Tithing For Believers - Under Grace Or Law?

TITHING FOR BELIEVERS - UNDER GRACE OR LAW?

One favourite text for promoting tithing is:

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Exactly how are we supposed to understand this, as it is often used to push believers into giving just money. Is this correct? Is it only money? What does Jesus require from us in giving?

INTRODUCTION

The regulation under the law according to which an Israelite gave to God one-tenth of his livestock and his gain from the land and more if other sacrificial requirements are figured in; annulled with the law at the cross and replaced for this age with the principle of giving with joy as believer-priests (Heb. 13:16) and in proportion to God’s financial provision (1 Cor 16:1–3; 16:2).

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

1 Corinthians 16:1-3 Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

1. BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL

a. TITHES - PAID BY ABRAHAM TO MELCHIZEDEK

Gen 14:20 “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Hebrews 7:2-6 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. 4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

b. JACOB VOWS A TENTH OF ALL HIS PROPERTY TO GOD, GEN. 28:22

Genesis 28:22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

c. MOSAIC LAWS INSTITUTING

Leviticus 27:30-33 “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the LORD. 33 He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.”

Numbers 18:21-24 “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offences against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.”

Deuteronomy 14:28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be open-handed and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.