5 REASONS PEOPLE DON’T TITHE

Pastor Tommy Jackson writes there are Five Reasons Why People Don’t Tithe/ Give

Reason number one is they Don’t believe it’s a New Testament principle. I must be totally transparent with you. There is no doubt in my mind that tithing is a New Testament principle. There is no doubt about that. However, I continually wrestle with whether tithing is mandated by the New Testament. I am yet to be persuaded. Until I am completely convinced by the Lord, and deeply persuaded, I cannot and will not teach that if a person doesn’t tithe they are in sin. I will, however ascribe to the principles of tithing. Now I must reiterate, lest you hear what I didn’t say. I am a proponent of the tithe. As a matter of fact I agree with Arthur Pink who postulated:

I believe that God has appointed tithing as the solution of every financial problem that can arise in connection with His work. While the children of Israel practiced tithing there was no difficulty in maintaining the system of worship that God had appointed... And if God’s people today practiced tithing, there would be an end of all financial straits that are crippling so many Christian enterprises. No church could possibly be embarrassed financially where its members tithed.

The second reason is, “people can’t bring themselves to Trust God.” For this very reason, many people are embarrassed and ashamed. Outwardly, they profess their faith in the Lord, and His hand of provision. But inwardly they are yet to be totally persuaded that God will meet their needs (and desires). There’s the rub. It’s may not be the roof over their head, clothes on their backs and food in their bellies that concerns them. Rather, it is the FEAR of that, “If I give unto the Lord, it will result in the loss of gratification elsewhere.” So it is a lack of faith. Faith and fear simply can’t occupy the same space at the same time. We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

My Life Time Friend (LTF) shares a favorite scripture, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. (Montague paraphrase)

This brings us to the third reason, “The person doesn’t fear God.” The Bible tells us to Honor the Lord our God with our substance, and the first kind of our increase. But many of professing children of God simply do not honor Him. Honor is to render onto, give to, or to bless. Ironically, these same people are in the front of the line to receive honor from the Lord. They are not so presumptive as to say, “Lord you should honor me!” But they pray, “LORD bless me in this and in that. Bless me when I rise up and sit down. Bless me in the city and in the fields. Bless me coming in and going out. Bless me! Bless me! Bless me!” But they simply will not Bless the Lord, with any of their substance. That is because they do not fear God. They make Him the tail, and not the Head.

The forth reason is that, “people haven’t been taught to give.” In our compassion for people, who don’t have much, we try to shelter them from the guilt and pressure often associated with mandates of tithing. But in our attempt to shelter the people, we do them a disservice of not teaching them the benefits directly associated with tithing.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,That there may be meat in mine house,And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts,If I will not open you the windows of heaven,And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground;Neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: For ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:10–12 (KJV)

We unintentionally stand in the way of God’s pouring out blessing and rebuking devourers, trying to shield them. We do well when we teach them well, and give them opportunity to give unto the Lord. We can be like The Apostle Paul, who found it necessary to exhort, or speak to, or instruct, the people about their giving.

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6–7 (KJV)

I remember when I was a brand new bouncing baby Christian. I knew nothing of Biblical precepts, although I would have denied that. Sometimes, you don’t know that you don’t know. My Pastor Dale Robbins (www.Victorious.org) would go on these teaching tangents at offering - time. He did this for several months. Then one day he confessed, “I don’t know why, I go off on these tangents. The Church is in good shape. We don’t need extra money. But the Lord arrests me in these teachings about stewardship.” Dale didn’t know, but I did. I hungered and thursted after the righteousness of things of God. And the stewardship principles were of the righteous things of God.

The fifth reason is some people have made money their god. We oftentimes associate this thought with people who have a lot of money, and have made money the main thing. We think about the rich young ruler who Jesus admonished to let go of the thing that had a hold on him. However, I have come to realize, that people who perceive to not have enough of this world’s goods are equally obsessed with money. Money, has become their end-all be-all. Money has become their God. I have seen Churches shift their emphases from the Love of God, to badgering congregants for not giving the required amount of money, or not matching what another church did.

But we would do well to remember, money is merely a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. It is a medium of exchange for the transfer of goods and services. Money, is a-moral. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil. When we love money as our source, as our provider, as our supplier, and as our strength we negate God. God is the creator of Heaven and Earth, it is He who is our source, our provider, our supplier, and our strength. He wants us to be wise stewards over money and all resources. He wants us to do as my LTF says, Trust in the Lord with all.... Jesus quoted Deuteronomy as the greatest of all commandments, Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, mind, and strength. Love your fellows, as you love yourself. And then honor the Lord with all of you substance. When you do, money cannot be god. Cash Ain’t King, Jesus Is!

Montague Motivational Ministries MX3 would love to open our calendar to you, to bring Financial Capability Literacy training to your team.

Contact Aaron Montague at: Aaron@MX3Motivational.com