“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls saying, (you should not pay tithe and keep the ordinances of the law), to whom we gave no such commandment” Acts 15: 24.
What’s the much ado about tithe? That some could be saying pay your tithe! Some are saying don’t pay because it’s not commanded in the New Testament Scriptures, but in the Old Testament Word of God where they were commanded to pay tithe. Why so? When we have the Word of God to settle every matter and issue of misunderstanding we may have about the law and prophets in the Scripture. Why? In fact, it’s not supposed to be so. But well, I have come with the VERDICT of God in this case.
Therefore to start with, I will begin with the definition of tithe, the origin, types, differences between tithe and the law, the people who paid tithe in the time of old before the law, the importance, grave danger, beneficiaries and God’s command and clarion call for payment of tithe.
Tithe is a part of general offerings to God. Tithe means one tenth. The one tenth of the gross annual increase of our income earning and profit given to God by either cash, seed, or any other source of our income earning and allowances.
Tithe in other words mean, tax, donation, levy, concession or forfeiture of ten percent of our lands, stock and profit increase of our businesses, salaries and other accrued benefits of our financial entitlements payable daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly to God or to the government for the upkeep and maintenance of the ministers of God, the work of God in the Church and the needy or the poor in the house of the Lord.
Another word next to tithe is tax. Tax is a borrowed knowledge or idea gotten from the old Hebrew word tithe the French people call dime, the Germans zehnt, the Italians decima, the Portuguese dizimo and the Spanish diezmo. While offering is what we give above or below tithe.
“Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, when you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it unto the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe” Numbers 18: 26.
Obviously, the origin of tithe started from the Old Testament which of course cannot be overemphasized. Tithe no doubt, was before the law. And could say to be as old as creation. Tithe is the natural ordinance of God in seed planting and harvest, so that the earth can yield her increase to the sower and man’s general sweat and labour of work on it especially those that obey and keep the ordinance that the curse upon it which was caused by sin may not have much adverse effect on the operation and activity of man upon it.
“And blessed be the most high God, which had delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all” Genesis 14: 20.
There are three types of tithe.
The indirect seed tithe: The indirect seed tithe is the foremost old system of sowing to God which was based on the selection of the best and most fattest calf, ram or farm produce offered to God by fire hence there was no priest then like what Cain and Abel did, Genesis 4: 3-5.
“Why are you wroth? And why is your countenance fallen? If you had done well, will you not be accepted? And if you have not done well sin lies at the door. And unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him” Genesis 4: 6-7. God addressed Cain in this way because he was the first born. Every male first born is a pacesetter and leader in his family.
Also Read The God of Grace
Apostle Ariamaseke Alphos is a Writer and an Ordained Minister of God who is very passionate about the spread of the Gospel of Christ.
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