One thing every preacher, priest, bishop, pastor, or prophet emphasizes is the importance of giving tithe.
Tithing After the Cross
Some argue that the tithe has lost its crucial importance since Christ made the law obsolete on the cross. This is the mindset of some Christians, and they are partially right. However, let us not forget one thing Christ said in Matthew 5:18 (NASB1995):
“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
As much as He fulfilled the law on your behalf, it by no means made the law less relevant. Even He said so. Therefore, there is no harm or meaninglessness in giving tithe.
Giving Beyond Money
That aside, giving in itself is not only about tithe or money, as some assume. Your giving can come in different forms. If you are not doing well financially but are a very good singer, you are doing God service by using your talent to draw souls to Christ. If you are a good cook, volunteering to help prepare meals for the homeless is also a form of ministry to God.
God’s Charge Against Withholding Tithe In the ending of the first testament, God strongly charges those who do not give their tithes, comparing them to thieves. See Malachi 3:8-9 (NASB 1995):
“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!”
This is what God promises to those who cheat on their tithes. I hope you are not one of them. I am definitely not here to scare you like those manipulative pastors. Our God is a good God, full of grace and mercy. He by no means will force you to give, nor will He punish every single time you fall short. Rather, He will hold you accountable for all your actions if you fail to listen to His warnings and uphold His teachings.
The Real Reason We Give
You do not give to show God that you love Him. No. You give tithe because you trust that the God you are giving to will provide from where you have deducted. For what good is all the money in the world to God? Or what difference will it make to God if you do not give tithe in church?
Of course none, because everything in this world is already His. So what can you really give Him, when even that little you are holding onto is His to begin with?
Your tithe is proof that the God you have will bless you much more than what you have put in the basket. It is also a token of appreciation for the good things He has done in your life. And of course, it helps those who are less privileged and in need of support.
The Promise to the Diligent Giver
This is why God promises recompense to those who are diligent in offering their tithe before Him.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the Lord of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:10-12, NASB1995)
That is how much you are likely to regain when you diligently give your tithe. Do not forget “diligently.” Give with a happy and willing heart, not as though it is an obligation being forced out of you.
The Heart God Accepts
Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Both offered to God, but only Abel’s was accepted. Why? One was given with a willing heart, the other out of obligation. So if you are to consider this, it is not really about how much or how deeply generous you appear to others when giving. It is all about the state of your heart. That is the actual tithe God asks for—a heart that gives out of love, not obligation.
