Expert: John of AllFaith - 3/17/2009

Question
QUESTION: In the post i read your answer to the man who wrote in about tithing and in your answer you quoted Mal and what my question to you is why don;t you quote some new testment scriptures on tithing as if this is a mandatory requirement then it will be a subject spoken about many times in the new testment by the apostles as is every other subject such as faith and being born again and giving and forgiving and attitudes .  I am asking you to give me four or five places in the new testment where the subject of tithing is discussed by Jesus and the apstoles who were responsible for teaching the truth and training the new church in the right things etc. Thanks for the chance to ask you these questions. Regards Linda :)

ANSWER: Hi Linda,

Sure,

Matt 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.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Tithing was supposed to be Jewish income tax but by the time of Jesus it had become a statement of personal egotism. God is not interested in tithes. He wants the heart.

Note the following. There is a difference between laws and principles. Christians are not under the Law.

Hebrews 7  
1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Here we have a long description explaining that tithing was part of Jewish Law and that we are not under that Law but under Grace.

Should Believers give? Absolutely! But not in order to fulfill some law (as the Jews gave to the priests) but as freewill offerings.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Christians are under the "law of grace," not the "law of Moses" and there is no verse in the New Testament requiring Christians to tithe.

Matt 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

Christians are commanded to give not 10% to God but everything to Him. I Cor. 10 is talking about foods but the teaching is the same:

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

In order to say that Christians are required or prohibited to or from anything scripture must be presented.

Note what Paul says to the Galatians:

Galatians 3  
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Christians are not under the Law of Moses, including tithing.

So, my question in all such issues is where are Believers commanded to do this or that? Where are we commanded to tithe?

The answer: We aren't.

Hope this helps,
~ John of AllFaith

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the answer and I thought that you disagreed with tithing ? So i was suprised that you don't agree that it is mandatory like many christians do. I like you can not find any scriptures which straight out speak of new testment christians tithing so I'm puzled as to why they preach it and why it is such a strong downfall to so many christians ? How can so many people be so decieved and pass it on to so many new christians ?? Is it because it is to do with money? I can't believe that so many good pastors and christians can be under greed so it's puzled me for some time as to why this is such a stronghold in so many churchs ?

Answer
Hi,

You: Thanks for the answer and I thought that you disagreed with tithing

JoA: I do disagree with requiring people to tithe. 10% is a good place to start and does have scriptural authority, its just not a requirement for non-Jews like Christians.

You: I'm puzled as to why they preach it and why it is such a strong downfall to so many christians ?

JoA: Money.
The early Catholic Church outlawed the reading of the Bible for non-priests and established many unbiblical traditions. Some of these were rejected by the Protestants, like the selling of indulgences while others, like tithing, were maintained.

It costs money to operate churches and so most Protestant churches kept this unbiblical doctrine as a way to protect their financial stability. Many did/do this with perfectly good intentions. Adding support to this is the erroneous view that the Church is the "New Israel" and therefore required to observe many of the Jewish Laws (while ignoring others...).

You: How can so many people be so decieved and pass it on to so many new christians ??

JoA: Much of Nicean Christianity is unbiblical. People pass on what they received and never question. Why do most Christians worship on Sunday (the day of the Roman Sun God Sol Inviktus) when the Bible gives the Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) as the proper day of worship? Why do most Christians place Christmas trees in their homes and churches when the Bible directly forbids them? Why do they celebrate the feast day of Goddess Eaostar (from which we get the word Easter) and her fertile bunnies when commemorating Jesus' death and resurrection? The list is quite long.

People grow up with certain beliefs and they seldom question them. If they do question at all its usually, "should I go to church" rather than "what does the Bible actually teach?" And those who do ask this question and seek understanding almost always do it with "study aids" designed to teach established beliefs. Very few people sit down and actually study the Bible.

Hope this helps,

~ John of AllFaith