THE BIBLICAL TITHE?

THE BIBLICAL TITHE?

QUESTION RECEIVED: Cool, here is the description of our question author -[Male age 31-45 Africa]

 Please help me with the practice of tithing that is taught and practiced in today's churches. my understanding is that this was a practice for the Old Testament Jewish believers and specifically descendants of Jacob, following their father Jacob's covenant with God, before the establishment of this covenant there is no biblical evidence that it was his practice. Abram only tithed once to Melchizedek  and that was spoils from a battle, not his belongings. There is no New Testament evidence for Christians tithing. The Tithing practiced was not of money (though there is evidence that money was already in use by then), only animals and crops were tithed... Please, I trust you for an accurate answer from scriptures, not man's opinions. Thank you in advance and God bless you.

MY ANSWER: 

In the Bible generous giving is done by example (The Lord), commanded by the Lord and praised by Jesus. 

Yes the Old Testament is the Old Covenant based on law and sacrifice.

The New Testament ushers in the Church and brings forth grace and salvation promised in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament there is the Ceremonial Law, Judicial and Moral Law.

To be brief the New Testament does replace Ceremonial and Judicial Law that covered the food (no pork or shell fish) and legal rulings during the Hebrew 40 year march through the wilderness. 

This was so Moses could command 4 million people on a 40 year trip through the desert.

The Moral Law is the Ten Commandments.

Jesus said none of The (Moral) Law will pass away as long as there is a Heaven or Earth.

Matthew 5:18 English Standard Version (ESV)

“18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

I believe this is strong support that the Moral Law is still in effect forever.

Many good Christians would not agree.

I just gave you strong scriptural support from the proceeding quote from Jesus.

The Old Testament also is  Christian Scripture and has authority.

Christians need to stop cutting our Bible in two.

At creation God tithed in principal a day and told us to also do it in the Moral Law (Ten Commandments).

 Genesis 2:1-3 (ESV)

“2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

Abraham tithed his increase or profit – not his belongings - as you stated in your question.

Genesis 14:18-20 (ESV)

“18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High,

 who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”

Again we go to Genesis but it is Jacob who teaches about the tithe-

Genesis 28: 21 (ESV)

“21  so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Here are two commands from the Lord that I do not believe are negated by the New Testament.

Leviticus 27:30 (ESV)

“30 Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord.”

Leviticus 27:32 (ESV)

“32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord.”

At the end of the Old Testament is perhaps the best known command of tithing that even promises curses to those who do not tithe and blessings to those who tithe who have to be tested to tithe.

Malachi 3:8 (ESV)

“8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.  9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10  Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. ”

The New Testament of grace talks more about developing a good attitude of giving rather than declaring a flat out tithe.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (ESV)

“6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Does God really care what we give in viewing the New Testament?

This following Scripture passage says Jesus sat down and watched who gave and how much they gave. 

Wow!

Mark 12:41-43(ESV)

“41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.”

Here is a question for you.

Did the poor widow that received praise from Jesus tithe and give the expected 10%.

No.

The New Testament records only records the percentage of wealth a person gave.

The poor woman did not tithe.

Jesus watched her give not 10% but 100%!

Brother get liberty and give freely your tithe, or a larger % to support the church in her ministries and missions.

The Old Testament commanded the tithe.

I believe the New Testament is saying give freely and tithe and then feel free to give more.