John Paul Warren Said
When you GIVE under compulsion or Grudgingly you are giving under the LAW of giving and NOT the GRACE given for giving.
Paul Warren concludes that
If you pay tithes, you are still under the law.
In other words, He is suggesting that if you pay a fixed amount every month, youve ultimately made yourself indebted to do the whole law.
Is God truly against Tithing or giving? Is it a sin to pay tithes?
This article explains all bible verses about tithes and offerings.
In the end, you will be blessed to understand each scripture to make the best decision for your faith.
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Giving From The Heart
How you define generosity matters because the Bible has a lot to say about money and how we should think about it and use it.
Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
Each man should give as he has decided in his heart. He should not give, wishing he could keep it. Or he should not give if he feels he has to give. God loves a man who gives because he wants to give. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Jesus looked up and saw rich men putting their money into the money box in the house of God. He saw a poor woman whose husband had died. She put in two very small pieces of money. He said, I tell you the truth, this poor woman has put in more than all of them. For they have put in a little of the money they had no need for. She is very poor and has put in all she had. She has put in what she needed for her own living.-Luke 21:3-4
We must remember what the Lord Jesus said, We are more happy when we give than when we receive.-Acts 20:35
Tithe Scripture: Malachi : 1012
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe, says the Lord Almighty. 12 Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty.
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Where Was It First Mentioned In The Bible
The first tithe made in the bible happened in Genesis14: 19-20. The first person to do so in the bible was Abram. Abram returned from battle and was met by Melchizedek. During their encounter Melchizedek attributes Abramâs victory to God and he blesses Abram.Abram responds to the blessing in gratitude and gives Melchizedek a tenth of all his possessions.
And he blessed him and said, âBlessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!â And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Jacob offers the second tithe as recorded in the Bible. Over in Genesis 28:20â22 Jacob responds to a dream he received from God by building an altar and vowing that, in exchange for Godâs care and provision, he would giveGod a tenth of his belongings.â
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, âIf God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my fatherâs house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be Godâs house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.â
Should I Tithe 10% Off Of My Tax Return Money
If you get an income tax refund, remember thats money youve already tithed on during the yearalthough, youre definitely welcome to devote some or all of it back to the Lord as even more thanks for His blessings! But since tax refunds are just interest-free loans to the government, your goal should be to avoid them by claiming the right number of exemptions and not overpaying throughout the year.
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Tithing Is A Heart Test
Earlier on this page, we see how tithing is the one area where God says that we can test Him.
But, tithing is really a test for us. If you do a Bible study on the number 10, you will see a pattern with it: it often represents a form of testing.
Robert Morris says it like this:
How many times did God test Pharaohs heart? The answer is 10. How many commandments are there? How many times did God test Israel while they were wandering in the wilderness? And how many times did God test Jacobs heart when he was working for Laban? Or how many days was Daniel tested in ? In each case, the answer is, of course, 10
In Matthew 25, 10 virgins had their preparedness tested. Ten days of testing are mentioned in Rev 2:10 the number 10 is associated with testing throughout the Bible. And the tithe represents the ultimate heart test for the believer.
Trusting God With Our Finances
One of the biggest stressors known to mankind is the stress that surrounds finances. And regardless of our income level, we will all face tremendous amount of stress regarding our finances. But the Bible says that we are not to worry about finances. He is in charge of every penny that we will ever see. We shouldnt avoid tithing because we are fearful about having to hoard our money for some unforeseen event. Giving our tithes to the Lord is an act of faith as well as an act of obedience.
17)Mark 12:41-44 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.
18)Exodus 35:5 From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering.
19)2 Chronicles 31:12 Gods people faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts.
21) Psalm 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is Mine.
22) Hebrews 13:5 Dont love money be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.
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The Imitation Of Christ
He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, saith the Lord. These are the words of Christ and they direct us to imitate his life and character. The Imitation of Christ is a guide to following the example of Jesus Christ. It should be our most earnest study to dwell upon the life of Jesus Christ. The Imitation of Christ.
Give With No Strings Attached
Its easier for someone to give when they know theyll be repaid. However, Jesus taught that a person should give freely without expecting anything in return.
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:3436
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Tithing Isnt A Means Of Salvation
This is incredibly important to understand. Our salvation is based on Jesus finished work on the cross, not on works.
You cant earn your way to Heaven by giving, and you wont be excluded from Heaven by your lack of tithing.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Out of our Faith, our good works manifest. So, in my opinion, if someone truly understands how great of a gift they have been given, they will expend a lot of energy giving back.
Jesus Endorsed The Tithe
In Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 Jesus referred to tithing as something that should not be neglected
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spicesmint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the lawjustice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
So if you have been wondering what Jesus said about tithing or if tithe is in the New Testament, you have it right there in Luke 11:42.
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Tithing Isnt What Makes You Righteous
Jesus also told the following parable to illustrate that tithing in itself does not make a person more righteous than anyone else.
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other peoplerobbers, evildoers, adulterersor even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:914
How To Teach Tithing To Your Congregation
When you speak on the importance of tithing during a service, make sure to reference Matthew 23:23 which states that tithing should be done in conjunction with practicing faithfulness.
Its also important to relay the main idea that surrounds tithing which is about both trusting and acknowledging that everything already belongs to God.
Relaying the significance of tithing to your congregation should start early. Bible Study and Sunday school is a great time to instill the value of tithing of the younger members of your church.
Another effective teaching strategy is to interview a couple of longtime tithers during service or to mention them in your sermon.
Talk about how long they have been tithing for, whether or not it was challenging to start tithing, and advice to members of the congregation who are maybe hesitant to tithe or fear they cannot afford it.
Its important that their answers are honest so that they can help those who are having trouble committing to tithing in their own lives.
Above all else, make sure to teach tithing in its purest form:
When we give to the church, it helps the church do more good in the world which is precisely what God has asked us to do. When we tithe, the church can go forth and teach more people about God.
Its a simple but effective message.
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God Repays Us According To How We Give
Another Biblical principle is that we should treat others how we want to be treated. Jesus preached that this also applies to our giving principles.
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
The Law Of Reciprocity
Give, and it will be given to you. You will have more than enough. It can be pushed down and shaken together and it will still run over as it is given to you. The way you give to others is the way you will receive in return.-Luke 6:38
But remember the Lord your God. For it is He who is giving you power to become rich.-Deuteronomy 8:18
Bring the tenth part into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord of All. See if I will not then open the windows of heaven and pour out good things for you until there is no more need.Malachi 3:10
For sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward.-Matthew 10:42
Sell what you have and give the money to poor people. Have money-bags for yourselves that will never wear out. These money-bags are riches in heaven that will always be there. No robber can take them and no bugs can eat them there. Your heart will be wherever your riches are.-Luke 12:33-34
There is one who is free in giving, and yet he grows richer. And there is one who keeps what he should give, but he ends up needing more. The man who gives much will have much, and he who helps others will be helped himself.
-Proverbs 11:24-25
He who shows kindness to a poor man gives to the Lord and He will pay him in return for his good act.-Proverbs 19:17
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Tithe Scripture: Matthew 2: 23 Deuteronomy 1: 22
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
22 You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.
Tithing As A Tool For Prosperity
Another teaching of the church as regards Tithing is that, when you tithe, God opens open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
As discussed later in this article, God actually said that
But as regards pre-law Tithing, there was never a time when Tithing was a tool for Gods blessings. In fact, Abraham was already rich before he tithed. He did not pay tithe to be rich.
Surprisingly, When Jacob made his vow, he had nothing. He was running away from his brother Esau. Towards the end of his stay with Laban, God blessed him.
He never paid tithes to receive Gods blessings. He only promised to pay tithes which he never did in his lifetime.
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Where Does It Say To Tithe In The Bible
Where does the Bible say we must tithe? This is a question that has been asked by Christians for centuries. The answer to this question is not as straightforward as many people think.
In fact, there are many different scriptures in the Bible where tithing is either mentioned or discussed. So it depends on which scripture you reference when answering this question.
In order to give an accurate answer, lets go through an example of these scriptures and determine how they apply to Christian giving today:
Malachi 3:10 : Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
This verse talks about bringing your tithes into a storehouse so it can be redistributed among Gods people who have need. This is one of the main reasons why tithing is still practiced by many Christians today – to help those in need.
When it comes to giving, Christians are called to give generously and not just tithe . However, Malachis verse does show us that God values our tithes and that they should be used for the poor.
This verse shows the ultimate reward for giving your tithes: God opens windows in heaven and pours out blessings upon those who do so. It is important to note that while this verse does not mention what type of blessings we will receive.
Old Testament Scriptures On Tithing In The Bible
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