Two Evils - Tempting Tithers

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

I have noticed two evils that prevent people from bringing to God His tithes and offerings. 

1.     Covetousness

The first of the two evils that most often prevent people from obeying God in tithes and offerings is covetousness. Covetousness people just don’t want to part with the money. They cannot admit to themselves that God’s tithes and offerings really do belong to God. They consider God’s tithes to be their money. Instead of considering the great and many blessings that fills their lives from God, they can only imagine the things they could buy for themselves if they kept God’s portion.

When Israel was leaving Egypt, they had no idea what to expect from God when they would finally meet with Him at Mt. Sinai. While in Pharaoh’s palace, Moses told Pharaoh that he did not know what God would require of them in sacrifice (Exodus 10:24-26). The gods of the nations, including Egypt’s gods, could be brutal in their oppressive demands on people, even demanding that they sacrifice their little children in the flames. Israel did not know whether or not Jehovah would prove to be the same. They had to be ready to turn over to Him all that was theirs.

Facing this unknown, Moses could not agree to Pharaoh’s demand that the Israelites leave all their herds behind while they went to meet with Jehovah. What if, when they arrived at Mt. Sinai, God required the Israelites to sacrifice every cow, goat, and sheep in their possession, not to mention their children? He could have justly demanded that they surrender everything they owned because He created all things, and everything Israel possessed was from His merciful hand. Everything belongs to the Creator. So, when the Israelites left Egypt, they left with everything they owned. And when they came to the foot of fiery Mt. Sinai, the Mountain of God, they came trembling. Fear shook Moses himself to the bone (Heb. 12:21).

When the terrified Israelites heard God’s commandments at Mount Sinai, they must have been astonished at how little in the way of religious ritual and sacrifice He required. A tithe -- a tenth! -- of all their increase, and then offerings at certain times, was all that he required of them.

Misinformation about the Old Testament in our time has prevented this generation from realizing that God’s Old Testament people failed in their walk with God, not because God was so heavy-handed and demanding, but because He required so little of them that they could not believe it was enough. Basically, Israel failed in her walk of faith because she was “more religious” than God was. One place of worship was not enough for them. One altar was not enough for them. One God, as it turned out, was not enough for them.

2.     Pride and rebellion

The second evil that prevents people from rendering to God His tithes and offerings is pride and rebellion. To bring tithes to a man of God is to confess that there is a higher authority that you are submitting yourself to. To an unruly heart, that confession is difficult to make. The saints are always to render tithes to those who are "over you in the Lord", to men who by God’s choice rule among the saints. A proud, authority-despising man cannot humble himself to do that. It is distasteful to a rebellious man to confess, by bringing tithes to a man of God, because pride and stubbornness reign in his heart instead of Christ.

Those children of God who despise the authority that God has instituted in the body of Christ should not expect God to put them in authority. Your ability to remain under authority is what qualifies you to be placed in authority.

The centurion in the gospel of Matthew chapter eight demonstrated this very well. He understood that he had authority over others because he was under authority himself.

“For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”(Matthew 8:9)

Paul tells us to be subject unto the higher powers because every power or authority is given by God.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Romans 13:1)

When Abraham brought to Melchizedek the tithe of all that he had recovered from the slaughter of the kings, he was making a confession that Melchizedek was higher up on the spiritual ladder than he. The author of Hebrews points this out by reminding his readers that Melchizedek blessed Abraham, not vice-versa.

“And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” (Hebrews 7:7)

 My friends, if you are bringing your tithes and offerings to a man who is unable to bless you, then you are bringing them to the wrong person. If a man is not able to bless you with something from God, why would you even consider bringing God’s tithes and offerings to him? Ask God to relocate you to another church or ministry where your spiritual needs will be met.

 Jesus said to render to Caesar (earthly government) the things that are Caesar’s (taxes) and to God the things that are God’s (Luke 20:25). One of the things that belong to God is the tenth of all your increase along with offerings that he demands. There has never been a government on earth so stupid that it would tolerate its citizens refusing to pay their taxes.

Every earthly government understands that citizens who withhold their taxes are undermining the government itself. Those people are, in fact, enemies within the house, using money instead of swords to bring the government down. No society on earth can have peace without having a government, and no government on earth can exist without receiving taxes from its citizens.

Those in the body who refuse to bring to God His tithes and offerings make themselves the enemies of the kingdom and government of God. If earthly governments are wise enough to recognize that rebellion against taxation is a threat to the safety of the nation, shouldn’t we assume that God is wise enough to recognize that those who refuse to render tithes are a threat to the peace of His people?

Refusing to pay your tithes and offerings is rebellion which the Bible says is the same as witchcraft.

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…”(I Samuel 15:23)

Covetousness and rebelliousness are the two principal causes for people’s failure to bring to God what belongs to Him.

Even if there is another reason, it can only be a reasoning born of evil. It is the will of God that His people bring to Him His tithes and offerings. Whoever in the body of Christ is not doing it is not doing the perfect will of God.