Are you robbing God?

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me!
But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?'
In tithes and offerings."
Malachi 3:8

When I first became a Christian I had no idea what a tithe was. Every Sunday a plate was passed and money was thrown in. I used to think that it was a ceremonial 'tip jar' for the Pastor and would occasionally throw in some spare change or, if I still had it leftover from my fleeting paycheck, a few dollars. This was done more out of compulsion and fear of embarrassment than out of a humble heart and a giving of thanks.

It wasn't until a couple of years later that I finally heard a sermon on tithing that I learned that it was a requirement from the Lord! Unfortunately, a lot of churches and Pastors do not adequately teach on this subject for fear that they will offend the church body or cast the misbelieve that the church is only after their money. However, if a church is to effectively minister to their congregations they need to preach the whole counsel of God, not pick and choose the happy, feel-good messages that tickle the ears.

What is tithing? A tithe is simply ten percent of your pre-tax income that is given to God through the church for administrative support and works of mercy.

Many people will argue that tithing does not mean that you have to give ten percent, that it should be any amount that you feel compelled to give. While it is true that 2 Corinthians 9:7 states "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver", it doesn't mean that He wants you to give whatever you feel like, or how much you can afford after paying your other expenses, but that He wants you to give back a a specified minimum portion that He has provided for you without complaint or compromise.

I have also heard many times that tithing is no longer required since we are no longer under the law and this is simply not true. For one, tithing predates the law. In Genesis 4 we see Able give an offering to the Lord, and in chapter 14 of the same book we see Abraham give a tenth of all that he possessed to King Melchizedek, an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. So, tithing predates the law.

In Matthew 23:22 we also see Jesus criticizing the Pharisees: "For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." (emphasis added) Jesus wasn't telling the Pharisees not to tithe, but He enforced that they should do this while still fulfilling the more important aspects of the law. So, we see Jesus instructing us to tithe even after the Law.

God does not want us to tithe as a means of making us suffer but to show our obedience to Him and appreciation of all that He has given to us. All that we have has came from Him so when He asked for a portion of it back, why do we balk? If I freely gave you a $100 gift and then asked for $10 of it back, would you hesitate? Or would you exclaim "Why didn't you just give me $90 in the first place so we wouldn't have to go through this!?" I believe that He does this so that we can show our faith in Him to continue to provide and to show our obedience.

If we continue you to read in Malachi chapter 3, in verse ten we see Our Makers true heart,

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,"
Says the Lord of hosts, \
"If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it." 

He wants us to be faithful with what we have been entrusted with so that He can bless us further. What a loving God it is that we serve.