Ever get a divine revelation from God? It's awesome! I had been researching the tithing issue for a long time. I considered myself a tither. However, the ongoing pulpit dialogue from brother Bill seemed less concerned about what God had to say about the issue and more concerned about using this "issue of faith" as a money making activity. Worse yet, it was becoming a modern day "give-to-get" prosperity focus for a lot of faith Christians who needed something more tangible (than the Spirit) to grab on to. You know, the "magic bullet" for all of the problems of life. It was even becoming a "litmus test" for "real Christians" in a lot of faith churches. Nothing else seemed to matter as long as you were a faithful tither. God takes care of tithers (so the message goes)! Besides, the Pastor wouldn't lie and these are complicated matters. What about being a cheerful giver and where does the Lord come in when we have problems to deal with in life?
It was the desire of my heart to fully understand what God wanted out of me in this regards. And, when your heart is fully committed to God -- it is your heart's desire to please HIM and to dwell in HIS Holy presence. I had been quoting Matthew 23:23 in support of tithing by pointing out that Jesus said we ought to tithe. Did He really say that or had I been misled? God was challenging my understanding of that particular scripture.
One Sunday, I was driving towards a new faith church that I wanted to visit. Earlier, I had listened to Mac, a televangelist in Minneapolis, who stated unequivocally that anyone who didn't think that the tithe was of the New Testament had not really read his Bible. Of course, the message was that you needed to "get right with God by tithing." Which, of course, was to bring 10% of your gross income to the church. How can you expect anything from God if you don't respect God's tithing laws? That's where blessings start! Then there's the infamous: "Do you want a gross blessing or a net blessing" which got brother Bill rather excited at times when he discussed the issue of everyones after tax take home pay. I remembered Matthew 23:23 and how God had been giving me some new insight into its meaning. Confused again and having some mild respect for Mac as a Bible teacher, I ask God on the spot while driving: "God, is it true what Mac said on television?"
Then suddenly . . .
There was God's awesome presence. He made a strong and immediate impression on my mind and reminded me of HIS Holy Word which directly contradicted Mac's message. All I could hear was: "It's of the Law. It's of the Law. It's of the Law." It seemed to go on for several minutes and I remember looking around thinking someone was talking to me. But, there was no one in the car with me. God was reminding me of His Words in Matthew 23:23 which now, by Divine revelation, took on a whole new meaning for me. Let's read His Words from the Amplified Bible.
Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you give a tenth of your mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected and omitted the weightier (more important) matters of the Law -- right and justice and mercy and fidelity. These you ought [particularly] to have done, without neglecting the others." What others? Other matters of the Law!
The revelation is that God has told us in Matthew 23:23 that tithing is of the Law! That's right, brother Mac, tithing is of the Law! It is right there in Jesus' own Words. Score: Jesus 1, Mac 0! You will find it in all the different versions of the Bible. Tithing is of the Law. Plain and simple! It's the Words of Jesus, Himself!
If you really have the King in your heart through the blood of Jesus and His salvation -- you are no longer under the Law! That includes tithing which Jesus says is part of the Law. Let us read a few words from Galations.
Galations 2:19 Amplified "For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the Law] have [in Christ's death for me] myself died to the Law and all of the Law's demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God."
Galations 2:4 Amplified "[My precaution was] because of false brethren (some men who were Christians in name only) who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses]. Brother Mac, do you seek to place God's kids into bondage again under the Law?
"For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery
to put you once more in bondage ..." Romans 8:15 Amplified Bible
Study the Word of God and stop being deceived;
Ask your Pastor to teach on Deuteronomy 14: 23-29.
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