I got over the mandatory tithing from the law quickly. The Melchizedek tithe was a little harder because it predated the law by over 430 years. I learned that it was customary for an army to give a tithe to the ruler of that area. Abraham basically didn't keep any of spoils of war. Melchizedek got 10% and his men got the balance of the 90%. How would that correlate today? Also, there is no mention of Abraham tithing again.
Bottom line, I believe that churches that teach mandatory tithing under a threat of a curse "of the law" are in error. That is dangerous thinking, though, because it undermines the whole financial paradigm of a whole lot of churches.
If people are not going to tithe, how are pastors to be financed?
How do we get the people to give generously and willingly?
You are right....churches that teach mandatory tithing under the threat of a curse for robbing God are in error! Tithing is not for us today, because when we rightly divided the Word of truth, we see that today, we believers are not under the Law, but under Grace.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
…tithe…thy seed…
…tithe thy corn, thy wine, thine oil, the firstlings
…if not able to carry it…
…turn it into money…
…bestow that money…
…thou shalt not forsake him [Levite] for he hath no part nor inheritance…
…bring forth all the tithe…
…the Levite, and the stranger and fatherless and widow shall come …and be satisfied
Tithing in the bible was of the first-fruit of the ground and of the firstlings of the flocks that God blessed the nation of Israel with, and they were to take all that down to the Temple in thanksgiving to God and so that the Levitical priesthood would have food. That is what Malachi 3 is all about!
Malachi 3:8-10
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
When we rightly divide God's Word, we see that the book of Malachi does not apply to us today like many people claim! It was written to and about the people of Israel. Malachi 3:8-10 is a curse written to them and not us today!
The Jews would take their food to the storehouse of the Temple, to be stored for the Priest, who had no other inheritance in Israel, to be fed! The only time money was involved was when the journey to bring the food to Jerusalem was too long and so the Jew would sell the stuff for money before leaving for Jerusalem, and then exchange the money for food/animals for the Priest once in Jerusalem. Even the one time the Lord mentions tithing during His earthly ministry to Israel, He did not mention money, He mentioned spices.
Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luke 11:42
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
As far as Abraham is concerned....your study on his tithe was pretty accurate because what he did with the spoils were the custom, and yes, no more is ever mentioned about him tithing again because he was never instructed by God to do so!
Even today in the age of God's Grace, when our Apostle Paul, the Apostle of Grace [Ephesians 3] uses Abraham as an example for many things (justification by faith alone in Romans 4, and in Galatians 3), he does not ever use Abraham giving a tithe to Melchizidek as the example of how we are to give to support the minister and the ministry today!
When we rightly divide the Word, God's commands for us today, including His commands to us about how to give is found in Paul's epistles Romans through Philemon.
Romans 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
1 Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
2 Timothy 2:7
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Today, when we rightly divide God's Word, we see that the motivation for our giving is God's Love and Grace to us by sending His Own Son to the Cross to die for our sins.
2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Therefore, everything that we do is to be done within that Grace! We are only to support a ministry that teaches and preaches God's grace message (and not the Law/threat of a curse/Malachi 3) with our money.
Acts 20:32
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Galatians 6:6
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
1 Corinthians 9:9-14
For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Timothy 5:18
For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
And we are to give regularly, cheerfully, thoughtfully, without reservation, and soberly to the work of God's Grace message..
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
I myself am a Grace preacher, and my family and I trust God for our living and depend on the generous financial support of His other saints to live, yet I don't teach tithing because tithing is not for us today! (Although if I did, I could get much more money for my church and my family.)
I teach people about what our Lord Jesus Christ did in giving Himself for us on the Cross of Calvary, and then tell them to give back in their finances in light of how much they appreciate that.
2 Corinthians 5:14
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
I teach the principle of Grace giving and pray to God and trust God that He will provide for me and my family and His ministry, and He always has...Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
So how do you motivate people to give to support the Pastor and the ministry? Not by teaching them to tithe, but teaching them about the sacrifice Christ made for them and how that ought to motivate them to sacrifice and be generous to give back with the money that God prospered them with (which is His anyway!
It is people like you that God uses to support ministers like me and ministries like our rightly dividing Grace ministry!
Hopefully this
helps...Maranatha!
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