The Tithe | Alex Pitcher | C3 LIFE Online 7-7-24 

Thank you again for this week's message!

Malachi 3:6-10 can't be universally applied either historically or currently. It was upon the Levites, and likely the Levitical Priests, to BRING the WHOLE of the tithe items to the temple storehouse (not just select parts of it). The narrative in Malachi is confined to the nation of Israel in Malachi 1:1 and further narrowed towards the Levitical Priests in 1:6 and 2:1 who were being indicted for bringing foul offerings for sacrifices etc. It makes sense that Malachi 3:10 would be also directed specifically at the Priests for not bring the all of the tithe, likely keeping the better parts for themselves. So, no, there's no biblical, universal promise of any type of blessing for paying money to a religious institution nor is there any biblical "curse" for not doing so. Yes, tithing was a practice that predates Mosaic Law. In fact, there's historical evidence that tithing was customary in many countries prior the biblical times. However, there's no biblical evidence that the God of the Bible required any of it, including Abram's one-time honorarium to Melchizedek. If tithing were required by God at the time, Jacob would have had no latitude to make a conditional offer to tithe IF God provided as he had envisioned. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus was chastising the Pharisees while acknowledging they were adhering to the least of the temporal ceremonial ordinance of tithing under Mosaic Law while neglected what Jesus called "weightier" or more important, moral, spiritual matters that have an eternal impact. Notice the specific reference to "mint, dill, and cumin" not money. Only consumable items were accepted as a systematic tithe deliverable from either the tithe of the land or the tithe of the herd, all from within Israel. Today's version of tithing from earned wages to a religious institution has no biblical precedent so it can't be seen as an act of biblical obedience but there's nothing wrong with anyone who chooses to tithe, money or otherwise, to a church or otherwise, per their discretion. Most importantly we're free to give, not bound to pay.