Though the term “tithing” could only be found in the Bible… to date, tithing is still remain sensitive and is the most debated issue in the body of Christ.
If only the truth can be revealed, tithing is actually a privilege granted to a believer and it is closely associated with sowing in the Bible. “Sowing and reaping” is the Kingdom system whereas; the system of “buying and selling” is from the world.
We are able to know the number of seeds in an apple, but we can never know the number of apples in a seed. Unless we sow the seed, a seed will still remain as a seed. When a seed is sown, it will grow to become a tree! So whenever we sow, we are to expect a harvest.
If we are still a non believer, what we are giving is not a gift to God; it is a repayment of debts. It’s a far cry from being considered as tithing because we cannot give to our Creditor, while we still owe the debt that we could not pay. Our Heavenly Father, offered up His begotten Son Jesus Christ, paid not only our debts, but the debts of the whole world. It only took us a belief away to be debt free from sins, sicknesses, curses, poverty… and you name it. As a debt free individual, a believer and sons or daughters of God, we have been placed in the prestigious position to give instead of paying debt!
In the midst of my road to Emmaus, I too, have all sorts of silly Q&A sessions with our Lord. These are those silly questions… (Mind you, a lot of times His threw questions back to me instead of answering my questions…)
Me: “Do I still have to tithe in the New Covenant? Or under the grace dispensation, do I really have to tithe?”
Lord: “I AM not a God under an old or a new covenant. I AM above the Covenants and I am the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. You are tithing to God not to the covenants…”
Me: “???... Ok”
Me: “Do I have to give the net or the gross?”
Lord: “Are you not pleased to see that you can tithe more? Have you realized that the more you can tithe means more is your income? You are now tithing out of your income; not tithe to increase your income. If to tithe less is your wish, then I will supply you with less seed so that you can tithe less.”
Me: “The gross, Lord” I did not feel condemn, I laugh instead with a warm sensation in my heart… Praise Him!
Me: “Will I be 10% poorer after I have tithed? I can actually do quit a lot of thing with this 10% You know....”
Lord: “Who have made you focus on the 10% instead of the 90% that you have?”
Me: “???… Ok.”
A truth is always has to be built on Jesus’ finished work. It was only when I have been enlightened by grace that I started to understand God actually had shown us a very powerful example. He gave up His begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the First Fruit and the best from Heaven, to the world. He redeemed all that Adam had lost and now, receiving multitudes of sons and daughters through the death of Jesus on the cross.
With this revelation, I understand sin is already a settled issue to God and I am now totally free from debt. God has put me in the prestigious position of giving instead of paying. I understand that I have already been blessed with every spiritual things in heavenly realm in Christ, so tithing become a worship and a thank giving. It is no more a mean for me to force God to bless me. I am amazed to realize that the figure of my tithe is increasing. Praise Him…
I like an illustration used by Pastor Joseph Prince on tithing. A man asked him, “Do Christian need to tithe?” And he just gave a very cool answer; “Does a husband needs to kiss his wife?” Cool… Sound very much like our Lord; using a question to answer a question…
Tithing is a relationship not a requirement; it is not even a regulation or even a law. We tithe because He is alive…
Hebrews 7:8 ~ Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
Definitely we don’t give to the dead right?
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