Tithes II.

God instructed Abraham to circumcise every male in his household. It was a seal of the faith he had in God that separated himself and his family to God, a sanctified and blessed people, through whom God would bless the whole earth. The rest of the world was referred to as the uncircumcised. Although circumcision became a law in Israel, as did the tithe, it preceded the law of Moses (John 7:22). Nevertheless, physical circumcision has no bearing to the church of Christ whatsoever. It caused so much controversy in the early church that it would take a man with unique revelation of the nature of the gospel of Christ-Paul the apostle- to stay the bondage such an original act of faith in Abraham, but now an enforced relic of the law of Moses, would bring upon Gentile believers in Christ. (Let students of the word note that when Paul argued that the promise could not be annulled by the law which came 430 years after, he was arguing against circumcision, and not for it- even though circumcision came with the promise 430 years before the law.)

Therefore concerning the tithe, it is this revelation of Paul that we must now turn to, for it comprises the bedrock of New Testament truth- the grace of Christ, salvation by faith in Christ Jesus alone and the sufficiency of Christ for all things pertaining to life and righteousness. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. In Him, the law is accomplished. Nothing else profits anyone save faith in Christ Jesus for righteousness before God. This is what Paul discovered. (Galatians 2,3)It was the liberating truth that we call the grace of God. In Christ, circumcision would mean nothing. Peter received the revelation of the Messiah. Paul understood Christ. John received the revelation of the Word. The Messiah redeems, the Christ regenerates, so that the Word spoken from the beginning will be fulfilled.

If the land is under a curse (and it is), are those in Christ not free? If I were to give tithes so that the curse on the land, and the devourer will be rebuked, is that Christianity? Am I not under a law? and is Christ not become of no effect to me? (Gal 3:7-14)If the tithe sanctifies the rest of my income? What is the blood for? Is it enough to claim that the gospel delivers from sin and hell but not from the forces that control the earth? Do we need something else for that? Is giving to God so that the land will be blessed not like sacrificing bulls and goats so that the soul will be atoned for? Is it not what they did repeatedly, that Christ did once? If he sanctified the heavens with His blood, why is something else needed to sanctify our possessions? Does His priesthood require daily or monthly or yearly sacrifices? These are questions that need answering. (Hebrews 7:21-28; 9:22-28)

There is an Old Covenant and there is the Law of Moses. The Old Testament is more than the Law of Moses. It includes the Adamic, the Noahic, the Abrahamic and the Mosaic Covenants. It is true that the tithe is not just about the law, but about Covenant. The question is- which Covenant? The Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8), but before the fullness of time came, sacrifices were offered to atone for the soul. They were offered in the law, but preceded it in Abel. Abel offered, and God acknowledged him for it (Heb 11:4)but today Christ is the slain Lamb, and His blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Heb 12:24)! These relationships in Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Barak, Jephthah, David, are a shadow; the substance-Christ was coming. Indeed they rejoiced to see this New Covenant. Abraham did, and rejoiced (John 8:56). Oh, David saw it mightily, and even partook of grace, but the fulness was not, until Christ (Acts 2:25-36), God having provided something better for us, so that they without us should not be made perfect! (Hebrews 11:40)

Why is this covenant better? It is because it is fool proof, tamper proof, being made of God in Christ on our behalf. Neither did we make it, nor can we break it. It is finished in Christ. He is indeed our High Priest, but He is both Priest and the Sacrifice- the Lamb of God. He is the Firstfruit, the Firstborn from the dead, and of every creature. He is our Sanctifier, the First Part that sanctifies the whole. He is the Seed. He is  our Sabbath-rest. This was done before Adam was formed, which the Old Covenant foreshadowed until the fulness of time. There is an Adamic covenant but Christ is the last Adam, and all that God started in Adam ended in Christ's death. Christ redeemed us and justified us from all things. Nothing can be added thereto or taken therefrom.

It may seem like one is trying to unduely spiritualise things, but that is exactly what being circumcised in the heart sounded like to the Jew Christians- "....in the heart??! What does that mean? Excuse me!" (or Excise me!).And every student of the word would agree that Christ has justified us from all things (Acts 13:39), and with Him we have all things (Romans 8:32). We are blessed, and cannot be cursed. Not if we stand in Christ. So what do we do about giving? Some people act as if Christ liberates us from the law so that we can do as we please. That is false. Christ liberates us so that we can be free to serve him, The New Testament is not about faith alone or works alone, but faith that works, and real living faith- it works by love. which is the last part of this matter.