Jesus said, “ . . . . ye pay tithe . . . this ought ye to have done and not leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23)
The Bible is a book about giving. The Bible talks more about giving than it does about either heaven or hell. Jesus talked more about giving than almost any other subject. Over half of His parables have to do with money. There are more promises in the Bible related to giving than any other subject.
How you choose to manage your God-given resources is a choice that you, and you alone, make. What you decide to do with your money is decided in the secret chambers of your heart. Jesus said, Show me your treasure and I will show you your heart (Matthew 6:21). No single area of life says more about the condition of a person's heart toward God than the area of generous giving through tithes & offerings.
Why should believers tithe? Because:
- It is God’s plan handed down to us in His Word
- It was endorsed by Jesus Himself
- It’s a matter of Lordship
- It enriches our lives spiritually
- It brings financial blessings
Some teach that tithing belonged only to the time of the Law of Moses and, therefore, does not apply to the church. Yet, long before the time of Moses, we read that Abraham, a forerunner of the New Testament believer, paid tithes to Melchizedek, who was a type of Christ (Ps.110:4). Following Abraham’s example, we should pay tithes to our High Priest, Jesus Christ. "If Abraham were your father", Jesus said, "ye would do the works of Abraham" (Jn.8:39).
God's will concerning tithes and offerings has never changed. As Melchizedek received tithes, so does Jesus through the Church. The commandment to tithe cannot be repealed, so long as the priesthood of Christ lasts. Abraham's blessing through tithing is ours, being a part of his blessing of justification by faith.
The tenth of all our increase is the Lord's. This has always been true, before the Law, during the Law, and after the Law.
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