…have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, … Hebrews 7:5The tithe is a very touchy subject in the church today. It is explosive because of one remarkable fact. A requirement to tithe is founded in the law (see above).
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:14
Jesus ended the Old Testament law of tithing as a means to find acceptance with God. He nailed this requirement and every requirement of the law to His cross. Now we are free from this mandate. No longer does the amount of our giving affect our acceptance with God. Acceptance comes with adoption.
What a burden Christians can experience if they remain under this law. The guilt of failing to tithe has kept many Christians from experiencing God’s love. Galatians 3:10 says that those who desire to stay under this law leave the liberty accomplished by Jesus and now fall under a curse. When we trade freedom for the law, we fall from grace.
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Galatians 3:10 (NIV)It is shamefully wrong to keep Christians under the curse of the law. All of us need to see how accepted Jesus made us. A requirement for tithing to add to this acceptance distorts this recognition. A wedge is driven between God and man when the rules of the law are imposed.
The subject of tithing is still taught in the church today. The fact of this requirement being part of the law is generally omitted. All the other requirements of the law are commonly done away with, but not always this one. But the damage caused by a requirement to tithe can be tremendous. The greatest harm is the untrue picture of God that is created. Instead of seeing our God of grace and adoption, He can be seen as the God who holds to rules and regulations. An imposed requirement to tithe produces a distorted view of God.
Another somber picture can be created in the eyes of the unbeliever. The unbeliever may feel the churches are only wanting their money. This keeps many from attending church. Is money worth this price? I have listened to several unbelievers express this observation. Sadly, the unbelievers can be correct. They do not desire to be yoked to more laws. Many Christians do. For some Christians, tithing can be a means for justification with God. They have kept His requirement of giving ten percent. The one’s who do not or cannot tithe can be seen by these as inferior Christians who steal from God. Tithing, like every other requirement of the law, can easily spawn self righteousness.
I remember the change in me when I tithed for the first time. The money I gave was given in a spirit of love as the Holy Spirit led me. My motive was right, but then I allowed myself to come under the law of tithing. I felt that God now owed me something. My attitude and approach toward Him changed as my self nature became evident. I had fulfilled my requirement to God and felt that God must now give back to me. Our love relationship deteriorated. It became replaced with my self righteousness before Him. I wanted what I felt He owed me. The experience taught me about the law and what it brings. The law brought a death to my relationship with God.
It is a wonderful submission to tithe as the Holy Spirit leads us, tithing ten percent or more, but it is wrong when in place of the Holy Spirit the rules of the law are imposed as a means for gaining acceptance with God. It is our heart that matters to God in our giving. Giving is one of our greatest weapons against the enemy and God’s plan for giving is founded in love, not rules. We simply follow Him.
I pray that every believer will consider the acceptance provided by Jesus and not allow themselves to be placed under the rules of the law to tithe. It is no longer what God requires of us. He accepts His children because of the fulfillment of His law. His acceptance is His grace. We nullify His grace when we choose instead His law. It is not what He wants for us. He desires instead, our love. He desires a response from us in our giving. It must be love that causes us to tithe. This is our God of grace and adoption.