A couple times a year, I like to remind people of this.
- The OT tithe was 23.3% (see ref below).
- The OT tithe was crops/food (not money).
- The OT tithe was for landowners ONLY!
Any curse wielding OT verse - such as Malachi 3:9-10 - spoken to disobedient covenant bound farmers, does NOT apply to NT believers who hear and give from THE SPIRIT as opposed to a mandated set %.
In fact, there is ZERO NEW TESTAMENT command of 10% giving.
- Yes, God loves a cheerful giver.
- Yes, God blesses those who bless.
- Yes, God honors giving of time, self, and dollars.
- Yes, God has hard wired us as natural givers.
- Yes, God will amaze you with His goodness.
- Yes, God multiplies the fruit of the ministries we support, and Paul says that this increased growth is to our credit. Phil 4:17
No, God will **not** curse you (cut you off from His presence) if you don't drop hard cash into the offering plate.
But. We must remember that Jesus as first fruits WAS the tithe and that we too as "a kind of first fruits" are also the tithe (James 1:18).
- You are the temple of His Spirit.
- You are His church.
- You are the priest.
- You are the offering.
- You are the living sacrifice.
- You are the tithe!
The NT tithe *isn't* 10% (this rate comes from flat rent on property during the middle ages).
The NT tithe is 100%. It's everything. It's all of you AND your wallet. (See Acts 4:32-36)
Folks. When Jesus baptized you with His Spirit, yes He baptized your wallet too!
Worse. If we want to follow the law, then 23.3% is the floor, not 10%.
Yes. We were bought with a price and we belong to another to bear fruit (Romans 7:1-4). And. Our stuff belongs to another!
We give from our wallets, giftings, and hearts as led by the Spirit. That might be every last dime you have - or it might be spending time with the hurting and broken.
If the brick and mortar spent more time teaching the body of Christ how to HEAR from God instead of following a formulaic mandate - the results just might blow the barn doors off the kingdom. And. Honestly. Everything God asks us to supply into the body of Christ, HE has already provided. God never directs without supply.
We don't give until it hurts, it simply hurts not to give.
To be set free from the burden of the law, but to be bound in our heart felt, spirit led giving ... is still bondage. You are, well ... mostly free at best.
God didn’t set us free from the curse of the law by His Spirit, to then legislate our financial giving. If you aren't free TO give, you aren't really free at all! Yes. 2% bound, is still fully bound. For FREEDOM you have been SET 100% free! Gal 5:1
Folks. The offering plate isn't your RIGHT standing .... the offering upon the tree is! Giving to get, is works. Giving because you love, is sonship.
Hear. Follow. Bear fruit.
Reference:
- Tithe 1: Numbers 18:21-26
- Tithe 2: Deuteronomy 14:22-27
- Tithe 3: Deuteronomy 14:28-29