"I have to tithe and give to get God's blessing and avoid the curse."
How it sounds in your head: The pastor says if I don't tithe, I'm robbing God and under a curse. I feel scared that bad things will happen if I don't give 10%. But what if I don't have enough? Am I cursed if I can't afford to tithe?
"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."
-- 2 Corinthians 9:7Religion twisting Malachi 3:8-10 (Old Covenant) to manipulate New Covenant believers into fear-based giving.
Malachi 3:8-10 gets quoted constantly, especially around offering time. The word 'curse' is right there in the text, and it feels like a threat: give or else.
The widow gave two small coins, 'all that she had' (Mark 12:44), and Jesus praised her generosity over the rich who gave large amounts. She gave from her heart, not from obligation or a percentage—God saw her heart, not her math.
I REFUSE the lie that I must tithe to avoid a curse or earn God's blessing. IT IS WRITTEN in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that I give as I purpose in my heart, cheerfully, not from necessity or fear. Jesus took the curse on the cross (Galatians 3:13), so no curse can touch me—EVER. The BARAK blessing is mine by covenant, not by percentage. IT IS WRITTEN in Romans 8:1 that there is NO condemnation for those in Christ. I give joyfully and generously because I'm blessed, not to GET blessed.
Your Father isn't standing over you with a ledger, waiting to curse you if you miscalculate. He's running toward you with blessing because of JESUS, not your giving record, just like He blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when they didn't tithe a dime.