DEFINITION

The tithe is 10% of our total income given to God faithfully.

SCRIPTURE READING

Genesis 14:18-20, “18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’  Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”

MAIN POINTS

  1. THE TITHE IS A SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE, NOT JUST A LAW: Before God gave the law of the tithe to Moses the principle was known spiritually by God’s people because of Abraham’s interaction with Melchizedek, Gen. 14:20.
  2. SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES NEVER CHANGE: The Bible teaches that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8.  Therefore, spiritual principles like tithing remain the same throughout all stages of time.

SUMMARY

Since the tithe was introduced before the Law of Moses it remains after the Old Covenant and into the New Covenant.

APPLICATION

  1. Be a blessing to your local church like Abraham was a blessing to the priestly king Melchizedek by giving a tenth of “everything.”
  2. Ask God to bless you and give you success like He did for Abraham, Galatians 3:9.

CONFESSION

The tithe was “implied” with Cain and Abel; “revealed” to Abraham, “established” in the Law of Moses, and is still “relevant” for today.  It comes with a “blessing and curse,” it must be “qualitative,” a “priority,” and a “faithful” practice in our lives. The tithe “advances” the Kingdom of God, tests our “maturity,” breaks the attitude of greed through “obedience,” is “mandated” for all, and brings us into “partnership” with God and His Church.