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 the average Jew who were not land owners. 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 ...tithing IS a matter of 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 command for us as Gentiles to tithe

Note                Jesus instructed those who were healed of leprosy in Mat 8:...‘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 (Gentile believers) 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 then is this scripture then used so frequently to coerce gentile christians into if tithing was a pre-Mosaic principle?? 

(Is 5:13my people have gone into captivity for lack of knowledge) 

Gal 3:2                   Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Law or by believing what you heard?

Gal 3:10                 All who rely on observing the Law (ie including tithing) are under a curse…….

Gal 3:11                Clearly no-one is justified before God by the Law (ie including tithing) because ‘the righteous will live by faith’ 

Heb 7:5                 Now the LAW requires descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people , their brothers

We are all priests today see 1 Pet 2:5 and 9 ‘You are a royal priesthood’

Note that 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           

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 

 

The reason for giving 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 ITINERANT ministers of the gospel had the right to be supported. This support is pimarily to be in the form of hospitality and provision for NEEDS as per Jesus definition in Matt 10:8

 

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 that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel (apostles)

Luke 10:7                The workman is worthy of his wages  (the context refers to the ITINERANT preacher receiving HOSPITALITY)

Gal 6:6                     He who receives instruction must share all good things with his instructor (Ditto)