False Teaching About Tithing (Part Two)

If we have the Holy Spirit in us, who is our teacher and our guide, we also have this gift. Merriam-Webster describes discernment as “a power to see what is not evident to the average mind.” That’s when I made the decision to open my Bible, not just to read by verses but in context, to learn it, to understand it, and to study it.

As the Lord lifted the veil from my eyes that was blinding me, I remember feeling angry and frustrated because many of the wrong things being taught became very clear. In horror I realized that God’s sheep were being led astray and straight to eternal destruction if they did not turn themselves around; destruction is not just for the unsaved but for anyone who rejects the truth.

There’s no excuse for this lack of knowledge. It is not like we did not know, Jesus warned us about this in Luke 21:8. Let me give you just a few examples of things that should send up a red flag when you hear them:

Is the term “give a financial seed” scriptural?

How often have you heard a preacher or spiritual leader say “Give a financial seed?” In the Bible, the word “seed” refers to the agricultural seed as in “seed-bearing plants” during the creation of the world, as found in the book of Genesis and contained within the other books of the Bible. The word “seed” also refers to the Word of God; it refers to faith, as mentioned in the books of Matthew, Luke, John, and other books of the Bible. And, it refers to spiritual seed (1 Cor 9:11). You will only find the words “financial seed” in the distorted teachings of merchant preachers or prosperity teachers, NOT the Bible


Can you lose your salvation?

How about this? Have you been told that “you can lose your salvation?” First hand, let me say that saying a prayer does not save you, for by grace we are saved through faith and not by uttering a prayer or by any righteous deeds.

Now back to losing your salvation. The Bible tells us “For many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matt 22:14), and if we were predestined and chosen by grace (Eph 1:4-6), the foreordained, called, justified and glorified through Jesus (Rom 8:29-30), we will have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev 21:27) and will enter God’s Holy City—the New Jerusalem. However, we were given free will and we can choose to turn from or fall away from God.


Then when we sin and turn our backs on God, do we lose our salvation? Being saved does not mean that you will not make mistakes; we all stumble many times but we should also learn from our mistakes and not make them again.

No born again Christian want to sin once they truly accept the Lord Jesus into their lives, but because of our sinful nature we do. If you do commit a sin against God or against man and repent from the heart for what you did wrong, God is loving and merciful Father, and because of what Jesus did on the cross for humanity, He will forgive you your sins and forget them (Ps 103:11-13). On the other hand, if you declare with your mouth that you believe in Jesus but continue in the things of flesh, then I would question your salvation because even Satan believes in Jesus.


Is tithing unscriptural under the New Covenant?

Here’s another red flag, and the most controversial and lengthiest of my examples, only because many Christians have left the church and their faith because of this. How about the beaten worn-out sermons about tithing? The much dreaded Malachi 3:8-10.

When it comes to tithing, I am not only making reference here to false teachers. There are many God-fearing and God-loving preachers that teach about tithing, and I have also come to question why they teach this. I have come to the conclusion this is the way they are taught by their mentors, their own pastors, and even in theology school. I understand they have to maintain the church and pay bills; however, the old tithing law of the old covenant should not be used. The tithing law is not scriptural under the New Covenant.

This teaching has created many problems in churches today. Many Christians, who are already struggling, are placed under a large financial burden when they are asked to tithe, give offerings, supply the food pantry, provide back-to-school supplies for children, and donate to repair the roof, the A/C, or any other cause. If they are not able to tithe and contribute financially they leave the church
feeling guilty and condemned.

Then there are many unscrupulous preachers out there that use the old law of tithing for their own gain. These predators prey on the vulnerable, the ignorant, and weak, and their method of coercion is frightening. They like to play with people’s minds and plant guilt and fear in their followers by telling them they are “under the blessing” if they tithe and if they do not, they “are robbing God” and are under a “curse”.

I’m not saying not to support your church or any of the good cases for the community. If you give, do it joyfully and without condemnation, because the Bible says about giving (not tithing) “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). If it is in your heart to give then give, but do not allow anyone to plant guilt in you if you do not.

Many of these preachers in their defense will quote 1 Corinthians 9:9 but if you read the whole chapter in context and not just the verse, you will find that Paul was talking about eating and drinking, taking on a wife, and forgo working for a living- not tithing.

I agree that the church can ask for contributions, donations and offerings to run the church and compensate the pastors for teaching the gospel. Paul addresses the rights of an apostle in the same chapter, 1 Corinthians 9, but for the sake of preaching the Gospel and not to create a burden on the church, Paul never exercised that right. He sought after a much higher reward; he asked “What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it” (1 Cor 9:18). But coercion by misusing the word of God should not be tolerated.

The old tithing law has permeated modern day churches. For the exception of few, all churches teach tithing. Many use Malachi 3 as a measure of faith, and many use it to inflict fear and guilt on the people and coerce them to tithe. However, if you read Malachi 3, the issue is not about money. To find out who God is speaking to, you will have to read Malachi 1 and 2. Then you will find that God is rebuking the priests for their disobedience and because they were dishonoring Him by not keeping the covenant. The priests were grumbling and robbing God and offering Him blind, sick and crippled animals. God admonishes them and tells them to bring the food into the storehouse. Again, Malachi 3 is not about money.

We are no longer under the Law of Moses.

So, I must warn you that this teaching places God’s children under the Mosaic Law… again (Gal 3:10), for the Jews and Gentiles alike. Paul made it clear that we are no longer under the law anymore but under the grace (Rom 6:14); Jesus fulfilled all 613 laws to its entirety when He died on the cross for the sins of mankind. This does not mean that we break God’s commandments and kill, bear false witness, steal, etc. even in the New Testament, the Bible tells us we should not do so.

It is simple to understand why the old laws were done away with, the old law was not working; people were not keeping the laws that the Lord put forth. Furthermore, the law justified mankind by works; it made them clean outwardly. In order to resolve this problem, Jesus was chosen by God the Father as the new ‘high priest forever’ after the order of Melchizedek, no longer in the order of Aaron (the Levites) (Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110:4; Heb 5; Heb 7:1-28).

Who is Melchizedek? Melchizedek was the high priest and the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and he stood for the new covenant established through Jesus (Read Hebrews, chapter 7). Reading about this king, only mentioned a few times in the bible, will clear many questions about the old and new covenant law, which included tithing (Heb 7:11-28).

Therefore, the old covenant is no longer in effect because there was a change in priesthood, from the Levite priests to Jesus, and Hebrews 7:12 clearly stated it “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

If God’s children continue to believe in these teachings, we are reverting to the old laws and works of the flesh, and then we are no longer under grace and are not justified by faith. As Paul states, I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal 2:21).

The tithing arguments used are not accurate.

Many Christians are beginning to challenge their spiritual leaders in fear of losing their authority, credibility, and money coming in to the church, argue by telling the church things, such as:

1. Cain tithed
2. Tithing was around before the law because Abram gave tenth to Melchizedek
3. Jacob tithed
4. Jesus approved tithing when He talked to the Pharisees and teachers of the law