Eating The Tithes

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional
Monday, July 27
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Eating The Tithes

Deuteronomy 14.23 "And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always."

Now, I must warn that what I'm about to say may not go down well with a lot of people. And you really don't have to share it. But I pledged to tell the truth always.

I've been a Christian all my life; I've read the Bible several times; I preach it every day; and by the grace of God, I receive revelations from God. I know what people teach about the tithes, I understand that it's somewhat controversial, and I also understand how useful it is to churches.

It's okay to pay tithes, and it's okay for pastors to encourage their members to do so: but what's not okay is when people are threatened to pay tithes with Malachi 3:8&9. It's so wrong and teachers of the Word must immediately stop it. We are under grace! And God does not bless us financially just because we pay tithes. Of course, we are taught to give in the New Testament, and we will reap if we sow; but you see, in the New Testament, the blessings of God are not conditional. The curse came with the Law of Moses, and Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law!

Even in the Old Testament, the purpose of tithing was to first honour God. Proverbs 3:9 says to honour God with our substance. Moses said that the purpose of tithing was that they might fear God. The people ate their tithes! They were not always required to take it to the Temple.

I'm not against tithing, and I sincerely encourage you to tithe. But do it not out of fear, but because you love God and acknowledge Him as your Source.

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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