Is Tithing Biblical? The Prosperity Gospel

Practical? Factual? Needed? 

What is Tithing? I LOVE Preaching this Message in Writing, Via the TAG Blog. I love Preaching this Message anonymously. I used to Preach this Message Via a Cassette Tape. Yup. I'm Dating myself. Point is, if you do not know me, and do not have any way to contact me, you have no way of giving me Money. Therefore, when I am talking about Tithes and Offerings, I cannot have an ulterior motive.

Too many times, we see Preachers on TV, wearing Thousand Dollar Suits, Gold Rings, and Watches, with a Mic in one hand, and the other outstretched, asking you for Money. The "Prosperity Gospel" is being Preached at an ever-increasing rate. "Give and God will Bless you. The More you give to the TV Preacher, the more God will Bless you." I was also actually in a Church when the Pastor of that Church got in the Pulpit and actually said, "You have to put God first in all things. Especially in your Finances. If you want to prove that you are putting God first with your Money, you should Tithe more than you pay in your Mortgage." Yeah, I left the Church shortly after that.

The Prosperity Gospel is COMPLETELY Unbiblical. It is a COMPLETE LIE. God is not an ATM. Nor is God going to make everyone who Tithes and gives Offerings a Million Dollars. Sorry. If you give that TV Preacher more money than you pay in Morgage, you will NOT coast through Life without a care in the World.

Having said all this, is Tithing in of itself Biblical? What IS Tithing anyway? We see the first Tithe in Genesis 14 start at verse 17.

"After Abram {that is Abraham} returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was the priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."

This is the first time a Tithe is mentioned in the Bible. Abram or Abraham gave away Ten percent of his captured goods. It was Thanksgiving Offering to God on behalf of the people who had been Miraculously Rescued and brought home safely. Notice this, Abraham did not give this Ten Percent out of his own Possessions or Property. He gave out of his gain from the Battle. His "Salary" if you will. He did so in gratitude to and in recognition that without God, the Victory would not have been possible.

So this became a normal Practice in the Old Times. People started to Tithe Ten Percent of their Gains, for both Gratitude and Thanksgiving to God. It was also a way to ensure that all would be taken care of, even if someone was in lack. Jump ahead to Malachi 3:8-12

"Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you."

Why does God want this?

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house."

This is the reason. Not for the Pastor to gain Riches. Not for those giving to gain Riches, but so that the Church has the ability to meet its needs and to meet the needs of the People less fortunate. Now we get to the point some Pastors are using to trick people into giving them Money.

"And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

See? Give and God will make you Rich. Uh, no. First of all, we are not even talking about Money here.

"I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts."

God did not create our Financial System. We did. God does not need Money. We do. Instead of bringing in Grains, Cows, Chickens, Milk, Honey, Fruits, and Veggies, today's Modern Church needs Money to

1- Pay Bills. Lights, Heat, AC. ETC.

2- To buy Grains, Cows, Chickens, Milk, Honey, Fruits, and Veggies, AKA Food and meet the needs of those less fortunate. 

3- YES-To meet the Needs of the Pastor. The Pastor should not be part-time. He should not be in need and worrying about where his next meal will come from. He should be spending his time in the Word, in Prayer, and in the Care for others.

Electric is not free. Heat is not free. Food is not free. The Pastor's needs are not free. Again, not in God's System, but rather in ours. God promises us that if we DO Tithe, we do not ever have to worry about that 90 percent. That it will go far farther than that 100 percent ever will. That if we Bless others, by Blessing the Church, God will Bless us in all things. Not that we hit the Lotto tomorrow, but in Life itself. As a Child of God, it is our duty to do this. Remember this Passage? James 2:15-16

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"

Seriously. If you say you are "Religous" and yet you do nothing but show up and listen to the Pastor, and go home, what do you accomplish for God? James 2:17

"Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."

God does call for us to Tithe, which is Ten Percent, for no other reason than it is for the Good of those Tithing and for the good of those receiving. It is Practical, Factual, Needed. It should be something, like with Abraham, that we LONG to do. Something we do proudly and humbly.

Go to 2 Corinthians 9:6-14

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you."

Now, is there abuse in the Church? Of course. Are there Pastors and Church Officials that will take your Tithe and use it for their own gain? Yup. Just like bad Doctors, Police officers, Drug Company CEOs, Whatever, there are bad Pastors and Administrators in the Family of God. Does that change any of the reasons we need to Tithe and give Offerings? Nope. You are Obligated to Tithe. If that Pastor is misusing the Tithes, that is between him and God. Nothing you could ever do could compare to what God can and will do to a deceitful Person using Him and His Church for Selfish Gain.

Just to be clear, a Tithe is Ten Percent. An Offering, is anything more than Ten Percent. Example, if you make $1000.00 a Paycheck, your Tithe is $100.00. Not $90.00. Not $20.00. Not $120.00 Your Tithe IS $100.00. If you chose to, or God puts in on your Heart, to Give $120.00, then $100.00 is your Tithe, and $20.00 is your Offering.

Tithes and Offering are to ensure that all God's Children's Needs will be met. Food, Clothes, Shoes, a Roof over their Heads. ETC. Again it is to meet the Needs of the Church, Pastor, and People. So the next time you Give, do not give out of Obligation. Is it? Yup. Do not give out of Expectation. Does God lie? No. Will He Bless you? Of course. But God is not a Get Rich Quick Scheme. No. When you Give, do not do so out of Obligation, nor Expectations, rather do it, out of Love.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!