Giving is one of the principles that Jesus Christ advanced during his earthly sourjon. In Luke 6:38, Christ said giving attracts multiple returns of what was given out to the giver. Therefore, while Christianity preaches love, peace, long suffering and other virtues associated with the Kingdom of God, seed sowing, as giving is usually referred to is not exempted.
All through the bible, God encourages and charges Christian to give – give to less privileged, to priests, to neighbours and most importantly to God. Christians are expected to give seed or offering as it is commonly known today in churches. Offerings are free will donation. Depending on the giver, the offering being a seed determines the harvest, Luke 6:38. It follows with the natural law of planting and harvesting; the more you plant, the larger the harvest.
Based on biblical doctrine, Christians are also expected to give their first fruits. These are usually done once in a year or for every new blessing that is received Deut. 14:22. Prov. 3:9 reveals the benefits of giving first fruits to God. For a strict observer of the principles of the First Fruits according to Proverbs 3:9-10 would ensure that the giver is blessed with overflowing blessing devoid of lack. Also first fruit giving to God at the beginning of the year shows a grateful heart.
However, tithing has been controversial in the church of God and the outside world on like the other forms of giving spelt out in the bible. Like the other forms of giving to God, Mal. 3:10 directed that all tithes should be taken to the house of God. The tithe is the 10% of the income according to Lev. 27:30. Abraham, according to Gen. 14:19-20 gave a tithe of all he got from the battle he fought to King Melchizedek, a man described as a “priest of God Most High”. Giving of tithe is therefore not a religious obligation but a way of appreciating God for his doings in our lives.
It is rather worrying that tithing would become a subject of debate in the Christendom and outside it. While some have argued that tithing was an Old Testament commandment, others have said it is a principle that continued even into the New Testament.
For a James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Thomas Schreiner, said tithing not a requirement for Christians.
He argued that the commands in the laws of Moses are no longer in force for Christians. “Some appeal to the division between the civil, ceremonial, and moral law to support tithing. Yet these divisions, I would observe, are not the basis Paul uses when addressing how the law applies to us today. And even if we use these distinctions, tithing is clearly not part of the moral law. It’s true the moral norms of the Old Testament are still in force today, and we discern them from the law of Christ in the New Testament, but tithing is not among these commands,” he said.
Also, foremost prosperity pastor, Sam Adeyemi of Day Star church, said God’s anger is not on anyone who refuses to pay tithe and such individual is not under any curse.
Adeyemi said, “I discovered that it has been an age long debate and it will be on for a long time. My first observation is that church people are behaving as if we own the word tithe.
“We don’t own the word. It is an English word. I want to say clearly that tithe, as practised under the law of Moses, has expired. The death and resurrection of Jesus have put paid to it. It has expired.
“All the requirements of the law were satisfied under Christ. It is a gamble to say Jesus never paid tithe. The fact that it was not written that Jesus paid tithe does not mean he did not do it.
“I can also claim that Jesus did not go to the toilet because it is not written. 18 years of his life were not recorded in the Bible. When he was born his parents satisfied the requirements of the
law. John 21:25 says there are many things he did that were not recorded. Jesus did not say it was wrong to pay tithe in his day.”
Controversial media personality, Daddy Freeze described demand for and paying of tithe as idolatry and the worship of demons.
“Paying tithe is idolatry and harlotry, it’s the worship of demons, the veneration of Mammon and the hero-worship of Satan who according to 2nd Corinthians 4:4, is the God of this world.
“Christ our high priest never collected tithes and neither did the disciples, who were our first bishops and Gos.”
He went further to challenge Christian scholars and pastors to point out a verse in the bible where tithe was paid by any Christian.
But in a twist to the issue, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye had at various fora warned Christians of the dangers of noncompliance with paying tithe. At a time he warned that tither defaulters would not make it to heaven. “Make it clear to them. Anyone who is not paying his tithe is not going to heaven. Full stop.”
He has also advised severally that to experience exploits in life, a Christian must develop a personal relationship with God. “You must believe that He lives and love Him with all your heart. You must also learn to trust in Him.
“The command to pay tithes on your earnings simply places a demand on you to trust God. Your response to this command shows the level of trust you have in Him.
“If you can pay your tithes correctly, it shows that you trust God for your livelihood, but if you find it difficult to be faithful in doing this, it simply shows that you trust more in your earning than in God to sustain you,” he said.
Reverend David Oyedepo on his part said defaulting in tithe payment can lead to incurring curse. He described tithing as an inescapable covenant obligation. “Prosperity not just wealth is impossible without tithing because when you are not paying tithe, you’re under a financial curse.”
“The way you handle your financial dealings determines greatly what happens to you financially. Many things that afflict men are traceable to their monetary dealings. False financial dealings can open doors to inexplicable afflictions,” he said.
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