TITHING
by: Brother Boy Jose,
Gospel Minister
Host: Katotohanan ay Kalayaan Radio Broadcast
| English | Tagalog |

We cannot deny the fact that during the time of Levitical Priesthood, the Jews were obligated to give the tithes of their harvest because it was commanded to them by God. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal.3:10).

However, when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and gave His life and shed His blood, (which started His being the Chief Priest) Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles or any of the other apostles, never preached about obligated tithing. In Hebrews 7:12, we find that “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” and therefore, PRIESTHOOD WAS CHANGED FROM THE LEVITES TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is very clear that His Priesthood is according to the order of Melchisedec and not according to the order of Aaron who is a Levite. “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?” (Heb.7:11)

During the priesthood of Melchisedec, there was NO OBLIGATED nor COMPELLED giving of the tithes. Although Abraham gave tithes, it was NOT IN OBEDIENCE to any command or law (because there was no law for him to give the tithes) but he gave the tithes freely out from his heart.

On the other hand, during the priesthood of Aaron or Levitical Priesthood, mandatory or compelled tithing must be observed among the Jews. According to these clear and simple truth, we could say that it is not God’s will for pastors and preachers to preach to Christians OBLIGATED or COMPELLED giving of the tithes because that would be putting the Priesthood of our Lord not according to the order of Melchisedec but according to the order of Aaron. In 2 Cor. 9:7, Paul the Apostle preached to the Corinthians: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” It did not mentioned to give according to the volume of your harvest nor amount of your wages nor earnings but as he purposeth in his heart. In that case, if a Christian, purpose in his heart to give 10% of his earnings, it will be acceptable to God, he will be likened to Abraham who gave tithes freely and not of necessity, not obligated, during the priesthood of Melchisedec. This is the blessedness of the doctrine of giving because it is according to the very Word of God.

Therefore, we can see very clearly and could even say with audacity that under the Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is NO OBLIGATORY TITHING. This is the guiding principle of God in matters of giving. However, the Apostle Paul has reminded us in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

We just need to have a right heart in giving because as Paul the Apostle said in 1 Cor.13:2-3, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understands all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned , and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”