The Truth About Tithing (The Tithe according to the New Covenant) (What About the Church? Book 2)

The Tithe According to the New Covenant

Under the Old Covenant we were to give tithes and offerings. Under the New Covenant we are to give ourselves. A relationship with God is His present to us; to give ourselves to Him is our offering.

What are the principles and purposes of tithing in the Scripture? I have never heard any of our modern-day clergy teach that every third year each individual should store up their tithe within their own gates and share it with the stranger (the unsaved), the fatherless, and the widow, as well as with the Levite (Deuteronomy 26:12). Also, according to 1 Chronicles 29:5-9, the temple was not constructed with tithe money but with freewill offerings. There is no precedent of any sort in the Old Testament for using tithe money for constructing buildings. And under the New Covenant, there is no example or reference to material buildings at all, period. In the New Covenant we are the temple of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16). In the New Testament, we are the firstfruits; we are part of the tithe that belongs to the LORD (1 Corinthians 7:23).

Pastors make proud and arrogant statements such as, €œWhat do you prefer? Ninety percent (of your income) with blessing or one hundred percent with a curse?€ We can€t bribe God. He isn't interested in ten percent of our money. He wants us, and if He were to require all of our money, we should give it. But Jesus didn't want the rich young ruler€s money for Himself. He told him to give it to the poor. Jesus wanted the rich young ruler himself, who first needed to be delivered from being rich and from being a ruler so he might learn to depend upon God, have fellowship with God and become a servant.

About the Author

Russell Stendal was born in Minneapolis and raised on the mission field in Colombia, South America. He became a missionary jungle pilot at age nineteen. Almost ten years later in 1983, he was kidnapped by Marxist rebels and held hostage for five months. His book, Rescue the Captors, relates his experience, including how God worked in the hearts of the rebels.
Russell has written many other books, produced videos, and edited two Bible translations, the Spanish Reina-Valera 2000 and the Jubilee Bible in English.
Russell heads up the work of Colombia Para Cristo, which operates twelve radio stations involving more than one hundred staff and coworkers and covering much of Latin America with the Gospel. A thriving underground church has developed in remote jungle areas of Colombia. New high-gain antennas are now beaming the gospel message deep into areas of increasing crisis across the borders of Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, as well as throughout Colombia.

Do you have questions about Christian finances? Many Christian finance books today can leave you cold as more and more preachers and authors plead for money. Russell€s book is refreshing as it takes the focus off of money and pleads for your relationship with God. This Christian book is periodically offered for free download on your Kindle.