Fooled By The Tithing Law | Institute of Love

Don't let any pastor or minister fool you and guilt trip you by telling you that you must pay a 10% tithe of your income, (an Old Testament law meant for the Israelites), or otherwise you will be robbing God and be cursed. (See Malachi 3:8-12) That's a flat out lie and deception! Neither Jesus nor His disciples taught such a thing! The decision making when it comes to how we handle our giving, should solely come from being led by what God tells us individually through the Holy Spirit. As believers in Jesus Christ, we ought to be controlled by His Spirit and God’s Word regarding how much money we should give, and through His Word we learn about the promises and rewards our generous giving awards us. No church should ever make us feel guilty about the amount of money we give, or try to control it! The Bible clearly says that “you must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.” For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will give you many opportunities to do good, and He will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. 2. Corinthians 9:7-11 NLT Whether you are able to give 5% of your income, or at other times you may be able to give 20, 30, or even 100%, the point is that you are giving the appropriate amount of money the Holy Spirit directs you to give. This is how the apostle Paul instructed the Christians in Jerusalem to give each week: “On every Lord’s Day, each of you should put aside some amount of money in relation to what you have earned and save it for this offering.” 1. Corinthians 16:2 NLT We are free from the guilt and bondage of the Law of Tithing! We do not have to give religiously or mechanically anymore, because Jesus Christ in His unconditional love gave His life for us, and in return, we eagerly give our lives, including our money, out of our love for Him. That's why the scriptures say that “if you are really eager to give, it isn’t important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don’t have!” 2. Corinthians 8:12 NLT How in the world have we allowed ourselves to be so deceived to think that we are obligated to tithe?