"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings" (Mal.3: 8). Lord Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Mat.22: 21). However these days there are some among the ministers and believers who admit that they owe to God all that they have, yet failing to give tithes and offerings regularly. There are those who do not give offerings regularly. There are people who earn curse by not fulfilling their vows. Man robs God.

What is tithe? Tithe means one tenth (1/10) part. A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord. It is to be offered to the Lord (Lev.27: 30-32). It appears that this practice of offering tithes was prevailing even among the gentiles like Babylonians. Following this the Patriarchs had been offering tithes to God (Gen.14: 20; 28:22). God declared this as an ordinance during the time of Moses. However we learn that Israelites were not following this properly. Therefore when God spoke through Malachi, He advised them to return to Him (Mal. 3:7). The people asked Him in which matter they should return to Him. God said, "You are robbing Me in tithes and offerings. Bring the whole tithe in the storehouse, that there may be food in My house" (Mal. 3:7-9).

The reasons which prompted the Hebrews and the Gentiles to pay the tithes:

1. The nation belonged to God. All the lands belong to God. Therefore on the fruits and harvests of the land they paid the tithes.

2. They paid the tithes as a measure of gratitude for the blessings they received from God (Gen. 28:22).

3. As they gained victory in wars, they were paying tithes in the spoils (Gen. 14:17-20).

The Levites and the priests who minister to God had no inheritance among the Israelites. Therefore God gave the tithes and offerings of the Israelites as inheritance to the Levites and priests. God had commanded the Levites and priests to pay a tenth of the tithes they received, to Aaron the chief priest (Num.18: 20-32). Similarly the firstfruits of the Israelites and some special offerings to the Lord would belong to the chief priest (Num.18: 8-19; Ex.23: 19; Deut.26: 1-11). The Israelites had defaulted in paying the tithes in return to the blessings of the Lord. Therefore the ministry came to an end and the ministers fled to their own places (Neh.13: 10,11). As the Israelites were unfaithful in this, they suffered lack of blessings. There was drought in their land (Amos 4:7-9). All the promises of God's blessings were conditional. Only by following the ordinances of God, Israel would be blessed and raised (Deut. 28:1-14). God said that paying tithe was an ordinance of life.

Let us see in the light of scriptures what the New Testament has to say on tithes.

A New Testament believer is one who is slave to the Lord redeemed by His blood. A New Testament believer is a new Israelite. "You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (I Cor.6: 20). The price paid for us was the holy blood of Lord Jesus Christ. "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (I Pet.1: 18,19). We who are so redeemed are slaves to the Lord (I Pet.2: 16). Therefore his spirit, soul and body as well as his property and inheritance, all belongs to the Lord. He should employ these for the glory of God. He should use them according to the will of God.

An Israeli king once offered himself to another king. The other king sent messengers to him saying, "This is what Ben-Hadad says: Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine". The king of Israel answered, "Just as you say, my Lord the king. I and all I have are yours" (I king 20:3,4). When this is so, there is no room for a New Testament believer to say that he is free to do as he pleases with his property. Apart from the tithes, what is important is, how much more we offer to the Lord. Therefore a believer who does not offer even his tithes is not a true believer.

These days some think that 'tithes' is an Old Testament teaching, which is not applicable to the New Testament believer. Jesus said: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mat.5:20). What is meant by the righteousness of the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law? It is written in the Scriptures (Luke 18:9-12 and in Mat.23: 23) that they used to give tithes on everything. If that is so, what should we do? The Lord teaches us to give more than they. A person's love for the Lord is measured by how much he gives to the Lord. Those who love more give more (Luke 7:36-48). We find that the Lord appreciated the poor widow who gave the Lord all she had to live on (Luke 21:1-4). Many who claim to live according to the word of God fail to give tithes.

A few others use the tithes as they wish. They take the tithes and give a portion of it to their church; a portion to the ministries of their choice and the rest to the ministers whom they like or their relatives who might be doing ministry elsewhere and also to the ministers who visit their house. They feel that they have given their tithes to the Lord. Such people in fact have not given their tithes to the Lord so far. Such deeds of yours are not registered in heaven. Tithe belongs to the Lord. Who are you to spend as you wish that which belonged to the Lord? You should spend the Lord's portion only according to His wish and in accordance with the Scriptures. "Bring the whole tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test Me in this", says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it" (Mal.3:10). Storehouse means the shrine of God (Neh.13:12-14). "Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the instructor" (Gal.6:6). You should give your tithes to the minister who ministers among you. The ministers should give their tithes to the chief (I Cor. 9:9-14). Don't give your tithe to the convention preachers who visit your house once in a way or to those who ask your tithes for the magazine ministry or any other ministry, which they do. Give your tithe only to the priest who gives you bread and wine and blesses you (Gen.14: 18-20). Minister, don't accept the tithes of souls who are not within your rule. You minister who receives tithe, if you fail to give the tithe of your gifts to your superior minister, it will be considered a sin (Num 18:32). You believer, if you want to do something for the minister of your choice, first give the tithe to the Lord and as you are free to spend the balance as you wish, you may do so. There should be an order in giving the tithe. Tithe should be given regularly without fail (I Cor.16:2). Some people give tithe sometimes and don't pay at other times. When the income is low they would give tithe, but when it is high, they wouldn't give, worried that they have to give more. They hope that God would pardon this error and also seek forgiveness.

Tithe, offerings and vows should be given correctly whatever be the circumstances; there is no forgiveness for defaulters. From those who seek to usurp tithes, God requires from them the tithe and more (Lev.27:30-34). Give the tithe promptly. The spiritual life of those who transgress the ordinance of tithe will not be stable but alternate between rise and fall. Tithe is one of the ordinances of life. This is a practice being followed from the time of Patriarchs. Your worldly blessing will be proportionate to the magnitude of your generosity. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38). "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap bountifully. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (II Cor. 9:6,7). Giving to the Lord is a special gift. Some people say they do not have anything as their income is meager. If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Those who desire to give should give immediately, so that their willingness to do it may be matched by their completion of it, according to their means (II Cor.8:11,12).

Once there was a minister, ministering among the tribal people. He was passing through poverty and suffering. A missionary went to see him. He asked the minister why he was suffering so much. The minister replied that the local people were too poor to give anything. The missionary asked him if he preached to them about the tithes and offerings. The minister told him that he had not preached them about tithe and offerings, as he feared that they might run away if he did so. The missionary then told him, "You should first teach them about the ordinance of God. Then God would bless you and the people. If you fail to do so, I will stop the help I am sending you". And then he left the minister.

On the next Sunday, the minister preached about tithe with fear and trembling. The people sat listening carefully and then left the service. When the minister went to the prayer house the next Sunday, he witnessed a big miracle. He saw baskets of grain and piles of vegetables and also some cattle tied on the other side. As he came there some people offered him some money too. The minister asked them the reason for their offering. Those believers replied him, "Sir, we have brought the tithe and offerings which you preached last week". The minister was amazed. With those offerings he could alleviate his sufferings. The people began to give continuously. The church grew and spread to support many branch churches.

Some Christians believe that it is a blessing to receive rather than to give. Many ministers are after gain. Anyone who works in his father's vineyard would not expect wages. The one who expects wages is a servant and not a son. If I work for the wages paid by someone, I am working only for him and not for God. Many ministers have risen in this world whose concern is only worthless worldly gain. Watch their advertisements and speeches! Even those who start their ministry in power, become dispirited in course of time and join some organization for their living. These are false ministers who entered the ministry without divine calling but impelled by their own spirit. There are several such ministers who were known to have lost their power, early revelations, visions and their anointing! If you are ministering only for the sake of money, the benediction of your ministry will go to the person who pays you. You will have established nothing in heaven. If you are not paid you may leave the ministry itself.

God never forsakes His righteous ministers. The God of Elijah is still living. He will feed His ministers with His crows. He will bless abundantly and fulfill the needs of those who support good and righteous ministers. Remember the widow of Zarephath (I King 17:1-14). We hear that some superior ministers deduct the tithe when they pay salary to the ministers working under them. Don't do so. Give them in full. Let them give the tithe. You don't have the authority to take the tithe. Besides, don't go empty handed to the place of God. Prepare the offering during week days and bring it as you come to the presence of God. Don't be searching for the offering on Sunday and don't fail to come to the presence of God if you have no offering. "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Lord your God which he has given you" (Deut. 16:17). "None shall appear before Me empty "Ex. 23:15). " The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God" (Ex.23:19).

Ministers should not give away to their kith and kin the blessings bestowed on them by the Lord. They can share their blessings with their parents and dependant relatives. However they should be careful not to waste the Lord's offerings. They should not distribute the blessings granted by the Lord among their relatives, friends and acquaintances. They should not either sell or exchange any of the firstfruits of the Lord. It is holy to God (Ezek. 48:14). Are you deceiving God? Are you giving the tithes? If not, start giving the tithe immediately. "First seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you" (Mat. 6:33). May God bless you.