Some thoughts to consider about Tithing...
Tithing began before the law was introduced. The Law simply regulated the tithe. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, 400 years before the time of Moses and the Law, and according... See More to Romans 4:12 we are to walk in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham. If tithing was good for him, it should be good for us, too.
We give tithes like Abraham gave them—not by the Law but by faith. And beside that, if the people of God paid ten percent before the Law, and ten percent under the Law, shouldn't we, who live by grace, be doing any less when we have a better covenant (Heb 7:22).
There is a passage in Hebrews, which deals with this issue directly. It is Hebrews 7:8:
In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
Melchizedek received Abraham’s tithe. The Hebrew writer shows that Melchizedek is a prefigure of Christ. We can conclude that just as Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek we give a tithe to Christ who is declared to be living.
Early Jewish believers had no problem with tithing since they had done it under the Law and gave it to the priests. They simply gave their tithe to the elders of the church and did by love. However, as the church became less Jewish this issue came up to the church fathers. They answered the question of tithing with Matthew 23:23:
"Woe to you, ... See Moreteachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Notice Jesus said, "You should have practiced the latter (justice, mercy and faithfulness), without neglecting the former (tithing)." The fathers argued, and rightful so, that Jesus word ends the discussion. Since Jesus said not to neglect the former—being tithing—then no believer should neglect tithing. I wholeheartedly agree!
Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, so this means every word that comes out of His mouth is eternal. He cannot say anything without it being “spiritual law” and everlasting. Jesus emphasizes this point by saying, “Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matt 24:35).
Paul also uses the pattern of tithing under the law in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 and says,
Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from ... See Morethe gospel.
Paul argues that just as the priests got their food from the tithes of the people, so the preachers should live the same way. This passage clearly shows the mentality of the apostle and his understanding of carrying over the concept of tithing into the church.
The passage often used to contradict this is 2 Corinthians 9:7:
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The argument goes something like this: "Each believer has a right to decide for himself what to give and should not be told what percentage he should contribute."
The problem with this argument is that the above passage is not dealing with giving to support the church, but rather giving to the poor. Under the Law, giving to the poor was a freewill offering. The Law commanded freewill offerings as well as tithes:
But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. (Deut 12:5-6)
It is quite inconsistent for people to appeal to freewill offerings yet claim that tithing has been abolished. Both tithing and freewill offerings were incorporated in the Law as the above passage shows, but they preceded the Law, thus they both should be practiced.
One last thing, notice the resemblance of the language Paul uses in the first passage in Galatians and compare it with the Old Testament passage about tithing:
Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. (Gal 6:6)
And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. (Deut 26:11-12)
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1.True biblical holy tithes were always only food from inside God’s holy land of Israel which He had miraculously increased. Tithes could not come from what man increased, from Gentiles or from outside Israel.
ReplyDeleteAbram’s tithe of pagan spoils of war was in obedience to the law of the land and does not qualify as a holy tithe under the Law.
Not everything Abraham did was an example of faith. The Bible does not say that his tithe was freewill. Abram’s example is not for Christians unless we: only tithe pagan spoils, keep nothing and give the 90% to the equivalent of the King of Sodom.
Hebrews 7:8 is merely a statement that the Temple worship was still functioning and the true spiritual recipient was Jesus. Verses 12 and 18 prove that the tithe commandment from verse 5 was changed and annulled. Why do you ignore 7:5, 12 and 18?
The only early Jews who tithed were food producers who lived inside Israel. Jesus, Peter, Paul and the poor did not qualify. Every 7th year there were no food tithes and Levitical tithe recipients were not allowed to inherit property. Why are those rules from Numbers 18 ignored today? Modern Jews do not teach tithing because there is no temple or priesthood.
No church father taught tithing for over 200 years after Calvary and then it was rejected. Tithing did not become an enforced church law until AD777.
Mt 23:23 is addressed to “you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites” and is in the context of “matters of the law.” Jesus could not have commanded neither His Jewish disciples or Gentiles disciples to tithe to Him because both were illegal. Does your church tithe mint and cumin? Your reference to Church Fathers ignores the first 300 years of early church history.
Paul did not teach tithing. He never used the word. As a rabbi he had been taught that it was sin to be paid for teaching the Word and synagogue leaders did not accept tithes.
First Cor 9:13 is self defeating because in includes ALL varieties of Temple support. 9:14 includes 9:7-13. 9:14 means that each vocation has its on rules; gospel workers follow gospel principles of grace and faith –not law.
Under the Law, giving to the poor was required by a second festival tithe and 3rd third year tithe. It was not freewill and the total tithes were above 23%.
www.tithing-russkelly.com for much more.
What Abraham did before the law was NOT brought forward into the law.
ReplyDeleteAbraham gave a tenth of WAR SPOILS. Later, the Mosaic law required only 1.1% of WAR SPOILS be given to God. The war spoils were to be divided in half. One half went to the men who won the battle. From their half, 1/500th, or 0.2% was given to God by a wave offering. The other half was given to the people of Israel. From their half, 2% was given to God by taking it to the Levites. Therefore, it is plain to see that what Abraham did had nothing to do with the law.
To say that ten percent was given before the law and then ten percent was given during the law is to mislead the facts. Before the law, Abraham gave a tenth of war spoils. During the law, only 1.1% of war spoils were to be given. During the law, a tenth of crops and animals raised on the Holy Land was to be given to God by taking them to the Levites – the SERVANTS to the priests. In other words, the tithe was taken to the ushers, musicians, singers, janitors, etc. Then, they gave a tenth of the tithe to the priests. Is that how your church does it?
Hebrews 7:5,12,18 make it clear that tithing was disannulled.
Matthew 23:23 has nothing to do with Christians. Jesus was born, lived, and died under the Old Covenant.
To say that Paul taught tithing is not Biblical. There is not even one verse where Paul taught tithing to the Christian Church.
The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice. For others, even 50% of their income might not induce any sacrifice.
You can base your giving using the law, OR you can move UP to the New Testament and be Spirit led in your giving. Being Spirit led, my giving far exceeds ten percent.
Well said Dawn. Without a lot of smoke screening or pretentious sophistication you have put your finger on the right issues. Keep posting.
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