Why the Book of Malachi Cannot be Used to Instruct Christians to Tithe.

There are two types of scriptures in God's Word; scriptures written directly to Christians and scriptures written indirectly to Christians.

The difference is that scriptures written indirectly to Christians are not commandments or promises directed by God to the Christian. When God commanded Noah to build an Ark He was not talking directly to Christians, no Christian is instructed by God in His word to build an Ark. We can learn biblical basic principles such as obedience to God from the record of Noah and the flood, but we have no direct instructions from God to build an Ark.

On the other hand, as an example, Christians are instructed by God to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15. That verse, being part of the New Testament, is written directly to Christians, and is a direct commandment to us, not a suggestion. Also, it tells us that we need to learn how to "rightly divide the word of God." Divide what? For one thing; divide between what was written directly to us and what was written indirectly to us.

Knowing the difference between scriptures written directly and indirectly to Christians is very important. Tithers and tithing teachers often use the Old Testament book of Malachi in an attempt to teach or justify "Christian tithing" sadly ignoring all of the obvious clues in Malachi that makes it clear that Malachi was not addressing or instructing New Testament Christians to tithe. The book of Malachi is in no manner instructing Christians, or for that matter, anyone but the Nation of Israel, to tithe.

>> Using Malachi's words in his book, here is why attempting to use the book of Malachi to coerce Christians into tithing is taking scripture written indirectly to Christians and use them as scripture written directly to Christians; that is to say take them out of proper context...

> 1. Malachi states that he is directly addressing the Nation of Israel (direct descendants of Abraham & Sarah, and Israel & Rachel, Leah) not New Testament Christians - Malachi 1:1.

> 2. Malachi states that he is directly addressing the Priests of Aaron, not New Testament Christians - Malachi 1:6, Malachi 2:1.

> 3. Malachi (along with Nehemiah) commands that a portion of the tithes (a "tithe of the tithe" that was taken, or what amounted to one percent of the total that was tithed on) are to be conveyed to the Temple Storehouses; no New Testament church or ministry is a Temple Storehouse - Malachi 3:10 (cross ref. Nehemiah 10:37-38).

> 4. No Christian is instructed to bring a "tithe of the tithe" into any Storehouse - Nehemiah 10:37-38 (cross ref. II Corinthians 9:7).

> 5. Malachi states that he who disobeys the commandments of God's Word regarding tithing under the Law of Moses are subject to curses. No New Testament Christian is cursed by God - Malachi 2:2-4 (cross ref. Galatians 3:13).

> 6. Malachi states that to whom he is writing are people who are under and subject to the Law of Moses; Christians are not under the Law of Moses and not subject to it - Malachi 4:4 (cross ref. Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:10, Romans 7:1-6, Ephesians 2:15, Acts 15:10, Romans 6:14, Acts 15:24).

> 7. Repeatedly, over and over again, Malachi addresses or references places and individuals such as Jacob (Malachi 1:2), Priest (Malachi 2:7), Levi (Malachi 2:8), Judah (Malachi 2:11), Israel (Malachi 2:16), Jerusalem (Malachi 3:4), Moses (Malachi 4:4), Gentiles (Malachi 1:11), etc., but NEVER a direct mention of any future New Testament Church that is instructed to tithe.

> 8. No verse of scripture in the New Testament references the Book of Malachi as a reason or instructions to tithe for New Testament Christians - Acts 15:24.

>>> Conclusion...

The context of the Book of Malachi addresses the Israelites failing to bring their tithes into the Temple Storehouse - Malachi 3:8 (cross ref. Nehemiah 10:37-38), not the New testament church or Christians.

In response to Israeli's disobedience, God had judged them cursing their harvest. God instructed them to bring the tithe of grain sacrifices (Leviticus 6:14-23) and to see that He would bless them with an abundance of future crops. The “storehouse,” mentioned in verse 10, is a place to store grain in the Temple (and **Levitical cities), it is NOT a reference to any New Testament church or other ministry. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament does God describe a church or other ministry as "the Storehouse" to be tithed to.

Malachi instructs the Nation of Israel to tithe, but he does not command that Christians are to give tithes to churches. Malachi was written more than 400 years before the start of the first church in Jerusalem. Applying it's command of temple tithing to the local church removes Malachi's instructions completely out of their original context and proper use.

Christians are to be free will givers, never tithers; there is no such thing as God commanded "New Testament Tithing." - II Corinthians 9:7


**The Levitical cities were 48 cities in ancient Israel set aside for the tribe of Levi, who were not allocated their own territorial land when the Israelites entered the Promised Land. There is no New Testament equivalent.

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