*7 REASONS WHY EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD PAY THEIR TITHES ?" PART 3*
by Segun Olumide *PRECONDITIONS FOR HEAVEN SERIES (Every Sunday)* *LECTURE 60: SEVEN REASONS WHY EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD PAY THEIR TITHES — PART 3* Sunday, 7th August, 2022 Ministering: Segun Olumide
*Introduction* Two weeks ago, we considered the first reason out of the 7 reasons why every believer should pay their tithes. Last week, we looked at the second reason. That first reason mentioned was — *REASON 1: TITHES STARTED BEFORE THE LAW; WERE EFFECTIVE AND REINFORCED UNDER THE LAW; AND CONTINUES AFTER THE LAW – UNDER GRACE* The second reason was — *REASON 2: TITHES BELONG TO GOD.* Now, this week, by God's grace, we are looking at the third reason, namely: *REASON 3: REFUSING TO PAY YOUR FULL TITHES & OFFERINGS TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH MEANS YOU ARE A THIEF STEALING GOD'S MONEY/RESOURCES* Malachi 3:6-10 KJV Now let's consider verses 8 and 9 above in other versions below: Malachi 3:8-9 AMPC Malachi 3:8-9 NLT Malachi 3:8-9 BBE Malachi 3:8-9 GodsWord In essence, God was saying here that His people were robbing Him, defrauding Him, cheating Him or keeping back from Him what legitimately belonged to Him! Wasn't that wickedness of the highest order? In other words, His people in question were robbers, fraudsters, cheats or thieves. Stealing from fellow humans is evil, but stealing from God is a more terrible evil! God commanded: *Thou shalt not STEAL* (Exodus 20:15 KJV). Apparently, you don't want to be addressed as a thief, but if you steal God's tithes and/or offerings by not paying or giving yours when due, then you are nothing, but a thief! God's people rob, cheat or defraud Him of their tithes and offerings, which belong to Him for different reasons such as: (i) Forgetfulness (ii) Poverty/Low income (iii) Debt (iv) Ignorance (v) Belief that tithes were for people under the law (vi) Lack of faith (vii) Stubbornness (viii) Disobedience (ix) Stinginess (x) Covetousness/greed (xi) Demonic manipulation (xii) Discouragement, and so on But, there is no excuse for robbing God! Romans 2:1 RSV Very importantly, God hates both stealing His tithes (as well as offerings) and stealing to pay tithes. Isaiah 61:8 KJV You see, God hates robbery not only for burnt offering, but also for tithes and offerings (in general)! In fact, He hates robbery in any fashion, form or shape! By the way, there are different forms of robbery, namely: armed robbery, pen robbery, verbal robbery, internet robbery, mobile robbery, religious robbery, and so on. Anyone who steals or robs is carrying out part of Satan's threefold ministry (see John 10:10). The command from heaven has always been: *THOU SHALT NOT STEAL* (Exodus 20:15 KJV). It neither says: "You may not steal" nor "You cannot steal." It's neither a suggestion nor a request. Rather, it's a command. Let's take a closer look at it in some other versions thus: Exodus 20:15 AMPC Exodus 20:15 GNT Exodus 20:15 GodsWord The word "shall" here speaks of a command. It's an imperative statement. *PREACHER, PREACH TO YOURSELF FIRST!* Romans 2:21 KJV Romans 2:21 AMPC It's sad that some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, bishops, deacons, and so on may preach or teach hard on tithes and offerings, yet without giving their own to God faithfully or even at all. This is sheer hypocrisy! You must pay your own tithes and offerings first, then preach or teach it to others. It's called leadership by example. *"1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 SO YOU MUST BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING THEY TELL YOU. BUT DO NOT DO WHAT THEY DO, FOR THEY DO NOT PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH"* (Matthew 23:1-3, NIV). Acts 1:1 KJV Dear preacher, if you are robbing God in tithes and offerings, but you are preaching and screaming that your listeners should not rob Him in tithes and offerings, then how will they obey Him through your preaching that contradicts your lifestyle because they are watching you; and your secret or disobedience will be known to them sooner or later? As a matter of caution, Paul wrote Timo: *"15 PRACTICE THESE THINGS. DEVOTE YOUR LIFE to them SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE YOUR PROGRESS. 16 FOCUS on YOUR LIFE and YOUR TEACHING. CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU. IF YOU DO THIS, YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELF AND THOSE WHO HEAR YOU"* (1 Timothy 4:15-16, GodsWord). *WARNINGS ON GIVING OF TITHES* *Warning 1. DON'T GIVE YOUR TITHES TO A NON-CHURCH* From the Scriptural standpoint, tithes should be given to the local Church! It should never be given to a Christian evangelistic organization, association or ministry for soul winng crusades. Nor should it be given to a Bible school, gospel tract printing organization, Christian TV/radio/internet ministry, Christian university, and so on. 2 Chronicles 31:9-12 KJV Malachi 3:10 KJV All your tithes (100 percent) goes to your local Church! They must go to the house of God as seen in the Scriptures above. In the New Testament, the house of God refers first to God's people, then second, a place of worship. (Strong's Greek Dictionary confirms and explains this.) 1 Timothy 3:15 KJV In this context above, Paul referred to the house of God, which is the Church of God as a place of worship. But, in Ephesians 5:25 and 27, he referred to the Church as the people of God. Ephesians 5:25-27 KJV I embrace Kenneth E. Hagin's policy along this line of giving of tithes. He would tell God's people to give their tithes to their various local Churches, but to send him an offering (if they wanted to support his ministry)! I teach the same principle because it's Scriptural! Year ago, one of the Bible School students who was a member of another Church gave me his tithe. I prayed on it and returned it to him telling him to give it to his pastor. I was only his teacher, and not his pastor! Even though, I needed money at that time, yet I had to obey the Scripture. He must have been surprised or shocked at my action! Actually, it did not belong to his pastor. It belonged to God. But, I will not eat another man's labour unlawfully or unworthily. And his pastor has a right to a portion of it through the Church setting or management. It's ideal to give your tithe to the local Church you are a member of, and which is the same Church that feeds and takes care of you spiritually, emotionally and physically. The pastor that disciples you, prays with you, visits you, watches over you even in the night seasons, caters for your welfare, counsels you maritally, ministerially, vocationally and financially, empathizes with you in sickness or pain, conducts your wedding, stays with you when your wife was giving birth in the hospital overnight, travels to bury your aged parents, and so on, deserves to be given part of your tithes as allowance by the Church management. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 GNT 1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT 1 Timothy 5:17-18 AMP You see, if a member of the Church I lead happens to give me his tithe, I may ask him to bring it to the Church service or venue himself, or I may collect it and help him drop it in the Church's collection basket, or keep it for him till the Church service day when I will hand it over to him to drop by himself. I will be foolish to pocket it! That will be lack of ministerial ethics and etiquette. It's to be regretted greatly that some Church managements are selfish and wicked for they refuse to take good care of their well-deserving ministers intentionally when the resources are available! The Lord will judge His people. Ezekiel 34:20-22 NIV Ezekiel 34:20-22 AMPC Ezekiel 34:21 NLT *Warning 2. DON'T GIVE YOUR TITHES AS ALMS TO THE POOR* Simply put, tithe is ten percent of one's income or profit while alms are material and/or financial possessions one gives to the poor or needy. We should never replace tithes with alms, and vice versa. Therefore, it's wrong to convert your tithes to alms or to convert your alms to tithes! Friend, neither stop giving your tithes because you are giving alms to the poor nor stop giving alms because you are giving your tithes to your Church! *JESUS DIFFERENTIATED BETWEEN ALMS AND TITHES* Luke 11:41-42 KJV This Scripture shows beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus believed in, approved of, encouraged and taught both alms and tithes as two different things. I know of a dear popular apostolic leader in Europe who sadly has changed tithes to alms. So, he encouraged the Church members not to pay tithes, but rather to use them as alms to the poor. Jesus encouraged alms in some other Scriptures as well (see Matthew 6:1-4 and Luke 12:33). *THE EARLY CHURCH PROMOTED ALMS* Acts 3:2-3, 10 KJV The temple worshippers gave alms at the Beautiful Gate or else that lame man would have left long before he could receive his healing! Acts 9:36 KJV Dorcas was full of alms giving! Acts 10:1-2 KJV This Scripture reveals that Cornelius "gave much *ALMS* to the people..." It didn't say that he "gave much *TITHES* to the people..." There is a crystal clear difference between tithes and alms. Also, Paul the apostle practised giving alms. He differentiated between alms given to the poor and offerings presented to God! Read his statement below carefully in the various versions: Acts 24:17 KJV Acts 24:17 ESV Acts 24:17 NLT Acts 24:17 GodsWord Acts 24:17 NIV You see, believers should never give their tithes to orphans (the fatherless), widows, old people, the sick, strangers, and so on out of pity. Rather, they should give alms to them as prompted by God. James 1:27 AMPC James 1:27 GNT James 1:27 NIV Believers should give alms to the poor individually while the Church leadership should manage the tithes correctly and ensure that they are used Scripturally. You see, tithes are to help the local Church. Yes, tithes were to take care of the levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows. Deuteronomy 26:12 KJV [Levites here speak of the ministers in charge of the temple or tabernacle.] But, you are not to distribute your tithes to the Church ministers, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows by yourself. No, that's not your job. It's will be disorder. 1 Corinthians 14:33,40 KJV Just give your tithes faithfully to the local Church the Lord has instructed to be a member of and leave the administration, management and distribution of the tithes to the minister(s) in charge. Leave them to their conscience. Romans 14:12 KJV However, widows that have responsible relations should be helped by such relations without bothering the Church, so that the Church can help dependent widows. And any widow under 60 years should remarry. 1 Timothy 5:9, 11-12, 14-16 AMPC *Warning 3. DON'T GIVE YOUR TITHES TO AN UNFERTILE CHURCH* What is an unfertile Church? This a Church whose spiritual soil is like concrete or cemented floor that can never make seeds germinate! Unfertile Churches include occult Churches (using demonic power), cult Churches (denying some or all of the basic teachings of Christ), derailed Churches (that used to follow God in the past), Churches that are established for business purposes or other wrong reasons without God's ordination, direction and backing, and so on. Deuteronomy 12:13-14 RSV I remember the story of a world renowned apostolic leader here in Nigeria. Several years ago, he wrote in his book that he once had a vision or dream of sowing in a cemented or concrete floor. (Or God showed him a similar thing.) In actuality, God was telling him that he had sown his financial seed in unfertile ground. That may explain why some believers are going through unnecessary, avoidable and self-inflicted financial hardship or struggle in spite of giving their tithes and offerings faithfully, but in unfertile ground. Make sure the Lord leads you to the local Church you belong to. It's not all about size. Size is secondary, but important. In healthy and strong Church growth, quality comes before quantity! Both are very important, but in this strict order! Again, you don't necessarily need to be a member of a local Church simply because it's very close to your house or work place! Romans 8:14 KJV
To be continued.
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