Tithe - The Entire Tithe
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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Malachi 3
9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
These are three verses that, if not followed, will cause damage to our income, keep us from growing, and worse.
You might say, "But I am of grace and the tithe is of the law, so it does not effect me."
Wrong we are of grace but grace does not do away with law it fulfills the law. The law required a price for sin and Jesus paid the price. If grace eliminated the law then grace would not be needed any more because without the law we have nothing about which to be concerned. Just because the tithe is of the OT that does not make it of the law. It was not ordered as part of the Law of Moses, but from God to all mankind. It was merely pre-grace, not post law.
God's word does not change or alter for anything; Jesus came to fulfill the law, so under grace through Jesus all is fulfilled. That is why we do not observe the festivals as they did under the OT. It is ok to have the festivals as a physical aspect of grace, but not spiritual.
OT times were a time of the physical; NT times are a time of the spiritual. We are in a time when they come together.
No matter, the point is not that we should or should not tithe, it is whether or not we should be obedient to God. If we are obedient to God we will tithe the full tithe, and I will explain later what I mean by the full tithe.
Luke 12
48. But he that knew not, and did comit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have comitted much, of him they will ask the more.
Matthew 25
14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
The basic moral of the above parable is that those who are honorable will gain much and those who are not will lose even what they have.
Those who live paycheck to paycheck, never seeming to have enough, do so because they are not honorable with what God has already blessed them. Everything we are and have is of God and to ignore it is foolish. Because the wise of this world are foolish to God and the wise of God are foolish to this world.
We have to remember that God will not trust us with much until He knows He can trust us with little and the tithe is little compared to the returns. This may explain why so many who think they are tithing are not getting the full benefit of the tithe because anything less than a tenth is not a tithe.
Tithe means tenth, not a ninth or anything less than a tenth of what we receive. That means a tenth of all we receive. If your gross is $2000 then your tithe is $200, but if you were hired with benefits then you need to consider the benefits as part of your gross. Some think of benefits as gifts, but that is not what they are. They are a cost of doing business for companies, as is payroll. So, if your employer pays for insurance and (he is more than likely paying) part of YOUR taxes, that should be considered as part of the tithe. So, if your gross is $2000 then the company is normally paying 8% of your taxes above and beyond, so your gross is $2160 meaning the tithe is $216. Now if they pay part of your insurance you need to find out how much. Most times it is half so say you pay $180 a month that means they pay $180 a month as well for YOU. So now your gross is $2,340 and your tithe is $234.
What you need to do is look at everything you get and make sure nothing the company is paying for YOU is favoring you and you are not tithing on it. An example of what you might not tithe on is a company car used only at work for the company. Now if the company expects you to use your own car, then provides an allowance, and you write off the expense on taxes, then you tithe on it. If you use the company car for private use that part you would tithe on also.
If you get stocks, bonds, homes, etc that you profit from, only the profit is tithed on unless you never tithed on the original money used for the investment, then you tithe on it all.
As you can see the difference is not that much in dollars, but it is enough to cut us short of the blessings of the tithe. Look at the blessings we get from the tithe.
Physically it is protection of our income. I have never heard of anyone who understood the tithe, tithed into good ground, and had faith, who did not go from living paycheck to paycheck to having plenty within weeks. This is not a way to count on an open source for unlimited income. It protects what you have; it does not extend it to more.
Spiritually it is protection of our growth. As strange as it may seem to some, the tithe does two things. Above we talked about the physical protection of the income; here we are going to talk about the spiritual side of the tithe.
Before you discount this think carefully. God is a spirit (John 4:24) and since He is He would write in both a physical way for us and a Spiritual way that He is. To help protect our spiritual ground so Satan can not steal from us He has supplied the tithe.
Those who truly tithe correctly and never fail will grow as long as they are tithing and seeking growth. Most do not realize this aspect so they do not gain as much as they could.
Hosea 4
6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
(Before you consider the above verse for those in the priesthood only and you are not a priest read Revelation 1:6)
Jesus spoke in Mark 4 about a sower of the word; this sower sowed the word of God into people. Out of the four groups of people Jesus speaks of only one is 100% and grows. The other 3 all at some point lose what they get from the word due to something of this world. Mostly there is someone coming along and devouring the seed as it is planted or as it starts to grow.
In verse 20 the word fold is not the correct word; it is percentage.
Mark4:20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
20.
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|3778| these
|1526| are
|3588| the
|9999| {ones}
|1909| on
|3588| the
|1093| soil
|2570| good
|4687| being sown,
|3748| who
|0191| hear
|3588| the
|3056| message,
|2532| and
|3858| welcome
|9999| {it},
|2532| and
|2592| bring forth fruit,
|1520| one
|5144| thirty,
|2532| and
|1520| one
|1835| sixty,
|2532| and
|1520| one
|1540| a hundred
|9999| {percent}.
The reason this is so important to know is that one group has a 30% chance, another 60% and another 100% at growth. And of course the first group has no chance at all.
Be honest which would you rather be a part of 0%-60% or 100%?
Mark 4
3. HeMarken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Malachi 3
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
The only way we can truly grow is if God is rebuking the devourer for us. The only way He can is if we tithe. Why is that? To show we are responsible with little (10%), He will give us much.
Malachi 3
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Now you can read Mark 4:1-25 and Malachi 3:8-14 and see for yourself, but ask yourself this how much are you losing and not getting because you have not been responsible with little?
The only way to please God is by faith, and what better way than by tithing and taking Him at His word?
Hebrews 11
6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Just remember anything less than the entire (full/all) of the tithe is not worth doing. He did not say bring me part or start at 3% and work up. That is not showing faith at all. For the most part, anyone who says to do that is not concerned about you and your tithe, but is concerned about getting your money.
To make sure you are tithing the full tithe, do the following:
When you have found out these amounts add them to your gross pay and what ever that total is tithe on it.
EXAMPLE:
Gross Pay (monthly paycheck) $2000.00
Taxes Paid by Company $ 160.00
Insurance " " " " $ 185.00
Total gross income $2145.00
Tithe (10%) is then $214.50 Vs what most pay on just the paycheck of $200
Many are missing tithing the entire tithe or are not bringing all the tithe by as little as a percent or two max!
Would you really want to miss all the tithe has to offer for as little as a few dollars as in the above example?
If you do not agree with the above, are you sure you want to take the chance I am right and lose it all? If you do not tithe the full 10% you might as well keep it because it does nothing until you give the full tithe. Not 9.99%, but 10%. One person I know says our tithe should really be more like 11% because God gives us 110% so we can keep it ALL. Giving more does not hurt, but giving less cuts you off from the promise.
Hosea 4
6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
(Before you consider the above verse for those in the priesthood only and you are not a priest read Revelation 1:6)
I have met many different groups who have different views on this. Here are 4 views like the 4 grounds Jesus referred to and only one is correct:
When you are paid an amount to work for someone that amount is what you tithe on. If the company deducts taxes for you pay the part BEFORE taxes.
The idea is this you can rationalize all you want, but the truth remains the same; either make sure you are tithing the full entire tithe or not, it is your choice. But if you are wrong the sad thing is for a little extra you could have been sure. The best way to be sure is (if you were self employed then) you would pay all the above yourself and there, more than likely, would be no doubt.
Below is another study on tithe showing it as a form of insurance for us:
Tithe - God's Insurance Plan Reference
ABS113 (1748)The tithe is sort of like an insurance plan.
You have insurance for health, car, home, and even life insurance for when you die. What about for the income you bring in? If you could insure it so no matter what happens to you, you would always have an income, wouldn't you do that?
The average insurance for health is about $380 a month; for a car is about $100 a month; for home is about $20 a month for a total of $500. So for $500 a month you expect to pay out a minimum of 20% of total bills incurred from health problems, accident, or storm.
The point is if you have a heart attack and spend any length of time in the hospital, you will pay as much as $5,000 more out of pocket (depending on insurance) for your health.
So altogether you could pay out in one year $11,000 for insurance and one stay in the hospital. What about your income? Yes there are policies that will pay a part of your income, but almost never any bonuses or extras you may count on. Plus you pay for this year after year hoping never to have to use it.
God's insurance, the tithe, is the best you can have. If paid, and paid in the right spirit, it can protect your health, income, home, prevent accidents, and more.
How? In Malachi 3 we are told that the tithe protects the fruit of your ground.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
Based on the tithe, God rebukes the devourer.
Strong's Ref. # 398
Romanized 'akal
Pronounced aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):
KJV--X at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, X quite.
Remember this was written when trade was the way to obtain anything, or one worked for the items needed. Money was used, but not as much as trade. When most were farmers, herders (sheep), and so on, the worst thing that could happen was something destroyed the crop or killed the herds. Then their income was cut to almost (if not) nothing.
Now replace your income from work in place of the reference to ground because as you work you produce an income or fruit of your labors. From a simple 10% of your gross income comes insurance that promises you a return so high you can not receive it all.
If you are not getting this you need to look at your tithe.
First let's review the verses in Malachi 3.
7. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return.
Here God is rebuking them for questioning why they should honor God.
8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
By not giving God what is His, the Tithe and Offerings, we rob Him of what He can do for us, and in turn rob others. If we tithe and give offerings we are giving God control of our fruit and not Satan. God set this up to protect us from Satan and the world system.
9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
At the time the entire nation of Israel was under a curse due to the refusal to tithe.
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
The storehouse is wherever the Word of God is stored to be shared with others.
John 4:32. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
The tithes are offered to support those who can supply the meat for those who do not have. Yes, it can be food as well as the word, but here it is mostly the word of God.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
Look at that, from the tithe other nations will call this nation blessed. Think about how the USA was at one time. It was a leader in getting the Word out (Meat) and had great storehouses of the meat (word), but as this has declined so has this nation. There is now debt of over 5 trillion dollars, morals declining rapidly, and children killing children just to mention a few. No the USA was never perfect and had its problems, but it previously held God first.
13. Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord heMarkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Too often people get into the legalistic part of the word or become law based, and forget this is all about the spirit and a relationship in the spirit with God.
Luke 6:2-5
2. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3. And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him;
4. How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5. And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
The tithe will bring you the following.
If you are going to start complaining about your money, work, or fruit of your labor then first look at your tithes and offerings.
Yes, the tithe is of the law and the Old Testament, the New Testament calls on the 100% not the 10%, but you have to start somewhere, and not with a 1, 2, or 3% offering, but with a 10% tithe off the top of your income. Meaning, if you gross $1,000 a week and clear $750 a week, you do not tithe on the $750, you tithe the $1,000. So your tithe would be $100. The tithe is before taxes or anything else.
Then come the offerings. This is over and above the tithe. This is a showing of your love.
Who do you tithe to? You tithe to God via the Church or teacher by whom you are fed. Whatever storehouse feeds you is where into the tithe should go.
Is there just a tithe of my income? No, there is a tithe of your time and talents as well.
Time, should be tithed to God in prayer, study, and listening to Him for guidance. Not everyone can spend more than 2 - 3 hours a day in the word, prayer and listening, so this is why you should tithe to the person(s) who feed you or at least who has fed you the most. It is like eating out. If you eat at Steak-N-Ale, you do not pay Red Lobster. So the same is for your tithe and offerings.
The offering is showing your faith in God and His word and is a blessing to the person(s) who feed you. It is like a tip. If the service was good you may leave more than if it was bad. So the next time you eat out, think about the cost of the meal, and the tip. Then think about how much you are tithing, and giving offerings for the true meat, the meat of God.
Review:
Bless yourself by, right now, sitting down and figuring out your tithe. Write it out and give it to the person(s) who have fed you the most. While you are at it, add in a tip (offering). If your tithe (price of a meal like eating out) is $500 then the tip (offering) should be no less than what you would give a server at a restaurant. If you give a stranger 10-20% tip, why would you not do the same for those who feed you eternal food.
Hebrews 11
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.