To tithe or not to (1)

By The NewsDay | Jul. 23, 2022 | 4 Min read

I wrote comprehensively on this topic on this platform over six years ago, but for the benefit of the current discourse and new believers, I am going to do an exegesis that is devoid of denominational overtures.

BY Erasmus Makarimayi There are always waves in Christendom concerning varying subjects like stage-managed miracles or manipulated giving. This time around, it is around tithe, tithes and tithing.

Sometimes my concern is not with preachers, but members who do not study their Bibles and leave eternal matters to fraudsters and tricksters.

I will ask for your patience because this is a series and I will explain every verse that touches the subject under inquiry. Last week, I brought to your attention why material things including money are needed in the church.

Jesus mentions tithing twice. Apostle Paul whose Epistles form more than half of the Doctrine of the New Covenant never mentions tithes. The letter to the Hebrews does but not Old Testament tithes. I have already taught here that the Levitical priesthood was done away with by the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. We, New Testament preachers, are not Levites.

I have not drawn any conclusion yet. However, it is worthy to note that tithing produces hypocrites. Tithe simply means 10%. If you earn US$20 000, you may feel your assembly should not get US$2 000.

Someone who works at church was complaining to me that their salaries come with tithe already deducted. As I said earlier on that I have written on this subject before and was labelled many titles, so I am prepared to rightly divide the Word of Truth without fear nor favour.

Let’s roll it on. Jesus said in Matthew 23:23: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

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Just notice the first word in the sentence, Woe. Mint, anise and cummin are herbs and spices for cooking. Please do not put the word money there.

Do you see the word law there? We are no longer under the law. However, Jesus lived under the Law. Why? Let the Bible speak.

We read in Galatians 4:4-5: “[4] But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, [5] To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” So we have been redeemed from the Law.

Therefore, what do we preach? Again let the Bible speak. 2 Corinthians 3:6, Amplified, is instructive: “[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers and dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive.” We preach or minister/dispense the New Covenant.

Romans 8:2, guides us: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The principle (law) of the New Covenant is life not death. Jesus Christ has freed us from death. Don’t you read the Scriptures? What does Apostle Paul say in Romans 6:23? He says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Please go for eternal life.

Above, I stated that Jesus mentioned tithe twice. Before I give you the second one, I will give you Luke’s account of Matthew 23:23. Please get this, it’s one or same account. Luke 11:42, reads, “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Do you notice the spices and herbs there? There is no money mentioned.

I didn’t want to go ahead of myself but for the sake of mischievous elements who will say there was no money in Old Testament times, let me prove them wrong. They threaten the flock purchased by the precious blood of Jesus saying that there was farming only. In Genesis 17, money is mentioned 4 times.

I will use the law of first mention and give you Genesis 17:12: “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.” Did you notice money there? Don’t be misled that Jesus was talking about minted money.

Please go with your spirit, soul, body and mind to church. I didn’t give you the mind. Your Creator did.

Next week, we will start with the bragging Pharisee. This is the second and last time that Jesus talks about tithe. The Pharisee says in Luke 18:12: “I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.