Christians guilty of robbery? Are there thieves among God’s people? The prophet Malachi wrote, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!” (Malachi 3:8)

How can anyone take advantage of God’s things? We are told in the same verse that a believer robs the Lord through his “tithes and offerings.” Furthermore, all who commit this kind of larceny “are cursed with a curse … even this whole nation.” (v. 9) The prophet indicates in verse 11 that all our goods will be affected by “the devourer” as the result of this sin. Proverbs 3:9-10 instructs us to honor God “with the first fruits of all your increase.” The first part (the tithe) of all your income, from whatever source, belongs to the local church where you worship. Why? Malachi writes, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.” (Malachi 3:10) The tithe is God’s plan for financing the ministry of the local church. When you do anything else with the tithe besides bring it to your church, you are robbing from the Lord’s provision for the needs of your church. Therefore, if the bills are not paid, you are personally responsible. First, we rob from God when we give part of the tithe to taxes by calculating from our net income. Second, we rob from God when we use the tithe to pay our personal bills. Third, we rob from God when we spend the tithe for personal pleasure or gifts. Fourth, we rob from God when we withhold our tithe because we don’t like something in the church. Finally, we rob from God when we give any portion of our tithe to support any other persons or ministries (or designate it to control its use). When we do this, we are giving stolen resources. The minister who encourages this theft is teaching sinful error. Yet may God be praised that He promises great blessing for all those who are true tithers.

Sin cera, Erik

Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

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