Dr. Mike Jones

Q: Are New Testament Believers “CURSED” when they don’t pay Tithes, according to Malachi?

A: Thanks pastor for the question. A number of us teachers wrestle with members of the congregation, in terms of trying to convince them, that God is NOT going to ‘curse’ them, based on Malachi 3, if they don’t understand the concept of Tithing!

Of course I don’t see anything wrong with a person quoting from the Old Testament [ especially Malachi chapter 3], about how they were encouraged by the law to give 10 percent plus, which in actuality ended up being over 28%. If one would read a little of Israel’s history, concerning this matter, you’d come away knowing that, it was a form of taxation to operate Israel’s [Theocratic form of] government!

And yes, the way some pastors break It down to their congregation, leaves the impression, that those Old Testament ‘curses’ that were given to the Nation Israel, also applies to us, in the New Testament, if we don’t tithe.

How many times have we all heard, from the pulpit: “If you don’t tithe you’re stealing from God (verse 8); And if you steal from God, there’s a ‘CURSE’ pronounced on YOU (verse 9); and if YOU are ‘CURSED’, the Devourer —Satan—will have ‘free reign’ over your health, your relationships, and your finances (verse 11). But, if YOU do tithe, God will open the windows of Heaven and pour out His blessing on you, to the point, that YOU won’t have room enough to receive all of them (verse 10).

The phrase, “Ye are cursed with a curse”, was Holy God talking to the Nation Israel. And numerous Old and New Testament scholars have indicated the proper meaning of the word ‘cursed’ here in the text, which meant, the Nation Israel was cursed by God withholding much needed rain from them [for their sins], and the earth did not yield their abundant crop increase, that they had become accustomed to, each season. [Their land was stricken with barrenness.]

 By now, you’re probably thinking, “Then, why did God curse them? He did so, for the following reason: their sin was caused by them NOT bringing their offerings to the Lord, and the tithes to the priests and Levites.

For me, Malachi 3 does present to us a ‘starting point’ principle for giving, but it doesn’t apply to us as New Testament Believers, in terms of what or how much we’re to give!

The New Covenant principle on giving, is a “HEART ISSUE,” according to 2 Corinthians 9, “He who sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The point that I want to get over to the reader is this: the Old Testament was written for our learning – so we’re to draw from it – so, when I’m teaching on this subject matter, I like to use the Genesis account of ‘blessed’ Abraham giving Melchizedek 10 percent of his spoils from war, and Malachi Chapter 3, simply as starting points of giving, for a New Testament Believer! [The sad point is: 2018 church statistics indicated that the average churchgoer here in the U.S. gives about 2.5 percent of their income to their local church, to help carry out the command of our Lord to take the Gospel to the entire world.]

In other words, it’s a ‘HEART ISSUE’! [There are churches that simply teach God’s LOVE and how much our hearts should manifest that LOVE, and those churches are blessed to the point, that the word ‘TITHING’ is seldom mentioned on Sundays!!!] 

As my mentor once stated, “One of the sad realities of failure to tithe is that in so doing we not only are guilty of robbing God, but we also rob ourselves of the joy of giving and of the blessings that follow from it.”