Tithing versus Giving

Step into any church, and chances are you've heard Malachi, "Test me on this, give and see if I won't open the storehouses of heaven." Tithing or giving your ten percent is 'tenet' of most churches, and organizations. Pastors and ministers drill into congregants the concept of paying your tithe, and the promise of treasure, manna, and storehouses trumpets from their tongues. But what does the Bible really say about tithing? Is it for today, or was it an Old Testament practice that went out of vogue as the writers of Hebrews expresses, "The Old Covenant is obsolete, and fastling diseappearing." ().

The Bible talks uses two terms, tithing and giving. One is featured in Old Testament, and the Covenant of the Law, the other is found in New Testgament and the  Covenant of Grace. Let us begin with the famous Malachi verse, "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. 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." (Malachi 3:10-11). This entire passage is taken out of context. God is actually speaking to Levite priests who instead of taking the grain offerings and placing them in storehouses for Israel during famine, have been using it themselves. Hence the mention of "storehouses." The land of Israel had been smitten with drought, and it was because of the Levites disobeying the Lord. If we go back further, the Levites were tithed to because when the land of Canaan was divided up among the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the Levites took no land, and were to receive then tithes of food, grain, livestock, and goods to sustain themselves: "The Levitical priests--indeed, the whole tribe of Levi--are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the LORD, for that is their inheritance." (Deuteronomy 18:1, this was one of reasons for sacrifices Israel made to Lord in the Temple, it was to feed priests, who took meat of bulls, ox, pigeons and more for themselves. So it was to feed this tribe of Levi, and thus makes us better understand that God was not asking for pagan sacrifices, but was taking care of his people's needs, and helping them assuage their guilt until He became all sufficient sacrifice for sin on the cross). The priests are no longer one tribe but all saints (believers) as St. Peter says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light," (1 Peter 2:9) and Christ Jesus replaces all priests (pardon the length, it is necessary):
^"If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.  He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

“The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind:
    ‘You are a priest forever.’”

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:11-28).

In the New Testament we have giving, but it has stipulations. The Apostle Paul says, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver," (2 Corinthians 9:7). Notice how no church follows this guidline, you enter and they tell you to give, and say, "he who sows sparingly, reaps sparingly," and "if you give He will open storehouses of heaven for you." Those statements, and sermons based on giving make people feel "under compulsion" and guilty to give. It also ignore Jesus' words, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20). The Malachi verse makes people want to give, hoping the Lord will endow them with greater riches, but this defeats the purpose of giving in first place, "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:2-4).

Giving has to have giving heart. If it is done out of desire to be seen and esteemed, or to receive some boon from Above, then it is not giving. There is a saying, "give without any thought of reward." The goal of giving is an expression of love to those I need of help, even the pastor who is honest and says, "please consider giving a love offering, I am in dire straights." Actually, a respected bible teacher said, "a pastor who looks well after his flock, you will find he never needs to collect offerings." The Apostle Paul avoiding collecting funds from the faithful out of fear he would come under a yoke of control and "choke the word," (Mark 4:19). Paul said, "What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel," (1 Corinthians 9:18), and "If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:12). Here the apostle says, "we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel." Those who know church boards and power of the purse, understand how a pastor who receives pay from the congregation and elders is subject to their control and can be hindered from doing the Will of God out of fear of losing his livelihood. But did not Jesus say, "My Father in heaven takes care of sparrows, how much more so His children?" ().

The Apostle Peter talks about how even false prophets will try to exploit gullible believers,

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.." (2 Peter 2:1-3). I have witnessed through media and in person men who arrive at churches offering prophecies at a price, and even walking in pompously as if more important than Prince of Peace. Beware of such men. The Didache, which was found in church, is believed to have been written by Peter, who says, "If any prophet should come to you and ask for money, he is a false prophet." (Didache).

There is nothing heretical or spurious about supporting an organization, ministry, or person with gifts of money. We are encouraged to help our brothers and sisters in Christ, but out of compassion, not out of compulsion or compelled by guilt. We are honor God with "cheerful heart" when we give, not groans of guilt and resentment or the control of some preacher. So give out of what you have, not out of what you do not have, give not out of compulsion, decide what to give by asking the Holy Spirit, and ask before meeting so you will not be manipulated.