Extremes range from the promise of "100 fold returns" to the need to "name your seed" or the call to "Give right now, while God is giving the angels their assignments for the coming year." I have even seen the attempted sale of God's blessings, like receiving "a new anointing times 10 for $2,500."
Because of these extremes, some might react and accept other beliefs like, "Tithing was only for those under the Law."
For the sake of Biblical stewardship, please consider the truth of the following:
6 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE TITHING IS A NEW TESTAMENT PRACTICE
1. JESUS CHRIST SAID TO TITHE.
While rebuking the Pharisees, who tithed legalistically and meticulously, our Lord said that tithing should be done, providing that more important matters like justice, mercy, faith and the love of God were also observed.
MATTHEW 23:23
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
LUKE 11:42
"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs,
and pass by justice and the love of God.
These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
These Pharisees were being corrected for using tithing as a substitute for true devotion to God and their fellow man. Therefore Jesus rebuked them for what amounted to being a religious cover-up, which is hypocrisy, yet still He stated tithing’s importance.
Here is a humorous story that I think helps to illustrate this point about hypocrisy.
A priest was walking home one night
in the dark, when he was accosted
bya robber, who pulled a gun on him
and demanded, “Your money or your life!”
As the priest reached his hand into his coat pocket,
the thief saw his clerical collar and said,
“Oh father I see that you are a priest!
Never mind. You can go.”
The priest, surprised at this unexpected show of mercy,
offered the robber a candy bar, to which the criminal said,
“No thanks! I am giving up candy for Lent.”
2. JESUS CHRIST SAID TO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TO TEACH THEM TO OBSERVE EVERYTHING HE COMMANDED.
This certainly would include everything He had said earlier about tithing.
MATTHEW 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;….
3. MELCHIZADEK - A PICTURE OF JESUS - RECEIVED ABRAM’S TITHE.
In the following New Testament passage, the writer refers to a story recorded in GENESIS 14 when - after winning a battle with the help of some good men and Almighty God – Abraham, then known as Abram, met and gave a tenth of his spoils to this king and priest who parallels Christ.
HEBREWS 7:1-4
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem,
meaning "king of peace," without father, without mother, without genealogy,having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
4) Now consider how great this man was, to whom
even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.
This passage in HEBREWS 7 is drawing a comparison between the person - priesthood and kingship - of Melchizedek and that of Jesus Christ; who is also our Priest of the Most High God; continually having “neither beginning of days nor end of life.” . .
From these New Testament verses, we do not know - for sure - if Melchizedek was an angel or the Lord Jesus Himself; manifested as what some theologians might call a “theophany”. However, what we do understand is that he personified a king and priest like the Lord Jesus would be. . .
Melchizadek’s name meant “king of righteousness” and he was king of a place called Salem, which means peace; thus making him more like Jesus, also a king of righteousness and peace.
Notice that this contrast is being made with someone who lived before the Law.
The New Testament chapter goes on to say,
HEBREWS 7:8
“Here mortal men receive tithes but there he receives them to whom it is witnesse that he lives.”
4. ABRAHAM OUR FATHER GAVE A TENTH BEFORE THE LAW.
Akin to New Testament believers, Abraham was chosen to have a covenant relationship with God and - like us - he was justified by faith, apart from the Law of Moses. According to the passage below from ROMANS 4, he is our father.
ROMANS 4:16
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace,
so that the promise might be sure to all the seed,
not only to those who are of the law,
but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of us all……
Again, this is the same man who – according to Old and New Testament scripture - gave a tenth of his spoil to the priest of the Most High God, Melchizadek, king of righteousness and Salem (peace). He gave a tithe!
5. TITHING PRE-EXISTED THE LAW AS DID OTHER THINGS THE LAW INCLUDED, WHICH JESUS LATER FULFILLED, BUT IT IS ONE OF A FEW THINGS THAT HE DID NOT FULFILL.
The list below shows some things that pre-existed the Law of Moses which were included in it. The next list shows some of those things that Jesus fulfilled
8 PRE-EXISTING THINGS THE LAW INCLUDED
Sabbath Gen. 2:2
Animal sacrifices Gen. 3:21
Praying Gen. 4:26
Tithing Gen. 14:20
Faith Gen. 15:6
Circumcision Gen. 17:12
Passover Ex. 12:21
Singing Ex. 15:1
4 THINGS IN THE LAW THAT JESUS FULFILLED
Sabbath Matt. 11:28
Animal sacrifices Heb. 9:12
Circumcision Col. 2:11-12 .
Passover 1 Cor. 5:7
From the second list’s first Scripture reference above – MATTHEW 11:28 - one can see how Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath by offering us rest that only He can give, available to those in close relationship to Him. . .
The second Scripture reference, HEBREWS 9:12 says that Jesus offered His blood once for all, so that we could have eternal redemption, (something animal sacrifices could never do). . .
Thirdly, COLOSSIANS 2:11-12 speaks of the circumcision of Christ that is done in our lives without human hands. .
Fourthly, 1 CORINTHIANS 5:7 says that Christ is our Passover who was sacrificed for us. Deeper study reveals that Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of this Jewish feast.
Here are 4 things that are remaining from the 8 pre-existing ones.
Here are 4 things that are remaining from the 8 pre-existing ones.
- Praying
- Tithing
- Faith
- Singing
While the four "fulfilled" things are worthy of more words and space than being taken here, my objective has been to point out the four remaining things - pre-existing the Law of Moses - that Jesus did not fulfill, which are Praying, Singing, Faith and Tithing; no doubt leaving them for us to include in our lives and practice as His followers.
There are some other things - like repentance and parenting - that were a part of pre-law Old Testament Godly living which were not fulfilled by Jesus and are still to be a part of New Testament life. For the sake of brevity, I have not mentioned them as well as some others.
6. THE GIVING OF THE EARLY CHURCH EXCEEDED TITHING.
ACTS 2:44-45
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all,
as anyone had need.
ACTS 4:34-35
Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
NOTICE: not one of them" lacked".
The issue of giving and honesty - during a season when the early church gave everything while living communally - was so important that two people died for lying about their giving. (ACTS 5).
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CONCLUSION
While Bible believing readers may not all agree with everything said here, my hope is that these words will at least help put an end to the belief that tithing has absolutely no place in the New Testament.
My challenge to the reader is to read the New Testament and check out your own heart in relationship to giving anything cheerfully to the Lord's work through your local congregation..
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PERSONAL TESTIMONY
While I do not believe that tithing has anything to do with our eternal salvation, I do believe that New Testament tithing is very important in terms of our discipleship and our relationship to the love of God's blessings. It certainly is a way God can use to help us put our trust in Him instead of our possessions.
Since starting as a teenager, while tithing to my local church from my first job, God has been faithful to enable me to tithe cheerfully, as He continued to prosper me. .
Having served the Lord’s purposes with the same congregation for the last 20 years, I can testify that we have offering boxes and no longer do we pass offering baskets unless it is for something special; like for supporting ministries beyond our own congregational needs.
This is made possible by the Lord’s provision through committed believers who believe in tithing and therefore do not have to be asked for money; or bribed with blessings nor threatened with curses.
By the way, no one in our congregation lives in poverty, so we are able to give thousands of dollars away every year, both locally and internationally, to help the poor and to spread the Gospel. .
Personally, I believe tithing through the local church is something God continues to bless in the 21st Century; because we have seen this discipline work again and again, year in and year out, for those who practice doing so faithfully. . .
An audio sermon on this subject can be heard at:
