TITHE IS FOOD

TITHE IS FOOD

THREE SYSTEMS OF GIVING: 

1. TEMPLE TAX: “Everyone older than 20 years must offer this to the Lord, to atone for your lives. The rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less.” Jesus and Peter gave Temple Tax by catching a fish with a coin in its mouth. What you give to the church is not Tithe but Temple Tax, for hatching, matching and dispatching i.e. to baptize your baby, marry your daughter and bury you in the church’s cemetery, none of which is biblical. (Exo 30:14, 15; Matt. 17:24-27) 

2. TITHE IS FOOD: “Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house…” (Malachi 3:10) 

a. Tithe is produce of the field: “You must set aside a tithe of all the produce brought forth each year from your fields.” (Deut. 14:22) 

b. You must eat your tithe: “You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the LORD your God at the place (Jerusalem) where He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Deut. 14:23) 

c. If you live far away then sell your tithe locally and buy whatever you like in Jerusalem and eat your tithe. 

“But if the distance is too great for you to carry that with which the LORD your God has blessed you, then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and then go to the place God has chosen. You may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.” (Deut. 14:24-26) 

d. Every three years you must give double tithe – one at the Temple in Jerusalem and the other at your farm-house: “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates. Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.” Deut. 14:28,29 

e. Jesus was a carpenter; Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a tent-maker. They were not land-owners so they did not give tithe. 

3. FREEWILL OFFERING: There were collection boxes outside the temple. Anyone could offer cash or gold or silver or any other thing according to their free will. There was no limit. A poor widow dropped two mites and Jesus commended her that she had given 100% because that is all she had. (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4) 

a. Abraham Tithed: We cannot follow Abraham’s example of tithing to Melchizedec, because he gave tithe of his loot. But when the time for testing of his faith, he offered his most precious belonging - his son Isaac. (Genesis 14:18-20; 22:1-18) 

b. However, God says – “And you say in your heart, my power and the might of mine hand has gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember Jehovah your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, so that He may confirm His covenant which He has sworn to your fathers, as it is today.” 

c. Please note that everything you earn, 100% belongs to God, because God gives you the ability to earn. So, you are to give as much as you can to fulfil the covenant that God made with your forefather Abraham, “Be a blessing to all the families of the earth.” And what better blessing can we give them than giving them Jesus. (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:27-29) 

d. Giving is strictly for reaping the harvest of souls: Neither Jesus nor Peter nor Paul ever asked you to give Tithe to the church. In fact, Jesus was sarcastic to the Jewish leaders when he said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin….” So if you want to give tithe to the church, then please do give tithe of your mint and spices. 

e. The New Testament instructs you to give as much as you like for reaping the harvest of souls. “But I say this, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2Co 9:6,7) 

f . The Jews gave dutifully to save their own souls but we give cheerfully to those who go to reap bountiful harvest of lost souls.For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom. 10:13-15) 

“Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38Tithe is now breaking bread and sharing your food and the gospel with the seekers and the poor in the house church. 1 Cor. 11:20-23, 33,34; Acts 2:46