The rate at which my friends reacted to the first article on this topic is an indication that interests generated by this topic are more than on topics related to Heaven or Hell. And it ought not be so. I hardly hear of compulsive interest or controversial discussions on Zakat. Some reactions read, ‘we are following’; some ‘we are waiting for the conclusion’ but I’m not likely to conclude with “give tithe” or “don’t give tithe” just glibly.
That humble, memorable teacher, Witness Lee declared that he could say it thousands of times over and over that God has no other intention in the entire universe other than to wrought Christ in man. But Bible did not just declare, “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. It still gave us 66 books in over a thousand pages to accomplish and drive home Colossians 1: 27. So please bear with me if I have to devote four or more parts to this topic.
However, taking off from where we last drew the curtain, I dare say that it is not a big deal, in fact, a small matter, to give 10% of one’s monthly income, even far much more or all, except that in some ministries or denominations, a substantial part may end up in some privileged people’s pockets, i.e. personal bank accounts instead of being utilized to support the spectrum of legitimate necessities and to meet kingdom needs. I expect any fund that accrues to the Church, apart from direct personal gifts, is not to be for the private or personal utilisation of anyone in leadership. This was the principle initially laid down by the early church in Acts 2: 44; 4: 32-36.
At that time of the Church in infancy, many believers became outcasts from their families and employers for the sake of their new faith. As a matter of fact, the discipline and sacrifice implied in the New Testament dispensation far transcend what obtained before the voice of one that boomed in the wilderness.
Before the Lord declared, “It Is Finished” on the cross about 2,020 years ago, Tit for Tat, Tooth for Tooth, Eye for Eye was in vogue but now it is to bear the pains with forgiving love. Then adultery was forbidden, now mere “lookery” can damn the soul. Murder was forbidden at the pain of one’s life, now anger carries the same consequences. These and other shifts put a higher demand on us because we are to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees!
So, as mentioned earlier, how does a giver of 10% exceed the righteousness of scribes and Pharisees? It is true that there was no vivid record that the apostles and the disciples in the first century were giving tithes. Such a record was not necessary because they were taught, discipled and disciplined to give their all-Luke 14: 33.
One may wonder how would they feed, pay rents, school fees and other expenses. Former provost of Emmaus Bible College, UK interpreted this scripture as ceding to the kingdom, the excess that is left after frugally meeting those basic necessities. So one may end up ceding from 11% to 99%, depending on the size of income. One thing was clear, the tithes or multiples of tithes were not collected by the apostles.
Some ministers, when confronted by “antagonists” that we are no more in the dispensation of Law, wind back the tape of history to pre-Law age of the fathers to cite Melchizedek as taking tithe from Abraham. But Melchizedek, apart from ostensibly having been interceding for Abraham concerning the battle, didn’t come to meet Abraham empty-handed.
He brought bread and wine. And I’m sure, some like that who typified Christ wouldn’t have come with just a loaf for Abraham, but, as Zac Poonen mentioned, would also have considered the 318 fighters, returning with Abraham hungry and famished from the battle. Imagine the worth of bread and wine for 319 able-bodied men! It might even surpass the tithe received from Abraham. Today’s “Melchizedeks”, give nothing before or after collecting the tithes.
You would observe that I had consistently mentioned ‘give’ rather than ‘pay’ tithe. Any monetary transaction in the Church is a matter of giving, not of paying to the Church, as the latter connotes commercial implication. Indeed, tithing under the Law was from all the produce of the land, not fiscal, even though in those days in Israel, the currency was already in vogue–Shekels, Gerahs and Bekas [Leviticus 27: 25], just like Pounds, Shillings and Pence.
I am personally and intimately aware of a ministry where the tithe was wholly given to the Overseer. When some of his close ministers tried in a respectful manner to advise him otherwise, he told them point-blank that the training he received was that all the tithes belonged to him and anytime in future, if he were no longer the Overseer, they could do otherwise. That overseer was a loving, caring person, nearly pleasant to a fault, but he was only practising within the limit of his understanding, as many are doing today.
I recall a Voice of one of the Top 10 denominations in Nigeria admitting on U-Tube that years back, he used to threaten his members with curses if they default on tithe and even that things will be tight for them. Come to think of it, how does a genuine Christian who had not broken the hedge come under a curse in the light of Galatians 3:13 or even generational curse based on Ezekiel 18: 4? He conceded that such threats were because he didn’t know better then. That to me was an aspect of the demystification of tithe by an “insider”.
I listened to another popular Voice who spoke on the U-Tube that he deliberately took the initiative to seek clarification from a Theologian and he is now convinced there is no tragic consequences for default but that it is good to “pay” (give tithe). Many other ministers swing from one extreme position to the other. It is amazing that Spirit-led men of God cannot dissect the Bible -rightly divide the word of truth- or obtain the accurate position directly from God.
Incidentally, observers among other religious and irreligious people will be wondering at our diametrically opposite perspectives! Can you imagine the children of the same Father not knowing what their Father wants after decades and centuries of listening to him, and had not still resolved it?
-TO BE CONTINUED