Daddys Adeboye/Freeze: Simple Truths on the Tithing Revolution

Thanks for finding time to read my article today. You will agree with me that there’s been a great noise about tithing of recent. A fellow popularly called Daddy Freeze asked why tithe-givers are not buying alcohol with their money as seen in Deuteronomy. The General Overseer of RCCG, Daddy Adeboye, and many people have replied him on the matter.

The truth is, I don’t agree with DaddyFreeze’s lifestyle & all of his statements. In fact, I see him more as a mocker of the Church than a teacher of the Word as he claims. However, I have tried to reduce his statements to this: if we are to give tithe, why are we not giving in the prescribed manner as seen in the Old Testament? If we reduce his question to that, then it makes sense. In fact, if you have never asked that question before, I doubt if you’re really studying the Bible.

Before I directly address DaddyFreeze’s tithing question, let me tell you four (4) powerful things his question and the controversy reveals:

1. It tells of our different kind of generation

The time has come, that if you believe the Bible, you gotta believe it well. There are new mockers of the Bible, who don’t believe the Bible enough and probably don’t belong to any religion, but will want to argue the Bible with you intelligently. They will ask questions and many of us have been told not to argue. Though true sometimes, but we bury our lack of Biblical knowledge under the guise of “No Argument, Please!”. Even for questions that deserve simple explanation. What a shame!

The time has come also for anyone who is preaching to preach logically well. Enough of wishy-washy knowledge of the Bible sandwiched with stories and motivations every Sunday. Whether you go to seminary or are self-trained, divide the Word and allow members to engage in deep Bible studies. The absence of that is the presence of religion without the mind, heat without light.

I am not saying that everyone will agree with the Bible if well explained, but I am saying that we must study approvingly, rightly dividing the Word of God.

2. It reveals the shame of the prosperity teaching

Nigerians generally have deep respect for men of God. Over the years, these men have enjoyed great amount of respect and honour. Such that, many Old Testament-al practices like harvest, tithe and others were not really questioned. Until…

The CEOs and american-influenced prosperity preachers started cropping up. Some of them bend Scriptures to say we all deserve to be millionaires and have lofty things that you begin to wonder if Paul, Peter and other early Christians didn’t miss out of the benefits offered by the Gospel. Materialism entered the pulpit and the pew. The pulpit lost it’s respect.

What is wrong with prosperity teaching? It redefines greed and calls it possessing your possessions. It teaches you to embrace wealth without teaching contentment. It indirectly puts you in a comfort zone where you are unwilling to make difficult sacrifices for the kingdom. It makes God not to be the end but a means to an end which is wealth. This makes false converts to abound much – or who doesn’t want to be rich?

I know that there are people going through tough times and have great needs. God is loving and ever-ready to attend to our situations. But the Gospel is beyond and above our needs. Reducing the Gospel only to need-based theology, or making our needs the major and other weightier matters the minor, is what prosperity teachers have done. Read the words of Jesus:

Matthew 10:29
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you

3. It reveals that the “priesthood of all believers” is in question in Nigeria

On the internet, I see Christians responding angrily and sometimes even naming people “anti-Christ” for talking opposingly to men of God. Now, I know that these so-called “anti-Christs” are mockers of the Church and I know how much it hurts. But Christianity is not a political party. Yes, men of God deserve the best respect we can give to anyone in the world. And I mean it, the best respect. But they are not infallible in their knowledge of the Word.

With all due respect, Billy Graham, Daddy Adeboye, John Piper, Dr Olukoya, Dr Kumuyi are not infallible in their understanding of the Word of God. Even Apostle Peter made a mistake in Galatians and was rebuked by Paul. And one more thing, you and I are not also infallible in our knowledge of the Scriptures.

We must be like the Bereans. Follow men of God only to the extent that they follow Scriptures. But no longer. Compare Scriptures to Scriptures to have a solid understanding of God’s Word.

4. It reveals our understanding of the Old vs New Testaments

I don’t know how it happened but much of the Christian theology I grew up with in Nigeria was more on the legalism side than the grace side. So, many Christians don’t know how to draw the line between the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). In fact, so many mockers have said Christians pick what they obey and neglect others.

That is not so. The Bible itself tells us to do away with some parts of the Old Testament because Christ has fulfilled those requirements. For example, we no longer celebrate Passover because “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7). We no longer offer sacrifices because “We have a great high priest” (Heb 5:14). We no longer worship in the temple because we now worship in spirit and in truth. We also don’t look to obey the law so that we can be justified because Jesus has fulfilled the law and now we need to look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”. The law is still relevant (Romans 15:4) but “now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not the old written code” (Romans 7:6). This is also called the “law of Christ”. Please see these articles for more study on this – article one, article 2

To Give or not to Give

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus … But Judas Iscariot … said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself… John 12:3-6

Usually when someone says the money he gives to God he would rather give to charity, he assumes that he really cared about God and charity. “The poor” is usually an excuse for unwilling people not to give at all. Yes it is true that many pastors are enriching their pockets with church money but it’s your duty to look for churches that are not. In fact, there are several missionary societies you can give to like Gideon, TKP, Capro, MissionAfrica.

God’s goodness is so evident in our lives that we are not just to give to God but we are supposed like the woman here to ‘waste’ our money and all we have on God. Paul tells of how the Philippians partnered and gave him money and how Macedonian even gave out of their poverty. One preacher said “give as you love, and measure your love by your gift.”. John McArthur said “money is a good barometer on spirituality, because the way you handle your money is an indication of your Christian stewardship of life”. Do you love God? Let’s see by your gifts?

A labourer is worthy of his wages

Irrespective of the shameless way fake pastors have enriched themselves, faithful pastors are still deserving of their wages. In fact, it is the plan of God that those who preach and labour will also feed from the gospel. That’s why the Bible says

“The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” – 1 Corinthians 9:14

One article says, and I agree, that there ‘is nothing spiritual about making a pastor “suffer for the Lord.” Yes, a pastor has been divinely called to his ministry, but it does not follow that a congregation should say, “Let God take care of him.”’.

If “no to tithing” makes you happy

Before we conclude on the relevance of tithing to Christians, if the thought that Christians should no longer tithe liberates you from giving and gives you great feeling of joy, then, I may doubt your love and sincerity to God. In view of God’s mercy, we’re to give cheerfully.

To Tithe or not to Tithe

Now that we have removed those who don’t want to give from the discussion, let’s take a look at the biblical arguments on tithing. The tithing argument has been for a while and I know of sincere Christians on both sides, I mean Christians eager to give. You know, when respectable bible teachers like RC Sproul and John MacArthur are on different sides of the argument, you know, you gotta be careful and study well.

But two things remain, first is that both groups agree that 10% should never be the settling point of Christian giving. That is, we are to soar high in our giving. Second, Jesus has fulfilled the law. So you might begin to wonder, then, why the debate if both groups agree that we should give. Well, let’s hear from both groups and then we conclude.

The best arguments I have read for tithing are summarised here.

1. One, Abraham and Jacob tithed so tithing is before the law, so when the law passes, tithing remains.
2. Two, tithing is affirned by Jesus in the New Testament.
3. Three, the absence of express command to tithe in the New Testament does not mean tithing is over.
4. Four, personal experiences of God’s blessings after tithing.

RC Sproul writes

It is interesting that our Lord did not include tithing among the “weightier matters” of the law. That doesn’t mean God won’t be upset if we rob Him by failing to tithe. But it does imply that tithing is a small thing in the sense that it is one of the easiest things to do in the Christian life.

The best arguments I have read against tithing are summarised here.

1. One is that tithing is a mosaic command and that Abraham tithed once, it was not something he continued doing and he did it from his heart, not commanded.
2. Two, tithe in Old Testament was more than 20% (not 10%) which was paid to Levites and Israel, we no longer have Levitical priests, Christians are the priests.
3. Three, Jesus acknowledges that the Pharisees pay tithe but it is not commanded for Christians.
4. Four, nowhere is tithing mentioned in the letters to the churches, instead we are commanded to give generously.

John MacArthur, writes

You know what’s wrong with the 10%? Number one, it isn’t biblical and it’s giving for the wrong reason. It’s giving to fulfill an obligation rather than a response to a loving, willing heart, right? Second thing that’s wrong with it is, it hinders what you could do by making you think you’re done. Giving is never to be by coercion. It is never to be by fundraising. It is never to be by compulsion. It is any gimmick is offensive to God.

I conclude

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. – ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

Even though I resonate more with the second argument against tithing, I love the practice of honouring God with a particular percentage of our income and that’s what I practise. It is a percentage I fixed willingly and I never desired that’s all I will give to God. I don’t call it tithe but I call it giving.