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The Lord has designed His Church to be maintained by systematic giving toward the upkeep of physical facilities, utilities and for the financial support of the in-house fivefold ministers.
EZEKIEL dot COM
TITHES AND CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP
by Apostle G.R. (see bio at bottom)
I. The Scripture teaches that we are to bring tithes and offerings to God's storehouse. Malachi
3:7-12. The storehouse is that place where the people of God are fed. The Word says, "that
there might be meat in mine house". Meat means spiritual food and "mine house" as stated
clearly means God's house. If we put the spiritual body first, we can always trust God for the
material needs. Matthew 6:33.
Why do Christians tithe? Because they believe in God! They believe God when he says that if you
don't tithe "ye have robbed me". They believe that the sowing and reaping principle is cursed
unto them if they don't tithe. They also believe that God rebukes Satan for their sakes if they
tithe. They also believe that God provides in a myriad of ways if they tithe. Mal.3:11,12.
Some people do not realize that tithing was set in place before the law was given.
Approximately five hundred (500) years before. Abraham was a covenant man. Genesis
14:18-20. Jacob was a covenant man. Genesis 28:22.
Then tithing came under the law. Israel entered into the Mosaic covenant. Lev. 27:30-33; Num.
18:20-24; 25-32.
And then tithing was under grace. Jesus confirmed tithing. Why? Tithing was not of the law,
only under it. Tithing was before the law. Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42; Luke 18:12; Heb. 7:1-4.
The tithe is not yours to give (in a real sense); it already belongs to God. Matt. 23:23
II. What is the Difference Between Tithes and Offerings?
The difference is that in our tithes we pay God. Matt. 23:23. In our offerings we give to God. An
offering is a gift of love above our tithe which will open the windows of heaven. Mal. 3:10.
Giving the offering is saying, 'Thank You, Lord!'
Tithing, nowhere in the Bible is equated with a sacrifice. Why? Because the tithe belongs to God.
But sacrificial offerings are motivated by love. This kind of giving proves the reality of your faith.
II Cor. 9:13.
Sacrificial offerings go beyond the duty to tithe; you must be willing to love too and go beyond
duty, to where love flows.
Sacrificial offerings come "out of self" to the Lord. When a person sings, prays, or praises, it
involves giving out of self to the Lord. Participation is required to be a true worshiper. Those who
sit on the sideline as spectators only receive. But that which they receive is so badly lacking of the
abundance of the Lord.
Again, the "full" or "all" of the tithe comes into the storehouse (God's house). This is to support
the ministry and the expenses of that ministry. Whereas offerings, and at times taking "special
offerings" are used to help missions, the poor, and members of the church, and relatives. This is
why people at times should go beyond the tithe and give their offerings to the church so that
"alms" will be readily at hand. But not all of your offerings should go to the church if you are led
of the Lord to help others or to help other ministries. But again,"all" of the tithe according to
Scripture should go to the storehouse (God's house).
Revival comes to a local body when its people are praying, tithing, and bringing their offerings. In
Hezekiah's time, the people of God responded to His call on their hearts, and the people brought
their tithes and offerings to the temple and laid them in heaps, and there resulted an abundance to
carry on God's work.
III. May One Borrow the Lord's Tithe?
Yes, but if we do, there is a penalty that we will have to pay. On the amount borrowed we will
have to add one-fifth which is 20%. Lev. 27:30-31. Also, if we don't pay that which we
borrowed, there is a curse relative to the "windows of heaven" (Mal 3:10); the "windows of
heaven" will remain closed.
Therefore, when we rob God, it not only affects us financially, but also spiritually. This is why
God wants you to be faithful with that which belongs to Him, because He does not want you to
borrow and then become discouraged if you get behind. Because then, there is a temptation to
give up.
Some people ask, "Can I pay part of my tithe?" Yes, you can, but that is not "tithe" until you have
paid all of it. Tithe means one-tenth. The principle of God's curse, Mal. 3:9, is in effect. Paying
part means that you still have a part that does not belong to you. Ananias and Sapphira decided to
say they sold their land for so much when they really sold it for more. Peter asked, "Why did you
conceive (this plan to tell us that you received less) this thing in thine heart? You have not lied
unto men, but unto God" Acts 5:1-11. God then struck them both dead. God is just as serious
about giving honestly today! "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
IV. The Bible Teaches that there are Principles of Giving:
1. Give yourselves to the Lord first. II Cor.8:5
2. Give willingly. II Cor. 8:3,12
3. Give cheerfully (hilariously). II Cor. 9:7
4. Give generously, liberally. II Cor. 8:2; 9:13
5. Give proportionately. II Cor. 8:14-15; 9:6
6. Give regularly. I Cor. 16:1-2
7. Give systematically. II Cor. 9:7
8. Give lovingly. II Cor. 8:24
9. Give thankfully. II Cor. 9:11,12
10. Give as a ministry to the Lord and his saints. II Cor. 9:12,13.
V. Tithing Is Only a Part of Christian Stewardship.
Stewardship involves one principle thought: God is the owner of all. We are stewards. Paul
expressed it this way: I Cor. 6:19-20. Please read. Peter describes the price. I Pet. 1:19. Please
read.
The Word is teaching here in the above two contexts that more attention needs to be given to the
inner spiritual springs from which the streams of true stewardship flow. We must get beyond the
money question to man himself, beyond what a man gives to what he is.
Stewardship is a divine-human partnership, with God the senior partner. It is the practice of
systematic and proportionate giving of time, abilities, and material possessions, based upon the
conviction that these are a trust from God to be used in His service for the benefit of His
Kingdom.
God is the owner-giver; we are the steward-receiver. And what we receive, we are accountable
for. Matt. 25:14-19, 29, 30, I Cor. 4:7
Some of the different owner-receiver relationships are as follows:
Owner Receiver-steward
1. Life: What you have received,
Gen. 1:27, 28; Acts 17:25; Jam. 1:7
2. Time: What you are allotted.
Prov. 24:30-34; Ps. 90:12
3. Talents: What you have been given to use.
Matt. 25:14-30
4. Possessions: What is entrusted to you.
Matt. 6:19-21; Col. 3:1,2
5. Finances: What you labor for.
1 Cor. 16:1,2
A. What are the Requirements of a Good Steward?
1. Faithfulness. ....................... 1 Cor. 4:1,2
2. Teachableness ....................... Ps. 27:11
3. Desire to minister (serve) people ... Rom. 12:10-13
4. Servant's heart. .................... Gal. 5:13
5. Willingness to give. ............. Luke 6:38
B. Are Stewards Accountable?
1. Read the parable of the unjust steward. Luke 16:1-13
2. This Scripture is best understood by asking the following questions:
a. What does being a steward mean?
b. What was the steward accused of in verse one?
c. Do we have to give an account of our stewardship? When? Verse 2.
d. Is it possible to forfeit our stewardship? Now or in eternity? Vs. 3.
e. What did the unjust steward do with two of his Lord's debtors? Vs. 5-6.
f. Why did the Lord commend the unjust steward for the wrong action he took? Vs. 8.
g. What is the unrighteous mammon? Vs. 9,11,13; for the true riches?
h. What is the key word (used four times) in Vs. 9-13 Are we such?
i. How can we make to ourselves "friends of the unrighteous mammon?" Vs. 9.
3. A LEGAL giver gives because he has to.
4. A LOVING giver gives because he loves to.
VI. Believers Need to Realize that Alms-giving and Tithing are not Synonymous.
The word says in Matt. 6:1-4 (v. 3), "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what
the right hand doeth." Notice this is not in reference to tithes but alms, and there is a difference.
"Alms is money given and distributed for relief of the poor and needy." In other words we are
not to "show off" or "brag" about what we have done to help those in need. God sees us in
secret and will "reward us openly."
But when it comes to the tithe, the head of the church should be concerned whether or not the
sheep are tithing just as he should be concerned with whether or not one is saved, whether or not
one has been baptized in water, or baptized with the Holy Spirit. The commandment of tithe is
no different from any other of God's commandments.
You do not become offended if your pastor talks to you and encourages you to be baptized.
Why, then, should you become offended when he speaks to you about your tithe, for anything
that has to do with God's business is his business to encourage and strengthen you so that God's
best can be your portion. We forget that the tithe is not something we give. Jesus made this
clear in Matt. 23:23 when he said, "For ye pay tithe", not give the tithe. This shows that the tithe
is a debt of God's claim on our stewardship. When we feel we have a right to use our tithe
according to our own judgments, we forfeit our stewardship. The tithe is the Lord's. The Bible
says, "The tithe is Holy unto the Lord". Lev. 27:32.
Tithing and stewardship is not a financial problem - it is a spiritual problem.
VII. If I Don't Tithe, How Will It Effect My Church?
There are two ways that the church will be effected when people don't tithe. These two
ways are spiritually and physically. The church is a corporate body; if one is out of step with
God's program the whole body will suffer because God said, they are under the curse. Mal.
3:9. They can only be blessed by God when they are being obedient and functioning as a
corporate body.
You see, tithing is not only a debt we owe, but also a seed we sow!
Tithing as a Christian Duty
Abraham commanded it ............ Genesis 14:18-20
Jacob continued it ..................... Genesis 28:22
Moses confirmed it ................... Leviticus 27:30-33
Malachi commanded it .............. Malachi 3:8-10
Christ commended it ................. Matthew 23:23
Believers profit by it ................. Malachi 3:11
God's work is advanced by it .... I Cor. 16:2
God's people are blessed by it ... Malachi 3:10
Conclusion:
Jesus is forever a priest according to the order of Melchizedek who received tithes from Abraham whose children we still are if we do the same works as him. As children of Abraham we tithe to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ who operates His High Priestly ministry according to the order of Melchizedek. The Bible says that we are all kings and priests. Paying our tithes to the Local Church is honoring the Priesthood that the Lord has established in the New Testament Church to govern the local body. While the tithe is received by men, it is used for Kingdom purposes and is accepted by God as a tithe unto the Lord Jesus, the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek which is an eternal priesthood. The priesthood according to the order of Aaron under the Law was temporary, but the tithe was paid to both orders of priests, and upon this Scriptural foundation should be paid today.
Tithing to God is not considered obedience to the Law, but is rather considered by Him an act of Faith. As we know, Abraham was considered righteous because of his faith and not by the works of the Law, and God promised the Blessings of the Covenant prior to Abraham's circumcision. Abraham paid tithes, and Jesus either paid or received tithes, because He kept all the Law perfectly, and stated succinctly in Matthew 5, "17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." What further examples do we need, since both Abraham and Jesus are considered fathers of New Testament believers who stand righteous by God because of their faith apart from the observance of the Laws of Moses?
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