Tithes and Offering

Deuteronomy 12: 5-7.

John 3:16. God loves us so much that he deserves our love back. Little do we know that all He expects from us is to obey all His commandments, leaving no stone without turned Exodus 20: 12. He took it so serious that only those who obey it will make it at the End. Surprisingly, paying of tithe and offering is also part of the commandments.

Question: What is Sin?

Answer: Sin is anything contrary to the commandments directly from God or through man.

You know, pastors who preach the truth are lacking in the world. And if I have anything to preach at all it is the truth. Paying of tithe and offering is a command by God and not a suggestion. Disobeying that commandment WILL lead you to hell.

I will be sharing this in five parts.

WHAT IS TITHE AND OFFERING?

Deuteronomy 12: 5-7.

Tithe is the one tenth of every increase God has given you, whether it is an earned income or unearned gift. It is God’s own and not ours. And all the things of God must be brought up first in all our Scale of Preferences. Offerings are gifts brought to God beyond the tithes.

PURPOSE OF PAYING TITHE AND OFFERING.

Proverbs 3:9

For everything there is always a purpose.

·         To honour God – Matthew 22: 21b.

·         To avoid curse – Malachi 3: 9.

·     To help in spreading the Gospel (supporting ministers and also for the growth of the Church) – 1Corinthians 9: 13, 14.

CONDITIONS FOR PAYING TITHE AND OFFERING

Matthew 23: 23.

Is it everybody that is capable of paying tithe and offering? No. Just as there are requirements for entering a university, there are also conditions for giving tithe and offering.

·         Spiritual Condition: It is required that you are Born Again i.e. with a pure heart. Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 23: 23.

·         Physical Condition: It is also required that you are physically fit for paying.

Not being Proud – Matthew 6: 1

Doing it with simplicity (not being open) – Matthew 6: 4

Paying of tithe and offering without this will only amount to no benefit at all to the giver.

BENEFITS IN PAYING TITHE AND OFFERING

There are different forms of benefits in paying tithe and offering.

·         Physical Benefits: We have people like King David and the likes who did and were blessed, II Samuel 24: 24-25, then contemporary Saints.

·         Spiritual Benefits: Blessings. Malachi 3: 10-12, Luke 6: 38.

·         Eternal Benefits: Revelation 14: 12. Only those who will make it at last. Those who obey the commandments of God Exodus 20: 12.

Note: The expectation of a return should not be our motivation for giving, and His richest blessings are not necessary monetary. Be not deceived, God is not mocked…Galatians6: 7. Question: Where are you to invest, in the House of God or on earthly material things?

PERIL OF NOT PAYING TITHE AND OFFERING

These are two separate things commanded by God. So many people do not know about the later consequences. We all know most of the Ten Commandments and that Thou Shalt Not Steal is part of it. As long as you don’t pay your tithe and offering, you remain a thief. Stealing simply means taking what does not belong to you, Malachi 3: 8-9. You also stand to lose Heaven at last if you don’t give a changed attitude. Matthew 19: 17, Revelation 14: 12. This is more than statements made by God to some people who still disobeyed. Until you know who God is, you will never know what He can do. I Chronicles 13: 5- 14 (Uzzah), II Chronicles 26: 1-3, 14-21(Uzzaih).

Remember!

Tithe is 10 per cent of any of your increase.

Offering is part of the remaining in the increase.

Bring them to the house of the Lord – Malachi 3: 10a.

Bring them in Love and Cheerfulness – II Corinthians 9: 7.