Giving is an investment that yields greater than dividend than any shares you can buy from any viable company on earth. Anytime you give you are entering a spiritual business transaction with God. What you give rightly with the right understanding, God will give you more than you gave . - Monk Reflections

Jesus’s words about tithing are brief—only two comments. Eeei- 3 and half years in ministry and the God man passes a comment on this T-word only twice. He doesn't teach about it, neither does he condemn it, he comments on it twice, only twice.

So those who are making a fuss out of it they want to tell me they know more than Jesus? He doesn't ENCOURAGE it neither does he CONDEMN it, - I dare to say he was indifferent.

So, In Matthew 23:23 (also Luke 11:42), Jesus CRITICISED the Pharisees for neglecting JUSTICE , MERCY , and FAITHFULNESS in their tithing. Look carefully at His words: “ For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others .”

To be sure, they are tithing but with the WRONG ATTITUDE —JUSTICE , MERCY and FAITHFULNESS is what he wants...

It means that tithing can be practiced by the Jews but for it to be effective, JUSTICE, MERCY AND FAITHFULNESS must accompany it.

  He wants them to be good Jews—so he says implicitly - don’t neglect the Jewish law!, but add Justice, faithfulness and be merciful. It means there is the possibility people can be tithing but are not merciful to other human beings, they are not just- that is they do not give others their due, you have not paid your workers and you are paying tithe🙄, have you given them thier due, you are not been Just. Jesus says be Just. You are not faithful to the weightier matters, you don't obey the laws of God, you kil, you murder, you steal, you commit adultery, you fornicate and you think your payment of tith will bring down heaven?

Back to Jesus- let me read the whole thing-"

Wrong priorities.

But you see the statement Jesus made above- cannot be construed as Jesus advocating tithing for the New Way, that - He is announcing in the gospels.

The second time Jesus mentions tithing is in Luke 18:12 where a Pharisee boasts, “ I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get .” Again, Jesus does not speak for or against tithing but he challenges the Pharisee’s self-righteousness. Jesus does not teach tithing but He challenges the Jews to tithe with the proper attitudes.

What about the Apostle Paul? As a former Pharisee, we would expect him to advocate tithing. But when Paul teaches giving by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in (1 Corinthians 16:1–4, 1Timothy 6:17-19, 2 Corinthians 8–9, Galatians 6:6) he does not mention the T-word. Why not?

Obviously, Paul did not want new Gentile believers to be tempted by Judaism. Keeping the gospel pure without adding Jewish rules was his constant concern.

 The famous Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 met to decide if the Gentiles had to adhere to Jewish law. The answer was NO and that included tithing. It is in your bible. Instead of setting a percentage as the standard, Paul, like Jesus, sets a standard of grace.

Furthermore, neither Peter nor John nor James mentions tithing in their letters. OK, If ten percent is the standard, then consider what happens to Kojo- a new believer I met with for Bible study on Tuesday mornings. Kojo earns 500 per month take home, or —To tithe, he would have given 50 each month, leaving 450 to live on. Rent for his modest apartment was 300 per month. That is just rent ooh, we have not included, food, transport, medicare. Meanwhile his teenage son lives with him and he takes care of another son on weekends.  So Kojo heard his pastor preach on tithing, and on the next Tuesday morning he asked me if he should give ten percent. What advise will you give him? What if he can generously give 1 cedis but grudgingly or reluctantly give 50 cedis?

Because of issues like this St Paul will advise that, " Let each person give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, For God loves a cheerful giver " - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Another friend I was discipling across town at the same time earned 9,000 a month . Like Kojo, he was a growing believer who wanted to honor Christ. If he gave ten percent, he would not even be bothered, it does nothing to his economy? Most of us would say he should do more—and perhaps he does. But many rich Christians are content to tithe, thinking they are obeying the bible. Ten percent for the Lord, 90 percent for me, OR? 🤷🏿‍♂️

So how much is enough? If the New Testament is silent on tithing, does it offer another guideline?

Yes, it does. It’s tucked away in Luke 21:1–4, the familiar story of Jesus observing the rich men and a poor widow putting their gifts into the treasury. Jesus said the widow “ put in more than all ” even though she gave only two small copper coins. Why? Because “ she [gave] out of her poverty [her living] ” whereas the rich gave “ out of their surplus ” .

Jesus commended the widow because her giving affected her lifestyle. If we give only out of surplus, we’ve missed the point. Your giving should affect your lifestyle

What about Paul? Paul exhorted Christ-followers to abound in generosity (2 Corinthians 8:7,  “ But just as you abound in everything, in faith, and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired within you, see that you abound in this gracious work [giving] also. ”

 I’m afraid biblical charity is more than merely giving away that which we could afford to do without anyway.  Is ten percent a good place to start? Certainly. Pastors can advocate that, but they cannot say that is what the New Testament teaches.

So how much should a Christian give? My suggestion Like the widow, give out of your living—your serious money—not merely your surplus. Even if it is one pesewa or one naira, or one dollar or one pound of your serious money, it is what will bring down the heavens.

Your generosity should affect the way you live! And that may be MORE or LESS than 10 percent. You are free. Abound in giving!

NOW, WHERE SHALL I GIVE?

Here’s a second misunderstanding: They insist, that you must give the first ten percent to your local church they would say I wonder where they got this idea from-.

Let me examine there was something known as storehouse tithing, this teaching comes from Malachi 3:10, italics mine: “ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” Not a partial tithe, but all of it.

And when you talk about tith, that's the first place they jump to quote.

You need to understand the sitz in Leben to issues. Sitz in Leben simply means the context in which a text, or object or principle has been created and its function and purpose at the time.

Here’s the background to the that text, they are always quoting wrong: The Jews were sending the WORST of the flock to the Jerusalem religious celebrations—the ones that would probably die anyway—rather than the best. Malachi 1:7–8 provides the context, and it has a humorous twist.

Malachi suggested they give these damaged lambs to the civil governor. Then he asks in 1:8, “ Would he [the governor] receive you kindly?” Absolutely not! That’s why Malachi emphasized the “whole” tithe.

The Jews were “ keeping the law ” but they gave their WORST —not their BEST. Note the word STOREHOUSE.

Many say this means the local CHURCH- wrong use of words. Actually the storehouse in the Old testament, was a special granary for tithed grain. Remember I told you tithing is not only about money, this tith was about grain.

The storehouses were built in the days of King Hezekiah 300 years previous because the people were so generous in support of the Levites that they ran out of room in the temple. So they built granaries—STOREHOUSES.

Now I put it to you - Is your local church the cultural equivalent of the Jewish temple?

Does storehouse = church house?

Even if your English teacher died early, does Storehouse = Church House?

We must be careful about using this verse to insist on ‘storehouse’ tithing . . . the storehouse is not equated with the local church.”

Pastors may ask for the first ten percent for the local church if they make it clear it’s not a biblical command. A pastor friend told me asking for the first ten percent for the local church is a “ fine policy, but you can’t get that from Malachi 3:10. ” Stop miss-interpreting scripture.

*Certainly a large portion or even the biggest portion of GIVING should go to your local church— where you are being TAUGHT, and where you fellowship—not because of Malachi 3:10 but because of logic and what Jesus said in Matthew 10:42 . If the parishioners or Church members don’t support their local assembly, who will?

Ok so, BIBLICALLY , WHERE ELSE MIGHT we GIVE?

New Testament examples include the POOR (Galatians 2:10), orphans6 and WIDOWS (James 1:27), and MISSIONS (Philippians 4:10–20).

Give where you CHOOSE, Jaree, and give freely and generously without any qoercion, and let no one guilt trip you when it comes to tithing.

Paul summed it up in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give .” Won’t this kill support for the local church? No.

Not if the MYSTERY of GIVING is taught as a part of discipleship regularly. One day we might run a Mystery of giving conference. Too often we talk about money only when we need it.

Why is a correct understanding about tithing important for leaders? You are expected to teach BIBLICAL GIVING —especially pastors—and you must teach biblically. Many people around the world are under the law to tithing and at the same time, many believers around the world barely give anything at all. This popular tithing teaching is not discipling our people. Something must change, and it is the teaching that is suspect. You gerrit, if you don't forgerrit😂

Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 to show that the “ Lord was concerned not only with what we give but how we give

Giving is an expression of gratitude for what God has done through Jesus, with the emphasis on generosity.

My conclusions after my discussions with the Holy Spirit, is this The TITHE is not a LEGALISTIC OBLIGATION for CHRISTIANS, but an opportunity for grateful response to God’s grace,

If you wanna tithe then see tithing as an expression of God’s grace, not a legalistic way of earning grace.

It is not Grace for sale. It is a response—not a requirement. Read the Bible for yourself and understand the issues and if you tithe, do it out of love for God, not guilt.

There new testament talks about giving, giving is broad, time. Skills, resources, expertise etc.. So God's part in every resource you acquire includes all the resource. 

When God blesses you take out the one for him, it could be in the form of any form of giving, collection, offering, supporting a worthy cause to alleviate pain and suffering, giving to the poor, it is all part of giving to God

Then take out your 🌱 SEED for savings, sowing and investment in this dimensions, then take out your 🥪 BREAD and eat it with joy and make those around you joyful.

With this I bring to an end the Law of 🌱 SEED AND BREAD 🥪. We will begin with another spiritual law tomorrow Godwilling.

Shalom and God bless you.

#monkreflections🔥🪐

Rebirth2022

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