Here are four things you need to know about tithing:

1. The first mention of tithing was in response to God’s victory.

Abraham gave 10% of his income for the first time after he won a great battle. The first instance of tithing was Abraham saying that he acknowledged God as the source of his victory. For many of us, the reason why we tithe is to say God thank You.

2. It was a way of promising God.

People would promise God they would tithe after a blessing or victory. Jacob was broke when he slept with his head on a rock and saw the vision of the stairway to Heaven. He woke up and his first response was the moment I have something, I will give 10% of it to God.

3. The law of tithing

That was when God gave the law to Moses. There were actually three tithes. The first was to support the Levites and those who served in the tabernacle of God. The second was to be spent on their travels to the various festivals that Israel had; it was to be used to celebrate the goodness of God and rejoice in His presence, (Deuteronomy 14:22-28). The third tithe God commanded them to give every three years 10% or 3.3% of each year, in which they would come together to designated community points where you would come and be able to share your food and resouces with the poor, immigrants, and even the Levites. It was kind of like a food relief. This was 23.3 %, not just 10%.

4. Jesus mentioned tithing, (Matthew 23:23, Luke 18:12). In both of those instances, Jesus corrected the legalistic abuse of tithing.

There are four things I believe tithing misses. There are four truths where I believe Christians should not focus on tithing.

1. Tithing was a response of the nation Israel to God who delivered them from Egypt.
2. Tithing was focused on maintaining the ministry in the tabernacle.
3. Tithing misses the mark of discipleship.
4. Tithing is focused on percentage, not on the presence.

I believe that tithing misses the point because it is an inferior response under an inferior law and inferior covenant.

I believe what the Lord calls the church to do is not to maintain the church facilities but to use the church to reach the globe.

Israel was not given the assignment to spread their faith to other nations. In fact, they were given the assignment to stay away from other nations. We were given a job, as the church, to go into every nation, tongue and tribe!

Look at the discipleship model of Jesus. We live in response to His death for us; He died for us, the least we can do is live for Him.

Discipleship is radical. He preached if you have two coats and meet someone in need, give them one. That’s 50%!

Most of us would be comfortable believing in Jesus but we would have a difficult time following Him because following Him is not clicking a button, or subscribing to His channel. Jesus said if you want to follow me, you have to pick up your cross and die to yourself. Tithing misses that.

With tithing, you have a percentage that you give, you don’t rely on God to lead you to give.

I understand why the Lord didn’t give us a law of tithing in the New Testament because He gave us the Holy Spirit to lead us; He expects every child of God to be led by the Spirit more than the letter or percentage. You can practise tithing and never develop a relationship with the Holy Ghost. The presence of God is what a Christian should be led by. We should live by principles but be led by the presence.

Sermon by Pastor Vlad Savchuk; Blog by Edward Gardiner