Is Tithing Necessary?

In recent time there have been many controversies on whether tithing is necessary in the church.

Is it mandatory to pay tithes if your pastor has other secular businesses? Should you forsake your monthly bills to pay your tithes?

Will you go to hell if you do not pay your tithes?

These are some of the questions that silently plague the mind of many Christians.

But, before we can find the solutions we must first understand the basic principles of tithing.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. *(Jeremiah 31:33)*

The Significance of the Holy Communion and Tithing.

The church was established on the foundation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He redeemed us from the bondage of sin and gave us freedom and a new life.

We also receive the promises of the everlasting covenant between God and Abraham through Jesus Christ.

The Lord gave us these blessings, but we can only benefit from them when we receive them in our life.

We will also receive the blessings of our inheritance through obedience similar to Abraham.

And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands, and in your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” *(Genesis 26:4-5)*

Before Christ was crucified, He told His disciples to prepare the Passover, and when they met He said,

“With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15)

Christ was passionate about eating the Passover with His disciples before He went to the cross because He knew that it would be the last time they would be together in such a manner.

Shortly after, Christ was crucified. Then after He was resurrected He returned to heaven.

Table set for the Passover Seder. Image courtesy of wikipedia.org

The Origin Of the Passover

God first instituted the Passover with Moses before their exodus from Egypt. (Exodus 12)

The Passover represented a new beginning for the Israelites where they would no longer be slaves under the bondage of Egypt but would be free people.

The sacrificial blood of the animal was sprinkled on the doorpost of the Israelites’ home so that the death-angel pass over their homes and they live.

The flesh of the animal was roasted and eaten by the Israelites on the night of the Passover.

They ate the meat in a hurry because they were fleeing for their life.

The Passover became a memorial unto the Lord where they observed it throughout their generation. During the Passover, they also ate unleavened bread.

The Passover was symbolic of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Hence, Christ was anxious to celebrate it with His disciples before His death.

During the supper with the disciples, Christ took the cup and gave thanks and said,

“Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:17-18)

Jesus did not drink the wine or the fruit of the vine because He was going to drink the bitter cup of suffering and death on the cross.

And for this reason, He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15)

Then the Lord took the bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to His disciples and said,

“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)

The Lord emphasized that the cup was the new covenant of His blood that was shed for us.

Note that the Lord stated that the cup represented the new covenant that His death and resurrection sealed with us. Hence, our inheritance was sealed on the cross.

Therefore, we need to obey Christ by celebrating the Lord’s Supper very often in remembrance of Him.

We also need to give praise and thanksgiving to God for the blessings of the new covenant through Jesus Christ.

Our Thanksgiving Must Also be Done in Action by Paying our Tithes to God.

According to Malachai, we robbed God when we withhold our tithes and offering. As a matter of fact, we also robbed ourselves of our inheritance.

The Lord also stated that we should try Him and see if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on us when we pay our tithes.

The Lord further stated that He will rebuke the devourer for our sake.

Both the Lord’s Supper and tithing must be done together to receive the full blessings of the new covenant.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. *(Malachi 3:10)*

This covenant has, even more, benefits than the old covenant with Abraham because it represents a new beginning. Christ freed us from the bondage of sin and gave us everlasting life.

It also includes full protection from the enemy and your total healing.

Jesus Christ is now sitting at the right hand of God as our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek making intercession for us. He is also judging and executing the enemy on our behalf. (Psalms 110)

When we practice the Holy Communion and tithing we are reminding the Lord of His promises and thanking Him for all the benefits of His inheritance to us.

I hope that you now recognize that the significance of the Holy Communion and tithing far outweighs our minor discrepancies.

Additional References: Galatians 4, Genesis 15, 17; Hebrews 7, Matthew 26:26-30,

Becoming the Oil and Wine