By Olusegun Ibikunle
WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS ABOUT TITHE AND TRUE BIBLICAL GIVING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
BIBLICAL GIVING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT BY THE APOSTLE PAUL
Now let us look at what the Apostle Paul said about the Biblical giving. Why Paul? It is because the Apostle Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles – Romans 11:13 KJV “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.”
Don’t forget that the gospel moved from the Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostle Peter, and from the Apostle Peter, the gospel moved to the Apostle Paul. The doctrine for the church age today is the gospel of the Apostle Paul. Many pastors don’t know this – they lack the understanding of this because they have not gotten the revelation of it – they have not reached the dimension of the revelation of the gospel of the Apostle Paul to the church age today and to the Gentiles. The gospel of the Apostle Paul is the New Testament doctrine for the church age today by revelation.
God used the Apostle Paul to write almost three-quarters of all the books of the New Testament for the church age today. Is there anywhere in all the epistles of the Apostle Paul to the church age where he mentioned that every Christian should pay tithe of ten percent (10%)? The answer is capital and dogmatic NO.
The Apostle Paul never told us because to do so is: (1) despising the finished works of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary – and (2) going back to the Law of Moses under the Old Testament. Remember that everything in the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. For instance, the Lord Jesus Christ was born during the feast of the tabernacle, died during the Passover, resurrected during the feast of the first fruits and started His earthly ministry during the year of Jubilee – all the Laws of Moses under the Old Testament including the law of tithing and sin (trespass) offering fulfilled in Him (Christ Jesus) the reason for the New Testament – Matthew 5:17 KJV “Think not that I (Jesus Christ) am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.’ All the laws of the Old Testament were fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!! Amen!!!
We are under the grace (not under the Law), under the grace of Jesus Christ, therefore we can give more than the ten percent (10%) because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament – Romans 6:14 KJV, Romans 10:4 KJV and John 1:17 KJV “….for ye are not under the law, but under grace.. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (every genuinely born again Christian)…For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” We can give by grace.
The Apostle Paul taught that how we give is as important as what we give – that is, the measure of giving. He said in 2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV “Let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver”. This is the Biblical giving by grace in the New Testament.
Why should we give more with absolute love from our heart under the grace? We are to give more under the grace because (1) we love the Lord Jesus Christ unconditionally and (2) we are the product of His grace.
Let us read from verse 6 to verse 7 of 2 Corinthians chapter nine – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 KJV “But this I (Apostle Paul) say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
From this Scripture, let me ask you a critical question: how much are you to give? The answer from the word of God says you should give what you have decided in your heart to give – as much as you decide in your heart, that is, you give in measure of the love you have for God in your heart – you must decide in your heart how much to give without grudge or compulsion – not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Under the grace, you can give more than ten percent (10%)! You decide from your heart with the measure you love God under His grace and you give cheerfully. This is the true Biblical giving in the Bible in the New Testament. Always know and understand that no matter what you give, even hundred percent (100%) like that poor woman (widow) who gave all to God, you can never outgive God! All the genuinely born again Christian believers are the product of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am NOT writing to condemn the tithe payment in the church today but it is good to know and understand what exactly the Bible teaches correctly on tithing and everyone will be blessed and appreciate with much love what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross of Calvary.
Next week, we shall continue to look at what the Apostle Paul says about tithe and true Biblical giving in the New Testament. The essence of this publication is to make us appreciate what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross of Calvary.
For more details on this article that will bless you more and give you a deeper and better understanding of this subject by ONE TRUTH (OLUSEGUN IBIKUNLE), feel free to click and read for free this site: onetruth.com.ng