THE LAW
Before doubters can understand Tithing they need to first understand certain things in the Bible. The issue here is that an ordinary man can not come fully into completeness of the things of God. I pray God give you sense to discern both right and wrong. It is important you know that God at different times gave Laws and Commandments to different prophets regarding the situation of things.
For this reason i am going to take this lesson in six different parts. 1. The Law, 2.Tithing, 3.The Law of Sin And Death, 4.The New Covenant(Grace), 5.The Importance of The Holy Spirit, and 6.Giving.
THE LAW
There are various Laws that God gave to Moses at different point in time in his time as a prophet. However, Christ came and made it easy for us all. Some of these laws are Covenanted Commandments and Laws. The ones Christ refined has nothing to do with the regular Tithe and Offering.
The Law that Hebrews Seven referred to is the law that originated from the book of Exodus 12. During the Passover of the Lord that He had with the children of Israel in Egypt, the Lord gave Moses Laws that has to do with the killing of Lamb etc. After that God said to Moses that the sign of His Passover shall be a Feast that the Israelite would keep through out generations. (Exodus 12: 1-13).
In Exodus God by Himself set the Israelite free from the hands of the Egyptians. When the people saw that they had been delivered, they forgot all that the Lord did for them and continued in Sin. The children of Israel always sinned against God immediately after a sin is been forgiven, another would take place.
This act became their life style because they understood that God is a covenant keeping God. The way to blot out Sin then was by the shedding of blood. They would kill a Lamb, goat and all that, and present a Sin offering, Burnt offering, before the Lord asking God for mercy. It became a usual life style for them. They were never appreciative to what God was doing for them. Always rebelling against God.
At a time God kept correcting them yet they kept rebelling and the Lord said to them in Isaiah "The Lord said, “Earth and sky, listen to what I am saying! The children I brought up have rebelled against me. Cattle know who owns them, and donkeys know where their master feeds them. But that is more than my people Israel know. They don't understand at all. You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him. Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick. From head to foot there is not a healthy spot on your body. You are covered with bruises and sores and open wounds. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged. No medicine has been put on them"(Isaiah 1:2-6).
This Law gave the children of Israel willingness to keep rebelling because they know that God is a merciful God and He does not break covenant. The law could still not implant the word of God in the mind and heart of the people. They don't ever remember what God said to them. And at that time, God uses a Vessels to speak to the people.
That could even be one of the reasons the people found it very difficult to keep and obey His laws. The law could not bring the people into completeness of the word of God. Why, because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of Sin. "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission"(Hebrews 9:22). The blood of Lamb, goat, bulls, etc could not bring remission so there was a need for a New Covenant to be established.
This New Covenant came not to abolish the Laws and Commandments of God according to what Jesus said "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill"(Matthew 5: 17). Jesus came to fulfill the law by canceling the one that couldn't save mankind and replace it with the one that will bring Salvation to mankind. The Laws that have to do with the Shedding of Blood of bulls, lamb, and all that, couldn't save mankind instead it brought them into The Law of Sin and Death.
The truth is that, you can not read Hebrews Seven without reading Eight and Nine through Twelve. Infact you have to read it from chapter one. Apostle Paul in Hebrews Chapter number Six, told us about how Jesus was made an High Priest after the order of Melchizedek(Hebrews 6:20). Then in Chapter Seven Apostle Paul went further explaining to us who Melchizedek was and made us to realized that he had no mother, no father, no brethren, no sidlings, Infact, nobody knew the beginning of Melchizedek and his end. But he was known as King of Righteousness and the kind of Salem meaning king of Peace.
This Melchizedek was a man Abraham paid is tenth of all the things recovered from war to, as a sign of Testimony and Appreciation for what God has done, after he defeated Chedoraomer King of Elam and other kings who kidnapped the people of Israel including Lots and took also the belongings of the Israelite. Melchizedek met Abraham when he came back from war and gave thanks to the promise who is the creator of heaven and earth that delivered their enemies into their hands(Genesis 14:19-20).
Apostle Paul after explaining and letting us know who Melchizedek was, from his explanation, one can liken Melchizedek to be Jesus.(Hebrews 7:1-3). Apostle Paul also explained to us how Tithe was been paid during the days of Abraham. He went further to let us know that even the Levi's were receiving Tithes in the days of Abraham according to God's commandment.
When the Levi receive Tithe they also pay Tithe out of the Tithe that was received to Abraham been the High Prophet then and Abraham would pay his Tithe to Melchizedek, the King of righteousness and King of peace(Hebrews 7:5-9).
Following the above explanation I would say that Tithing is to be paid to Pastors and as a person, if you can not pay your Tithe to your pastor, look for God and pay the Tithe to Him directly. God's Laws and Commandments must stand. Tithing didn't start from the days of Moses. Tithing started from the days of Abraham. It has nothing to do with Blood Shedding and killing of goats, lamb, and bull. It has nothing to do with the Law that Jesus came to cancel.
Apostle Paul still explained to us in Hebrews Seven that because the Law couldn't save the people their was a need for a new Covenant that could bring man into the completeness of God's will and purpose. The Lord already told the people in Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."
Another reason was that of all that Moses gave he said nothing concerning the house of Judah and Jesus came from the house of Judah. Jesus became a High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec(Hebrews 7:10-28).
After the whole matter, the better understanding came in Hebrews Eight "Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more"(Hebrews 8:9-12).
This Scripture takes us back to Exodus 12. How God by Himself saved the children of Israel yet they refused to keep His covenant. Now, the new Covenant God decided to implant His laws and Commandments in our heart so we will know Him for ourselves. You do not need anyone to tell you about Him. This is to bring us into completion of the will of God according to Ephesians 1:4, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
This new Law cancelled the Shedding of Blood of bulls, lamb, goats, and all that, because Christ Shed His own Blood for us for the remission of Sin. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"(Hebrews 9:12-14). In order for us to walk in Perfection. In order for us to be presented back to God in holiness, love and without blame. Jesus placed the Law in our heart in order for us not to forget the Laws and Commandments of God.
In all, it means that the Grace is bigger than the Law. For the grace is not cheap. By implanting the Laws, every man must work out his own Salvation. You don't need to wait for anyone to talk to you about Christ. You must know Christ for yourself. The new Covenant made the Holy Spirit available to all. The Holy Spirit is to bring us into remembrance of all that Christ has thought us.
With the new Covenant all that the Prophets thought us and that Jesus also thought us will be explained to us easily through the help of the Holy Spirit present in our lives. Indeed Jesus didn't abolish the Law and the Prophets as He said in Matthew 5:17, but He actually came to fulfill them. The Covenant cancelled the Shedding of Blood and Christ gave us His own Blood that will speak for us till eternity and made the Laws and Commandments of God to stand.
Every man must obey God. Live a holy life and be without blame. That is the essence of the new Covenant and even the old Laws is bonded on obedience to God which the children of Israel failed at all times. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation"(Hebrews 9:26).
Christ said "I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God"(Hebrews 10:7). Anyone that must come under this new law must be Born Again.(John 3:3,7). For the Grace is not cheap and does not dwell in Sin. The grace helps you to know all about God the father and Christ our Lord. Hebrews 10:28-29, made it very clear to us that "Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
It is important you always remember that the Lord said "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it"(Isaiah 55:11). God is not a man that He will lie. He is the Lord, He change not.(Malachi 3:6).
I will continue with Tithing in my next post.
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