The Truth About Tithing

THE TRUTH ABOUT TITHING

Authored By Dr. Robert M. Grant Jr.

Copyright Dr. Robert M. Grant Jr. 2010

Published at Smashwords

Electronic Publication File Format ISBNs:

EPUB ISBN-10: 0985301902

EPUB ISBN-13: 978-0-9853019-0-3

This book is also available in print.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and learning only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please go to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy by searching for the book's title or author. Thank you for respecting my hard work.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other - except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the Holy Bible, American Standard Version. CD-ROM, Seattle, WA: Biblesoft, 1992-2000.

Scripture quotations marked NASV are taken from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Version. CD-ROM, Seattle, WA: Biblesoft, 1992-2000.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version. CD-ROM, Seattle, WA: Biblesoft, 1992-2000.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1971.

DEDICATION

The first person that I want to dedicate this book to is Jesus, the author of the new covenant by His shed blood for me. The next person is my wife and friend for life, Marsha L. Grant, who is very interested and supportive of my writing and my success. I also dedicate it to my four sons that I am proud of: Robert M. Grant III, Vincent O. Grant, Bradford F. McGaffic, and Leo C. Grant. I want to thank The Father's Way Church and all of its members for their prayers and confidence in me, their pastor. I dedicate this to all the people of God that have questions about tithing that seek a deeper biblical truth with practical biblical evidence. Finally, I thank the pastors and business owners for their contribution of thoughtful and truthful answers to the questions during the interview.

Navigation Tip:

Click, Tap, or Select section headings throughout this eBook to return to the Table of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

A NEW CREATION REALITY

Covenant Breaker Is His Name

The Covenants

Mandated

Is There Such A Thing As New Covenant Tithing?

Looking Back To The Original Plan

The Changing Of The Covenant

The New And Living Way

The Poverty Of Christ

First Fruits

THE PRESENT DAY MOTIVE

Ignorance

Greed

Too Lazy To Research

THE PROBLEM

The Disclosed Truth Is First Rejected

Getting The Knowledge But Refusing To Change

Obsolete And Fading Away

MONEY MATTERS

Are You Prospering Because You Are Tithing Or Because You Are Reaping Where You Have Sown?

Reaping Where You Have Not Sown

THE NEW WAY OF GIVING VERSUS THE OLD WAY OF GIVING

Abundant Giving Versus The Ten Percent

The Wealthy Mind Versus The Poverty Mind

Abraham Versus Moses

Judah Versus Levi

The New Jerusalem Versus The Old Jerusalem

The New Man Versus The Old Man

Dominion Versus Slavery

THE NO LACK CONCEPT

Only For The Church In Antioch?

How Do I Live A Lack Free Life Today?

Should We Live Slightly Above Poverty?

THE INSULTING OF OUR INTELLIGENCE

Sir, Why Are You Trying So Hard To Prove Something Not Written In The Word?

God Gave Everybody A Brain

Tithing For Dummies Or Dummies For Tithing

Influence Should Be Positive And True If You Love Me

WHERE IS MY FATHER?

WHAT ABOUT DEBT?

THE MYSTERY?

MONETARY EMPOWERMENT

GIVING AWAY THE OVERFLOW

SEEING THE POWER OF FREE GIVING

APOSTOLIC GIVING

THE UNSEEN AND THE INVISIBLE

THE END OF SET TIMES

GIVING IS YOUR PROTECTION FROM A GREEDY SPIRIT

COLLECTION QUESTIONS

KILL THE SACRED COW?

THE INTERVIEWS OF DOCTORATE PASTORS

Pastor Number One

Pastor Number Two

QUESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNERS

Business Owner One

Business Owner Two

QUOTES FROM OTHER AUTHORS

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

The sons of Issacar knew the times and seasons concerning Israel. The Bereans studied and searched the Word of God daily. Today’s Christians seem to be distracted with busy schedules, cell phones, and loads of pleasurable activities. Searching the scriptures is the most important thing a Christian can do today. If we are not sure of what is written, believing anything or anybody is our only option. I am attempting to show you some truths that have been opened to my understanding and hopefully, be able to clarify any confusion about today’s tithing, and give you the option to increase your prosperity and have fun practicing it.

The blood covenant of Jesus Christ changed the way God and man were going to interact with each other forever, and the law of love was going to dominate and take over the heart of His people forever. The blood of this covenant was so powerful that it atoned for and redeemed the sins of mankind from the first Adam to the last Adam, and to all the generations there after. Even the blessing of Abraham would have been ineffective to the Gentiles without the blood of the covenant through Christ.

All covenants, all people, and all nations must bow their knee to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the power of His blood covenant. This covenant of blood is so powerful that it could not stay in the grave. When Jesus rose from preaching to the departed spirits in the grave, He not only raised up everybody in Abraham’s bosom, but He saved Abraham and his blessing to the nations as well.

If we are the new creation and the new man of righteousness, we should easily hear the voice of the Good Shepherd through the Holy Spirit, who the Lord told us to listen to before His ascension. The new covenant way to give, is just simple, purposeful, powerful, and cheerful. It is without any compulsion, stress, or pressure. Love, obedience, and trust are all that is required.

So, come let us reason together. God blesses and increases our money so that we can empower those who have needs. We must become financially healthy to lend or give. My heart is to bring financial increase to God’s people. The truths that I have found in the research have been life-changing to me and my family. So, this study is really a pep talk to challenge you towards an excellence in giving.

It will also help you psychologically to receive from God the tangible riches of His kingdom, because your freedom in giving will take you to a new level of faith where you have done all you can possibly do. You have given Him your best and held back none. Now the ball is in His court to return your blessing back to you in ways you have not thought of. Positioning is the right term; you have positioned yourself for tangible increase. This book will show the new and better way of giving according to our new covenant.

A NEW CREATION REALITY

I took a course in Bible College called New Creation Realities. This course opened my mind to the now moment of reality. The now moment is a twenty-four hour a day and seven day a week reality of what God has said and is saying. This reality is shocking to the religious skeptics but empowering to the man or woman of God who seeks truth. These realities are so current and present day that they destroy old ignorances and cause you to get over your prejudices, bigotries, fears, and self-made doctrines.

One of my biggest pet doctrines and bigotries was women in ministry. My indoctrination regarding this matter started when I was a young lad growing up in the Baptist church. I believed what was told to me by the pastor and the leadership of the church. I thought I knew something about women in ministry, but I never studied it out thoroughly to really understand it. So, for years I viewed women in ministry through the eyes of an institutional indoctrinated bigot. It is easier to let ignorance have its way than to explore all the possibilities that bring present truth and good change.

So, let me share with you a few of these realities that are in the new covenant. As a reminder, if you can’t accept these realities, how are you going to believe the things that I will share with you about tithing? Please don't judge this book until you have read the whole conclusion. All I am asking you to do is to think.

The Bible says in the book of Ephesians that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus … (Ephesians 2:3-7). So, the New Creation Reality is that we are literally in Heaven while we are on the Earth if we are born again by the Spirit of the Lord. The proof of this reality is the fact that we are the body of Christ and Christ is in our body. Everywhere we go, He goes, and everywhere He goes, so do we. So when Jesus ascended into Heaven and sat beside the Father, we also were raised up together and made to sit together with our Lord, beside God the Father. How? It is in the Spirit. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Right now your body is here on earth, but the reality is that you are spiritually in Heaven in Christ our Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 our transformed body will go up at the taking away of the Church. This is the reason why we should be heavenly-minded instead of earthly-minded. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations? (Colossians 2:20). So, if you are dead in Christ and living at the same time, then you are a spiritual and natural person, and not regulated by horizontal limitations.

I will give you another New Creation Reality. I should give you the scriptures where Jesus Christ has called all of God’s people, gods. That probably would be too meaty for most of you because if you truly began to believe what the Lord has said about you, you would not fail at anything. Some people are so used to failing that they are afraid to succeed.

So, this is the next New Creation Reality. You have the mind of Christ. Well, how can that be? How can I have Jesus’ mind and thoughts? If the Word of God said that you have the Lord’s mind, then you really do have His mind and are able to think heavenly.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12-16 NIV).

Your part in living in His mind and thoughts requires your earthly brain to accept truth at the heavenly level. You do that by renewing your earthly mind and causing it to agree with heaven. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).

Spiritual truths expressing spiritual words are not possible in my flesh. It is only the Spirit of Jesus in us, believing and expressing these truths through the mind of Jesus in His saints. This is foolishness to an unbeliever, but a way of life to those who possess the Holy Ghost. He is the mind of the Spirit and the Spirit of Christ in our mind, heart, and spirit. It is the Holy Ghost that is revealing the thoughts of the Lord Jesus to our renewed mind and causing us to think and act like Jesus. So, you have the mind of Christ.

I was a member of AA years ago, and AA taught that people did not have a mind. There was no such thing as a mind. I guess scientifically and medically there isn't. You certainly can't see it under a microscope and this was AA’s point. However, the Bible is correcting our indoctrination from the secular teachings, as well as incorrect Church doctrine. They both can be detrimental to our life on planet Earth.

Covenant Breaker Is His Name

Before we start the study on the covenants, please allow me to get personal with anyone who is a covenant breaker. Please don’t try to get something from God while your sins are fresh upon you. Follow King David’s example and be quick to repent (2 Samuel 12:13).

There are thousands of books written to help people, and my opinion is that most people just don’t change after reading them. Why? Sin is its name. Remember the book called Prayers of Jabez? Everybody in my town was buying it. I had a friend who was really excited about the book and was going around quoting the prayers every day. I knew that nothing was going to happen for him. I really felt sorry for him because he was a stubborn man who had not done what the Lord had already instructed him to do. Sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. Sin will keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay. So, don’t be a fool and don’t fool yourself. Keep it real.

Who is he? Fool is his name and playing around is his game. What does he expect to get from God? Why is he so self-deceived? His problem is his flesh and he is not about to change. God made a covenant with man by way of his private parts through circumcision, and every time man uses his privates unlawfully, he breaks the blood covenant. I’m talking to Christians!

These covenant breakers sit in churches Sunday after Sunday, all around the world, doing the same thing, looking to take advantage of someone who is weak. These people can say, praise the Lord, the loudest. They not only sit in churches, but some are in leadership positions as well.

The Lord is always looking for someone with clean hands and clean feet. God sees the fool’s sin, but the fool acts as though a blindfold was put over God’s eyes. I remember years ago, before I was saved, that a man said to me, Bob, you're a fool. That really shocked me into reality for a little while. I suppose we all were fools at one time or another, but a born-again fool is the worst because he knows better, but just stops caring.

The power of the new covenant can’t work for him, and in his deception he will complain that the principles don’t work. A Babylonian and a covenant Jew can’t share in the same holy covenant, drink from the same holy cup, or eat bread from the same holy table. In 1 Corinthians 10:21 it says, You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. We must choose who will be our master today.

This book is not written for the fornicators. It won’t work for you! If you happen to be in an affair, it won’t work for you. If you are looking at pornography on the Internet, it won’t work for you. If you are in a same-sex relationship, it won’t work for you. So, please put this book down, pick up the Holy Bible, repent to Jesus, and let Him wash you from your sins.

A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way: Whoever is simple, let him turn in here; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell (Proverbs 9:13-18).

This book is written to catapult you into the next level of financial sustainability. We must have clean hands and a clean mind, and don’t forget about the heart, the place where the Spirit lives.

Any kind of sin is binding, but this sexual sin is different from them all, so it is important to get it right. There are three types of sin. Yes, I know you think that all sin is the same. You think that sin is sin, right? Well, you may be wrong again. There is general sin, sexual sin, and blasphemy sin. All three are different and have