TITHING

Since we recognize that all we own belongs to God and that we are simply stewards over them, how can we use our possessions for the glory and service of God? The Bible teaches that one-tenth (1/10) of our income is to be set aside for the purposes of God. This is called TITHING. Tithe is a word that means "the tenth." The Bible teaches that the tithe is sacred unto God.

Many object to tithing because they says that it is a part of the law of Moses and is not binding for Christians under grace. Tithing is a part of the law of Moses, but it was not started by Moses. Tithing predates Moses. The first mention of the tithe is in Genesis 14:14-20. Abram paid the tithe to Melchizedek, the Priest of the Most High God. Also, in Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob made a promise to God to pay the tithe.

So these passage clearly show that tithing predates Moses. Moses, instead of introducing the tithe, regulated the use of the tithe of the Children of Israel. In the Old Testament there were three distinct tithes:

1. The Levites tithe is recorded in Leviticus 27:30-32. This tithe was used to support the Levitical Priesthood.

2. The second tithe was used to support the three great Jewish Feasts: Passover, Tabernacles and Weeks (Deuteronomy 12:5-9, 14:22-27).

3. The third tithe was given every three years to support the needy (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). These three tithes amounted to about one-fourth (1/4) of one's income.

In the book of Malachi, the prophet condemns the people for not bringing the whole tithe to God's storehouse (Malachi 3:8-12). The emphasis is one the whole tithe or don't short change God as Ananias and Sapphira did in Acts 5:1-11. Again, tithing predates Moses but was also condoned by Jesus in Matthew 23:23. Read this passage to hear what Jesus condemns and what He condones.

There are many reasons why people give. Some are noble reasons while others are less than noble.