Yemi Olakitan
The Law of
Giving is a universal law. It is like the Law of Gravity; whatever goes up
must come down. If you climb a tree and jump off it, you are coming down.
This is also
similar to the law of Karma; you reap what you sow.
A farmer who
sows maize cannot expect to reap cocoyam. A farmer who sows Mango cannot expect
to reap Watermelon. We reap what we sow. it’s the law of the universe.
No man may
expect to operate otherwise unless he wants to go against the law, and he will
face the consequences. For, every cause must have an effect. No evil shall go unpunished.
Every murder is a murder of self.
The law of
giving is the same. No man may expect to get anything from life unless he had
given something into it. You cannot have unless you give. Success is completely
unattainable without giving.
You must
give efforts, time, talents, money, perseverance, resourcefulness, discipline
etc. Unless you are giving all these and much more, you must be really poor
indeed!
One may
inherit wealth from one who has given his time, energy, talents and wisdom to
achieve it. However, it cannot be sustained unless the one who inherits that
wealth is willing to sustain the giving.
Jesus Christ, the
great teacher said it all in the Bible, when he said,
‘‘Give, and
it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and
running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it
will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
We also know
that generosity is a key principle in the religion of Islam; the acts of
selflessness and remaining humble are key traits of ideal character in Islam.
With zakat being the third pillar of Islam, it is already an obligation upon
able Muslims to share any wealth in excess of their needs.
Nature
itself teaches us that the man who will not work will not eat. He must give his
talents, efforts, its creativity to the improvement and advancement of
humanity to the best of his ability.
Only then,
can he legitimately hope to receive all that he needs for comfort, enjoyment
and happiness in this life.
In the Bible
King Solomon was an example of giving, the scriptures said,
King Solomon
went to Gibeon to offer a sacrifice because that was the most important high
place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. While
Solomon was at Gibeon, the LORD came to him at night in a dream. God said,
“Solomon, ask me what you want me to give you.” 1 King 3:4-28 ERV
Needless to
say that Solomon was one of the richest men that ever lived. For we are told in
the Bible that God gave him wisdom and understanding in all matters of life.
Solomon was emphatic in
the book of Proverbs when he said, ‘‘Honor the LORD with your wealth and with
the first fruits of all your produce;’’ Proverbs
3:9
You cannot hope to
thrive in life unless you are a giver. There are many people who are pious and
religious but they are in poverty simply because they are afraid to give either
to man or to God.
Those people think that
if they give, they lose. However, the reverse is the case.
Giving is the secret of
the wealthy and unless you are giving value to humanity you cannot hope to rise
above poverty.
All those who operate
otherwise will receive their just reward now and the hereafter as revealed in
the Holy books and in all the experiences of life.
Suppose we must rise above want and limitation, In that case, we must not only believe, but we must also give time, effort,
money, perseverance, discipline, resourcefulness, solutions, help, and those
things that make for a better universe. These are the things that make one
truly rich.
‘‘There is one who scatters, yet increases more, and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. ‘’
Proverbs
11:24
Money is like blood. It must flow freely in the body. You can imagine, that if blood is not flowing freely in a man's body, he will soon die.
Therefore, money must flow from hand to hand, by the exchange of value, talents, help, goods or services. This is the system that makes for a healthy society and the eradication of poverty.
Anyone who does not believe in the efficacy of the acts
of giving, generosity and of charity has never met a Jew. It is the reason
the Jews are a prosperous people.
All the debates and argument in Christendom about
giving is mostly from those who do not want to give a tenth of their income.
‘‘Oh don’t you know that tithing is a relic of the Old
Testament laws. Christians are no longer under the law, for Christ has redeemed
us from the curse of the law.’’ Galatians 3-13
‘‘Don’t you know that Jesus has fulfilled the Law of
Moses? We do not need to operate under it.’’
Its true Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the Curse
of the Mosaic Law but he has not redeemed us from the universal laws.
For example, if you put your hand in the fire, it will
burn. The law of Gravity, for instance, has no respect for Christians or Muslims,
if you jump off a plane, you will come crashing down.
The
Subject of Tithing
Tithing is probably responsible for the extraordinary growth, funding and financing of the pentecostal church today. It is so, and that is why the devil attacks it.
The law of giving is universal. Abraham gave tithes of
all. He was the first man to give tithes before the Mosaic Law came and before
Moses, the lawgiver was born. Abraham gave tithes of all to Melchizedek. Genesis
14:18-20
Abraham gave tithes and the Bible recorded that he was
a prosperous man.
‘‘Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.’’
People despised tithing because of their stinginess of
heart. They look at their wealthy Pastor who drives a big car and has a private
jet and become offended in their spirits. ‘‘oh he must be living off our tithes,
he must be fake’’
No Pastor can live off your tithes unless he has
given commensurate value to his congregation. A Pastor who can command such
luxury from his pulpit must have given to the congregation, through his
messages; profitable inspirations, hope in times of despair, prayers in times
of challenges, encouragement, faith, deliverance from the negatives and so on.
It is impossible to operate otherwise unless he will steal it.
Humanity will always open its wallets to those who
provide value. The Musician who provides great music for the elevation of the
soul will always have fans in his concerts.
A brilliant lawyer who can argue cases brilliantly and
win will never lack clients.
A medical doctor who can cure strange illnesses will
never lack patients. Life is a continuous circle of giving and receiving.
It is the same with your Pastors, as long as he is
giving robust and sincere spiritual benefits to the people he must, by the response to the universal
law of giving and receiving, obtain material benefits.
‘‘Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’’
2
Corinthians 9:6
The
Law of Giving and Receiving is no respecter of persons.
Malachi 3: 9:10: 11
9You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole
nation—are still robbing Me. 10Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so
that there may be food in my house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts.
“See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing
without measure. 11I will rebuke the devourer for you so that it will not
destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to
produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts.
These verses from the book of Malachi have been a
subject of much controversy in the church of God but if just think a little,
you will realize that it is the truth. If a man gives, he will receive, if he
does not give, he will not have.
Compare the New Testament verse: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’’
2 Corinthians 9:6
If one man sows and reaps abundantly and another sows and reaps sparingly, Does it not appear like the man who reaps sparingly is cursed? Note the similarity between this verse and Malachi 3-9-10-11
The law of giving is the same, whether from the Old Testament scriptures or the New Testament scriptures. The Universe respond to the law of sowing and reaping.
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”Genesis 8:22
Stinginess and miserliness are the devil’s game. It
comes from a poverty mentality. People think supplies are limited and will soon
run out, so they withhold the little they have and by the law of attraction
they will become poor. Like attracts likes.
On the other hand, the giver gives in faith, although
he may not have much at first. However, he will rejoice in the end because God
rewards faith and not unbelief. Unbelief is sin. Romans 14:23
Giving is born from faith.
Miserliness only serves Satanic aims. Poverty is from the devil.
Any community where wealth flows from person to person will never lack increase.
The
Widow’s Two Mites
There is a certain story about Jesus’ comments
concerning a certain widow;
21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their
gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two
mites.[a 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more
than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings [b]for
God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Luke
21:1-4
Jesus
Comments on Tithing
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Abraham was the first tithe payer of record (Genesis
14:20). Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, paid tithes (Genesis 28:22). Scripture says
that Levi, Abraham’s descendant and the father of the tribe from which the
priesthood came, paid tithes in Abraham (Hebrews 7:9).
The Christian heritage of paying a tithe precedes the Law
of Moses. As a child of Abraham and an heir of the promise of Abraham. They
must acknowledge that family relationship by paying tithes.
Jesus said to the Jews, “If ye were Abraham’s
children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). It would be strange to
claim to be a child of Abraham and yet to neglect one of Abraham’s most
fundamental and noteworthy acts.
Are
New Testament Christians Heirs of Blessing of Abraham?
Galatians 3:29 makes this especially clear: "If
you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the
promise." Remember, this comes right after verse 28 which shows that Paul
has in mind here male and female, slave and free, Jew and Greek. The most astonishing
thing asserted here is that Greeks—uncircumcised Gentiles!—are heirs of the
promises made to Abraham. You and I can become beneficiaries of God's promises
to Abraham if we have the faith of Abraham and belong to Jesus Christ. (Romans
4:16, 17 also shows that Gentiles are made heirs of "the promise"
because of faith. See also Galatians 3:14 and 4:30.)
Does
Faith in Jesus Christ Exclude New Testament Christians from Tithing?
James
2:14-26
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says
he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or
sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them,
“Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things
which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by
itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have
works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith
by [b]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the
demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that
faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by
works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was
working together with his works, and by works, faith was made [d]perfect? 23 And
the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was
[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Some people say, “Oh, we do not pay tithes, because
tithing was under the law.” If that is a sufficient reason for not paying
tithes, then we could also mistreat our parents, for the law said, Honour thy
father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). In actuality, we honour our father and
mother and we give our tithes because the principles of the law are written in
our hearts by the Spirit of God. We give willingly and liberally because the
Spirit motivates us to give tithes.
Tithes help a Christian to cultivate a lifestyle of giving. If you cannot give a tenth of your income, how can you possibly give twenty or thirty per cent? People argue from dusk to dawn on tithing because of the satanic spirit of miserliness or because they hate to see their Pastors rich or his ministry grow prosperous. Only a pastor who is rich in both spiritual and material blessings can take the Gospel to the remote corners of the world as Jesus Christ commanded. Mark 16-15
The
Example of the Early Christians
It is interesting to note that New Testament early Christians were recorded to have paid 100 per cent. They gave it all!
Little wonder Christianity became the greatest faith in the world.
Is it not alarming that in contrast to the early Christians, many of today’s Christians
complain about 10 per cent!
Acts
2:45
All the believers were together and had everything in
common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was
in need. 46 With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts
and break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and
sincerity of heart,
They
Died For The Gospels
It is noteworthy that many of the apostles and early
Christians died for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
PETER
Peter was crucified around 66AD in Rome under the
persecution of Emperor Nero. He was said to have been crucified upside down
because he didn’t consider himself worthy to die the same way Jesus did.
JAMES
James was the first of the 12 to be put to death. King
Herod had him killed by the sword in Jerusalem (Acts 12).
JOHN
The writer of the Gospel of John, the book of the
Revelation and three epistles bearing his name, John is the only one of the 12
that history says was not put to death for his faith, although he suffered
greatly because of Jesus throughout his long life. Tradition says he ended his
life ministering in the region around Ephesus in modern-day Turkey and was
buried there.
ANDREW
The brother of Peter, Andrew travelled north, bringing
the good news to what is now Russia and the western regions of the former Soviet
Union. He later travelled through modern-day Turkey and Greece where he was
martyred.
PHILIP
Philip ministered in North Africa and then Asia Minor.
Traditions say that a Roman Proconsul was so enraged that his wife had
converted to Christianity because of Philip’s preaching that he had Philip
brutally put to death. There is disagreement about the manner in which he died
but no matter the method, it was because he fully believed that Jesus had died
and risen from the grave. It is possible that Philip’s tomb was recently
discovered.
BARTHOLOMEW/NATHANIEL
Bartholomew was apparently someone who loved to
travel. Some accounts have him going to India with Thomas, then Armenia before
heading along the trade routes between Ethiopia and the southern Arabian
regions. He was martyred for his faith. In some places, he is listed as
“Nathaniel” which could have been a family name or a name he was known by in
the church.
MATTHEW/LEVI
The gospel writer who had previously been a tax
collector, Matthew travelled to modern-day Iran and then down to Ethiopia,
probably following established trade routes and preaching the gospel along the
way. He was said to have been stabbed to death in Africa.
Like Bartholomew, Matthew was known by more than one name:
Levi. This other name is easier to pin down and is probably a family or tribal
identification.
THOMAS
Thomas gets a bad rap. Although he doubted the
resurrection at first, Thomas’ faith in the risen Jesus was strong enough to
send him to travel east to Syria and Iraq to preach the gospel, eventually
ending up in India where the Marthoma Christian tradition considers him to be
their founder. The Marthoma tradition says that Thomas died by stabbing at the
hands of four soldiers.
JAMES
THE SON OF ALPHAUES
Very possibly the brother of Matthew/Levi, James is
believed to have preached in the regions north of Israel. A non-Christian
historical account says that he was stoned and then clubbed to death. He is
sometimes known as James the Younger (younger brother of Levi?) or James the
Lesser (which would have had different connotations than it does for us today).
SIMON
THE ZEALOT
Simon was sawn
in half in Persia.
PHILIP
He preached in
the Phrygia region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and was martyred for his
faith in Jesus in the town of Hierapolis.
JUDAS
THADEUS
He preached the gospel in Northern Syria, Iraq and
Turkey. He was said to have been killed with arrows in Turkey’s mountainous
northern region.
MATTHIAS
Tradition says that Matthias travelled north, possibly
as far as the Caspian Sea. He was martyred for his faith
PAUL
Paul suffered for the Lord throughout his life. In
addition to imprisonment and multiple threats to his life, Paul wrote in 2
Corinthians 11:25 that “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at
sea.”
Paul was beheaded in Rome in 66 AD, possibly at the
same time as Peter.
JUDAS
Judas committed suicide after betraying Jesus. I mention this because every one of Jesus’ followers died. 10 of them as martyrs. John died of old age. But Judas chose a cursed path. He was not the only one who betrayed Jesus; all of the other disciples abandoned Jesus, and Peter directly denied knowing him. Paul persecuted Jesus’ followers. Yet all of them embraced God's grace and forgiveness, and that same grace was available to Judas.
It is the 100 per cent sacrificial giving of the early Christians that is responsible for the worldwide, extraordinary growth of the Christian faith.
Those who are afraid to give ten per cent, cannot give 100per cent. If anyone truly loves the Lord, he will trust to give to the cause of His kingdom.
