Is Tithing Scriptural?
I am told the pages are too long, so I shortened them up. This subject "Is Tithing Scriptural" will be posted in three parts. In the meantime, how about a little input from you folks. Drop me a line at biblebasics77@gmail. com. Now to the post!
Is Tithing Scriptural? - Part 1
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
These are wonderful words of praise sung by many congregations in concert with the offering or tithing, as it may be called. Both terms have their roots in the Old Testament. But the two, “offerings” and “tithes” are not the same.
The “offering” is first found in Genesis 4:3-4, before the Law was introduced.
In Genesis 4:3, Cain brought before God an offering which was apparently not that which God “requested.” Cain made up his own rules, the first man made rules. It would seem the offering was lifeless. It is quite possible from Cain’s whiny expressions, his offering was not more than an ear of corn or a head of cabbage from a field. Not much work to it and not much of an offering if this were so. But even if it were a dozen ears, or more, it was not what God required and he knew it, Genesis 4:5 and 4:7.
At the same time Abel brought the acceptable offering unto God, Genesis 4:4. He brought the firstlings of his flock. How many we are not told, but if the Law of Moses were in effect, it would have been “all” the firstlings of all his sheep, goats, cattle, all the clean animals spelled out in the Law. However, again, that Law had not been given yet. Abel gave as he was drawn to give.
In both of the above scenarios, the stage is set for the “offering,” the giving back to God. There was no tithe at this time.
We move ahead about 4500 years to Leviticus to find the Law of the tithe. There are many verses which may be found in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy which address tithes. They also bring out the fact that “tithing,” means 10% as a norm, but may actually be much higher. In any case, tithing is a Commandment of God under the Law given to Israel.
Christians are not under this Law, nor any other part of the Law of Moses, such as the other major misuse of the Law concerning the Sabbath. Christians serve out of love not law, Romans 3:19-20 and 7:6. And we are told directly that the Law is outmoded, Romans 10:4. Jeremiah the prophet told us it would be, Jeremiah 31:31.
Now there was this strange fellow, a king named Melchizedek found in Genesis 14:18 which is about 600 years before the Law. Abram/Abraham gave this king 10% of the “spoils” as stated in Hebrews 7:4. However, though he quite obviously could have given more, there is no given reason in scripture at this point as to why he gave anything at all, unless there was something in Genesis 26:5 to which we are not privy. At any rate, there was no tithing “Law” in effect at the time of Abraham, and this is the same today.
End of Part 1