“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings.”

               -Malachi 3:8

To tithe is to be blessed. Many people today claim it is no longer necessary under the New Covenant to give 10% of one’s income back to the Lord, but it seems to me both illogical and unscriptural to think God would suddenly stop providing for His ministry in this way. If the Old Testament expressly forbade the muzzling of oxen as they “tread out the corn” (Deut. 25:4), why then would Christians be encouraged to lay an even greater burden on their pastor by failing to provide him with financial support?

In the Old Testament tithing was instituted, not only to remind the giver of God’s right to their resources, but as the means whereby Levites (i.e. the priests) would sustain themselves and support their families. The Levites, in turn, would then pay tithes on their “inheritance” by presenting a tenth of this to Aaron the priest (Num. 18:25-28). If you think God’s asking too much of you by requiring a mere 10%, consider this: when all tithes stipulated by the OT Law had been paid, each Jew had contributed approximately 23% of their finances to the Lord. Surely things have changed somewhat since then, but wouldn’t you agree that acknowledging our subordination to God is more important than enjoying the unnecessary luxuries of American life?

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

               -2 Corinthians 9:6

Naturally, the most common excuse this generation creates is that paying tithes simply cannot be afforded. Maybe you don’t waste a penny on frivolous spending and yet are certain you couldn’t make room for tithes your budget. If so, let me encourage you to give anyway! Did not David say he had been both young and old, having never seen “the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread?” (Psalm 37:25) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,” says God in Malachi 3:10, “that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

In God’s perfect will, those who preach the Gospel also live of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14). Certainly He has power enough to meet the needs of all humanity apart from our help, but as “laborers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9) we are called to join Him in the privilege of doing so. Let us never selfishly judge His commandments to be grievous, but instead embrace each one with joy as cheerful givers of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 5:3; 2 Cor. 9:7).