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The Miracle of Tithing

Posted by Connor on July 8th, 2006

Tithing is an amazing thing. Short of living the law of consecreation, it is the best way to abate pride from riches, and humble the financially blessed.

“The prime … purpose behind the establishment of the law of the tithe is the development of the soul of the tithe-payer, rather than the providing of revenue.”
—James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith p. 528

The Lord doesn’t need our money. He can easily make due without it and further His kingdom here on earth. The commandment of tithing is given for our own benefit. As Talmage notes, it is for the development of our soul. By paying an honest and full tithe, we learn to sacrifice, obey, and be selfless. Additionally, it serves as an excellent litmus test of faith, when financially trying times come.

“By this principle [tithing] the loyalty of the people of this Church shall be put to the test. By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on doing the will of God and keeping his commandments, thereby sanctifying the land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut themselves off from the blessings of Zion. There is a great deal of importance connected with this principle, for by [our payment of tithes] it shall be known whether we are faithful or unfaithful.”
—Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 225

The faithful tithe payer will be heeding the Lord’s challenge to “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 (Malachi 3:10).

Personally, I am amazed by tithing. During my teenage years I had a hard time paying, and rarely did so. But after changing my life and deciding to obey God’s commandments, I began to pay a full tithe.

The intriguing thing about the Lord pouring out such large blessings upon us as a result of paying our tithing is that we are then able to pay more tithing. Certainly, the Lord doesn’t “need” our tithing. But he will financially bless his righteous children so that they can then increasingly help the kingdom progress here on earth through donations of time, talent, and money.

This is a hard principle for non-members to understand. Giving up 10% of “our” hard-earned money, how are we ever to recoup it, and gain an increase? As Pres. Smith notes above, it all boils down to the principle of faith.

I’ve tested that faith. I’ve tried tithing. I’ve paid 10% faithfully for many years now. And with the clarity that retrospect brings, I can definitely see the windows of heaven opening to me in my life.

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6 comments so far. Care to chime in?

Interesting.. I don’t pay tithing, yet I can also see the windows of heaven opening to me in my life.

Ironically, even church history states the commandment of tithe was given because the church as an organization was nearly bankrupt. The rest seems like the stereotypical sugar coating to justify the means.

“No, no, it’s for The Church… God doesn’t need your money… (but we do…) Oh, and if you don’t pay, well, then you’re going to hell. Why? Because God commanded it… But it’s not because God want’s your money (even though we do), its because you need to be humbled. What are we going to do with it? Implement socialistic pseudo-government welfare programs, build giant idols for worship called “Temples”, and buy up millions of acres of land for Eden, because Jesus himself won’t be able to afford it after he cleanses the earth by fire.”

Sorry, got a little carried away… Anyway, the things we are asked to do in the name of Jesus Christ.

#1 Omnipotent Doubt | July 9th, 2006 11:09 PM

If you choose to see God’s commandments as a law instituted by men with a “stereostypical sugar coating” cover-up, so be it. I do not.

Your name, indicating your dubiety (and associated skepticism of all things spiritual), seems to explain the background behind your postings on my site in response to my views.

I cannot offer a logical, clear-cut explanation of tithing. You may think you can, saying that it’s because the church really does need our money to implement “socialistic pseudo-government welfarm programs, build giant idols for worship.., and buy up millions of acres of land for Eden”, but I believe that to be a weak, faithless argument.

Do the windows of heaven open exclusively for those that pay tithing? Certainly not. Will they open more abundantly, and longer, for those that do? Certainly. Not only do they bestow temporal blessings, but far more spiritual ones that people with “omnipotent doubt” would be hard-pressed to notice.

#2 Connor | July 9th, 2006 11:17 PM

I appologize for the last paragraph in my previous post. It was inappropriate and uncalled for.

In response to my name, I am not skeptical of spirituality, in fact I an quite spiritual. However, I am highly skeptical of any individual or entity that motivates the many through the recourse of “God’s Wrath.”

Far to many innocent, ill-deserving people have been killed or otherwise repressed through the use of God’s Wrath.

No “True God” would ever condemn a man to enternal damnation for anything other than to harm, discriminate, or any other means to reduce or restrict another mans basic human rights.

Jesus Christ taught only one undeniable, and universal truth. Love. Love Thy God, Love Thy Neighbor, and Love Thy Enemy. True love is only possible through the desire to understand. Understanding can only occur when there is the will to learn. Learning requires only the willingness to open your mind and accept new possibilities and ideas. If you can do these simple things, I can promise you that you will be bestowed more “temporal blessings” than any other action, deed or belief… I’m not a prophet and I can safely make that statement. And the best part is you don’t even have to do it in God’s name.

#3 Omnipotent Doubt | July 9th, 2006 11:59 PM

Yes, love is the motivating factor. But in calling us to repentance, countless prophets have prophesied the destruction and death of those people living in iniquity, unless they repent.

If you think that “using God’s wrath” to condemn somebody is out of line, then I must say I disagree. God is not a namby-pamby love machine. He is just, strict, and requires obedience. Living in eternal burnings, he requires that we live up to a certain standard, after which mercy and the Atonement may be applied to make up for the rest. Using God’s wrath (or fear and trembling before the Lord) is simply part of the equation used to show God’s children that He loves them and requires obedience, just as a father who loves his child will ground him for not doing his chores.

#4 Connor | July 10th, 2006 7:06 AM

Hello. Interesting topic about tithes. I love God and have faith in Christ and believing in the scriptures to be fact and true. The new testament church only show actions of giving all or some of what they had and then some to what they can give but all was to be done with a cheerful heart 2cor 9:7. The tithe law is by the Old Testament and carries much more command than just tithing. Can the law of tithing be greater than Jesus Christ? Look at the Cross and the other two with him. Only one place his hope in Christ and said “Don’t you fear God even when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong. Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom. And Jesus replied, I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 40-43. Is it possible that this man was not a tither or Jewish? Imagine the sinner repenting and then being forgiving and receiving eternal life in paradise with the other saints who did pay or not pay tithe or missed their tithe payment in their life. If you give tithe, which is not all bad, then God will see for you to get back what you deserve but certainly it doesn’t condemn you to hell if you don’t pay. God will continue to see it fit to love and protect you and discipline you. It is the cheerful faith giving, whether is 10 or 20 or 30% or all, to the Lord that counts. When you give from the heart God see that and when you don’t give God see that too. Yes it is good to give than receive and that is the law. God is happy when his children shows gratitude and blesses them.

Jose Padilla 1Cor 2:9, Psalms 34:8-10

#5 Jose Padilla | April 13th, 2007 7:10 PM

Hey, I’m Wendy from China. I’m a CHinese. I was saved 4 years ago. I love God. If HE says, “Pay the tithe.” I don’t see there’s any reason why I should not. If HE thinks that’s good for me, so be it. As a common worker, I don’t make huge money, but I”m willing to give HIM that money. Everything of mine belongs to him. My mere being is an amazing grace already, who should I cling to that 10%?

#6 Wendy | February 3rd, 2008 5:01 AM

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