Giving in the Grace Dispensation

Tithing under the Old Covenant

The “tithe,” or “tenth,”  was originated when Abram paid the priest, Melchizedek, a “tithe of all” (Gen. 14:18-20)  It later became an ordinance under the old testament law (aka, the “Mosaic” law, or the “Sinai” covenant), that required eleven of the 12 tribes of Israel to bequeath a tenth of the first fruits of the produce from the land God gave them to the tribe of Levi, who were given the priesthood in lieu of a land inheritance.  (Ref. Numbers 18:20-24)

Although there is nothing in the new testament section of the Bible that suggests anyone is libel to pay a tithe, as the children of Israel were under the old covenant, most church denominations and organizations practice some form of tithing.

Why? If there is no specific command to give a tithe,*  why is “tithing” taught in churches as an obligation for “church” members?

*Actually, those who Jesus preached to in his earthly ministry, who desired to be a disciple, were required to “sell that thou hast, and give to the poor….” (ref. Matt. 19:21-27; Luke 12:33)  and we see where that command carried over into the church at Jerusalem being established by the 12 in the first part of the Acts – (ref. Acts 2:45; 5:1-10)

I suspect it is because, very early on, ministers in the church who relied on the monetary gifts of congregants for their living came to realize, unless they wanted to starve to death, they had to charge them with paying a tithe (tenth of their earnings), and it had to be characterized as a legal obligation,  otherwise few would comply with it.

In order to further ensure that these so-called “tithes” will be paid, two other practices were added: the annual “pledge,” (a pledge of a certain percentage of one’s annual “income,” to be paid in weekly installments) and the passing of the “collection plate”.*

*Many contemporary “mega” and “giga” church congregations have now discarded the traditional plates, replacing them with buckets.

Since there is no scriptural mandate in the new testament part of the Bible to tithe, i.e. the part in which Christian churches claim contain their marching orders, most will go back to the end of the OT, in the book of Malachi, and “spiritualize”* the command there:

Mal 3:810
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.

*taking something out of its Biblical context, something written  to someone else, in another time, that is obviously meant to be taken literally, and making a “spiritual” application of it to the present time)

The ending of the legal obligation under the Mosaic law to tithe did not end the opportunity in the present dispensation to give in a pecuniary fashion.

To claim otherwise one must ignore numerous admonitions by the apostle Paul to do so. In fact, he praised the Philippian congregations for contributing to his necessity (would food and raiment not be considered necessities?), and rebuked the Corinthians for their failure to do it, (ref. Philp. 4:15-17; 1 Cor. 9; 2 Cor. 8)

Even though there is no place in the NT where a tithe is ordained, there are certainly admonitions to give and to lend support to ministries and those who minister. The first one is in the gospel of Luke. (Although this is written to the Kingdom church the Lord started in Matt. 16, not the church, the body of Christ of Paul’s epistles, it nonetheless establishes trans-dispensational principle of giving):

Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

The apostle Paul also admonished  in his letter to the Romans, to distribute “to the necessity of the saints.” (Rom 12:13) And in his second letter to the Corinthians, in a collection he takes up for “the poor saints at Jerusalem,” (Rom. 15:26) he lays down the defining principle of giving in the present dispensation:

2 Cor 9:6-12
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;

11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

And in his letters to the Galatians and Timothy, he says this:

Gal 6:6
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

1 Tim 6:17-18
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

The words communicate and distribute, within the context of these letters and passages, would mean to give/share in a “pecuniary”* fashion.

*Webster defines this as “relating to, consisting of..money”

The difference here, between what Paul commands, and paying a tithe, is the former is an opportunity to participate/support; the latter, a legal obligation.

Should a preacher/teacher use contributions received from communicants to provide for his living expenses?

Many in the grace community, including some preachers, contend that teachers, preachers and pastors should provide for their own personal necessities from a secular job or business.

If a preacher wishes to hold down a full-time job, or conduct a full-time business enterprise, that’s certainly his prerogative.   We have evidence in Acts 18 that Paul had a secular craft, (Acts 18:3) but there is nothing in Scripture, rightly divided, that says those men occupying and operating in the preaching, teaching, pastoral offices are not to use any part of the contributions they receive for personal necessities.  The apostle commended the Philippians for giving to his necessity (Philip. 4:16)  and in the letter to the Romans he said to “distribute to the necessity of the saints,” (Rom. 12:13) to give “double honour” to those elders who “labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Tim. 5:17)

In conclusion, while there is no legal mandate to the body of Christ to “tithe,” or for that matter give anything, there is availed to body saints the opportunity to participate in the ministering of the gospel by contributing with their time, talent, and resources, which would certainly include the money they are paid at their jobs or businesses. And if they choose to do this, and do it cheerfully with liberality, (2 Cor. 8:1-3) surely it is going to accrue to their heavenly reward. (Col. 3:23,24)