Chapter 17: Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

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Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

God has thrown another issue at me for this chapter. That is the issue

of the Law. Many teachers say we are not under the Law anymore. A lot of times, these are the same Word of Faith teachers that tell you to “obey the Law” by tithing. Yet, Jesus says in Matthew 23:23 that we “ought to have tithed without neglecting the other weightier matters of the Law.” Thus,

isn’t Jesus really telling us that we need to obey the Law to some degree; at least certain aspects of it? How then can this teaching of Jesus be reconciled with the common Word of Faith teaching that Apostle Paul says we are no longer under the Law? Is Jesus giving us a clue as to which Christians he

will tell: “I never knew you, get away from me you who are lawless?”

Think about this teaching of Jesus for a moment and ask yourself this question. If we do not have to obey the Law like Word of Faith ministers and others preach, does that exclude us from Jesus’ statement that the Law

requires us to also do what is right, ensure justice, have mercy and have fidelity? Verily I say to you that Christianity has misrepresented the words of Christ concerning the Law and its teachings. How else could you explain Christ’s statement about these Law requirements? Do what is right! Ensure

Justice! Have mercy! And, have fidelity! Fidelity is simply a loyal heart for God. Ignoring the tithe issue for the moment, let me ask you this, which of these other four requirements of the Law do you think no longer matter to God and His Son? Are these four, matters of faith, or matters of legalism?

Yes, God dumped all of that on me this morning and I am wearied eyed tonight. It’s about 5:15 p.m. I will take a break; catch my breath and resume another day. I need to think about this Law stuff that God is asking

me to discuss with you. It’s pretty heady stuff, isn’t it? Before I get back, you too should take some time and think about what God’s instructions are telling you about the tithe. It is obvious that most ministers like item ten in the above list when it comes to the tithe, “Bring the tithe money to worship!”

Likewise, it is clear that they ignore item eleven, “Spend the tithe money on your heart’s desire and then worship God.” Exactly where is the instruction to give the minister the tithe money and what about the other twenty-seven items? They all reflect on the tithe, don’t they, especially Jesus’ instructions

on the Law in Matthew 23:23? It is now January 6, 2004 and I am back to write for God. Translating Moses instructions into a graphic looks like this.