Chapter 12
Christ Versus Moses
12. Excuse Twelve: “I do not tithe because the law of tithing belongs to the law of Moses which was annulled by Christ.” We answer: the ‘tithing law did not originate or end in the law of Moses. It was brought into existence because of a need which existed long before Moses; and the need still exists, and is much greater than ever before. The law of tithing was practiced without question, as an accepted law, without reason for explanation, long before Moses’ time. Abraham paid tithe to the “priest of the most high God”, and we are the children of Abraham. “Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”Gal. 3:7. After careful study the writer is convinced that Melchisedec, “the priest of the most high God,” to whom Abraham paid tithes was none other than Jesus Christ himself. The confusion concerning the identity of Melchisedec is due to the fact that both human and Divine attributes were ascribed to him, which are possible only to Jesus Christ. Read carefully Hebrews seven andnote the many Divine qualities ascribed to Melchisedec, such as “Like unto the Son of God,” “highpriest forever,” “without father or mother,” “having neither beginning nor end of days,” greater than Abraham, etc. Christ who received the first tithe in the Old Testament, said in the New Testament,”This ye ought to have done.” Jesus Christ was as present in the Old Testament as in the new, –“the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Christ did do away with the ceremonial law which was a substitute for Christ, but he fulfilled and confirmed and established all moral law by precept and example. “Do we then makethe law void through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3:31. The law of tithing is a part of the first command, — showing our love to God. “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God” –not rob Him.
If the law of tithing was annulled, who did it, why was it done, and where is the record that it was annulled? We answer:
All acknowledge God as the author and giver of the law of tithing, Has God annulled that law? Nay, verily. He gave the law in the early dawn of history and repeated it all down through theyears to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Malachi, by Jesus Christ, and to the early Church, The greatest and best men of all time have gladly accepted and practiced the law of tithing as binding and necessary. “I am the Lord, I change NOT; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed – – Bring ye ALL the tithe into the storehouse.” Mal. 3:6,10. “I change not. Bring all the tithe into the storehouse.” GOD HAS NOT ANNULLED THE TITHE. Malachi, the third Chapter is an outline for the Holy Ghost dispensation. Read it all carefully.
If the tithe was annulled, WHY was it done? Is it no longer needed? Ah, if it was needed when the Jews were forbidden to go outside their own nation, what about it now when the command is to “Go ye into ALL the world and preach the gospel to EVERY creature.” It will take”ALL the tithe” to send the gospel into “ALL the world.” When wickedness is thriving as never before, and the devil is rushing his millions into the damnation of the world by the liquor traffic, the filthy movies, fashion, evil habits, etc., is it not time for the Christian Church to awake and finance its program for the salvation of the world? There is every reason that the tithe should be doubled by offerings, but not one sane reason or just principle for its being annulled.
If the law of tithing was annulled By Jesus Christ, quote his annulment, please, giving chapter and verse. Every statement in the New Testament favors the tithe and not one word opposes it. When a law is annulled, it is removed from statute books, or another statute is put on the books annulling it. We find neither in the New Testament, but much in favor of its continuance and enforcement. Jesus upbraided the Pharisees for tithing the small things and leaving their larger income untithed, and then he adds, “This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone.” When Jesus Christ says you “OUGHT” to do a thing, I guess you OUGHT to do it. Pauldeclares in 1 Cor. 9:8, 14. “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait on the altar are partakers with the altar? EVEN so (in thesame sense and extent), hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel shall live of the gospel.” This means that as the tithes and offerings of the New Testament times Went for the support of the priesthood, so the tithes and offerings of the Old Testament times should go for these who preach the gospel. Shall those of the Old Testament outstrip us? “Except your righteousness shall EXCEED the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Paul instructs the Corinthian Church: “Upon the first day of the week (the ChristianSabbath), let EVERY ONE of you lay by him in store (the Storehouse), as God hath prospered him,that there be no gathering when I come.” We notice here several outstanding facts: first, that the offering was made on the Sabbath, — “the first day of the week”; second, that there Were no exempted cases, “Let every one of you”; third, that it was to be brought into the storehouse, — “lay by him in store”; fourth, that it was on the percentage basis, according to the amount they made, –“as God hath prospered you”; fifth, that it was not necessary to state the exact percentage as they were well acquainted with the law of tithing; sixth, that it was an acknowledgment of God as thesource of all our prosperity, and of our obligation to him, — “as God hath prospered him”; seventh,the bringing in of the tithe saved taking up the preacher’s time in taking up special offerings, “thatthere be no gathering when I come.” This is Mal. 3:10 in New Testament language.