous and cheerful. 1 Corintians 4:2, 2COrinthains 8:1-5, Luke 21:12, Act 20:35, 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.
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C. Christian giving is personal, that is of one's personal decision. No tithes, taxes, fees, levies or any other mandatory payment. This is the liberty we enjoy in Christ. BUT WE ARE NOT TO ABUSE THIS PRIVILEGE BY BEING SELFISH IN OUT GIVING

FINAL COMMENTS ON TITHES AND TITHE-PAYING
1. In the old testament, tithes were paid by Jews - and Jews alone not (physical) Gentiles Like us Nigerians.
2. The Jews paid tithes to the priests who were all levites. That's system of priesthood is NO MORE!
3. In the bible, tithes were never money but products of harvest and when because of distance, such products were sold, the law stipulated that such money should be used to buy products again - to be eaten. SO PASTORS WHO IN THE FIRST PLACE ARE NEITHER JEWS NOR LEVITES, TAKING TITHES TODAY ARE IN GROSS ERROR AND THE MEMBERS ALIKE. IT IS THE CASE OF THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND. Matthew 15:14
4. Why do pastors and church leaders today choose tithes and leave out Sabbath keeping, animal sacrifices, incense burning, etc? Anyone who does such is fallen away from Grace. Galatians 5;4
5. Most people who claim to be paying tithes today are not honest. They are not paying 10 per cent of their income and that is hypocrisy. Lying! God will punish all such. Acts 5:1-10. Matthew 23.

CONCLUSION
Dear reader, open your eyes! Stop allowing your pastors to cheat you by requiring you to pay tithes that God has not commanded in the new testament.
Please visit the church of Christ nearest to you and learn how to become a new testament Christian, worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. John 4:23-24. Do not believe all what religious leaders tell you. 2 John 9. Acts 17:11. 1 John 4:1. Revelation 22:18.
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May God bless you as you humbly and faithfully search the scriptures to find the will of God for your life.
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Bye for now.