Ok, so this is out there and I don’t want people to be deceive by the modern heresy that is being echoed.

There is a growing number of proponents that are yelling that tithing is not directly commanded in the New Testament. Yeah, well neither is watching TV, spending money on your own pleasures, playing sports, and the likes - but you don’t seem to have a problem there.

Even though there is no direct command to TITHE, there are plenty of examples to the practice in the New Testament gentile church. Anything else is just a play on words.

Y’shua, in condemning the scribes and pharisees, told them that justice, mercy, and faithfulness is more important than tithes. YET, He also made sure to clarify not to leave the tithes undone.

Yes, Yes, I know, Y’shua was talking “mint, dill, cumin”. Your throwing out context and making another play in order to hang onto your god. The original money of the temple were these natural things that were grown. Not cash as we know today. As we moved closer to the New Testament times, the temple took on temple money that people exchanged to from their national money, then they used the temple money to purchase sacrifices that they did not bring with them on the long journey. This was wrong and why Y’shua drove out the money changers (Matt 21:12-13). Notice... MONEY changers. It was not that they were using money that was wrong but rather that they were charging a tax for money exchange and they were selling sacrificial animals within the temple. In fact, money was so NOT wrong that Y’shua praised the widow when she put in her two mites (Mark 12:42-43).

What practice did we see with the gentile church? Paul said to the Corinthians, “Each one MUST GIVE as he has decided in his heart”. He said that “God LOVES a cheerful GIVER” (2 Cor 9:7). We give what is decided in our heart because it’s by the heart that one knows where their treasure is (Matt 6:21; Matt 15:8). Paul said EACH MUST GIVE; and how you give tells where your heart is. If you have money, if you are living in comforts, entertainment, fulness of food, and you give very little or none, your treasure is your money and NOT God. This statement was building upon his instruction in his previous letter that told them to store up each week for when they (the apostles) come (1 Cor 16:2). This is not food, for food would spoil from one time to the next of Pauls travels to Corinth - this is money. The statement of 2 Cor 9 comes on the heals of Paul giving praise to the church in Macedonia about their joyful giving, even in their poverty; their giving beyond their means (2 Cor 8:1-3).

The author of Hebrews uses Abraham’s giving to Melchizedek as an example of our giving today. In Hebrews 7:8 he puts the parallel together talking about how this works today. Here mortal men (Levites) receive tithes, but there he (He who? the one whom it is witnessed that He lives - Y’shua) receives them (receives what? Tithes, the context of the entire portion of the letter from verse 1-10).

It's not that Christ actually receives the money but rather the money is used for His purpose in the love of those in need. When we give to those in need, it is attributed as giving to Christ. The author was probably pulling from the parable of the sheep and goats in Matt 25. The purpose of the tithe in the New Testament would be the same as the purpose of the tithe in the Old Testament. It provided for the needs of the priest (Numbers 18:21) and provided for those in need (Deut 26:12).

The purpose of providing for those in need is not passed. In fact, while the collection was taking only every three years in the Old Testament, in the New Testament its continual. If you belong to God, your money is NOT yours (Acts 4:32). So, work “SO THAT” you have money to give to the poor (Eph 4:28). After we have gotten what we NEED in life (thats NEED), we are to help others in need with the remainder of our resource (1 Cor 8:13-15). This is not JUST a New Testament principle but an Old Testament principle as well. This is what we were seeing in those putting in their abundance (Luke 21:1-4). Y’shua was not looking down on those who put in the abundance, this is what was suppose to happen, Y’shua was lifting up the woman who put in even though she should have been taking out. Paul told the Corinthians that tithing was not commanded but it was a TESTING, a proof, of their heart in their love for their neighbor in need (1 Cor 8:8). This takes us back to the verse, where you heart is, there is your treasure. If you do not love your neighbor as yourself, you are not fulfilling the great commandment. If you are not willing to give up your extra resources for God, there is great concern.

Unfortunately, there is a group of money loving heretics that rather teach that giving is done away with; even though, EVEN THOUGH, its obviously practiced within the New Testament and among the gentile churches. And, their very fight not to give makes them the very subject of the rich young ruler who refused to part with his money to help those in need.

Now, I will say, many churches (not all, but probably most), take pleasure in receiving your money not just to provide for the church and the pastor but to supply abundantly to the church and pastor. The pastor is living VERY nice (again, this is not all) and the church is using the abundance to provide better entertainment for the congregation (that’s probably most). And, very few churches today, especially in America, do anything to help those in need or to help disciple the lost. Now, to this, no tithe should be given. In fact, if the church is not doing it’s God given duties to train the people to, and actively pursue, teach the lost and help those in need then it’s a dead church and you should move on to one of the few that follows Scripture in it’s service and in it’s giving of it’s resources.