What the Bible Teaches on Tithes and Offerings

A Christian couple is having financial difficulties. A civil servant has had a series of accidents with his car. A businessman is duped in a massive scam. They go to respected Church leaders for counselling. One of the questions asked is whether or not they pay their tithe regularly, because failure to pay it could be the reason for their problems. After all, the Bible places a curse on those who fail to pay their tithe: "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse- the whole nation of you- because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (Malachi 3: 8-10)It seems straightforward and plain enough. These are the exact words of the Prophet to the people of Israel. The curse was on them because they did not pay their tithes. We can read through the whole chapter and the whole Book and we shall find that this is not taking a verse out of context. The question is how to apply to us here and now what was said to them there and then. If we are to handle the word of God correctly on this important subject, however, a more detailed study of the relevant Scriptures is required. Then we shall be able to establish that the curse which applied to the people of Israel in Malachi's day does not apply to the Christian couple, the businessman, or the civil servant in the Church today. Our desire is to find out and explain clearly what the Bible teaches on the matter. We want to understand these words not only in the context of one Book of the Bible but in the context of both the Old Testament and the New. That is why we are combing through the entire Bible to bring out all of the main passages that deal with tithes and offerings.The format is a set of Questions and Answers. Our prayer is that every reader would have their questions answered sufficiently to set them free to live a life of joyful giving without the fear of a curse!To each one of us individually, and to all of us together as a community of His people, may the Lord grant to us truly to know the blessedness of giving.