Personal Finance Lessons From The Judaic (Old Testament) Principle of Tithing

Now, my stance on Tithing –which some people refer to as the compulsory payment of 10% of pre/post tax salary to a church on a monthly basis- has not changed. Believers- true Christians- are not told anywhere in the Bible, to give a ‘10% tax’ to any pastor, church, or ‘God’, on a monthly basis. If you have not been following my blog, you can read this, this and this post(s) for my position.

God does not just give laws for ‘giving sake’

See, if you know and understand God, you will know that there is always a reason for his laws. He is a just and righteous judge and he bases his actions and commandments on principles.

What that means is that there is a (personal finance) principle behind the law of Tithing, and to not understand the principle is to abuse the law, which is exactly what prosperity preachers have turned the Judaic law of tithing, and biblical giving generally, into for Christians today.

                                

But to understand that principle is to follow it without feeling enslaved and ensnared by the laws of Moses, from which we have been redeemed. [Christians only have one law- THE LAW OF LOVE. Love your God with all of you, and love your neighbour as yourself.]

What is the principle of tithing?

The principle behind tithing is to acknowledge that your source of wealth and survival is from God, and to devote a (tenth) percentage of it to him; HOW? ...by giving it to charity- the poor and his ministers who minister to your spiritual needs.

Tithing predated the law- it was a practice of the pagan kings who sacrificed a tenth of their spoils of war to the ‘god’ who gave them victory...ensuring their survival. And, it was observed with that general mindset in those times.

[In the Old Testament, and throughout the whole Bible, the tithe (which was never cash but food/spoils) was either burnt to God (Num 18:26), eaten in his presence (Deut 14:22), given to his priest (Gen 14:20, Num 18:24), or given to the poor (Deut 14:29).]

How does it apply to Christians today?

Now, it is compulsory for believers to acknowledge that God is the source of everything they have and own- their survival. And we are to obey God by giving for the furtherance of the gospel, and to the poor.

Moreover, it is wrong and unbiblical for a church/pastor to fix a percentage- 10%, 50%, etc, for the church, and then start to monitor people’s tithes (payment) weekly/monthly. That is tantamount to leaving one’s calling (to preach the gospel and save souls), and starting to chase mammon.

Today, we have the spirit of God in each of us, and he controls 100% of our income. He alone can determine for us what percentage we ought to give, individually. However, even at that, he does not force us but expects us to give as we purpose in our hearts.

How does it apply to personal finance in the 21^st century?

Tithing is simply budgeting! If you are financially imprudent, and cannot live on a budget, or account for your expenses, then it will not matter how much you make annually, or how much you give your pastor or the poor, you will remain poor.

What God wants his children to know is that for them to be prosperous, they must be able to account for every percentage, enough to know what they spend in every category.

If you can track 100% of your income, enough to know what 10% of it is, and diligently allocate funds to different categories of expenditure, you are on the way to financial freedom, whether or not you believe in God! 

That is a wealth principle of the earth.

Budget every category of your expenditure: Food, Charity, Rent, Savings/Pension, Emergency (fund), Transport/Fuel/Gas, School Fees, Etc.

thinkbudget.com

AND STICK TO YOUR BUDGET!!!

How can you give without feeling guilty, afraid of ‘the devourer’ or hoodwinked by the smooth talker?

Nowhere in the whole bible are we told to give in order to receive back 100-fold, 1000-fold, etc, returns, as some erroneously teach today. However, God promises that when we give cheerfully and wholeheartedly, he will bless us back in multiple folds.

But even if we do not ‘see’ any returns, when we give with a sincere motive and pure heart, we are already blessed. (It is more blessed to give....)

Stop believing that a devourer has been unleashed by your father against you because you did not give him 10% of all the salary/gifts/benefits, monetary and non-monetary.

Also, you do not need to pray and fast for wealth, you simply need to study, and obey- follow (his) principles! Financial freedom requires a budget and the discipline to spend by it -not reckless giving, prayer or fasting, as some 'pastors' tell you.

In Summary,

Tithing (before the law) was a pagan practice. It was God who made it a law for the Jews- Judaism, who still practice it by tithing the mint, cummin, and garlic from their gardens (Matt. 23:23). Christians are no more supposed to follow it, than they are to follow the other Mosaic laws.

If you are poor or in debt, it is not a devourer...it is because you lack financial discipline.
To break free, you simply need to earn a regular income, and then spend by a BUDGET, every week/month/year of your life!

Be Prosperous!