Get your tomatoes ready. Hopefully, the readers of this blog will still be interested in this site after reading.
Disclaimer: The following is solely reflective of my opinion I have based on scripture, experience, and conviction. I take full responsibility for writing the following.
Tithing is a controversial topic I come across from time to time. Here are some questions I ask myself concerning tithing that I biblically answer back to myself.
If I am judging someone for not tithing then would this be biblically considered “walking in the Spirit?” Can I walk in the Spirit and keep the law simultaneously? Gal. 2:16-21
If I judge a brother or sister for not tithing (could be something else besides tithing), then am I saying Christ’s death is insufficient? According to scripture, His death on the cross makes me righteous. Rom. 1:17, 3:21-22, 25-26, 4:3, 5-6, 11, 13, 22, 5:19, Gal. 3:11.
Am I saying His redemption is not enough or complete because I didn’t tithe or give 10% of my gross income of my paycheck? He redeems me from the curse of the law, Gal. 3:13. If His redemption hinges on anything I do (including tithing, fasting, bible college, speaking in tongues, healing, etc.), then His redemption is limited and finite. It is not redemption. It is not substantial if its worth, value or essence can be affected by what I do. His redemption is eternal. Something eternal is not just substantial, but more. The New Covenant is an everlasting, eternal covenant.
Is God waiting on His throne with a whip ready to judge me if I don’t tithe? Rom. 8:34. The only person who could judge or condemn me actually became the curse of the law for me and took the penalty of sin according to the law for me. I obtain mercy and grace from His throne, Heb. 4:16.
Has the Lord called Levites back into the into the New Covenant Church, Heb. 7:11? This was one of the primary reasons for tithing under the Old Covenant. Tithing was not a part of the Abrahamic covenant, but a part of the Aaronic priesthood. According to 2 Cor. 3:6 we are ministers of the New Covenant.
Hebrews 8:13 (NIV) says, “The first one (Old Covenant) is obsolete.” So, why do I have to keep any Jewish law or should be judged by the rules of Aaronic Priesthood according to the Mosaic law if I am under a New Covenant of grace? I don’t. Jesus was judged and condemned for me on the cross.
Why should I condemn myself for not tithing if there is no condemnation in Christ by His grace? Rom. 8:1. If I condemn myself for not obeying the Old Covenant is that God’s will?
Am I saying His grace that justifies me is dependent on my material giving?
When Abraham gave the “tithe” of the “spoils from war” (and not even his actual possessions) to Melchizedek before the Law did he do it grudgingly or willingly? Since he gave prior to the law and I am under grace then what judges me if I give any amount that is in my heart because I want to from my own possessions and not from a war?
Did Abraham give a tithe of his own possessions or spoils from war? Why does it matter? It matters to me because in the past I have been told to “tithe” from my possessions and that I am robbing God and am under a curse if I don’t. This is not good news. 2 Cor. 3:6 says, “The letter killeth.” The law judges me if I don’t.
In Christ, according to His faith in me, grace enables me to give whatever I desire to give as I have purposed in my heart, 2 Cor. 9:7. I believe this applies to any type of giving such as money, time, material possessions, etc.
This means I can give .0001%, 11.5%, 99.9%, or 100% of money, cows, goats, crops, time, or whatever else I can give. I am not judged for any of the aforementioned percentages if I am truly under grace.
According to Heb. 8:13, the Old Covenant is obsolete. If it is, and in spite that, I desire to keep any part of the law such as “tithing” then I must keep ALL THE LAW and not one law. Paul the apostle to the Gentiles, a former Pharisee and Hebrew of Hebrews, says in Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Paul was no longer a law keeper, but one who walked in the Spirit by the faith of Christ in him through grace.
If perfect love casts out fear, 1 John 4:8, and I am fearful because I do not tithe, am I fearful because of what the Old Covenant says or the New Covenant? Which one? Which Covenant is the current one? The current covenant is the one that was put into effect by a testator, Heb. 9:16-17.
Also, am I fearful because of what I think of myself? Would this be considered thinking highly of myself? Rom. 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Whose faith has God dealt to each man? Gal. 2:20, Phil. 3:9 (KJV). I also have the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 2:16.
1 Cor. 16:2 (NIV), 1 Cor. 16:2 (NKJV), “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”
Did Paul say lay a “tithe” aside? No, he said, “Storing up as he may prosper” or “each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.”
How much did Paul ask them to give? 2 Cor. 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
I did a little research on the internet and found many articles on those who agree with me and those who do not. Here is one that agrees. It was written by a man who is a Seventh-Day Adventist. I am not a Seventh-Day Adventist, but his usage of scripture in this context was very good. He even emailed a Rabbi in Jerusalem who said,
“There is no longer an obligation to support the Levites and Priests as they are no longer working in the Temple. Rabbis are normally supported by the contributions of their congregants through their Synagogue membership.” http://www.truthorfables.com/Tithing.htm
I am all for giving. Personally, I desire to give not a percentage of anything, but only what purely, sincerely, authentically comes from my heart without absolutely any inhibition. I believe this is why Abraham gave to the High Priest Melchizedek only because he wanted to from his heart because of the effect of the Lord revealing Himself to him. This also sounds similar to faith.
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