Tithing: Part 3

“…Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 8 But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house…” Malachi 3:7-10 ESV 

Verses eight and nine in this passage address those among God’s people who withhold the tithe and contributions. The tithe is the first tenth of our increase, it is honoring God first in the stewardship of our finances. The accusation is that those who fail to honor God with their tithe are actually robbing from God and imposing upon themselves a curse. It’s important to understand that giving is not a matter of legalism, it’s a matter of honoring God with what He has entrusted to us. When we fail to tithe other areas of our life suffer because we have not honored God in our stewardship and have taken our finances into our own hands. We may say we are trusting God in faith when in fact we are acting in fear. Fear is a major reason people refuse to tithe; because if they do they believe they may not have enough to meet their own needs.

Giving is a reflection of one’s heart and it is clear that if we're returning to God we will honor Him with our giving. Giving is a matter of the heart. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21 ESV. Jesus challenged the religious leaders who had become legalistic with the tithe not to neglect justice, mercy and faithfulness, yet addressed the tithe. “…For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” Matthew 23:23 ESV. The New Testament concept of giving is a matter of a generous, unselfish heart that gives out of willing obedience, not out of obligation or religious duty.

TODAY’S PRAYER 

Heavenly Father, give us a greater revelation of the importance of giving, and what it means to tithe, that we may not be stingy withholders of what you have entrusted to us so we may truly be blessed.

God Bless,

Pastor Matt