As gentile
believers what should we be doing?
Jesus made only one or two references to tithing in the
Gospels ……indicating that it was not a prevalent practice even among Jews. The
Law applied until Jesus died.
Mat 23:23
‘Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for you pay tithe of mint,
anise and cumin but you neglect the weightier matters of
the LAW, justice and mercy and faith. These you
ought to have done without leaving the others undone
Note
The Scribes and Pharisee were under the LAW
Note
Mint, anise and cumin were produce of the field and were required
to be tithed under the LAW
Note
These ought YOU to have done ie under the LAW. This is in
no way a commendation or command for others to tithe
Note
Jesus instructed those who were healed of leprosy (Mat 8:3) ‘to
show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded’ because
they were under the LAW (we don’t do that today either)
Rom 6:14
YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE
1)
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT GODS WORD SAYS
There is NO pre-Mosaic principle of tithing in the
Bible……there are only two individual cases recorded out of all the people who
lived in that period and none of them are in anyway near what is taught as
tithing today (refer ‘TITHING’)
Malachi was a prophet who prophesied under the LAW…(Mal
2:4)…why is this scripture then used so frequently to coerce gentile christians
into if tithing was a pre-Mosaic principle??
(Is 5:13 my people
have gone into captivity for lack of knowledge)
Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Law or by
believing what you heard?
(Gal 3:2)
All who rely on observing the Law (ie including tithing)
are under a curse…….
(Gal 3:10)
Clearly no-one is justified before God by the Law (ie including
tithing) because ‘the righteous will live by faith’ (Gal 3:11)
Heb 7:5
Now the
LAW requires descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from
the people (speaking of Jews)
We are all priests today see 1 Pet
2:5 and 9 ‘You are a royal priesthood’
Note
It is the LAW WHICH REQUIRES TITHING not a pre-Mosaic principle
Rom 6:14
YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE
Gal 5:18
But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the LAW
2)
WE NEED TO HEAR AND OBEY WHAT GODS SPIRIT SAYS
Rom 8:14
because those who are led by the Spirit are the Sons
of
God
Give as you are led :-
if you love the Lord with
all your heart and soul and mind and strength you will give generously to his
kingdom (Mat 13:45-46 the kingdom of heaven is a fine pearl of great value –
the merchant went and sold all he had and bought it)
if you love your neighbour as
yourself you will give generously if he is in need (James 2:14-17)
This is best summed up by Paul in his second letter to the
Corinthians
2 Cor 9: 6
Whoever
sows sparingly will reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will reap
generously (God is no mans debtor)
2 Cor 9: 7 Each
man should give as he has decided in his
heart to give,
(ie Rom 8:14)
not reluctantly
(this would indicate a heart problem ie 1 Jn 3:17)
nor under compulsion (ie under the Law ie tithing)
for God loves a cheerful giver
This all springs from the knowledge of how much God first
loved us and that nothing we can give back could ever be enough
John 3:16
‘for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’
(The “Zaccheus Principle” (Luke 19:5 -9)…. When Jesus comes
into a house, love of the world goes out and generosity becomes the way of
life….without us even needing to be preached to)
3) SUPPORT
FOR MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL
While the apostle Paul continued to work as a tentmaker he did
teach that ministers of the gospel had the right to be supported
1 Cor 9:3-12
Do not muzzle the ox
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
If we have sown spiritual seed
among you is it too much that we should receive a material harvest from
you?
1 Cor 9:14
Even so the Lord has ordained/commanded that those who preach the gospel
should live from the gospel
Luke 10:7
The workman is worthy of his wages
Gal 6:6
He who receives instruction must share all good things with his
instructor