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Tithes: To Pay Or Not To Pay
December 6, 2017 – Tithes: To Pay Or Not To Pay
By Tony Ogunlowo
The controversy surrounding the payment of tithes rages on with those for and those against giving good arguments for paying or not paying.
I’ll sit on the fence here: the payment of tithes is mentioned in the Bible, as a levy for the upkeep of the church and the clergy, but again so many other things are mentioned that require equal attention like learning how to read and live in accordance to the words of the Bible and not just collecting money.
Some will argue that the payment of tithes is mandatory. Yes and so are a lot of other things in the Bible like keeping the Ten Commandments! People can’t just pick and choose what they want from the Scriptures.
As Christians it’s strange that only the issue of paying tithes should take centre stage in Nigeria with even some revered pastors demanding it: if only they put the same energy into speaking out against slavery in certain parts of Africa, cultism and ritual killings and other ills of society the world will be a better place. This is what a real pastor does instead of throwing tantrums over what or what not is paid into the church coffers.
It’s a fundamental fact of life that we give something back – not just to the church – but to our society, our families and the world as a whole so paying tithes ( I prefer to call it ‘contributions’ or ‘offerings’) for the upkeep of the church ( – and not the pastors’ bank account!) is necessary. Again the amount to be paid and the frequency should be at the discretion of the individual paying: it’s between him or her and God on what’s to be paid and when and not somebody running around asking for bank details!
This is where what I’ll call unscrupulous ‘businessmen’ pastors come in: they purposely set-up churches for financial gain demanding tithes from their members. I’ll use the word ‘demand’ because that is what they do: if a person is unable to pay his tithes for one reason or another ( – especially with the recession on) instead of calling him out ,while not leave him until he is able to – some people go hungry so they don’t miss out on paying their tithes, this is wrong!
Again these pastors encourage people to tithe more money to the church so that they can get more blessings from God – that is to say that God is so desperate for Our Money before he grants us any requests! If this were true then Bill Gates will be able to walk on water!
What is wrong here is not the payment of tithes but the manner in which it is collected and later disbursed – often to pay a Pastors’ fat salary or fund his lavish lifestyle – that is the problem.
Money and religion don’t mix: clergymen should hands off tithes collection or any mention of it and concentrate more on being pastors.
Perhaps there needs to be more transparency here. In a more civilized existence church accounts will be audited and published periodically so that the congregation can see how their tithes are being spent. So it won’t be the case of one man sitting on all the money and him deciding how he will spend it.
And lastly, there are a lot of things going on in the world today that urgently requires the attention of the Christian Church and the petty squabbling over the collection of tithes is not one of them.
Follow me on Twitter: @Archangel641 or visit https://www.archangel641.blogspot.co.uk
iron bar
December 6, 2017 at 6:43 PM
GIVE TITHE WHOLE HEARTEDLY BUT DEAL DECISIVELY TO THE PASTORS/CLERGY WHO MISUSE THE FUNDS FOR THEIR PERSONAL GAINS.IE PURCHASING MILLION DOLLAR JETS AND CARS,EXPENSIVE TRIPS AND WRIST WATCHES.THEY SHOULD BE FIRED AND BANISHED FROM THE PULPITWHEN THEY PUSH U TO SUCCUMB,PUSH THEM BACK.PERIOD
Adeo
December 6, 2017 at 8:12 PM
Malachi 3 v 8-12. Explain better.
Mebinone K.
December 7, 2017 at 7:25 AM
REFUTING ANTI-TITHES&OFFERING TEACHINGS.
Indeed tithes& offering was instituted in the old testament but the comment of Christ shows that paying tithes&offering is not forbidden.
1) Does Christ approved payment of tithes& offering?
Open along with me to( Matthew 23:23:Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone).
Here Christ rebuked the pharisees for placing tithes &offering above the weightier matters of the law(judgement,mercy& faith) which can be liking to placing tithes & offering above our Salvation. It can be inferred here that when a believer had received the grace of God to live a righteous life (saved), he/ she must not do away wt paying tithes&offering( … and not to leave the other “tithes &offering” undone ie unpaid Matthew23:23).
In summary, ensure you are first saved(the weightier teaching of Christ (John3:3) then don’t forget to pay your tithes&offering.
At the same time,the Lord Jesus commended the woman that offered all that she had unto God despite her poverty(Luke 21:1-4). She should had been rebuked rather, if Christ didn’t approve payment of tithes&offering. Being poor is not an excuse for not paying tithes &offering.
2) Also, are we worthy to pay tithes&offering when we are not an Israelites and collect when we are not a Levite?. The answer is YES.
We must understand that been Gentiles before now, we are all an adopted Israelites unto God. And through our faith in Christ we become an Israelite unto God as well, an adopted sons and daughters of Abraham(Galatians 3:7,8 &26).
So why are some preachers saying, “since we are not an Israelite we are not expected to pay tithes and offering” & collect since we are not Levites.
3) Where do I pay my tithes&offering?.
From the beginning tithes&offering were been collected at the temple majorly for the Levite(consecrated full-time priest of God) to feed on.
Coming to the book of Malachi (Malachi 3:10…). God demanded for tithes to be brought to his house( Church) that their may be meat(Food, resources,money…) in his house.
This remains the practice in Jesus days(Matthew12:41-44). And in the apostles days(1Corinthians 16:1-2).
Your tithes is just 10% out of 100%, you can however still help the poor with the remaining 90% with u but your tithes and any offering you are offering unto God must be paid directly to the church. All genuine Christians need not to be taught to help the poor, helping the poor should be a pastime.
Finally, as regards blessing that follows tithes&offering, the payment is our responsibility unto God. Not a job via which we earn, ” just as no Pastor pay us for the time we spent in the church ” but on the long run God in his power and wisdom will make a way for our prosperity here and in eternity(Malach3:10-11).
Tithes&offering is for the running of church activities, sponsor missionaries, for making necessary payment in the church also for helping the poor in a collective mode. If anyone is embezzling it, he should be preparing for God’s wrath. But as a believer u are oblique to pay . You would have had right not to pay if it is a human or church based ordinance. Since it is of God no one is exempted.
And my question is; what will a genuine believer be doing in the church of a fake fraudulent pastors/prophet. The person must examine his/her own life. Thanks.
#MBN#.