TITHES: In whose interest?

TITHES: In whose interest?


YEMI OLAKITAN

There have been many controversies on the issue of tithing in both denominational and individual point of views. While some say that tithing is a divine instruction of the New Testament aimed at blessing the givers others have claimed that it is a relic of the Old Testament designed to bless the clergy. It has also been said by many that tithing is the pathway to prosperity. Postponements of the faith movement such as Kenneth Hagen, Kenneth Copeland, E.A Adeboye, David Oyedepo, and Benson Idahosa have all taught the tremendous benefits of tithes payments. Is it a fact of reality or is it some Christian dogma, theology or actual reality that tithes open the way to financial blessings?  Yemi Olakitan, Senior Correspondent examines the subject of tithing.  What really is the relevance of tithing to the believers and the church? More importantly, Are tithes payments truly biblical? Is it a relic of the Old Testament? Is it still relevant today? This and many other questions are answered through the scriptures and discussions with clerics and believers alike.
According to the Bible, tithing is generally defined as the tenth part of one’s income, profits, land or stock given to God and used to support the clergy or charitable cause. The custom of giving tithes reaches back to Genesis 14, where Abraham offered tithes of the spoils of the enemy to the royal priest, Melchisedech, so in Genesis 28, Jacob is recorded as giving a tithe of all his possessions to the Lord. In the time of Moses the payment of tithes was one of the laws of the Jewish people; made obligatory. The Hebrews were commanded to offer to God the tenth part of the produce of the fields, of the fruits of the trees, and the firstborn of oxen and of sheep (Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22). In Deuteronomy there is a mention not only of an annual tithe, but also of a full tithe to be paid once every three years. While it was to God himself that the tithes had to be paid, yet we read (Numbers 18:21) that he transfers them to the priesthood. In the book of Proverbs 3:10) the bible encourage believers to honour the Lord with the first fruits of their wealth. It also says, it is better to give than to receive. However, the verse most often cited in support of the tithe is from the Old Testament, Malachi 3:8-10:

8. ""Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it.

In a chat with Edmund Ike, a member of the Catholic Church he said, tithes in today’s Christian Church is meant to support the preaching of the Gospel since the Bible says those who serve in the altar should live by the altar. (1 Corinthians 9:13) Speaking further, he said provision of some kind had to be made for the ministers of God. In the beginning this was supplied by freewill offerings.  However as the Church expanded and it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy, the payment of tithes was adopted. According to Ike, Tithing is an obligatory act of giving which supports the institution of the church and it not just a relic of the Old Testament scriptures. ‘‘Don’t forget that the Bible says,
we should give and it shall be given to us. Good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give unto us. Giving is a cardinal commandment of scripture and the Christian faith.’’
In another chat with Reverend Father Steven Akinsowo of Saint Peters Catholic Church, Langbasa, he said tithing is biblically correct. ‘‘It is an offering made in gratitude to God. It is like giving back to God from the abundance of all the things he has giving to us. Giving a tenth of your income to God is a very small; sacrifice compared to all the wonderful blessings he has given to us. In the Catholic Church we recognise tithing but we do not emphasize it like other churches do, in other denominations, people are persuaded. Tithe is to be given in absolute freedom. You cannot force people to know or accept God. You cannot coerce them. People are to give tithe if it comes from their hearts, if you obey the instruction to give, God will bless you.’’ he said.
In another chat with Senior Superintendent, Apostle C.A Bayode of the Cherubim and seraphim church, Ago Igbale, Ebute Metta, he said tithing is a commandment of the scripture. In the book of Malachi, God said the people should bring all the tithes into the store house of God. The tithes are not meant for the clerics alone, they are meant for the expansion of the Gospel and also for the poor. It should also be used for the orphans, the widows and the less privileged in the body of Christ.  Tithing is like medicine for money if the believers diligently do it. There is a promise alongside the commandment. It says, I will open up the floodgates of heaven. You will become blessed. Anything you lay your hands on will prosper exceedingly.  On the argument that tithing is a relic of the Old Testament, he said that Christ did not come to abolish the law but he came to fulfill it.’’  He however, warned that when people give tithes they should not give tithes to show off, they should give it to the Lord alone.

However, Roseline Ademola, a member of the Anglican Church in Lagos, said that Christ has already paid all the tithes and redeemed us from the law. Speaking further, she said that tithes is like placing the Christians under the law and saying the death of Christ is not enough which is some kind of heresy.  ‘‘There is nothing wrong if a Christian gives tithe willingly, cheerfully, without the burden of guilt been placed on him because the scripture says that God loves a cheerful giver. The problem is that so many pastors preach tithes as law quoting Malachi. They are in error because Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. We are not operating under that Law, we are under grace. In Malachi, God was referring to the Jews and not to us. We are operating under a better covenant than they.  When you preach that people are cursed with a curse, that they are robbing God, unless they tithe, you are preaching a guilt based giving which is contrary to ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ) which says,  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’’  I do not believe in tithing, I believe in voluntary giving without the burden of guilt. Jesus paid all the tithes with his precious blood. I give as I have decided in my heart. It could be ten percent, it could be 20, it could be 50 or 100 percent but it is subject to my personal decision, not imposed,’’ she said.

A member of the Jehovah’s witnesses, name withheld, who spoke to P&W on the subject, said that tithing is being used to coarse Christians to give to the church authority. He said, ‘‘it is the clergy that benefits the most because they sit on the seats of the priesthood and collects the tithes. The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:5 and 9 that every believer is a priest! Hebrews 5-8 also teaches us that Jesus is the only priest that we need. However the institutional church has borrowed from the Old Testament model of the Levitical Priesthood, thereby establishing a new priesthood that is separate from the rest of the body of Christ. This makes them collect the tithes. Jesus did not collect tithes, neither did the apostles.’’

Another believer, a member of the Global Church of the Living God, Deaconess Shola Abimbola, said ‘‘many testimonies abound in Christendom on the concept of giving, particularly tithing.  Many tithers have testified that God has blessed them financially through tithing, therefore tithing works. It is practical.  Furthermore, giving is a basic commandment of the scriptures and tithing helps the believer to cultivate a regular habit of giving to God for the support of his work.  Jesus said, when you give, you will receive. Tithing cannot be wrong. You see, without the commandment to tithe many people will not give, though you are free to give or not to give. Tithing helps; maintain the habit of giving as directed by the scriptures, so the issue of coercion is not there at all. The principle of choice is in place. I have been paying my tithes for years because tithing fulfills the law of giving and I can say, God has blessed me financially,’’    she said.