In the web of raging controversies surrounding the issue of tithing in the country, Dr. Daniel K. Olukoya, General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Worldwide has declared that paying tithes is not compulsory.
Recently, many people have sparked the debate about whether Christians should pay tithes. People such as Ifedayo Olarinde, fondly referred to as Daddy Freeze, an ace broadcaster and On-Air Personality with 20 years of experience has regularly taken to his social media pages to give biblical evidence about why Christians are not under any obligation to pay tithes as many pastors preach.
His teachings have elicited so many responses from different men of God with some even going ahead to attack his personal life.
Speaking during Sunday service on December 3 at the International headquarters of the church, Pastor Olukoya reportedly explained that payment of tithes is purely a personal relationship between the giver and God.
“There is nowhere in the Bible where it is written that tithing and giving offering is compulsory. But if you want to trust God with your finances you should even strive to do more than the tithe,” he said.
The man of God further stated that “real Christians see everything they own as God’s and those with faith have gone beyond giving 10 per cent. By doing so, God may bless you even more and this way you are sowing seed for future prosperity.”
In reaction to OAP’s comment, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Worldwide noted, “I know who is talking and I did not want to worry myself about such person. But please do not let anybody get you into trouble by attracting God’s curse to yourself, please pay your tithe.
During his service on Sunday, November 5, Adeboye had advised Christians to ignore the OAP’s comments and pay their tithes, remarking, “I have said it before and I will say it again and again, if your physical father curses you, it can be canceled by your spiritual father, if your spiritual father curses, it can be canceled by the general overseer, if your general overseer curses you, you can fast and pray to your Father in Heaven, but if God curses you, where will you go.”
Also reacting to Freeze’ comment, Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners Chapel, explained that 10 percent of your income qualifies you for God’s blessings.
Oyedepo pointed out, “Everybody believes that God has an open Heaven order of blessings for His people. But you see it takes your tithing to qualify for it. So, if you only know the promise but you don’t know the condition, you will die frustrated.
“Now Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin, from poverty, from death, but what does it take to get there, it takes faith in the demands. People just believe the promise but you need to believe the demands.”
It is believing the demands that entitles you to the fulfilment of the promise. There is no provision in the Scriptures without conditions attached. Even salvation as free as it is, you need to repent before you can be saved. There is nothing provided for without conditions to meet,” the man of God added.
However, Primate Nicholas Okoh, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, disagreed with the General Overseers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and that of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, that people who do not pay tithe are cursed.
Okoh, who spoke in Abuja on the subject, said payment of tithe was not by force, adding failure to pay does not bring about any curse.
“I don’t believe it. I don’t curse anybody. God does not compel us to go, he only makes us willing to go. If God has given you a gift, he woos your mind; he makes you to see why. Remember that the gift you gave does not promote God.
“He is not a young officer that would be promoted a senior officer or to an executive by your gift. God is full, according to the theology of Colossians, God is full, complete.
“When you give, it is you the giver that is blessed. The person giving is the one lifted up, God is not hungry. According to Psalm 50, He said ‘if I were hungry for meat, I won’t tell you, the whole cattle on a thousand hills belonged to me’.”
He further explained that, “Tithing is a very ancient tradition, Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek and people have become transfixed to that idea till today, but in the New Testament, giving modalities have other options.
Like Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics believe that tithing is not compulsory, rather it is between the earners and God. They also prefer charity to tithes.
According to one Sir Michael, a Knight of Saint Mulumba, “tithing is not compulsory but as knights what we have to do is to give out to the needy, and help out with church projects. It still goes a long way. If you can pay your tithe if you have what it takes. We do not lay much emphasis on the Catholic Church. It’s only these days that some people try to emphasise it. They are many other ways of helping out. After all, you do not know how far the money given in church will go but if you can always help out a person in real need or a project in church.”
Another Catholic, one lady Emem, a lady of Saint Mulumba confirmed, “The tithe issue is a personal thing. Yes, Pentecostal churches believe more in tithes even the Catholic Church has now joined the bandwagon.”
In her words, “I asked a priest many years ago why Catholics didn’t pay tithe. He said, ‘that Christianity was brought to Badagry when the local men were fishermen and farmers who had less than nothing to bring to the church. Then, you ask these idol worshippers, who you are begging to come to church, to bring tithe. It means you want them to go home. Rather the Catholic church, I know, is dependent on charity.”
Yet, Malachi 3:8 -10 says “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now in herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Even at that, most Christians argue that Jesus Christ, the son of God did not pay neither did He command Christians to pay tithe.
Though Christians continue to hold different opinions on the issue, it is advisable to listen to the Holy Spirit and be guided accordingly.
