Is tithing a relevant principle to a church founded on Christ?
Jesus never once spoke about tithing, and the Bible doesn’t mention tithing in the New Testament at all. Why then do churches still rely on what is in Malachi or the fact that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Old Testament)?
The Bible says God loves a cheerful giver so shouldn’t we then give this way, and not out of an ‘obligatory’ 10% each week/month?
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Whatever is a commandment of God, Jesus would not reverse. For example, many people don’t know the feast of the tabernacle being a commandment of God Jesus had to observe. So certain things Jesus would not change.
Tithing became a doctrine of necessity because Abraham brought a tenth of what he had, but in the beginning God didn’t ask for it.
Most people keep giving tithes but they don’t benefit from it because they don’t understand the concept of tithing.
Tithing is no longer a doctrine of necessity but of free will. The original intention of Abraham was to freely give to God.
When you are obliged to give, your mind has not said you should give. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” (Galatians 6)
Look at the “giving” in the New testament church. Can people today give like they did in Acts 4:32-37? Is this something we can do?
Jesus did not talk about tithing because it is right. Why would He come to talk to us about what is right when He is the Saviour? He saves us from what is wrong. What He taught about tithing is the mentality. People because they paid tithes, felt that God was indebted to them but that is not so. Jesus came to change the mentality. God gave the command to pay tithes, so Jesus needed not to address it.
Let’s go back to Galatians 6 From verse 5 to 7. Who do you give your tithe to? The new testament is the harder testament to follow.
The mentality of the days of Moses was beyond. People gave so much that Moses had to say it is enough. In the days of David they did the same thing. After the prophets, people came. Jesus saw their mentality. People were not giving because they love God, they were giving because of men. Jesus came to correct the mentalities that came from the Pharisees who had pride because they paid tithes. Giving tithes has no essence of pride.
Jesus taught the mentality that was correct. Luke 17:8-10 Don’t because you have done what God commanded say that it gives you the right to stand in His presence.