A New Standard – Malachi 3:10

Wake Up Call

Some say we are not called to tithe in New Testament times. Malachi 3:10 says,”‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” but isn’t that the old law? Where does it say to continue tithing in the New Testament?

Rather, isn’t our new standard this: ‘Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver”? (2 Corinthians 9:7) That’s fine but what should a cheerful giver purpose to give?

I have an idea. Remember the poor widow that made her way into the treasury and put two small copper coins in the box? (See Luke 21:1-4) Maybe she can be our example. She didn’t tithe the required ten percent. No, rather she gave one hundred percent of her income.

The thing is, I think the New Testament is not so much eliminating the tithing requirement as it is raising the bar on giving. Ten percent is such a small amount that Jesus invites us to go way beyond it — cheerfully and not grudgingly.

What if Christians stopped stewing over whether they really still have to tithe? If we all acted more like that poor widow we could eliminate the need to further discuss it.

 

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