TITHING AS WELL AS SALVATION NOT Compulsory NOR MANDATORY.

This is not a continuation of my piece on simple Reasons Christians should Tithe but this is as a result of my discussion with a friend yesterday. I think it will bless someone. This is it below!

My friend said to me, did you hear so and so said tithing is not compulsory?

I answered, yes! I agree with him. I have always believed and taught that Tithing is not compulsory.

But speaking further to my friend, I said do you also know that receiving salvation is not compulsory?

The scriptures says, ” For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten son, that Whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life.(John 3:16).

I said, “Whosoever” denotes a choice.

Verse 17, says ” For GOD sent not His son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be Saved.

Note it didn’t say “that the world must be saved through him” but it says ” Might be saved” that implies a possibility depending on a choice.

Verse 18, reveals the choice, it says ” He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God”.

“He that believeth and he that believeth not” that is a choice. we choose to receive or not to receive salvation.

As important as redeeming the world is to GOD, he will not force it on any man as GOD will not over ride man’s will or choice.

I further said it may interest you to know my friend, that just as receiving salvation is not compulsory but GOD made it a choice, so also REMAINING SAVED is also not compulsory but also a choice one will have to willingly make.

My friend said, Ha! But Hebs 10:14 says ” For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified ” so isn’t it once saved forever saved?

No! I answered, we must understand that verse in the light of what Paul the Apostle was writing in the whole chapter 10 and in fact from chapter 9.

In the whole of chapters 9 and 10, The Apostle Paul was making a comparison between the old covenant style of year to year animal sacrifice for sin and the new covenant sacrifice of JESUS’S Blood for sin.

He was stating the fact that JESUS’S blood sacrifice was superior to the year to year animal sacrifice for the perfect cleansing of man before GOD thereby not requiring in this new covenant a year to year continual coming of man to offer sacrifices for his sin.

Let’s take a look at a few verses!

” For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”  Hebs 10:1

” But in those sacrifices there is a rememberance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and  of goats should take away sins.” Hebs 10:3-4

” But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Hebs 9:11

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebs 9:12

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to GOD, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living GOD.” Hebs 9:13-14.

If we would notice from those verses, we will understand that Paul was talking about our salvation as one not needing to be renewed yearly but is one that has been perfected once and for all so much so that even when we falter in the journey we could still turn to the ever efficacious blood for purification and enablement for the continuity of our journey with Him ( 1john 1:7-10, 1john 2:1-2, Hebs 7:25)

Now, going forward in serving the Living GOD, does this imply, once saved, eternally saved? Personally, I would have loved it to be so but that would also imply that redemption over rides the believer’s will and does not regard his choices but we know that is not consistent with scriptures.

Let’s continue reading what Paul wrote in Hebs 10 verse 26 now

” For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and indignation which shall devour the adversaries.” Hebs 10:26-27.

Paul says if we willfully sin after that we have received the knowledge of truth. This shows Paul was talking to believers and not the unsaved and that means even after salvation the believer still has his will in his power and can make the choice to continue in salvation or may choose to backslide or better using the words of Paul “draw back”.

Let’s continue reading

” He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witness: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought Worthy, who hath trodden under foot the son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant where with he was sanctified, an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”. Hebs 10-28-29.

Let me not scare you with the punishment and judgement saga. What I want you to see is

“who hath trodden under foot the son of God and hath counted the blood of of the covenant where with he was sanctified” this is referring to the one who has been once sanctified or once saved. ” Where with he was sanctified” he was sanctified but chose for whatever reason to count the blood of CHRIST as no more meaningful.

Let’s read also verse 38-39 of Hebs 10

” Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no more pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

So, my friend you see, the one who was once saved by faith and lived by faith can still choose to draw back to perdition.

Therefore remaining saved is all the choice of the believer to make. The ” once saved forever saved ideology ” is a false teaching from hell.

The one who was once saved can choose not to remain saved by drawing back.

Isn’t this why Jesus said, only he who endures to the end shall be saved? ( Matt 24:13 ).

Beloved, there is nothing that has to do with God, tithing inclusive that is compulsory, mandatory or forced, It is all a choice. But we know that whatever God has offered us to do is for our own benefit.

For HE saith,

” I have not spoken in secret, in the dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.” Isaiah 45:19.

We don’t serve GOD in vain!

Therefore, friends, tithing is not compulsory as with all things that has to do with God and man but if you have learnt by the scriptures that tithing is beneficial for you as a child of GOD then you will with all joy serve the Lord with your tithe.

Grace and peace

Timothy Goddey

You can read more on tithing by visiting my page. @believersofunfeignedfaith.

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