Sunday Message Summary, 29 May 2022
We are under the grace of GOD, so are we to tithe or not to tithe? The earliest example of tithe we see in the Bible is when Abraham gave a tithe of all to Melchizedek after receiving a blessing (Genesis 14:18-20). However, Abraham never lived under the law because the law came 430 years after the LORD had made a covenant with Abraham. We gather from this that the tithe was there before the law, although the law also had its own specific tithe. However, the law was abolished with everything in it, including the tithe of the law under the Aaronic priesthood, but the Melchizedek priesthood, under which Abraham gave a tithe, is eternal.
As far as we can deduce, Abraham gave a tithe, freely, willingly, and voluntarily. We Christians who are under truth and grace therefore don’t give to be blessed, but we give because we are blessed. We are already blessed (1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Peter 1:3; 1 Corinthians 3:21), so we do not give to GOD under desperation. Abraham was under no commandment, but he gave out of love, faith and in worship and thanksgiving to GOD for what He had blessed him with. Similarly, when GOD made a promise to Jacob, he freely, willingly, and voluntarily made a vow to give a tithe to GOD (Genesis 28:12-15, 20-22). Jacob gave out of faith from what he had learned from his father and grandfather. Giving out of faith is therefore from hearts that are responding to GOD.
We are blessed after the manner, in the likeness, and in following the footsteps of Abraham, who is the progenitor of faith (Galatians 3:9). Abraham is our spiritual standard of faith, who lived out of a relationship with GOD and gave a tithe out of faith, so there is nothing preventing us to do likewise. We are blessed according to the example of Abraham. We are sons and not fathers unto ourselves (Galatians 3:7), so we must follow the example of Abraham. The sons of faith give to GOD.
We Christians who are under truth and grace therefore don’t give to be blessed, but we give because we are blessed.
One Comment
Alpheus
Whenever I think I know something about giving, there comes another revelation that God will blow my mind with. Giving is of the HEART and TITHE & OFFERING is also of the heart. Tithe and offering is not something we do when we get employed, but it should be our way of life. Give our self and time to God every now and then. When we offer 10% to God, it means that in a day of 24hours God deserve to be given, 2hours and 4 minutes that He should get from us.
Tithe and offering is daily and not once off, or when we feel like it.