Tithing

Do we really need to tithe? Yes. And why wouldn't you want to? Tithing is giving back to God.

Leviticus 27:30 - " 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.'"

Deuteronomy 12:11 - Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name--there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.

Even if you don't have much, give what you can. God expects us to give 10% of all we earn. The word tithe means tenth. In the old days, it meant a tenth of your crops and such would be given to God. Since we no longer make sacrifices, it makes sense to use a tenth of your paycheck. So, when you get a paycheck, bring in your 10%. If you earn $100, you bring in $10. God lets us keep 90% of what we earn to use for our necessities, expenses, and wants. Why wouldn't you give back to God a portion of what He has given to you?

If you don't earn a paycheck right now (like me) just bring in what you can. One dollar on Sundays and fifty cents on Wednesday. Or, bring in a dollar both days. If you can afford to give more, even if you've already given the 10%, give more. The money should go to the church, and help fund things the church will use for God's glory (repairs, mission trips, conferences for the congregation).

In every church I've ever gone to, the pastor has always called for "the offering." It has never just been called tithing. Both words have been used in conjunction. So, what you're doing is giving an offering unto God. If it's used properly, it will go to something for God's glory. If it's not, well, don't think about it. That's on whomever uses the offering wrong. We are responsible for giving unto God, and letting Him deal with the rest.

Now, I've heard some people say that we don't actually have to give money to the church. That's true. We don't have to do anything. God gives us a choice. I've also heard it said that there is no guarantee of return or blessing if we do tithe. I disagree. First of all, there's this verse:

Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Okay, so this isn't specifically talking about tithing. And it means so much more than physical sowing. But think about it a minute. If we expect God to help us, to give us blessings, we have to give to God. That means giving Him all of ourselves. Everything on this earth belongs to God. Everything we have belongs to God, because we belong to God, because He has given it to us. That includes our finances. So we give a portion of our earnings to God, to His house, for His glory.

Then, there's this verse:

Malachi 3:8-10 - "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How are we robbing you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--your whole nation--because you are robbing me. 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."

Hmm...sounds to me like God is promising blessings there for giving Him tithes.