Tithing - A Blessing or Curse?
I just watched this video sermon on tithing from Life Church. It was titled “Tithing the Tithe”. One of the statements that the preacher made on the video was, “Why do so many people give and not see results, not see return, not see the covenant promises of God? It’s either the wrong motive or the wrong method. It’s not because the word of God is not true.”
If you are the one tithing, and not seeing the blessings, how many times have you heard a pastor say that you do not have the blessings because your heart must not be right? it’s so frustrating to hear that, as someone who is trying as best as he can to give with a good heart. I know. I’ve been there. What if i told you that you are not receiving a blessing from giving, because you are under the curse? Let me read this verse for you in Galatians 3:
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
Tithing is part of the Old law, right? So, if you are trying to obey tithing, by giving 10% of your increase, then i would suggest that you either obey the whole law, or do not follow the law of tithing. Woah, before i go any further, i did not say “do not give sacrificially”. I said, do not follow the law of tithing.
Obeying the law of tithing puts a curse on your life. Could that be the reason why you are not receiving the blessing? I’m not into the whole prosperity gospel thing at all, but i do believe God does bless his people for obedience. Some of that blessing can external in financial rewards, and some of that blessing can be internal peace and satisfaction. I like to say that people reap what they sow. If you reap generosity you’ll sow generosity. It doesn’t always mean that if you reap $100 bucks, you’ll sow $200.
It’s up to you to decide in your heart the truth about tithing. God did not intend for his church to be under the giving requirements of the law. He gave us his Spirit to tutor us and help us down the road of sacrificial giving. Don’t be fooled by those that say “tithing is under the grace age so now we should give it by grace instead of the compulsion of the law”. Run far away as you can from that line of thinking. As you can see, the early church is still not the only ones that have struggled with mingling the old law with the new. We are still trying to do it today and they are putting others and themselves under the curse.
Related posts:
Tithing and Still Broke by Niral Russell Burnett
Bible verses about tithes
Tithing by R.T. Kendall
Tithe by Law. . .More under Grace
Tithing - A Blessing or Curse?…
Why do so many people feel that their motives are wrong when they do not see blessings from doing the right thing by tithing?…
Trackback by www.gospelshout.com — November 4, 2007 @ 9:41 am
Please watch my free 2 hour sermon with DSL and tell me which version is true. You are correct. The blessings and curses of tithing are the blessings and curses of theOT law and can not legitimately be treated separately. www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Comment by Russell Earl Kelly, PHD — November 4, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
If you talk to Christians who are tithers most will testify that God takes care of their needs. Tithing, you see is a spiritual principle rather than a compensatory law. Those who practice tithing are honoring God, acknowledging that He is their source of provision and are putting him first in their finances. It is a simple principle that produces powerful results in the lives of believers.
Comment by AlanP — November 8, 2007 @ 10:01 am
Why are you who profess to be so Biblical and ready to judge other people’s tithing faults, not seeing the log in your own eye? You all demonstrate the same presupposition that God owes you something in return for your tithe, or other giving. God owes you nothing–accept that, and enjoy a life of tithing and generous giving, expecting nothing in return. If God blesses you, declare, “blessed by the name of the Lord!” If God doesn’t bless you, declare, “blessed by the name of the Lord.” How about re-centering yourselves on just “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind, and will all your strength,” and “love your neighbor as yourself.”?.
Comment by Randy — November 12, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
God clearly stipulated what He wanted tithes to be collected on in Leviticus 27:30: ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S; it is holy to the LORD. NOT ONE Scripture in either Old or New Testament commands tithing to be done on money, only on agricultural products! It is a sin to add commandments to the Word of God (Deut.4:2). Compulsory tithing was part of the Law, and it was given FROM MT. SINAI BY MOSES TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, not to the children of the Eskimos, the Japanese, Chinese, or Apache Indians. Only the children of Levi had a commandment from God to take tithes (Heb.7:5). No Gentile believer today is authorized by God to collect ten percent of another man’s paycheck to support his ministry. Far from being cursed for non-tithing, the danger lies in trying to keep the Old Law of Moses when Christ has set you free (Gal.5:1). If one law is binding, all the rest of them are, including animal sacrifices, pigeon offerings, kosher food laws, etc.(Gal.5:3). Galatians 3:10 warns us that going back to the Law of Moses carries a curse, not a blessing!
Comment by Patricia Backora — May 21, 2008 @ 9:41 am