ON TITHING, GIVING AND THE HOARDERS

Okay....I hope this post will put to rest a lot of debates out there on giving, tithing and offerings...
I was doing a round of 'Google searches' on tithing and to my great disappointment I stumbled about many articles and posts advocating against the practice of Tithing.
ok... let us have a 'life changing talk about talk about tithing, giving and offerings.
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In the past and even today, there has been financial abuses committed by priests, ministers and elders towards their churches or the people they ministered. There are countless examples you can find in the news regarding what I just wrote. It was unfortunate and I do not advocate ministerial abuse in any form.

In response to those financial abuses, certain people went on into their own corners and developed views advocating for the total halt of giving to the church. They do it through blog posts, Youtube videos, they set up websites with the sole purpose of condemning Tithing, etc...Those people have been blinded through the offence they have suffered.

Additionally, another good number of people who have never experienced financial abuse in churches are also following suit by spreading 'non-Scriptural' views against giving for the Gospel. Those people too have been blinded through their desires to keep and retain their possessions by all means.

If you are reading my posts as a study, then I suggest that you write down in your note pad or book the word 'blinded'. Because I will use the same word again by referring to a Scripture.
Before I carry on writing this post, I have an advice to all the people who are victims of abuses in the church: 'if you find yourself in a church where you are experiencing clear abuse (sexual, financial, racial, and many more...) from your pastor, then I rather suggest that you leave that community-church. I did not say:  'leave the Body of Christ'. 

I say this because it will be safer for your soul. Many people opted to stay in abusive ministries where leaders were unrepentant and could not be changed and in the process of staying in those abusive churches, those victims ended up either losing their faith or they ended up adopting 'non-Scriptural views on matters included in the Bible. Some people strongly stand against any form of giving in the church because they have experienced financial abuse from false prophets. Some people don't believe in God anymore because they were abused sexually by a priest or a pastor repetitively and they ultimately lost their faith in God. 

If an abusive church pastor cannot be dismissed or changed, then it would be better for the flock to leave for fear that their souls will be affected with a distorted view of God and the Scriptures. The passage of Luke 12:42-46 is dedicated specifically for servants in charge of the flock. Jesus warns that the abusive servants will be cut into pieces and designated a place with unbelievers. This is how seriously Jesus regards abuse in the church.
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If you have been victim of financial abuse in the church, setting a website against tithing or giving to church, is not the way to combat financial abuse committed by pastors and false prophets. I stumbled upon articles discouraging tithing but not even encouraging any form of giving towards the church.So this is definitely the wrong way to attack abuse....
I am going to share a few Scriptures with a few explainers, and hopefully, many of you will find healing.
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Give and it shall be given unto you:

I personally give my Tithe and offerings. I am giving because I want to honor the Lord (reference Prov. 3:9). 
Am I millionaire (at the time of this writing)? No, I am not and I will still be giving my Tithes and offerings regardless of my financial status.
Becoming a millionaire is not the goal. And God has always come through with His promises to me. I did not compel God to make a promise towards me. He is the One who promised to fill my barns (reference Proverbs 3:10) and to open the windows of Heaven (reference Malachi 3:10). So nobody must make you feel guilty or bad about giving Tithe and offerings. You are not manipulating God in any way or form. God Himself promised to fill our barns.

Now, the argument that many 'anti-tithers/anti-givers' people raise is the fact that 'tithing' is the Old Testament covenant. I have a response to that view for a later stage of this post.
The word 'tithing' refers to giving 10% to God. So mathematically, if I bring my Tithe and offerings, I will always give more than 10%.
It is interesting that Proverbs 3:9-10 does not give a cap on the amount of wealth used to Honor the Lord. So it is fair to assume that a person following the advice in Proverbs 3:9-10 will always honor the Lord beyond the 10% mark.

In response to those who refuse to Tithe because of it being part of the Old Testament, then let me guide you to the New Testament where Jesus Our High Priest has something to say about giving:
'Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38).
Notice that Jesus does not place a cap limit such as 10% for giving. He does not place a 'restricted zonal limit' of where to give.The Lord Jesus does not even restrict 'giving' to just one form.

Let me explain Luke 6:38:

'Jesus had the habit to elevate God's commandments. For example, adultery was forbidden in the law. But Jesus elevated the standards of adultery to the thought process (Matthew 5:27-28).
When it comes to giving, Jesus did not mention any percentage to give, He did not restrict 'giving' to one place and one form. In other words there is no cap limit to what we decide to give. He elevated the standards of giving.

If I give my Tithe and offerings, I will break the 10% mark. But now since Jesus does not set a cap for 'giving', He also added: 'For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you'. Hmmm, interesting. In other words, It will be given to you according to the measure you are using. If your measure is to give 50 cents all the time while you could be giving a thousand times more, then you will receive according to that measure you use. So think for yourself! Some of you are always receiving from God but it seems so little because it is given to you according to the measure you use :'too little'.
Jesus does not restrict giving to a zonal place. In other words, we will give to the church, to the poor, to families, etc...

Jesus never restricted 'giving' to one form. Tithing is a form of giving, the first fruits offering is a form of giving, the general offering and charity are forms of giving. And on the other hand, He does not forbid any form of giving...So who are you to discourage people from tithing? Jesus never forbade anyone from Tithing, neither did He limit 'giving' to just tithing.

Tithing (which represents 10%) is only a measure someone may use to give to God. The fact that Jesus includes the word 'measure' also implies that people will eventually measure for themselves what they will give. When someone gives 10%, he/she has chosen the measure of his/her giving. Tithing should not be seen as a horrible legalistic way of doing things but more as a measure someone decides to use.
Therefore, as followers of Christ, we should not entertain debates to know whether a Christian should give his/her tithes or not because Jesus simply said :'Give' and He has not even placed a cap limit on our giving. So let us just give with a good measure.
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Do you remember that I asked you to take note of the word 'blinded'?
Notice what Jesus said in Luke 6:39-40 (right after His message on giving):

' He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher'.
Many people, who are writing articles and posting videos against Tithing and all forms of giving, have been blinded either through an offense or by the desire to hoard their riches. And then there are those who are blind by ignorance. Those ignorant believers are learning from them. The student cannot be above his/her teacher. When you follow a spiritually blind teacher, you will be like him/her. If you follow many of the posts of videos against Tithing, most of them don't even encourage any form of giving.

Those same people also state that because tithing was in the Old Covenant, we should not practice it. If it is the case, then there are many things included in the Old testament that we should not practice as well? if that argument stands, then we should stop honoring our parents since it is a command recorded in the Old covenant....That excuse is absurd.

Let me remind you: 'Your Teacher is Jesus and He said :'Give'. There is no cap limit He set, but the giver will always have a measure in his/her giving.



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