Are We Commanded By God To Pay Tithe In The New Testament?
Question : Why do you think we are commanded to pay tithing? I don't think God needs our money. I think it is done to show the Lord that we are willing to put aside some of our worldly possessions to help build his kingdom!
Answer : We are not commanded to pay tithe in the New Testament, but the principle is taught over and over again by the apostles who wanted all the New Testament saints to go higher than all those people who ever lived by faith in the Old Testament times. Apostle Paul without mincing words clearly said, "7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—... 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor 3:7-12, 18). The above verses challenges all of us to go to a higher level of commitment to give to the Lord more than the Old Testament saints and become like our God who has given us His all sacrificially.
As long as we live in this earthly body, what we have is the only thing we can give to the Lord. How can we say we love the Lord for saving us and yet not move a finger to fulfill God's desire for the world through what we have? Such faith that does not have actions is a self-deceived dead faith that boasts out of religious pride (James 2:14, 17). One should humble themselves of such false spirituality before the Lord and start to give to God sacrificially out of what He has given to them, then they will receive grace of God to reign in this life spiritually (James 4:6, 10; Rom 5:17).
The amount we give to the Lord is not so important as much as the motive with which we give it. A New Covenant Christian should have a clear understanding to know that the money or anything that they give on earth to the Lord is something that the Lord has already given it to them (1 Chron 29:14, 16). God always tests our hearts spiritually through our giving and will have pleasure in the uprightness of the motives of the heart, and as a result He will give joy to the heart according to it (1 Chron 29:17). Money is the least thing through which we can show our faithfulness to God in recognizing the source as God Himself who provides for us and therefore give thanks to Him by giving Him back the first income of all we get, then also learn to fear Him more than all in our lives always by giving Him the fist place through our giving (Deut 14:23). We in the New Testament cannot play with God and money by trying to serve both, we can either serve God or money, and both cannot be served at the same time, I believe that is why what we give is the basis of our spirituality in the New Testament times. If we want the true spiritual riches that God has in store for us, we ought to learn to give to God and His kingdom more and more. Or else we will become self-deceived to serve money and think that we are serving God which will bring no eternal benefit to us for which all Christians are called to live (Luke 16:10-13). Many Christians are deceived to think these days through the erroneous health and wealth gospel that they hear many preach and do business with it using the name of God as the real one, one is misled to think that this health and wealth self-indulging gospel as the real one because they also always say give to God, no way I support such errors or deception that God has allowed in our end times to test the hearts of his people and separate the true remnant for displaying His glory. These greedy preacher men and women say give to God and you will receive more earthly benefit and blessing in return. Those who give, then give with the motive of getting more from God with greater interests and dividends. Many get disappointed with God when they don't get as they have expected and start to lose their faith which in itself shows that their greedy heart have deceived them with lies and wrong motivation (Jer 17:9). This is not sacrificial giving and has nothing to do with it. Those who give to God's kingdom should give as a sign of thankfulness for the provision of God and should give with no expectation but to receive God's provision for all their needs which are inter-wined with the good works that God has planned for them in advance (Eph 2:10; 2 Cor 9:8-9), expecting treasures in heaven for all they do and give toward God (Matt 6:19-21; 10:41-42; Mark 10:28-30). This is true New Covenant giving.
Increasing in the character of our Lord is the glory we inherit in the New Covenant and will be rewarded for it greatly in eternity with various level of honor according to the acquired level of glory (1 Cor 15:41-42, 44, 49; Heb 2:9). Tithing is a good place to start.....then we can move on to higher level of the New Covenant giving (2 Cor 9:7-12). Giving needs sacrifice and that is the essence of the New Covenant that offers us a choice to give ourselves as a living sacrifice to spend and be spent for the Kingdom of God (Rom 12:1). God expressed his love to all of us humanity that when He gave His only begotten Son, it proved to the world beyond doubt that God is serious in what He says and therefore now a part of that world now believes Jesus to be saved and be in friendship with God forever (John 3:16; 15:15). God doesn't need our money...but he needs our heart. At the same time even the Old Testament man of God David who walked in the New Testament faith supernaturally even during that time understood this concept of sacrificial giving, and therefore said beautifully, " I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God of that which costs me nothing." (2 Sam 24:24, AMP). How much more we should have the understanding of this sacrificial giving which always pleases the Lord. If our treasure is being collected in heaven, starting with tithe is a minuscule thing (Matt 6:21). If we want to go higher than the Old Covenant believers, we should start with the OT and move higher to the New Testament standard, and then we will experience the tremendous New Covenant spiritual blessings of Canaan in our soul (Isa 58:11; Eph 1:4), and also will become content having all our day to day needs met at the point of our need supernaturally by God (Matt 6:33; 1 Tim 6:6; Php 4:11, 19). Purposeful life on earth that will be heavenly rich for eternity can only be lived by learning to give to God more and more sacrificially out of love. You can never out give God because you are only giving to Him what He has already supplied to you out of His bounty (James 1:17). God doesn't need our help, but we need Him and His help always without which we will not be able to carry on in this life. So giving for the Kingdom of God is a sign of thankfulness towards God for His provisions and a practice test from God which we must willingly partake to grow spiritually and be blessed to be a blessing.
Much Blessings.....
Answer : We are not commanded to pay tithe in the New Testament, but the principle is taught over and over again by the apostles who wanted all the New Testament saints to go higher than all those people who ever lived by faith in the Old Testament times. Apostle Paul without mincing words clearly said, "7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—... 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor 3:7-12, 18). The above verses challenges all of us to go to a higher level of commitment to give to the Lord more than the Old Testament saints and become like our God who has given us His all sacrificially.
As long as we live in this earthly body, what we have is the only thing we can give to the Lord. How can we say we love the Lord for saving us and yet not move a finger to fulfill God's desire for the world through what we have? Such faith that does not have actions is a self-deceived dead faith that boasts out of religious pride (James 2:14, 17). One should humble themselves of such false spirituality before the Lord and start to give to God sacrificially out of what He has given to them, then they will receive grace of God to reign in this life spiritually (James 4:6, 10; Rom 5:17).
The amount we give to the Lord is not so important as much as the motive with which we give it. A New Covenant Christian should have a clear understanding to know that the money or anything that they give on earth to the Lord is something that the Lord has already given it to them (1 Chron 29:14, 16). God always tests our hearts spiritually through our giving and will have pleasure in the uprightness of the motives of the heart, and as a result He will give joy to the heart according to it (1 Chron 29:17). Money is the least thing through which we can show our faithfulness to God in recognizing the source as God Himself who provides for us and therefore give thanks to Him by giving Him back the first income of all we get, then also learn to fear Him more than all in our lives always by giving Him the fist place through our giving (Deut 14:23). We in the New Testament cannot play with God and money by trying to serve both, we can either serve God or money, and both cannot be served at the same time, I believe that is why what we give is the basis of our spirituality in the New Testament times. If we want the true spiritual riches that God has in store for us, we ought to learn to give to God and His kingdom more and more. Or else we will become self-deceived to serve money and think that we are serving God which will bring no eternal benefit to us for which all Christians are called to live (Luke 16:10-13). Many Christians are deceived to think these days through the erroneous health and wealth gospel that they hear many preach and do business with it using the name of God as the real one, one is misled to think that this health and wealth self-indulging gospel as the real one because they also always say give to God, no way I support such errors or deception that God has allowed in our end times to test the hearts of his people and separate the true remnant for displaying His glory. These greedy preacher men and women say give to God and you will receive more earthly benefit and blessing in return. Those who give, then give with the motive of getting more from God with greater interests and dividends. Many get disappointed with God when they don't get as they have expected and start to lose their faith which in itself shows that their greedy heart have deceived them with lies and wrong motivation (Jer 17:9). This is not sacrificial giving and has nothing to do with it. Those who give to God's kingdom should give as a sign of thankfulness for the provision of God and should give with no expectation but to receive God's provision for all their needs which are inter-wined with the good works that God has planned for them in advance (Eph 2:10; 2 Cor 9:8-9), expecting treasures in heaven for all they do and give toward God (Matt 6:19-21; 10:41-42; Mark 10:28-30). This is true New Covenant giving.
Increasing in the character of our Lord is the glory we inherit in the New Covenant and will be rewarded for it greatly in eternity with various level of honor according to the acquired level of glory (1 Cor 15:41-42, 44, 49; Heb 2:9). Tithing is a good place to start.....then we can move on to higher level of the New Covenant giving (2 Cor 9:7-12). Giving needs sacrifice and that is the essence of the New Covenant that offers us a choice to give ourselves as a living sacrifice to spend and be spent for the Kingdom of God (Rom 12:1). God expressed his love to all of us humanity that when He gave His only begotten Son, it proved to the world beyond doubt that God is serious in what He says and therefore now a part of that world now believes Jesus to be saved and be in friendship with God forever (John 3:16; 15:15). God doesn't need our money...but he needs our heart. At the same time even the Old Testament man of God David who walked in the New Testament faith supernaturally even during that time understood this concept of sacrificial giving, and therefore said beautifully, " I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God of that which costs me nothing." (2 Sam 24:24, AMP). How much more we should have the understanding of this sacrificial giving which always pleases the Lord. If our treasure is being collected in heaven, starting with tithe is a minuscule thing (Matt 6:21). If we want to go higher than the Old Covenant believers, we should start with the OT and move higher to the New Testament standard, and then we will experience the tremendous New Covenant spiritual blessings of Canaan in our soul (Isa 58:11; Eph 1:4), and also will become content having all our day to day needs met at the point of our need supernaturally by God (Matt 6:33; 1 Tim 6:6; Php 4:11, 19). Purposeful life on earth that will be heavenly rich for eternity can only be lived by learning to give to God more and more sacrificially out of love. You can never out give God because you are only giving to Him what He has already supplied to you out of His bounty (James 1:17). God doesn't need our help, but we need Him and His help always without which we will not be able to carry on in this life. So giving for the Kingdom of God is a sign of thankfulness towards God for His provisions and a practice test from God which we must willingly partake to grow spiritually and be blessed to be a blessing.
Much Blessings.....
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