A Comparative Of Biblical Tithing With Today’s Churches

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The worldview of Nigerian Christians about the monthly tithing to their local churches is well known to the public, as they believe in its obligation upon every Christian. However, the belief that resulted from the local churches leaders’ preaching had been a dogma in the midst of Nigerian Christians. (Bartholomew, 2008).

It is well known and strongly believed in the midst of Nigerian Christians that offering monthly tithe to the local churches is an obligatory service upon every Christian, which must be carried out monthly by giving ten percent of their monthly income to their local churches. (Ervin Budiselic, 2014).

However, the full authority of freehand and supervision of those tithes are given to the churches overseers, evangelists or missionaries without a slight interference from the churches members. The major concern of the churches members is offering the tithe regularly, despite their various economic states and conditions; no matter how poor or bad their states of being, offering tithe is their major concern. Perhaps this perspective and stance on the tithe resulted from their belief that offering tithe brings them fortune, prosperity, good luck, success and prevents them from all kinds of calamities and misfortunes.

In fact, that belief is in accordance with their pastors’ and missionaries’ teachings. That had been the notion and doctrine of Nigerian Christians towards the tithe over number of years without any criticism, dispute, controversy or condemnation from within the system or from exterior of the system.

Not long ago, a Nigerian radio host and presenter, popularly known as Daddy Freeze  came up with an idea of refuting and rejecting offering the tithe to the local churches in Nigeria, claiming that the act of offering tithe to those local churches is in contrary with the Chris teachings in the New Testament. He as well considered the act of tithing as a modern way of scam by Nigerian pastors. Indeed, this move has created uproar within the Nigerian Christians community. (Ervin Budiselic, 2014),  On the other hand, some of Nigerian pastors and evangelists have reacted to the matter in different ways. (David Oyedepo, 2017).  Most of Nigerian pastors especially renowned ones advocate the mandatory of paying the monthly tithe and emphasize on its significance in payers’ lives.

A Comparative Of Biblical Tithing With Today’s Churches

1.2     Statement of the Study

The desire of the Scholarly world in contemporary Societies of theological colleges and seminaries hold to these same controversial views about tithing-some religious groups here see prosperity and financial successes to rest on sowing and reaping through tithing in Christian Churches today. This results in creating problem of ignorance and miss-interpretation of the two divisions of the Holy Bible to most communities of people and to some Christian unstable.

Mills in his argument identified the major reason why some church of our time pay tithe and become rich, why non-tithing churches become poor because they have nothing to harvest. While (Hagin) concluded that, God bless people in Christians churches who pay tithe because they founded a spiritual law that works.

The bible on the contrary does not offer an authentic and direct argument against tithing in today’s church. However there are commands in the New Testament, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measure to you” (Luke 8:38NIV). In another passage we discovered that “On the first day of every week each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to made”. (1Cor. 16:2). Also, in another passage we discovered that “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2Cor. 9:6 NIV).

In view of the above facts established, is tithing necessary? If yes, are all types of tithes practiced? Are Christians under the old or new? Were gentile Nations obligated to tithing or the Jewish Nation alone? If no, what should be done? Should today’s church remain silent and watch people in christiandom including our relatives being deceived and acting in ignorance? Such question as these motivated this research work.

The researcher (as a gospel minister) will go into this issue in order to come out with some possible recommendations and solutions for the benefit of the readers of this pieces and the church. He is not in any way claiming to be an authority of the subject on his own. Rather he is borrowing information from the bible and from different sources to put to the problem associated with it.

A Comparative Of Biblical Tithing With Today’s Churches

1.3     Purpose of the Study

This study deals with a Comparative Of Biblical Tithing With Today’s Churches. It is the intention of the researcher to point out conflicting views of tithing in today’s churches among Christians as it affects the belief of people and biblical perspectives of therein. The primary objectives of this study are enumerated as follows:

1. To trace the Origin of tithing as was practice generally among other religious and cultures in the ancient time.
2. To investigate why some churches today pay tithe and some do not pay.
3. To examine the concept of tithing in both old and New Covenants.
4. To compare tithing with today’s church and the Biblical stand point on tithing.
5. To reveal God’s acceptable pattern of giving in the New Testament.

 

1.4     Research Questions

1. What is the Origin of tithing as was practiced generally among other religions and culture in the ancient time?
2. Why do some churches of our time pay tithe and some do not?
3. What is the concept of tithing in both old and new covenants?
4. What is the difference between tithing in today’s church and the biblical position?
5. What is God’s acceptable pattern of giving in the New Testament?

1.5     Significance of the Study

This study is necessitated out of the awareness that it would be of immerse importance to tithers and promoters of tithing in today’s church of various groups.

1. This study help to find out the effects of tithe explosion with today’s church as compared to some years or centuries back.
2. It help to provide solution and remedies to the problem of tithing as well as educating the populace on the need of giving in today’s church.
3. It is envisage that the findings of this study will be used by theologicians for theological analysis and concept of tithing in today’s church.
4. This study has been provoked by the awareness that the level of tithing and its development in our churches today is very alarming and that urgent measure need to be taken to combat the problem so that God’s perfect will in Christian religion be fulfill.
5. This study help to find out God’s acceptable pattern of tithing in today’s church.