4.3. TITHING AFTER THE LAW

Matthew 23:23 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

Although Jesus challenged the Pharisees, in the gospel, about their tithing, tithing is never mentioned again after the resurrection. Tithing does of course, provide the framework for grace giving. Principles of grace giving are stated in:

1 Corinthians 16:1-4 "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. ² Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. ³ And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. ⁴ And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me."

Paul told the Lord's people to have a good plan to ensure that their commitment to give would be fulfilled. They could give because they personally had the means in store. So Paul, to fulfill their pledge to the Jerusalem offerings for the needy, gave a three point plan, namely:-

	Give Regularly - set aside money each week.
	Give Worshipfully - make the offering a part of the Lord's Day worship.
	Give Proportionately - in the amount given, give according to the amount earned.

Here, the guideline of Old Testament tithing could be followed. The plan on giving follows Paul's teaching of the resurrection in Chapter 15. Notice chapter 16 opens with the word "Now." Having dealt in wonderful revelation with the resurrection, "now" he gives teaching on giving, showing its importance in living out our faith.

Generosity is taught and encouraged in 2 Corinthians 8:1 to 9:15. Christian sacrificial giving is a grace that is the power of God's love at work in the Christian life to do God's work. From Paul's teaching on stewardship using the Macedonians' example, learn:-

2 Corinthians 8:1 "Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:"

2 Corinthians 8:2 "How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy ..."

2 Corinthians 8:2 "... and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality."

2 Corinthians 8:3 "For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,"

2 Corinthians 8:4 "Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." (KJV)

2 Corinthians 8:5 "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."

2 Corinthians 8:7 "Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also."

2 Corinthians 8:8 "I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love."

2 Corinthians 8:11,12 "but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.¹² For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have."

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: ¹⁴ But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: ¹⁵ As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack."

2 Corinthians 8:16-22 "But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. ¹⁷ For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. ¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; ¹⁹ And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: ²⁰ Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: ²¹ Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. ²² And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you."

2 Corinthians 9:2 "for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority."

2 Corinthians 9:3,4 "Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; ⁴ lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting."

2 Corinthians 9:5 "Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation."

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁷ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: ⁹ (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. ¹⁰ Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) ¹¹ Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God."

2 Corinthians 9:12 "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;"

2 Corinthians 9:13,14 "while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you."

2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"