Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs

Why do you feel the need to preach the law of the tithe?

Q: Why equate giving with tithing? Why isn't the discussion of money simply about giving generously? Why do you feel the need to preach the Law?

A: I agree! The discussion about money is simply about giving generously. Ah, but what is "generously"? There are varying views on that in the Christian community. The Old Testament gives us a place to begin. And this is why there is great benefit in preaching the law. My view is that some of the moral law is still binding (Matthew 5:17-19). The law is GOOD (Romans 7:12; 1 Timothy 1:8). It is not the law that died, but I that died to the law (Galatians 2:19). So what good is the law?

1. The law REFLECTS THE MIND OF MY FATHER. How do I know what my Father wants? Read the Old Testament commands - New Testament too, of course. The Old Testament law shows me the boundaries of His desires (but not the boundaries of His love).

2. The law HELPS ME MEASURE MY PROGRESS. The law is an exam God doesn't grade! Want to know how you are doing? Compare yourself to what God required of His chosen people. God's commandments are an exam for my encouragement, repentance and trust. As Paul said the Old Testament "teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains me in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

3. The law REMINDS ME OF MY NEED FOR CHRIST. As I read God's righteous requirements in the Old Testament, I am constantly confronted with the wickedness of my heart. I see the law requiring three tithes of the Jewish people! Wow, and I complain about 10%! I see God judging the Israelites for grumbling over and over again. Oops, that sounds a lot like me. The law is a sump pump bringing up what is underground in my heart. It reminds me of the depravity of my heart and points me to my constant need for Jesus.

4. The law is a ROAD MAP SHOWING ME WHERE THE MINE FIELDS ARE. The law doesn't just tell me what to do. It tells me what NOT to do. If I listen, it tells me how to be protected and fulfilled in a fallen world.

I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. - Psalm 119:32

For more on this see "Free From the Law, But Not Against the Law".

In summary then:

I apply the Old Testament law (and New Testament law) to my actions.
I apply the gospel to my heart.

Q: Here are a few things that I never hear pastors talking about when discussing the tithe:

1. Abraham gave a tenth of the SPOILS OF WAR; he did not give based on his "gross income".

A: Abraham gave recognizing who his King and Protector was -- the one who gave him the great victory over the five kings. The Scripture you refer to does not tell us whether Abraham also tithed on his "gross income." It is silent on the issue. But Abraham certainly had some recognition of God's kingship over him (Genesis 15:2) and Abraham was sacrificing something on all of those altars he was building around Canaan. So was Isaac. And Jacob either got the idea of tithing (Genesis 28:22) from his father or from the covenants made with kings in Canaan (upon which the idea of tithing is based - 10% of your profit was typically given to the king who owned the land - for more on this see A million dollars to answer a tithe question!).

Q: 2. The Bible commands the Jews to "Eat the tithe". What is the modern day analogue to this practice?

A: There were actually three tithes required of the Jewish people (- for more on this see A million dollars to answer a tithe question!). The second tithe is the one you are referring to and was used in fellowship sacrifices (also called peace offerings) which were eaten on festival days in Jerusalem. It was like a large potluck supper -- in which the priests, all family members, and the poor attended. I would think the analogue to this would be using a second tithe to pay for worship expenses, feeding the poor in our churches, and fellowship banquets. That's a start. My wife and I have also used our second tithe to attend seminars or pay our way to mission trips.

Q: 3. Circumcision was also a practice of Abraham. And not just a practice: an "everlasting covenant" between his offspring and God. It seems that any argument made in favor of tithing using Abraham as justification could also just as well be made for circumcision. No one deals with this.

A: Circumcision is specifically set aside in the New Covenant by the apostles (Acts 11:2-3; 15:1,5; 21:21; Romans 3:30; 1 Corinthians 7:18-20; Galatians 2:3; 5:6; 6:15; etc.). Baptism now replaces circumcision (Colossians 2:11-12).

Concerning tithing, nothing is said about setting it aside. Indeed Jesus at one point said that it should continue (Luke 11:42). Silence on an issue does not necessarily mean that God's moral law has changed. (Although in the case of the tithe, I do think there has been a change.)

Q: 4. What about the passage that says to be a "cheerful giver" and not to give under compulsion?

A: Correct, attitude is important when you give. But so is obedience. I assume that if you have children, you want your children to be obedient AND to do it cheerfully. Just because they may not be cheerful does not mean you don't want them to be obedient!

Q: 5. There were 4 things the Jewish Christian New Testament church required of new gentile believers from the Old system:

-- don't eat food polluted by idols
-- don't engage in sexual immorality
-- don't eat the meat of strangled animals
-- don't drink blood

Circumcision was left off this list even though it was an everlasting covenant and so was tithing.

A: The issue in the Acts 15 passage you are referring to is whether the Greeks needed to be circumcised in order to be saved (Acts 15:1). A council in Jerusalem was convened to settle the issue. Circumcision was not required, but four stipulations were laid down in areas where Gentiles had particular weaknesses and where the Jews were particularly offended by Gentile violations. The relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians is the focus of these four requirements. It's not meant to be an exhaustive list of what principles carry over from the Old Testament to the New Covenant.

Also left off the list are: loving your enemies, prayer, being thankful and a host of over things that come from the Old Testament. Just because they are left off of the list proves nothing one way of the other. You'd have to look at other Scriptures in which the apostles speak to be sure about what continues and what does not.

Q: 6. The question is NOT, "Is it right to give?" Of course it is. Give until it hurts. But I feel it is dangerous to preach Old Testament practices to the New Testament church.

A: DANGEROUS! Paul wrote to Timothy: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:14-16). What Scripture do you think that Paul is referring to? The Old Testament, of course.

Now I agree that it is dangerous to preach the Old Testament in an unbiblical manner. But the New Testament is full of Old Testament preaching. It is how we preach the Old Testament that matters.

I would submit that not preaching the Old Testament is very dangerous. Some Christians take the Word of God and divide it up into arbitrary pieces -- periods of history. This view is called dispensationalism. Anything not in "your piece" has no impact on you, no binding authority, and can be neglected. I don't believe this is a Biblical view at all. Jesus and the apostles saw a unity between the covenants (Galatians 3:6-9,14-18,29), Gentiles being grafted into a Jewish covenant (Romans 11:1-32), and a continuing role for the Old Testament law (Matthew 5:17-19; 2 Timothy 3:14-17).

Some things do change as the covenant goes through different administrations, but the changes are made clear by the Scripture itself. When the Scripture is silent about a topic you must assume that it still has some continuing validity and force at least in principle.

Even if there was a change in giving from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible is clear that this change would be to greater giving rather than less: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). "Excel in this grace of giving" (2 Corinthians 8:7). If this is the case, preaching tithing would be LESS than what is required, not more.