Did You Know?
The first freewill offering of the tithe (one tenth) was given by Abraham to King Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20). Abraham had just won a huge battle against the King of Elam and other kings (Genesis 14:1-17). Abraham gave Melchizedek (who was also a priest) a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, also made a vow to God to give Him a tenth of all that God gave him (Genesis 28:22).
So tithing was established before the law and was subsequently incorporated into the laws given to the children of Israel in the wilderness after leaving Egypt (Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
Jesus Himself mentioned the tithe when He noted that the Pharisees tithed on even spices that were given to them. He said we were to tithe but also not ignore the weightier matters of the law – justice and mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42).
That said, to those who say that as born again believers, we are not under law but under grace, they are right. But that neglects (or overlooks) the following truths:
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Tithing started before the law.
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If we are Abraham’s heirs of the promise (Galatians 3:29), we should act like our father Abraham to obtain the blessing he did (Hebrew 6:12; Romans 4:12).
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Our responsibilities under grace far exceed those under the law.
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The law says “you shall not commit adultery”. But Jesus said if we look at a woman lustfully, we have committed adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:27-28).
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The law also says “you shall not murder”. But Jesus said if we speak harsh words to our brother or are angry at him without cause, we are in danger of the fires of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22).
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God is a giver. As God is, so should we be (Matthew 5:48)
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For God so loved the world that He gave (John 3:16).
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God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:30).
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As God is, so are we (or so we should be) – Matthew 5:48.
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Tithing is a principle that comes with specific blessings of protection and prosperity. Malachi 3:8-12
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Tithing is a demonstration of our trust in God (Jehovah Jireh). Malachi 3:10
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Tithing can only be understood by spiritually mature believers not babies in Christ or unbelievers. Hebrews 5:11-14
In summary:
- We are not under an obligation (of law) to tithe in order to be blessed or avoid a curse (Malachi 3:8-9) because Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13-14). But the bible is also very clear about the importance of giving (2 Corinthians 8 and 9).
- Your motive for giving and your heart posture towards God is important. We must also seek God’s input on how much and where to give the resources He has so graciously blessed us with (James 1:5; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
I tithe because:
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I love God
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I trust God
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I prioritize God
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At BibleStorm, our mission is to illuminate hidden truth found in God’s Word (i.e. the bible). Our vision is to see people become more familiar with the bible, biblical themes and concepts and to develop a hunger/desire to learn more about God through His Word. We are doing our part to seek the kingdom of God and spread the good news of salvation through bible trivia. And to help people transform their minds through the living Word of God. Learn more about us.
