Tithing... Is it a thing of the past?

~Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. 

But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? 

[And God answered...]

In tithes and offerings.  [Malachi 3:8 KJB]

Click here for [written] articles for more 
understanding from the scriptures on tithing by Bro Ron. 



Hopefully this helps!

_†††

_{++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?

Northern California Grace Fellowship

 Heir of God or Joint-Heirs with Christ? 

Wrongly Deriding Joint-heirs with Christ

Norcal Grace YouTube Videos

 GladYouAsked YouTube Videos

Minute studies For Your Consideration

Giving back to God

When it comes to the subject of giving money to the Lord, what does the bible have to say about this?  How much money should I give?

Well, like every subject in the scriptures, we must "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) in order to know for sure what God desires today. As we know, the way that God dealt with the Nation of Israel in time past, and the way that he will deal with that nation in the future ages to come, is quite different than how he deals with mankind today. In time past, God dealt with the Nation of Israel under the Law of Moses, and in that Law, he instituted a system of giving that would fund the running of that nation. The system that God used was a system known as "tithes and offerings."

In Leviticus 27:30-34, God tells Israel that the first 10% or "tithe" of their increase in the Promised Land belongs to him. The increase of their fields, of the trees, and of the flocks, belonged to the Lord.

He also adds in Numbers18:20-32, that the 10% or "tithe" that Israel would give to him, were to be given to his priest, the tribe of Levi, because they had no inheritance in the Promised Land, like all of the other 11 tribes did.

So in essence, the "tithes" were to come from the fruit of the ground, and of the flocks of the other 11 tribes of Israel, and given to the tribe of Levi as a sort of income tax that was used to run the nation. It was not money!!!

After all was said and done, these tithes of Israel added up to about 33% of the total fruit of the land and flocks that the farmers and shepherds of Israel produced. Add to that God's instruction that anyone in Israel could give a "freewill offering" if they chose to (Leviticus 22), and the Nation of Israel was well able to run successfully as God had intended. So it was as the Nation of Israel obeyed God's Law and gave these tithes and offerings to the Levitical priesthood, that God would supernaturally bless them and take care of them.

That is why we see the Lord rebuking Israel in Malachi 3:8-10, saying that the whole nation had robbed God of tithes and offerings, and did not bring the meat (food) to His house (the temple).

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 [food]  in mine house [Temple], 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.

It was this disobedience of Israel that brought the curse of God on their land. It was only after they began again to obey and bring these tithes and offerings to the temple that God would bless them again, and make their crops and flocks abundant again.

But all of that was God's program in time past to his then-favored nation Israel, and not instructions for us today. Today, with the change in God's program (Acts 9), God has new instructions on how his people, the Body of Christ, should give to him.

Acts 9:15

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Today, God instructs the church, the body of Christ thru the 13 letters of the Apostle Paul. God gave Paul a message of grace and not Law like he did to Moses for Israel.

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

And because we are not under the law, but under grace, tithing is not a requirement for us today.

God, thru Paul does instruct us on how to give today. God says that anyone can give to a church that preaches Christ as Paul preached him—i.e., according to the revelation of the Mystery [Romans 16:25]—by giving as God has prospered that person. That person is to give as he/she purposes in their heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity, but cheerfully (happy to do it as thanks to God for his grace).

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly [against their will], or of necessity [just to get something back from God or because the preacher said so]: for God loveth a cheerful giver [happy to do it as thanks to God for His grace]. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Earlier in 2 Corinthians, God says that how a person gives to support a ministry that preaches his grace message, proves the sincerity of their love for the Lord.

2 Corinthians 8:8

I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

In other words, they put their money where their heart is!

Moreover, the Lord commands those that are taught his word "rightly divided" to give financially to those that teach them the Word.

1 Corinthians 9:14

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel [Paul’s gospel not the gospel of the kingdom] should live of the gospel.

Galatians 6:6

Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

1 Timothy 5:17-18

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

So today in the dispensation of the grace of God, God provides for his ministry by using the gracious financial gifts of his saints.

Again, we are not under a tithing system of giving like Israel was because Israel was under the Law of God.

But today, we give money to God by supporting a grace ministry where the Word of God is taught "rightly divided" and the message of Grace is fully proclaimed. Today, our giving is by grace and not by law.

Therefore, we give whatever we decide, based on our thankfulness to the Lord for His wonderful grace.

Hopefully this helps!

_†††

_{++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?

Northern California Grace Fellowship

 Heir of God or Joint-Heirs with Christ? 

Wrongly Deriding Joint-heirs with Christ

Norcal Grace YouTube Videos

 GladYouAsked YouTube Videos

For more on tithing: Mandatory tithing

Mandatory tithing

How can a church teach mandatory tithing under a curse, being a cheerful giver, giving according to your means and that we are redeemed from the curse of the law at the same time?


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.

Great idea studying it out for yourself, and when you take an even closer look at tithing, you realize that it was not even money! Re-read the following passage: Deuteronomy 14:22-29.

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.

We are to provide money for Grace preachers and their families to live on...

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!

_†††

_{++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}

Northern California Grace Fellowship

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?