Tithing Is Part Of A Holy Life

By Pastor Boniface Amani Gichina (Read More Powerful Biblical Articles in this other blog: http://yourlivingbread.blogspot.com/)

Tithing is not gimmick. You cannot use it to force God to bless you. Tithing is acceptable to God only as part of a godly lifestyle. The blessings provoked by tithing come because of the kind of life lived, not because of the money given. You cannot live a sinful life and expect to be blessed by God just because you are tithing.

I knew of a man who made money by involving himself in illegal trades and dealings. He had been taught to tithe on all his increase from his early youth, and so he brought tithes from his trades and dealings to a servant of God. That man was foolish to think that God would accept such money, and when the man of God learned about the source of those tithes, he refused to receive them.

God is not needy. He is not begging to take whatever money men choose to bring to him. Moses told the priests not to allow the money earned by harlots and sodomites to enter into God’s temple. He said,

"Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 23:18).

God is not a beggar. Nor is he like so many ministers today who beg for all the money anyone will give them, as if the kingdom of God is about to collapse because of shortage of money.

If a man’s ministry depends on enough money being sent to him, then money becomes his god. The work of the true God does not depend upon money.

It pains to see and hear Pastors and Bishops begging for money on television, pleading with viewers to help save their ministries as though God has failed and the devil is about to win and take over. Earthly possessions do not qualify or disqualify a man for the assignments in the Kingdom of God (call it ministry). The Holy Ghost can do much through a poor man just as He can through a rich man.

What is Worthy to Bring As An Offering or Tithe?
One of the fundamental rules concerning animal sacrifices in the Old Testament was that the animal had to be without any physical blemish.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.” (Leviticus 1:2 -3)

When the people brought to Him animals with missing eyes or broken legs, or diseased, or some other blemish, the Lord challenged them to offer those animals to their governors who ruled over them at that time, to see how pleased those governors would be with such sorry gifts. He said,

" And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 1:8)

In this New Testament, it is the condition of the heart that matters. And the soul that brings tithes and offerings to the Lord in this New Covenant must bring them without any blemish of sin in his heart if he wants God to accept what he brings. Allow me to repeat: God is not needy. He is not a begging eager to take whatever money men choose to bring to him. It is an honor for us if God accepts our tithes; it is not an honor for Him if we offer them.

God demands purity of those who worship Him. When a person with a crafty, evil heart sings hymns, God considers that singing to be a sin. Solomon said thus:

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.” (Proverbs 15:8)

The Bible is very clear about all those things. Don’t take to God a sacrifice that will bring a curse and not blessings. God will not accept just about any money. A pastor may receive the money but that remains an earthly transaction that will not attract heavenly blessings.

The righteous life includes honoring God with His tithes and offerings. No godly person is contented unless he is rendering to God what is His. When a wicked man brings money to the Lord, it cannot justly be called "tithes" because it is not of faith. It is more likely to be an attempt to bribe God and God cannot be bribed. The whole earth and the fullness thereof belong to Him.

“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”(Psalms 24:1)

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:8)

Those who bring money to the Lord can be divided into two groups: tithe-bringers and bribe-bringers. The tithe-bringers are only doing what is their nature in Christ to do. It is the nature of righteous people to bring to God what is His. The bribe-bringers are doing what the world has always done: they are trying to mask a sinful heart with deeds that appear to be upright but are not. Their giving is a crime, and it would be better for them not to give at all than to give with a sin-stained heart. They would be better served to use that money to buy a new car than to try to appear righteous with it. They don’t know that God is not mocked.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”(Galatians 6:7)

Ask God to help you examine your heart and remove iniquities before you find yourself trying to bribe him.

“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.”(Psalms 26:2)