08.02. Can One Be a Christian and Not Tithe?

2. CAN ONE BE A CHRISTIAN AND NOT TITHE?

"Can one be a Christian and not tithe?" I have often heard this question asked. I have heard preachers give the impression that one could not. My answer to it would be, "Yes." Our salvation does not depend upon our tithing. One can be a Christian and not tithe but, I believe, he can be a better Christian if he will tithe.

Other than repentance and faith, our conversion does not depend upon anything we do. However, after we are saved, keeping our salvation depends much upon our conduct. To keep victory and grace in our hearts we must walk in the light that God gives us.

Illustration

It was about one year after my conversion that I first heard of tithing. I do not recall ever hearing it mentioned before. I had been given a little book, the title of which was Soul Food, by Dr. George D. Watson. It was a series of articles on various subjects.

One day as I sat reading this book I came across a chapter on tithing. I do not even know what phase it was but I do know that, as I read it, it dawned upon me for the first time in my life that one-tenth of what I made belonged to God.

What was that? It was light. Up to that time I had kept a good experience by giving little or nothing of what I made to God. But now God had given me light. The only way that I could keep victory and an experience of grace in my heart was to walk in the light and pay my tithe.