AcceptJesusAsLord

Tithing is a sensitive topic in the 21st century because some people believe it is no longer needed and some people have had bad experiences with tithing by losing a big chunk or all of their money. However, what is the right principle of tithing, what does GOD Almighty tell us? Find out here below!

Tithing in a “good” church

The first thing I believe is important for tithing is that you tithe or invest your money in fruitful organisations or churches. Why? Because the Bible tells us two things:

(1) to look at the fruits, and;

(2) that those who are faithful will be given more.

Let’s go to the first pillar.

Look at the fruits

Many people give their money in churches because their pastor or speaker says so. They come with promises like: “If you give your whole month’s salary, GOD will bless you!” You might know such claims. I am not saying that all of those claims are incorrect, it is possible that some pastors who say so really speak the Word of GOD. But the important thing is the following: Jesus clearly told us in Matthew 7:15 KJV that we should “beware of false prophets, which come to us in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” The way to know prophets, or any speaker, is to look at their fruits.

When you go to your garden and want to get some apples, you will go to an apple tree. The thing is that many people don’t know what the tree and the leaves of apple trees look like, so people can be easily fooled that a tree that has the bark and leaves of an apple tree grows pears. Jesus asked in verse 16 if you can gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. Well, I don’t think that is possible. Additionally, a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. How can a dead apple tree grow healthy apples?

Jesus said in verse 19 that every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. This is a true saying. A dead tree serves no longer any purpose. I know that my neighbours cut down the tree and kept the wood for their fireplace. The same has to happen with false prophets.

The faithful servants

Matthew 25 portrays a parable of Jesus about 3 servants, one is given five talents, the other 2, and another 1. The servants were expected to trade and do business with the talents and were given according to what was expected they could take. The servant with 5 talents got another 5, the servant with 2 got another 2, and the servant with 1 was afraid and gave the one back without interest. The master was very angry with the fearful servant and cast him out into outer darkness. The one talent that he had was given to the one who made from 5 talents 10.

In our worldly principle, we would say that the spare talent should be given to the servant who had 4 talents, but the master decided to give it to the one who had 10. The master did so because the servant proved to be faithful and hardworking, in contrast to the fearful one. The master knows that if he gives more talents to that servant who made 10 talents, he will get more talents back, even more than if he gave it to the servant with 4 talents. GOD is the same, He will give more talents to His servants who are proven to be faithful, and whom He expects can take the job.

We should develop a similar mindset, to give our tithes (or talents) to those servants who are faithful and hardworking. If you know that your church does invest in making disciples, invest in supporting the Kingdom of GOD, preaching the Word, going into the world to do GOD’s work, etc. I would say that it is a safe place to invest in, as long as the work does bring forth fruit. Maybe you don’t know, in that case, you can ask the leaders of your church.

Is tithing an Old Testament principle?

Well, Abraham gave a tenth part of everything to Melchisedec, king of Salem (Hebrews 7:2 KJV). Therefore, it did start very early in history, during the Old Testament time. However, tithing is not just for the old times. Jesus didn’t come to destroy the Law (or Torah), or prophets, but He came to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17). The word “fulfil” in Greek is “πληρόω”, which means “to make full, to cause to abound, to make complete, to carry into effect”. It does not mean that Jesus came to get rid of the Torah, He came to fulfil what was written about Him and to set us free from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13 KJV).

The curse of the Torah was that we should die as a result of our sins are no longer active, through the redeeming sacrifice and blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ, Who is our advocate in heaven. Now we are raised together with Jesus (Yeshua) and are made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). When you go a bit deeper in your Bible study, you will find out that the New Testament does support the Torah, the Ten Commandments, and the Old Testament in many aspects. However, that is another topic, enough for now.

The benefits of giving your tithes

Even if you don’t believe that tithing is still a valid thing to do in the 21st century, the Bible does show us the benefits of tithing. When we read Malachi 3, we can see the benefits.

The curse of not tithing

If you don’t give your tithes, you are basically robbing GOD and you are cursed with a curse (Malachi 3:8-9). That’s a tough thing to take! The Bible even says that thieves will not inherit the Kingdom of GOD (1 Corinthians 6:10). Now, to make it clear, I don’t know if you cannot be saved if you don’t give your tithes, I am not GOD (Yahuah), so I cannot decide for Him. But the Bible is clear that holding onto your money and gifts does make you a robber of GOD and can make you cast into outer darkness. Nobody wants that!

There can be situations in which you are not able to tithe because you don’t have money or don’t have a church. In that case, I would suggest you to pray to GOD, He knows your situation and heart better than anyone else. But tithing is not only about money, tithing is also about using your talents and time for the benefit of the Kingdom of GOD. Just as fasting is not just abstaining from food, but also much more.

⁶ Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Isaiah 58:6-7 KJV

The blessing of tithing

You may still say that tithing is not necessary, but Malachi 3 shows us how tithing can actually bless us and what it does. Let’s look at Malachi 3:10-12 (KJV).

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.

¹¹ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

¹² And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

The verses above show that if people bring their tithes, there will be meat in GOD’s house. So, if you bring your tithes (whether financially, time-wise, or with your possessions or talents) to church, there will be resources for the church to get involved in doing GOD’s work. Imagine that nobody would give any money to the church, how can the church keep existing?

First of all, verse 10 shows that when you give your tithes, that GOD will open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing over you, so much that there shall not be enough room to receive it. WOW! Just by giving your tithes, you will actually receive something? So much that you won’t have any space to keep it? That is certainly much more than what you’ve given.

Secondly, GOD says that He will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall the vine cast her fruit before the time in the field. And all nations shall call you blessed! So, your giving can actually speak for you, such that it can break the power of the devourer in your life? That’s amazing! Do you sometimes wonder why you don’t get a breakthrough? Well, it can be that it has to do with your giving or your lack of giving or giving to the wrong places.

Support those watching over you

It is good to support those who watch over you, even financially. Those who watch over you are the leaders and people who pray for you and teach you, as the apostles did in the New Testament writings. Hebrews 13:17 (KJV) says: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. How wonderful is it if the time and money you gave to those watching over you brought happiness to them, and that they give a good account of you before GOD?

Down below you can read another text from the Bible which shows that giving and tithing are important and beneficial. Read Philippians 4:8-20 (KJV), down below you see verses 15-19 (KJV).

¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Isn’t it amazing? Verse 15 shows that Paul made special mention of the Philippians and their giving towards Paul. This will also happen when we support those ministering for the gospel of Christ. Verse 17 shows that Paul was delighted in the giving of the Philippians because it would bring fruit that abounds to their account. When you give, you become part of the work that it supports. The same counts for investments, when you invest in stocks, your money becomes part of that stock and it can increase and decrease, everyone wants to get a profit of course. When you invest in the Kingdom of GOD, many things happen. If you give to some work of GOD, and they make disciples or they deliver someone, you will not be forgotten, because you made it possible and GOD knows your part and contribution. And imagine, if you give joyfully, how joyful GOD must be when He looks at your contribution.

Testimonies of tithing and giving

In 2024, I was in South Africa, at an African church. The church pastor told us that his church even gets gifts from people from the USA and that he sees that people from the USA are therefore more blessed and receive greater/sooner breakthroughs. Some months later, a deliverance minister told me the same. Both people told me that since people from America do give more in comparison to people from Europe, Americans are more blessed.

Here below you can see two videos of people sharing their testimony about giving.

Here are two extra resources about giving: