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SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE? - TITHING IS A GOSPEL INSTITUTION OF JESUS CHRIST

Many Christians are faithful in paying their taxes to Caesar, but are not faithful in paying their tithes and offerings to God - "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

Let me begin by saying we have not done this page in a bid to get money from people, like the greedy prosperity gospel preachers do, we are simply sharing an important Bible truth. Many professed Christians today believe that the tithing system was set up for the Jews alone. But on this page you will see that this is not true, and that the tithing system is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is all about giving God our FIRST in everything.

Genesis 14:18-20 ...'And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abraham] gave him tithes of all.' - [name in brackets supplied for clarity]

Hebrews 7:1-2 ...'For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace.'

As we can see from the above two verses, Abraham gave a 'tenth' [tithe] of all his goods to Melchisedec, the priest of God. Now were there any Jews at this point? Was the Jewish system setup yet? No, this was hundreds of years before the Jewish system, and yet we see Abraham giving tithe to the priest of God. So let us look at the connection of this to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 7:15,17 ...'And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest ... For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.'

Hebrews 6:20 ...'Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even JESUS, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.'

Melchisedec represented Jesus Christ and Christ is now our High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. Abraham paid tithe to Melchisedec, so shouldn't we pay tithes to Christ? Look at the connection between us and Abraham:

Matthew 3:9 ...'And think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.'

Romans 9:6-8 ...'Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.'

Galatians 3:29 .....'And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.'

Do you see the truth of the above? Where was Abraham taken from? The heathen (Gentiles), just like us, and if we are Christ's, THEN we are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise - BY FAITH. Abraham therefore is represented as the 'father' of ALL the faithful. So Abraham, the representative and 'father' of all the faithful, paid tithes to Melchisedec, who represented Jesus Christ. This is all part of the gospel message which has been there from the beginning, just as Revelation 13:8 confirms that Jesus Christ is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

So If Abraham, the 'father' and representative of ALL the faithful, paid tithes to Melchisedec, who represented Jesus Christ, then gospel believing Christians should pay tithes to Christ also.

The apostle Paul said ... "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:1-14). And how are gospel ministries to be sustained of the gospel? Through the tithing system. Now this isn't about making money off the gospel, like the greedy prosperity preachers do. We have a page EXPOSING THEM HERE. No, this isn't about giving money to churches and ministries to make them rich. This is about sustaining the work of God in the world, giving our FIRST of everything to Him, just like the firstfruits, and returning a faithful tithe [and offerings] to God, as everything belongs to God and all good things we have received have come from Him:

Psalm 24:1 ...'The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.'

Haggai 2:8 ...'The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.'

Psalm 50:10 ...'For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.'

James 1:17 ...'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.'

God even owns us. The Bible says that "ye are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). God didn't even hold back His own Son for us, but gave Him to redeem us from sin and death. Therefore, we now belong to the LORD and ALL that we have should be used for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom. Therefore, to withhold the tithes [and offerings] from God is to rob God, just as we are warned in Malachi 3:8:

Malachi 3:8 ...'Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.'

Jesus said ... "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) And Leviticus 27:30 tells us that the tithe 'belongs to the LORD.' So as gospel believing Christians, we are to 'render to God' the tithe [tenth] of all God has given us.

So why are so many professed Christians faithful in paying their taxes, but not faithful in paying their tithe and offerings? - "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

In giving His Son, God gave all of heaven for us. So are we willing to honor God in return by giving Him the 'firstfruits' of our increase? And let us not think that by giving tithe, we can then focus the rest of our substance on our own pleasure. Friends, we are commanded to LOVE God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength. We have not been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ to set us free to live how we want. We have been redeemed from sin and death to SERVE God and bring glory to Him in our lives. This should be done with our substance as well.

The tithe is for Jesus Christ and His work on earth through His ministers and ministries, and offerings are to help relieve the poor and suffering:

Proverbs 19:17 ...'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.'

Malachi 3:10 ...'Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.'

Acts 2:44-45 ...'And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.'

Acts 4:34-35 ...'Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.'

Mark 12:42-44 ...'And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.'

God has given ALL for us through His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Are we willing to lay ALL on the altar of sacrifice for Him?

Let me finish by saying that even though some are faithful in paying their tithes, many of the churches or ministries that are receiving tithes are NOT preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ and much of the tithe is wasted. So let us be careful in giving tithes to FAITHFUL ministries who are preaching the truth about the Son of God.