Written & Theological perspective of: RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH
Many think believers in Christ should tithe defined as giving 10 percent of one’s income, and many use the language of “tithes and offerings” in worship services. Others are equally convinced tithing is not required for believers.
According to God, He has “divided” His Word into two programs: one of these programs is focused on the heaven, and the other program is focused on the earth, Genesis 1:1; Ephesians 1:9,10; Colossians 1:16-20 (KJV). God’s program focused on the earth is known as the “prophetic program,” or that “which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” Acts 3:21 (KJV). The “mystery program,” that “which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest” Romans 16:25,26a (KJV), is God’s program for the heaven.
These two programs have their unique assembly of believers of the body of Christ: the prophetic program belongs to the nation Israel, and the mystery program belongs to the Church the Body of Christ. God’s Word gives doctrine for Israel (Law), and gives another set of doctrine for the Body of Christ (Grace). We must never confuse the nation Israel with the Church the Body of Christ. “NEVER SHOULD WE COMBINE INSTRUCTIONS THAT GOD GAVE TO ISRAEL WITH INSTRUCTIONS GOD GIVES US AS MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.” When studying the Bible, it is extremely important to keep these distinctions and differences in mind. With that said, we can now address tithing.
WHICH VIEW IS MORE FAITHFUL TO GOD'S WORD?
This certainly isn’t a matter over which believers should break fellowship. “LOVE IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR VIEW ON TITHING” 1 Corinthians 13 (KJV) Still, I would argue tithing isn’t required or even encouraged for believers in the body of Christ. But such a stance needs to be explained.
TITHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
What does the Old Testament say about tithing? “ABRAHAM GAVE A TENTH OF HIS SPOIL OF WAR TO MELCHIZEDEK” - Genesis 14:20 KJV, and HEBREWS APPEALS TO THIS ACCOUNT TO SUPPORT THE SUPERIORITY OF MELCHIZEDEK'S PRIESTHOOD OVER LEVI'S - Hebrews 7:4–10 (KJV). God met Jacob at Bethel and promised him covenant blessings; the patriarch promised God a tenth of everything granted him Genesis 28:22 (KJV).
A TENTH OF ISRAEL'S SEED, FRUIT, AND FLOCKS WERE GIVEN TO THE LORD - Leviticus 27:30–32; Deuteronomy 14:22–24; cf. 2 Chronicles 31:5–6; Nehemiah 13:5, 12 (KJV). THE PEOPLE GAVE A TENTH TO THE LEVITES TO SUPPORT THEM - Numbers 18:21–24; cf. Nehemiah 10:38; 12:44 (KJV), and the Levites, in turn, were to give a tenth to the chief priest Numbers 18:25–28 (KJV). THOSE WHO DIDN'T TITHE WE'RE THREATENED WITH A CURSE, WHILE THOSE WHO DID TITHE WERE PROMISE BLESSING, while those who did tithe were promised blessing Malachi 3:8–10 (KJV).
Note that the book of Malachi, especially in Chapter 3, is addressed to the “WHOLE NATION” means THE NATION OF ISRAEL regarding tithing. In this chapter, God speaks through the prophet Malachi to rebuke the Israelites for their failure to give tithes and offerings faithfully. The passage emphasizes the importance of honoring God with their resources and promises blessings for those who obey and curses for those who withhold their tithes. While the specifics of the tithing practices are mentioned, the audience is indeed the nation of Israel.
WHY TITHING IS NOT REQUIRED TODAY ESPECIALLY TO THE CHURCH THE BODY OF CHRIST?
There are seven decisive reasons for saying Christians are not required to tithe in this Dispensation of the grace of God.
1. BELIEVERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST ARE NOT UNDER THE MOSIAC COVENANT - Romans 6:14–15; 7:5–6; Galatians 3:15–4:7; 2 Corinthians 3:4–18 (KJV).
The commands stipulated in the Mosaic covenant are no longer in force for believers. Some appeal to the division between the civil, ceremonial, and moral law to support tithing. YET THESE DIVISIONS, I WOULD OBSERVE, ARE NOT THE BASIS YET PAUL USES WHEN ADDRESSING HOW THE LAW APPLIES TO US TODAY. And even if we use these distinctions, “TITHING IS CLEARLY NOT PART OF THE MORAL LAW. IT'S TRUE THE MORAL NORMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE STILL FORCE TODAY BY MANY DENOMINATIONS,” and we discern them from the law of Christ in the New Testament, but tithing is not among these commands.
2. THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM AND JACOB ARE NOT NORMATIVE PATTERNS.
SOME THINK TITHING IS REQUIRED BECUASE BOTH “ABRAHAM AND JACOB GAVE TENTH,” both gave a tenth, and they both lived before the MOSIAC COVENANT WAS IN PLACE. Such example “HARDLY PROVE TITHING IS FOR ALL TIME,” however. ABRAHAM'S GIFTS TO MELCHIZEDEK “WAS ONE TIME EVENT NOT MANY TIMES.” some misunderstood this story and there is no evidence he regularly gave God a tenth.
JACOB'S GIVING OF A TENTH SIGNIFIED HIS GRATEFULNESS TO GOD TO BE WITH HIM AND PROTECT HIM Genesis 14:20 (KJV). His gratefulness and generosity still speak to us today, but a historical description of what Jacob gave doesn’t support the idea that all believers must give God a tenth of their income.
3. TITHES WERE GIVEN TO THE LEVITES AND PRIEST, BUT THERE ARE NO LEVITES AND IN THE NEW COVENANT.
Levites and priests were tied to the sacrificial system of the old covenant. THE TITHE GIVEN TO SUPPORT PRIESTHOOD/GOVERNMENT, NOT TO THE NEW COVENANT WHICH IS THE CHURCH. The tithe was to be given to the Levites, Israel’s priesthood. Aaron’s sons had no inheritance or land because they served as Israel’s government and served in the temple see Numbers 18:21-32, Nehemiah 10:37,38, Nehemiah 12:44, Nehemiah 13:5, and Hebrews 7:4-9 (KJV) to find out about Israel’s theocracy. Essentially, the tithe was a tax paid to Israeli government.
4. THE TITHE IS TIED TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL RECEIVED UNDER THE OLD COVENANT.
Israel was supposed to celebrate a tithe every three years in Jerusalem. But that requirement cannot apply to the Church specially to the Body of Christ today in this Dispensation of the grace of God. IT RELATED TO THE JEWS AS A NATION TO JEWS WHO LIVED IN THE LAND OF PROMISE. With the coming of Christ, the Jewish nation is no longer the locus of God’s people, though individual Jews are part of the church as unified as His body through faith in Christ Jesus - Ephesians 2:11-22; Galatians 3:28; Romans 10:12-13 (KJV).
The earthly Jerusalem is no longer central in God’s purposes Galatians 4:25 (KJV). Believers are part of the heavenly Jerusalem Galatians 4:26 (KJV) and look forward to the city to come Hebrews 11:10 KJV, to the new heavens and new earth - Revelation 21:1–22:5 (KJV) Abraham isn’t heir of the land of Israel, but of the whole world Romans 4:13 (KJV).
5. IF TITHING IS REQUIRED TODAY, HOW MUCH SHOULD WE GIVE?
TITHE DID NOT ALWAYS INVOLVE MONEY. Leviticus 27:30-34 (KJV) mentions tithing,
BUT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT MONEY. So, what were they tithing? THE JEWS GAVE TEN PERCENT OF SEED - GRAIN, FRUIT OF THE TREE, TITHE OF THE HERD, THE FLOCK, AMD SO ON. If a Jew had ten sheep, he had to give one-tenth of that—one sheep. Or, if he had forty goats, he gave four goats. If he wanted to convert that animal and sell it for money and then bring the money to the temple, he would have to add 20% to the price and give the entire amount to the priest. And it should follow this pattern as not theological views as “money” Covenant is Covenant and that is the law of Mosiac given by God to the Israel.
6. WHEN JESUS AFFIRMED THE TITHE, IT WAS BEFORE THE DAWN OF THE NEW COVENANT.
SOME DEFEND TITHING BY SAYING THE LORD JESUS PRAISED TITHING, EVEN IF HE SAID IT WAS LESS IMPORTANT THAN OTHER THINGS - Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42 (KJV). This argument appears strong, but it’s not persuasive. JESUS ALSO MENTIONED OFFERING SACRIFICES IN THE TEMPLE - Matthew 5:23–24 (KJV), but many denominations didn't think—even if the temple were rebuilt—that we should do that. OUR LORD'S WORDS ARE UNDERSTANDABLE WE THINK ABOUT HIS LOCATION IN REDEMPTIVE HISTORY.
LIGHTSTOCK
THE LORD JESUS SPOKE ABOUT SACRIFICES AND TITHING BEFORE THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION, BEFORE THE DAWN OF NEW COVENANT....
He used tithing and sacrifices as illustrations when addressing his contemporaries. “HE KEPT THE LAW SINCE HE WAS BORN UNDER THE LAW”
“But when the fulness of the time was come, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF A WOMAN UNDER THE LAW.” Galatians 4:4 (KJV). But we can no more take his words as a commendation for TITHING TODAY THAN WE CAN HIS WORDS ABOUT OFFERING SACRIFICES.
7. NOWHERE IS THITHING MENTIONED WHEN COMMANDS TO GIVE GENEROUSLY ARE FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
When the Church are instructed to give to the poor, they aren’t commanded to give “the poor tithe.” Instead, they are “INSTRUCTED TO BE GENEROUS IN HELPING THOSE IN NEED” - Acts 2:43–47; 4:32–37; 11:27–30; Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:1–4; 2 Cor. 8:1–9:15 KJV. For example, 1 Corinthians 16:1–4 (KJV) —a passage often cited in popular circles in support—doesn’t mention tithing; it relates to a one-time gift for poor saints in Jerusalem.
THE PATTERN OF “GENEROUSLY GIVING”
Even though tithing isn’t required today, it does not follow that believers of the body of Christ should hoard their possessions.
We are commanded to support those who preach the gospel - Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:6–14; 1 Timothy 5:17–18 (KJV). And while we should enjoy the good things God gives us, we are also called to be “GENEROUS” to those in need 1 Tim. 6:17–19; 2 Cor. 8–9 (KJV). Wealth can so easily become an idol, leading us to abandon the Lord.
SINCE GOD IS TO BE OUR TREASURE, BELIEVERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST ARE TO GIVE GENEROUSLY AND FREELY NOT COMMANDINGLY. For many in the West, this will mean giving more than 10 percent.
Still, Scripture doesn’t command Church to give a tenth and Scripture, not tradition, is our rule and authority. STILL, SCRIPTURES DOESN'T COMMAND THE CHURCH IN THIS DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD!
This commentary is based on the principle of "rightly dividing the word of truth" 2 Timothy 2:15, (KJV), a core tenet of dispensational theology. The insights and interpretations provided here aim to respect.
EQUIPPING THE SAINTS WITH THE TRUTH!
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