Poor stewardship in tithing can result from a variety of reasons:
- Ignorance – Some people have never adjusted their lifestyle and incomes to the tithe principle because of a lack of sufficient scriptural instruction concerning its spiritual significance.
- Selfishness, Materialism, and Greed – A reluctance to the tithe is often the result of a materialistic spirit. A failure to surrender our finances to the principles of God’s Word is often a sign that a lingering attitude of covetousness and materialism has not been adequately dealt with.
- Distrust and Unbelief – Some Christians have never come to a place of secure confidence in the Lord’s promise to provide for our every need (Phil. 4:19). Instead of trusting in the Word of the Lord, they depend upon their finances, material resources, and natural abilities.
- 4. An Ungrateful Spirit – A failure to appreciate the depth of what Christ has accomplished for us often manifests itself in a miserly spirit of financial stinginess which selfishly withholds thankful support to the church, the kingdom of God, and the work of the gospel.
