ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE TITHES AND OFFERINGS 

     Certain opponents of payment of Tithes and offerings always cite making a religion out of it. It is true that some people are of the wrong opinion that payment of Tithes and Offerings is synonymous with Christianity. They thought that Christianity begins and ends with it.

     This is not so at all!

     Let us now consider acceptable and unacceptable Tithes and Offerings in more details.

1. Acceptable : The instruction of the Lord to His people in Leviticus 27:30 says,

     “And all the tithe of the land whether of the seed

     Of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s

     It is holy to the Lord.”     New King James Version, NKJV.

1. Such Tithes and Offerings must be directly from your labor. Apostle Paul admonished the Thessalonians, as well as every Christian, thus,

“Now those who are such we command

And exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ

That they work in quietness and eat their own bread” II Thessalonians 3:12.

That is a tithe and offering from the fruit of your labor.

1. It can also come from labor of love from others; that is, an income from those who “learn to do good” according to Isaiah 1:17a. Those who love to show you the kindness of God. This can be in kind or in cash. It is Tithe and offering deductable.

     Note well that whether it comes from your direct labor or from labor of love from others, it must be Godly.

1. Godly but unacceptable: the source of such payment can be Godly but still unacceptable. Do you ask, “Why?” Let us examine briefly some of the reasons that may render it so. It will be unacceptable if not given
2. The Scriptures state,

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart,

Not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2Cor 9:7.

1. Apostle Paul writes,

“But without your consent I wanted to do

Nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion,

As it were, but voluntarily.    Philemon verse 14

     These are in consonant with the words of God, by the mouth of Moses, to the children of Israel in Exodus 25:2,

     “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an

     Offering, from everyone who gives it willingly with his heart

     You shall take My offering.”

     This means, it must not be by force!

• One thing is to pay it, another is to pay it as at when due. Delay in payment robs payer the benefits attached. If for any acceptable reason. It is delayed, a fifth must be added, if it is the fault of the payer. “if a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth of it.” Leviticus 22;24.

1. “You shall not offer to the Lord what is bruised

            Or crushed, or torn or cut; nor shall you make any offering

Of them in your land.”     Leviticus 22:24.

     A part-payment of Tithe and offering falls into this group and is not acceptable to the Lord.

1. Wrong time. A source of income may be Godly but when it is generated at the wrong time, it becomes a wrong-doing. Any tithe and offering paid there from is not acceptable.

For instance, every citizen in the nation of Israel in the past is forbidden from working on the Sabbath day. It was a day to be observed as a day of rest, no work must be done in it. Read Exodus 20:7-11.

     Therefore, if anyone disobeyed the Lord God of Israel by working on a Sabbath day, any Tithe and offering from such work is not acceptable.

1. Wrong place. A Godly Tithe and Offering can become unacceptable if it is paid to the wrong place. There are cases of people who are instructed to pay their Tithe and Offering to a particular church, ministry or minister of God. Any disobedience to the instruction renders it inacceptable . Deuteronomy 14:22-26.

• With blemish. “Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer,

     For it shall not be acceptable on your behalf.”     Lev 22:20

     Every Tithe and Offering must be without any blemish. That is, it must be without any fault. Animals must not be deformed.

     No matter the amount of cash being offered, if currency notes have been mutilated, it will be inacceptable.

• Wrong motive. Payment of Tithe and Offering must be made with the sole aim of obeying the commandment of the Lord, with the hope of reaping the benefits.

     However, there are people of God who pay Tithe and Offering with other ulterior motives. For instances, there are people who pay it to certain ministers with the motives of having control over the minister, his household and ministry.

     This ought not to be so.

1. Unacceptable Tithes and Offerings

     This type of tithes and offerings are most of the time, not from Godly source. Let us examine some of them,

1. If is not from a virtuous work that you do. That is if it is not deducted from an income from your labor.
2. If it is not from God approved gift, donations or charity.

• If it is stolen. The express instructions of God to His people is,

“You shall not steal.”     Exodus 20:15.

     Every reward from being a companion of evil ones. Isaiah 1:23, reads,

     “Your princess are rebellions,

     And companion of thieves.

     Everyone loves bribes

     And follows after rewards.”     Isaiah 1:23 a-d.

1. If it is from lost but found source. For instance, Tithes and Offerings from an amount that was lost but found by you. No matter the amount you decide to pay. God is holy! He will not take “a food meant for dogs!”. Every effort must be made to return a lost item to the lawful owner. You can read more on this in Deuteronomy 22:1-6.

1. Every income authored by Satan, the Devil. There are various evil activities engaged in by people to profit. Every proceeds from kidnapping, stealing, armed robbery, and so on are not pleasing to the Lord. As a child of God, the law remains,

     “My son, if sinners entice you,

     Do not consent.

     If they say, “come with us,

     Let us lurk secretly for the innocent

     Without cause,

     Let us swallow them alive like

     Sheol,

     And whole like those who go down

     To pit;

     We shall find all kinds of precious

     Possessions,

     We shall fill our houses with spoil;

     Cast in your lot among us,

     Let us have one purse” –

     My son, do not walk in the way

     With them,

     Keep your foot from their path”     Proverbs 1:10-15.

     To reap bountiful benefits of payment of Tithes and Offerings, do the right thing, in the right way to the right person in the right place.

Stay blessed and prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Author is the set man of CTFM(WORLD OUTREACH)and Presiding Pastor of Christ Restland Gospel Church.He is a Poet and author of many books. Visit his blogsites www.4thlink.wordpress.com and www.peacelink.wordpress.com for more quality contents.