The Tithe: Holy or Robbery?

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2

I read a story about a well-known church that was robbed some time ago. A lot of money and church properties were taken away, but thankful to God, no one was injured, and all lives were saved. Apparently, many of those involved in the robbery were Christians among them. Not just Christians but church members certainly have hands in the incident. This was justified by their moves and the direct focus on where the church’s treasure was kept.

That was devilish and sinful, right? Of course! Everyone found it easy to comment and point at the robbers as criminals for not just stealing but for taking from God. This is a typical illustration of any Christian who fails to pay tithe. One of the dangerous acts of a man is to rob God. This is true whenever believers withhold what belongs to God. Some people ensured they gave something, but their giving was nothing to their local church.

Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But you say, wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.”

Are you giving your tenth in services or earning to God in worship? Understanding that God is not interested in the material you provide is vital. Ho oops! No. He doesn’t spend the money nor eats fruits. He is more interested in your heart; He watches how faithful you are to what He gave you. Not only that, but he wants to weigh how much he can bless you. The tithe is just the 10 percent of what you have; don’t be a slave to it but a striver; therefore, determine to be a partaker of God’s divine blessing by giving a tenth of all consistently and accurately.

The purpose of tithing is not to earn God’s favor but to show our gratitude for all He has done for us. It is also a way to support the church’s work and help others in need. Tithing is a biblical principle that dates back to Abraham, whom God commanded to give a tenth of everything he earned (Genesis 14:20). Deuteronomy 12:19 says, “be careful not to neglect the Levites, as long as you live in your land.”

Prayer:
1. Lord, I ask for forgiveness of my unfaithfulness to you; give me a sincere and faithful heart to always pay my tithe.
2. Give me a heart of obedience and love to keep you from doing the things you don’t want me to do in Jesus’ name. Amen.