Month: November 2018

Now if you cannot recall Malachi 3:10 by memory, then this note is most likely not for you. lol

However, if you recall Malachi 3:10 by memory, then you have had a desire in your heart to stay reminded of the Holy Tithe in your life.

Now as long as I can remember, the Holy Tithe has always came with a condition. At least with the churches that I have been associated with that is. Some place guilt trips, some say you are stealing from God and some will argue about the tiniest issues of whether it should come from the net income or the gross. lol.

A pastor once said that a church member asked if a certain attire was okay to wear to church and the Pastor’s gentle response is that if you question anything on whether it is appropriate or not, its probably not appropriate.

And to me, that goes with the heart of giving. Love is the fulfillment of the law. What is given out of love, does not need to be understood, just received and given with thanksgiving and compassion.

But for all of us who are “left brainers” that need to understand how it all suppose to work together for the good of them that “love” God, let me give you a biblical break down on what any giving, including the Tithe was suppose to produce.

So the big question is if the Old Testament laws still apply?

Yes, the only thing that changed post Calvary was that these laws moved from being written externally on scrolls and tablets of stone to that internally of human hearts. It changed from an era of “having to” to “wanting to” be obedient. Because obedience without love becomes Religion.

2 Corinthians 3:3

“Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.”

Proverbs 3:3

“Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

Jeremiah 31:33

“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

DEUTERONOMY 15:10

“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.”

DEUTERONOMY 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.”

1 CHRONICLES 29:9

“Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.”

MATTHEW 17:26

“24After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25“Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” 26“From others,” Peter answered, “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

MATTHEW 6:3-4

“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

2 CORINTHIANS 9:7

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

1 CORINTHIANS 16:2

‘On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

2 Corinthians 3

The Glory of the New Covenant

1Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our^a hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.

4We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

7The old way,^b with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!

12Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

16But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

Summary:

So in summary, the promises of the Old testament including Tithing were great but the promises of Calvary were even greater.

Old Testament Laws and promises came with expectations. However post Calvary, God’s love became NON or un-conditional, because this is how “grace” is defined.

The sacrifice God made where He gave us His Son PAID all debts in FULL.

In fact, if there is any debt left outstanding, it is only the debt to love one another with this same un-conditional love.

If we address each others heart, then the works will eventually follow.

If obedience has not come, then don’t push for it more than we push for love. We wait on love because God is love.

Finally,

Tithing will NOT unlock more grace. However loving others will and by this same love, we had fulfilled and surpassed any expectations that God’s Laws were suppose to produce.

There is so much more I will post on this blessed topic, but felt that I needed to post what I have so far.

Remain blessed, your brother in our war against sin,

Ray Evangelista