Why Pay Tithing?

Often in life I have had conversations with people who have asked me the question, " Why Pay tithing?"

 They ask in all different ways, such as;

1. Why would you want to give your money away to make a church rich?

2. Why don't you just give money to a regular charity where it can help the community and not just your church?

3. If you believe in tithing then why don't you hand out money to everyone holding up signs on the corner. 

4. I have been interested in your church before but there is no way I would give my money away, especially not 10 %. 

5. Tithing is only a Mormon thing. It is a made up law.

These and other comments arise form time to time and I hope to give some understanding into our law of Tithing. 

In 3 Nephi Chapter 24 it reads. 

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say:Where in have we

robbed thee? In ^atithes and ^bofferings.

 9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

You may ask yourself from reading this first verse, How are you robbing God?  Well simply put, we believe that all things in this world that of good, are from God. We are blessed with our homes, food, clothing, jobs, and much much more because of Him and the guidance he gives each of us in life. All that we have is a blessing form the Lord and our Father in Heaven. He asks only 10% in return and then more in fast offerings.  If we are not giving back to him we are truly robbing him. 

 10 Bring ye all the ^atithes into the storehouse, that theremay be ^bmeat in my 

house; and prove me now here with,saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you

the^c windows of heaven, and pour you out a ^dblessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

This verse reflects on what we do with the money and where is goes. Our tithing goes back to the building of his kingdom. We do not have paid ministers, and paid teachers in our church. All that we do is by calling and is giving of our time back to the service of Christ. However church buildings and our temples, cost money and have bills that come with it. Our tithing is used for this purpose and anything we give to tithing is given back to us in fold through out his church and people. Our fast offerings go to those in need. If you have not hear of the Bishops Storehouse, it is a place where members can go and get help with food or clothing and other things that they may need, when they can not do this for themselves. We all have trials and Tuff times and we have set a ways for every member to receive help. Our fast offerings also go to those in need of rent or housing. We also have the opportunity to pay into mission funds and other budgets or projects. The opportunities to give are endless. 

We are not making our church rich, we are growing the Church of Christ and building up his kingdom so that all who are within are cared for. 

To answer the question,  "Why don't you just give money to a regular charity where it can help the community and not just your church?" The is no law that says we can not give to local charities. We do! Many people give of there time and money to other organizations. We are true believers in helping our community in anyway we can and the church its self also uses out tithes and offerings to rescue you many in need. There have been several crisis in our country and other countries where we have been the first to give aide, we just do not brag about it on the news. 

When seeing those holding up signs on the corners, it is true we do not know know there circumstances and can not judge anyone doing that.  I personally do not hand out money to every sign holder I see, simply because I am not prompted to do so. If I was prompted by the Spirit to give I would, and I have.  When we give through fast and offering we know it is being used to help those in need. we do not have to wonder or question the motives in holding up a sign. There are so many ways in getting help and aide, that there really is no need to hold up a sign, unless in rare circumstances. When I see them, I do not judge them, but I choose to give in other ways. There have been times when I have given food or assistance with broken down cars and so many other things, but again I do it by my promptings of the Holy Ghost. 

Some look at tithing as a huge sacrifice. It may feel like that at times, but when you understand and have faith in the law it, becomes a part of every day life, and the only sacrifice should be when we choose to give generous fast offerings. We should be giving generously to those who are without. And sometimes it can be a strain to do so, but the rewards are great. The joy is great and the blessing that come from giving are endless. Our father in heaven will always have a way for his saints to be taken care of, so when we are able we should give generously and often because one day it will come back to us when perhaps we are in need, or in other blessing. When we give we are blessed with opportunity  and more abundance. Just like it reads. 

the^c windows of heaven, and pour you out a ^dblessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

We are blessed in many ways. It could be financially, opportunities, blessing of aide when we need it, Spiritual growth, and much more. 

So tithing is a Mormon thing? No it is not. Do not other churches send around offering plates? Is it not taught in the Bible to give in order to care for the people and build up his church. There are over 25 verses in the Old Testament alone that taught about tithing.  For example her a few great ones. 

• Deuteronomy 26:12

  12 ¶When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

• Nehemiah 10:38

  38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

• Nehemiah 13:12

  12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

• Deuteronomy 14:22

  22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

• Leviticus 27:32

  32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.
• In the new testament you have many as well.  
• Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 
• Luke 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
• Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
• There are several more in in Hebrews. This is not a new concept. Christ made it a law to follow. And now we follow it all the time and not just in times of need for others. When we follow the law every month and always we are consistently preparing for times of need, we are always building his kingdom and always prepared. We are also always blessed. This does not mean we will not experience hardship or trail, but is it not reassuring to know that when bad times happen there are others prepared to give of them selves to help you? 
• My testimony of tithing is great. I truly know it is a law of God and have seen great things, and blessing from obeying this law. I am so grateful to have a safe haven to given unto my tithes too, and know it is being used for the greater good of all man. 
• And a little 'FYI', pick up a few non-religious financial books. Notice that many of them talk of those who give to Charity do so much better with their money in investments etc than those who do not. There are studies of people who make the same amount of money and have equal assets, yet those who give of them selves are always in a more stable situation than those who do not. The law of attraction is real, no matter how you see it, spiritually or some cosmic force.