First of all, we need to know whether the term ‘seed-sowing’ in reference to giving out money and other material gifts to the church is biblical. In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul said, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully”. If you take a critical look at the preceding verses, it wouldn’t be hard for you to come to the realization that he was referring to offering money (or any form of material support) for a particular cause in church. Paul was quite boastful of the readiness of the Corinthian church to give to support Christians elsewhere in Jerusalem who needed the help. Notice that the Corinthian church was giving to offer relief to people in distress – that is so remarkable. Since the agricultural term ‘seed-sowing’ is used as a metaphor here, it means there are some correlations between sowing seeds on a farm and giving money to support the work of God that we need to pay attention to. The first of such is, the seed will grow into a tree that will bear fruits for the nourishment and enjoyment of the sower for many years to come. Secondly, seeds don’t germinate into trees overnight; it takes time, watering, right weather conditions etc. for a seed to germinate into a full-blown tree. Thirdly, the more seeds you plant, the more trees you have and the more trees you have the more fruits you will harvest. I believe this is why Paul said that ‘he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully’. Not only is this analogy agricultural, in this instance, Paul is saying it is a spiritual principle as well.

Should we give solely because we want to reap benefits?

This is a very important question because the reasons for our actions go a long way to influence us to be either consistent or grow weary in doing them. As I have already stated above, it may take a long while to reap the benefits of seeds you’ve sown, therefore giving solely because you want to reap benefits is ok, but however, one might grow weary in doing it if the desired reward is not forthcoming. Jesus himself stated in Luke 6:38:

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

Some have argued that he wasn’t referring to giving material things in the context in which this statement was made. That isn’t the point I’m trying to make or debunk. I just want to stress the fact that he indeed did mention that when we give (whatever it is you think he meant) it shall be given back to us in a greater measure than we gave.

This is what I believe. We must give first and foremost to offer help or to support a particular cause that is of immense benefit either to the church or to humanity at large. Then we can go on to expect to receive in a greater measure as a reward for the seed we have sown. When you help someone pay his registration fee for an external exam, shouldn’t you do so first because you want to help the individual? Is it not a bit off to only offer help because you want help from God in return? There is nothing wrong in expecting to be blessed for your giving, it is only wrong if that is your only motivation. For some reason, it appears the blessings that are due people who give are the only reasons why people give to the church these days and it is sad. Therefore, unless a sermon is preached about seed-sowing and bountiful harvest, most of us are not likely to give. The mere fact that there is a need or someone is in distress or even the church is embarking on a worthy cause should motivate us to give bountifully.

Is it right to give and expect rewards under the new covenant?

Under grace everything is given to us freely not because of our good deeds but because God is good and his goodness is enough to ensure that we have our heart’s desires. Because of this many are of the view that, giving money and expecting to receive rewards in return is set in Old Testament traditions and is devoid of Grace. First of all, I have quoted Jesus above saying we should give and it will be given back to us. Also, Paul said ‘he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully…’. Don’t these two statements contradict the very ethos of the gospel of grace? Because at a glance it appears we are positing a performance-based doctrine when we say do this and God will do that. In Romans 4:16, the bible says that “… it is of faith that it might be by Grace”. Which means when the act stems from faith the grace of God makes provision for the desired results. It is first of faith that it might be by grace. Hence, if your giving is an act of faith in God, your reward will be made possible by the Grace of God. We don’t give to God to persuade him to give to us. The idea that you can twist God’s arm into doing your wish by your offering is rather erroneous. Giving is an act of faith and I believe God responds to our acts of faith accordingly in his own time and according to his purpose for the individual in question.

Should we give to men of God?

Sure. I believe it is only right for Christians to give to the shepherds God has put in charge of us. Be it in monetary terms or any other material gift. Men and women of God bless us spiritually week in and week out so it is only right for us to also bless them materially. Paul quoted from the Old Testament to support this very point when he said “… thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth the corn” 1 Corinthians 9:9. He was simply saying it is the right of every man of God to receive material blessings from the congregation he oversees. However, in later verses, Paul mentions that though he has the right to demand material support from the churches he oversees, he has decided against it. He stated that he would rather die than have any man deprive him of his ground for boasting – presumably in the fact that he preaches only because necessity is laid upon him and not because it is a means to make money. We can learn a thing or two from Paul’s stance on the issue. It would be better for you as a man of God to not place unnecessary financial burdens on your congregation than to do so and place a hindrance in the propagation of the gospel. It is very necessary for congregants to take care of their pastors and give to them when the need arises.

Does God expect the poor to give?

This is by far one of the most controversial questions to ask on this subject. Most people see seed-sowing in the church as an act of extorting from the poor to enrich already rich men of God. The truth is God expects everybody to give something, even the poor. It is a matter of what you can give. There are several instances in scripture where we see God receive offerings from poor people and sometimes even ordered them to give the little they had to him. Abraham is one of such people. He had so much cattle, flocks of sheep etc. God could have asked him to offer a 100 sheep and it wouldn’t have been a problem to Abraham. However, God asked him to sacrifice his only son. The very son Abraham waited 100 years to have. This is a typical example of God demanding one who has very little to sacrifice his little. The reward for Abraham’s faith, obedience, and loyalty to God is beyond understanding. We should learn from Abraham.

Remember the story of the widow’s mite? The Bible describes her as ‘a poor widow’. She put in two mites (copper coins) yet Jesus said the widow’s offering was bigger than any other amount of money offered on that day. How is that so? I believe, in comparison to the percentage of money she had, those 2 copper coins were a large portion of her wealth. However small they were, the master was pleased and that’s final. The poor should be allowed to give in church too. Only that the bible says nobody should give reluctantly or out of compulsion. Everybody must give as he/she has made up his mind to give. God loves a cheerful giver, period. Nobody should be coerced to give. Nobody should be embarrassed because they didn’t have enough money to give. Seed-sowing is not ‘blessings auction’ where blessings are on sale to the highest bidders. If the widow’s 2 copper coins were regarded as great offerings, then we should know that God’s standards for what we call a big offering differs from ours. Hence, when scripture says we will reap bountifully when we sow bountifully, it is probably not referring to the amount you give but the percentage of that amount to your entire wealth.

The other question people ask is that, can God be specific in his demands? Yes, he can. God didn’t tell Abraham to sacrifice a human being. He stated categorically that he should sacrifice Isaac. That’s specific!

Christians are the sole sponsors of the church’s activities and it has been like that since the day of Pentecost. The church is its own donor body. We can’t expect the world to fund our projects. Therefore, we must learn to give to the church. Men of God must also use the money given for the right purposes and not misappropriate church funds. The Christians in the church in the book of Acts are said to have sold their property and given to the church. Therefore, there was no one in the church who had a need – everyone’s need was catered for. This is the level all churches around the world should aspire to attain. We can and should even do better than this.

Before I proceed, I would like to start with a few interesting facts about tithing:

1. Abram paid tithe to Melchizedek. His grandson Jacob also vowed to give God a tenth of all that the Lord blesses him with. These two events happened over 400 years before tithing was instituted under the law in Israel.
2. Tithes in the Old Testament were in the form of farm produce, livestock etc.
3. The tithes were to be given to the Levites (members of the priestly tribe of Israel whose duty it was to work in the tent of meeting) – Numbers 18.21.
4. Every third year was the year of tithing – Deut. 26:12.
5.  People were given the liberty to change their tithes into money to buy whatever they so desired for their enjoyment, providing where they had to go and pay their tithes was too far away – Deut. 14:25
6. The LORD dared the people of Israel to put him to test by paying their tithes and see if he wouldn’t open the windows of heaven for them and pour out His blessings on them – Malachi 3:10
7.  In Leviticus 27:30 it says, every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the LORD.
8. Though the tithe is used for the maintenance of the house of God, it is still referred to as a ‘…contribution to the LORD…” – Numbers 18:24

From the above-stated facts, we can tell that tithing was very important to the Israelites and their worship to God. Tithing was a form of sacrifice or worship instituted by God himself to ensure that there was enough food for those who had dedicated their whole lives to serving him and those who didn’t have enough to feed themselves. The few times we see tithing being mentioned in the gospels, it was done to point out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They were a bunch of people who followed the Law to the letter. As a result, their discipline in following the laws of God gave them the impression that they could judge and condemn others who weren’t as ‘righteous’ as they were. Jesus said this concerning them ‘’But woe to you Pharisees, you tithe mint and rue and every herb and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others” (Luke 11:42). Let’s note from this quotation that Jesus was not necessarily against tithing, but he was against the fact that it had become a religious ritual – a thing almost done on ‘auto-pilot’. The Pharisees strictly adhered to the tithing laws but they lacked the pursuance of Justice and the love of God.
The question is often asked, ‘to whom are we to pay our tithes?’. This is a legitimate question considering the fact that the Levites in the Old Testament were the primary recipients of the tithes. Does that mean that where there are no Levites, tithes should not be paid? Are our tithes to God or to Levites?
The church was established on the foundation of God’s relationship with Israel in the Old Testament. Israel is God’s special chosen people through whom he established his salvation plan on earth. In these end times, the church is being used to do exactly the same thing. Therefore, the priests and Levites of our time are the clergymen. The problem is that we often stop there. We take care of only the men of God, leaving the other people who work in the Lord’s house. The tribe of Levi had a clan called Kohathites; members of this clan were the ones who took charge of the various vessels in the tent of meeting. They can pass for the ushers of the church today. They were Levites too, therefore I am tempted to believe even they got their portion of all tithes received. Let us learn to prioritize the needs of all who work in the house of the Lord.

Still, on the issue of whom we are to pay our tithes to, I know many would disagree with me that it is still necessary for us to pay tithes. I strongly stand by the position that tithes are still needed in the church. I believe it is important to make a monthly financial commitment to God with the aim of providing for those who work in his house and those who don’t have enough. One thing we need to understand about giving to God is that it doesn’t need to be done directly to him. The very moment you give according to the will of God it is equal to giving to God. We all know the tithes are received by the Levites, however, Leviticus 27:30 says every tithe belongs to the Lord. That is exactly the point I made earlier: giving to God means giving according to his will and not necessarily to him directly. We must see ourselves as stewards of everything God has given us. Therefore, we must be prepared always to give out to provide for the needs of those who are financially disadvantaged because of circumstances or because of the calling upon their lives.
In Hebrews 7, we are introduced to a very interesting analogy about Jesus Christ. I doubt there is a chapter in the New Testament that treats the topic of tithing more extensively than this one. The chapter is largely about Melchizedek, the King of Righteousness and Peace and Priest of the Most High. Abraham (then Abram) met him when he was returning from the slaughter of the kings. Melchizedek came bearing wine and bread. He blessed Abraham and he in return gave the Priest a 10th of his spoils. This happened over 400 years before Moses received the law. Therefore, we can see that Abraham was not compelled to give to meet the requirements of the law but he did so by his own volition. He gave it out of reverence for God and an understanding of the love of God. Abraham was coming back from the slaughter of the Kings – he had gone to rescue his nephew Lot – so we can say he gave out of appreciation to the Lord for granting him victory. Remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees (stated in the 3rd paragraph)? I doubt Jesus would have had a problem with their tithing if they did so out of appreciation for God. The tithe Abraham paid to Melchizedek should be the module of all tithes. He did so after seeking justice for his nephew Lot and also because of his understanding of the love of God. These were the very things Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about.

I get all those who say the tithe is an Old Testament doctrine and thus, must not be practiced in the New Testament. I understand. One thing people must understand is that not everything in the Old Testament is the LAW. We see the grace of God portrayed in so many ways even in the Old Testament. Abraham believed God and it was credited to his account as righteousness, this is the central theme of the Gospel appearing in the Old Testament. Therefore, the practice of paying tithe to God out of love, appreciation and a genuine concern for the welfare of people who need support in the house of God and beyond should not be discouraged.
Are there blessings attached to paying tithes? Of course, there are. Under the new covenant, nothing is earned. Nothing is for sale. Nothing is given in exchange for blessings. However, God rewards! Therefore, a person who makes a financial commitment to give God a certain percentage of his salary out of appreciation and as a reaction to the love of God is clearly a person walking in faith and love. God rewards such people. The blessings will always far outweigh what they give.
Another concern people raise is that, what if the pastor of your church misappropriates the money that comes into the church’s coffers? This is clearly not a fertile ground to be sowing seeds on. At the end of the day, you would expect your tithes and offerings to cater for the needs of the church, church workers (including the Pastor) and the poor and needy. If one is certain beyond any doubt that the church’s money is being used for something other than these, I believe one of the wisest things to do is to leave the church and go elsewhere. Don’t just up and leave though, at least make the effort to ask questions and even correct the errors in the way church money is being used. If this fails just leave and sow your seeds somewhere else. (This is my personal opinion). The integrity of the recipient of the tithes is in itself a motivation to the givers. *Pastors, take note.

Please do not give your tithes to Aaron (under the law). Do not tithe as the Pharisees did. Be like Abraham and give your tithe to Melchizedek. Give your tithe to the one who is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Give your tithe to the King of righteousness, the King of Peace and the Priest of the Most High. Do not do it as a ritual devoid of the love of God. I didn’t come to tell you whether to give your tithe or not. I agree with Joseph Prince when he said ‘tithing is not for everybody’ hence people shouldn’t be forced to tithe. I came to tell you why and to whom you should give it. Give it to the one who lives forever and not under compulsion by any pastor or church tradition.

Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek], they ARE received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually] – Hebrews 7:8 (AMPC)