INTRODUCTION:
In the
context of tithing, believers can be classified into five (5) broad groups,
with each group either informed or misinformed. There is a group of New
Testament believers who believe that tithing is an Old Testament law which have
lost its relevance in modern day Christianity, and as a result, they see no need or
urgency to settle their accounts with God. They lay several claims to new
testament scriptures which did not specify the payment of tithes, while some have gone a little bit further to explain that Jesus Christ did not receive tithes from His
followers while He was on earth.
The
second group believes that tithes should not be paid to a registered church,
but should be an expression of love through giving of arms to the poor, and helping
those in need within their vicinity. These set of believers feel that it’s
better to help the poor who have little or nothing than to pay their tithes to
a church with an already established financial base. Their drive and
inspiration is purely humanitarian than scriptural.
The
third group, are set of believers who used to pay their tithes but stopped at a
point because they felt cheated by their pastors and church elders. Their
decision to stop the payment of tithes, is influenced by the extravagance and posh lifestyle of their pastors or
church elders, and in order to correct these excesses, they have resolved to stop or
reduce the flow of income to the church with the aim of getting back at their
pastors or elders extravagant lifestyle.
Moreover,
the last two groups are believers who either pay their tithes because it’s a
law which applies to them with great benefits or those who are completely
ignorant of the word called “tithing”
let alone practicing it. The later are completely oblivious of any benefit or
consequence attached to tithing.
However,
whatever your group might be while reading this article, it is imperative that
you discover the truth rather than to stand before a fierce Accountant (God)
who does not take likely to an unbalanced account. The Bible tells us that, the
truth we know will set us free (John 8:32).
In this
series titled “SHOULD WE PAY TITHES?”, we would be taking a scriptural journey
from the old testament to the new testament with the view of discovering the
scriptural truths with respect to tithing.
*******TO BE
CONTINUED********
#TheMessenger
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