- Acts 17:11… These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Tithing
The subject of Tithing is so misunderstood today in our modern religious world and so many numerous misconceptions have formed throughout the Ages. Reasons for these misconceptions are many. Certain reasons surface such as paying Tithe out of fear in order to get blessed. Or paying Tithe as a means of good works based merely to find favor with God or everyday Salvation. Or paying Tithe out of obligation to Law of Moses while living under Grace. And many other reasons come to mind but are not worth mentioning in this discourse for clarification sake.
To understand Tithing more in depth one must study the Bible from a dispensational perspective and see how Tithing applied at certain periods of time and at certain ages such as in the days of Abraham before the Law was given on Mt. Sinai. Or in the days of Moses after the 613 Laws and Commandments were given to Israel. Or under Grace now in the Church Age, the body of Christ where “giving more than” a Tithe takes place today in the form of giving or as a love offering for the furtherance of Christ. Much depth and deep definition pertain to the subject of Biblical Tithing and must be considered – especially within this Church Age and this point of time where we live in today as members of the body of Christ.
At the creation of humanity – the Law of God was between man and God and was revealed through nature’s evidence, to the human conscience and God’s spoken word. There were no 613 Laws, no 10 commandments, only spoken moral standards given from God for man to follow. Continuity between man and God was maintained by faith in and obedience to God the Creator. Righteousness was imputed to men of God who were faithful and obedient to God in the period of time before Law was given to Israel. The Bible terms these unforgotten men as the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12 and stems back to righteous Abel, Noah a preacher of righteousness, and righteous Abraham who “gave” a Tithe before the Law of Moses was ever given as a moral standard in Israel. Abraham’s faith in God brought righteousness a desire to Tithe, before the Law of Moses was given.
- Genesis 15:6… And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
- Genesis 12:20… And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Scriptures indicate Abraham “gave” a Tithe as a result of faithfulness to God and did not pay a tithe out of obligation to the Law of Moses. Reason? Abraham’s period of life was 430 years before the Law and Commandments were given to Israel as a moral standard. That particular point about Tithing is the fact that Abraham “gave a Tithe out faithfulness to God” and did not “pay a Tithe out of obligation to the Law and Commandments” that were not yet given.
During the dispensation of the Law and commandments given to Israel Tithing was ordained of God. The Tithe under Israel’s Law consisted of a tenth or 10 percent of worldly wealth and assets. Land, livestock, offerings. etc.
- Deuteronomy 14:22, 23...Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
Under the Law of Moses Israel was only blessed if they kept the whole Law in its entirety. Deuteronomy 28 teaches the blessings of keeping the whole Law and the curses of violating any of the the Law of Moses. Even Saint James the Lord’s true blood brother documented the following about keeping the Law of Moses:
- James 2:10… For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Tithing within the dispensation the Law of Moses was a requirement to God’s civil standard and moral Law. Israel merely kept the Law of Moses and Tithed to be blessed, they did not keep the Law because they were blessed like we are blessed within the New Testament of God’s Grace in the Church the body of Christ. We today – Christians under Grace are not required to keep the Law to be blessed we are blessed and therefore obedient to God because we accepted Christ as our personal Lord, Savior, and Redeemer.
In the Church world, the spiritual body of Christ which consists of many different members (including you and I) the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit is a far greater blessing than human struggle to keep the Law of Moses. This blessing received under the New Testament is termed as the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles – given through the promise God gave Abraham in the book of Genesis.
- Genesis 12:2, 3…And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
- Galatians 3:8,9… And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
- Galatians 3:19… That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The New Testament records of the Bible – after the death of our Savior – within this Grace Age we now live in – no longer requires members of the body of Christ to do works to be blessed. We today unlike men of God under Law are blessed and do good works as a result of God’s Grace within our hearts. The good works of a child of God under Grace include giving, making love offerings, and helping the needy. These blessings are not out of requirement to keep the Law of Moses, but out of heartfelt love for humanity and for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ. New Testament believer’s have in the heart the moral standard of God’s Grace – not the standard and human way of life of keeping of the Law of Moses which were actually 613 Laws – not just the 10 commandments.
So many teachers of erroneous doctrine today demand Tithing as an ordinance of the Law of Moses, or as a requirement or obligation out of fear toward God if you don’t, or simply as a means to generate revenue like businesses generate revenue, or just merely to supply large sums of money to certain prosperity movements. None of these reasons of Tithing put a man in better standing with God. Only the pure heart cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ through the power of God’s Grace can give or help others – out love or perhaps even more to help the needy, the fatherless, or the widow. Christians give because they are blessed – not to be blessed. Examine the following words of Christ.
- Acts 20:35…I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Christians need to realize – after passing from glory to glory (from Law into Grace) – the Bible teaches the Law of God is written in the tables of our heart by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Moral transformation takes place. Giving is a New Testament subject taught far more than the subject of Tithing. The subject of Tithing was not taught by the apostles Paul, Peter, John. The writer of Hebrews did teach that Abraham gave a Tithe before the Law but did not pay a Tithe. Paying and giving are two different things and one must remember Abraham did not pay a Tithe but gave a Tithe – and done such before the Law of Moses was ever given. Read Hebrews 7.
Giving is the picture of God’s love and never expects a reward of anything in return. Giving without expectation of something in return is a product of who you are in Christ as a result of God’s Grace. God knows you, what you give, and what you do. Nothing done to find favor with God but everything done because you received God’s Grace and love in your heart. No obligation! No fear! No format! No better than! No less than! Only right-standing and love.
In the Spirit (now in the Church Age) – people give more or less than a Tithe (10 percent) because they love God and they love humanity. Giving, helping, and charity comes from the goodness of a man or women’s heart. What a beautiful blessing for the cause of Christ! No fear, no obligation, never expecting anything in return. Just a plain old love offering in the name of Jesus.
Offerings and giving were the biblical terms used in the New Testament. Not Tithing!
