“DO YOU PAY TITHE?”

I remembered sending that caption to members of 3pG Christian Ministry few weeks ago, it was the first time I was that direct in our 5 years history as at the time, emphasizing a true christian practice I rarely talked about.

I have about 3 whatsapp broadcast lists consisting mainly the contacts of 3pG members, and some of my contacts who are not members of the Group, and surprisingly too, are people I don’t even know I have their phone numbers who I might have blindly in error added to my broadcast lists (such will be delisted as I discover them).

The broadcast groups were also copied with the caption I began this piece with and the response I got went from been good to not being palatable, especially from unintended recipients who are mostly not members of 3pG. As much as this piece is targeted towards members of 3pG Christian Ministry, I do also hope those who find the caption “Do You Pay Tithe” something strange and a form of religious slavery can also patiently read and evaluate their stance afterward once again.

It is the innate desire of man to be committed and devoted to a Higher Force, something higher and bigger outside himself. Every human is financially devoted to someone or to something, consciously or otherwise. It is the way we are created, to wanting to serve someone or something with our resources. Tithe may not be a reflection of personal righteousness and may not be an absolute seed of prosperity that guaranteed open door to unabated wealth but certainly it is an evidence of financial devotion for those who are committed to it. Every good citizen pay tax to his government, for the welfare and upkeep of kings, government facilities, public officials and staff. A practice that predate civilization and is still been practice today. Same is financial devotion to God or some forms of higher self outside the person of man (Luke 20:25).

It is amazing how God took personal responsibility and commitment to reward the giver in His command to the house of Israel, a nation set aside by God as a micro example of his dealing with Man, world over. He asked the comers to bring the tithe to His house (and by that took personal responsibility for activities within the Temple). To be collected and used by priests He had set over the people, and again, God took personal responsibility for these, when He says, “I will open the windows of heaven so much you will have no enough room to receive the blessing I will send in return for your obedience.” What was God interested in here? Obviously, the financial devotion of His people, knowing fully well their giving and tithe, in kind or cash has no immediate usefulness to Him in heaven, yet He gave the command knowing fully well whatever they bring will only help provide food for the priests, their families and for the Temple upkeep (Malachi 3:8-10).

God knew to whom a man is financially devoted to, same is his god (Philippians 3:19). So the question is, what are the evidences of your financial devotion and to Whom? Personal righteousness is incomplete without unquestionable financial devotion to God in tithe, giving to the poor and helping the needy (Provers 22:9; 21:13), voluntary offerings etc.The rewards of financial devotion may be hidden and silence, yet real but the results of financial devotion to self and mammon are always heavier and rarely hidden.

Tithes and giving in God’s name may not makes you more righteous than you already are, yet righteousness is incomplete without financial devotion to Whom whose Son became our righteousness. God desires and deserves our financial devotions to be His, not blind and reckless giving that denied the used of natural senses but true acts of service to God through Jesus Christ. We can’t say we loved God when our financial devotion is given to another, just as a man cannot truly says he loves his wife when his financial commitment is altogether giving to another. If your financial devotion is not to God (in tithe, offering, giving to the poor, etc) then to whom is it?

_Written by OLUMOFIN Kehinde Benjamin, Group Admin, 3pG Christian Ministry and President, Fellowship of the Married and Matured Singles._