Tithing and Charity

The Bible above all things is a book of charity.  The bible doctrines on charity, tithes, and offerings are too rich not to share with as many believers as you can.  Jesus told us how if we learn how to give, God will see to it that we receive blessings from above.  The best Scripture that I know of is in Malachi, where God pronounces that the Jews were a cursed people, because they rob God in tithes and offerings (see Malachi 3:9).  So let us first look at the law of tithing.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, 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.” - Malachi 3:10

Now I learned how true this doctrine of tithing is in recent times, but after I gave my first tithe the Holy Spirit spoke to me in my sleep, about how Abraham paid his tithe to Melchisidek the Priest, and received blessings from God just as Malachi prophesied.  A person does not need to give their tithe to every good preacher, but definitely, if they desire God’s blessing, they must tithe to a spiritual ministry that is responsible for feeding spiritual food and spiritual drink.  Many have blindly given their tithes to a local church out of an act of compulsion, and they receive no blessing.  God appointed Melchisdek, an immortal Priest of God, to receive Abraham’s tithe (Genesis 14:18-20).  So we must conclude that the greater of a Priest that receives tithes, then there will be a more substantial blessing from God, especially if God appoints a spiritual leader in your life who brings God’s riches with him.  The Apostle Paul preached a lot on giving, but he did not refer to the tithe, because the law of Moses was expired, but he still preached of the riches and blessings of those who give to the cause of God’s work.  Let us look at what Paul taught the Philippians:

“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” - Philippians 4:15-17

So here the Apostle Paul was showing the Philippians how God would indeed bless them for their giving unto him, and then he said, “My God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (see Philippians 4:19).  This promise of riches and abundance were given to the Philippian Church, because they had Charity in their hearts for God and the Apostles of Christ, and for the Church of Christ.  Their love and consideration for other people is what attracted Paul’s favor upon them, and so that is like the law of life.  A person shall reap what they sow.  Paul also taught the Corinthians that money can be like unto a seed, and he said, “he that soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly, he that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully”:

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work…” - 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
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So after looking at a few of these New Testament examples of giving, you can start to see the divine FAVOR that comes upon a giver of charity, as a spiritual law, it will not fail, that is why God says “test Me in this matter” (see Malachi 3:10).  Test Him with true tithes or true offerings, and see if He doesn’t open His windows.  It’s best to pray about the purpose of the tithe, and ask God concerning the ministry He desires to use in your life.  There are Ministers of Jesus Christ who are real and legitimate, and there are also fraudulent people who use Christianity to gain luxuries and excessive living.  People who walk in the Spirit of God ought to be watchful and discerning that ministry funds are not being wasted, but given unto God for His purpose.  There are also many Christian ministries that are legitimately used to help the poor and needy, and as the proverb says, “to give to the poor, is to lend unto the Lord” (Proverbs 19:17).