ANSWERING THE “GRACE-GIVING IS ALWAYS
MORE THAN THE LAW REQUIRED” OBJECTION
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
November 17, 2018
1. NO TEXTS:
The
Bible nowhere makes the comparison between Law-giving and grace-giving. Since no
texts affirm this objection, no texts accompany it. The modern definition of
tithes as “10% of one’s income before taxes” is wholly un-biblical; it is false
and is an invention of modern man. There is no biblical justification for
comparing an invented definition with something real.
2. BASED UPON A FALSE ASSUMPTION
The statement
that “grace giving is more than Law giving” allows preachers to teach that Christians
should at least begin their level of giving at 10% because (they say) those
under the Law were commanded to begin their level of giving at a minimum of
10%. However, this is not true.
It is a false assumption because the Law NEVER required everybody under it
to begin their level of giving at ten percent! In fact, it only required such
from Hebrew food producers living inside holy Israel – and only if were an
increase over what they had preciously tithed. It did NOT apply to Hebrew
non-food producers such as carpenters (Jesus) or tentmakers (Paul) even though
they worked in Israel.
3. NOT LOGICAL
In
actual practice, tithe-teachers paradoxically use the argument, “grace giving
is greater than Law-giving,” as an excuse for teaching tithing!!! That
is illogical and makes their own argument self-destructive. If tithe-teachers really
believed their own objection to tithing to be true, they would only teach grace
giving guidelines – freewill, sacrificial, generous, not by compulsion, joyful,
and motivated by love for God and lost souls.
By
teaching tithing instead of grace-giving, they are admitting that they either do
not believe their own objection or have failed to teach their congregations the
reality of hell and/or the need to sacrificially give more to win souls.
4. NOT A TRUE OBJECTION
CONCERNING GIVING GUIDELINES
While
it is true that grace magnifies literal murder into spiritual hate, literal
adultery into spiritual lust and literal idolatry into spiritual covetousness,
it is NOT always true that grace produces more than the law commanded concerning
giving. The following eight (8) exceptions are proof that grace-giving is NOT
always greater than Law-giving commanded. While grace allows for super-abundant
freewill giving, grace does not set limits either up or down. Sacrificial
grace-giving sermons are needed today.
A. BRING
TITHES TO LEVITE FARMS: The Law required Hebrew food-producers to bring the
first whole Levitical tithes to the farming communities where the Levites lived
(Neh 10:37b). This was a greater burden than grace-giving and makes
sense because (1) the people needed the tithe for food where they lived, (2)
the temple in Jerusalem did not have storage space for all the tithe of the
land (2 Chron 31:1-19) and (3) God would not expect Levites and priests to
travel long distances to Jerusalem every time they needed food.
B. THE
SECOND FESTIVAL TITHE: The Law required a second yearly holy tithe of 10% (20%
total) be brought to the three festivals of Jerusalem to be eaten by all. Grace
does not command this burden. This extra ten per cent was a greater burden
than modern tithe-teachers preach (Deu 12:6-7; 14:23).
C.
23% TOTAL TITHE: The Law commanded a third third-year tithe be kept in the
homes and villages solely for the Levites and other poor (Deu 14:28-29;
26:12-13). This brings the total Law-tithe to 23% which is a far greater
burden than that taught by modern tithe-teachers.
D. FORFEIT
LAND OWNERSHIP: The Law required tithe-recipients to forfeit land inheritance
and replace it with the tithe as their inheritance. This is a far greater burden
than modern tithe-teachers preach (Num 18:20-21; Num 35:1-3; Josh 21:2-3).
E. ONLY
LIVE ON LOANED PROPERTY: The Law
required Levitical tithe-recipients to live on loaned land owned by the other
tribes (Num 35; Josh 20-21). This is another greater burden than that
taught by modern tithe-teachers.
F. ONLY
TO LEVITE SERVANTS: The Law required 11 tribes to give food tithes to the
Levites. Levites were only the servants
of the priests and Levites performed most temple duties except offering the
sacrifices (Num 18:21-24; Neh 10:37b). This is a far greater Law-burden
than grace giving. Tithe-teachers do not teach this higher expectation and often
rebel at payomg Levite-comparable ushers, deacons, treasurers, maintenance
personnel and builders out of the first whole tithe.
G. THE
LEVITES GAVE 1% OF THE TITHE THEY RECEIVED TO MINISTERS: The Law required
Levites to give the best 1% (a tenth of the tithe) to the ministering priests
(Num 18:25-28; Neh 10:38). This is a far greater burden than
grace-giving tithe-teachers want to admit or teach. Tithe teachers usually want
to drastically change God’s Word, change that Law-level and receive much or all
of the tithe.
H.
TITHE-RECIPIENTS WERE TO REMAIN POOR: The Law commanded Levites and priests who
received the tithe in lieu of land ownership to remain poor -– “neither shall
you have any part among them” (Num 18:20). They were expected to remain among
the poor of the land and were first listed to receive from the third poor tithe.
“And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee), and the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall
come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in
all the work of thine hand which thou doest” (Deu 14:29) This is a serious
greater Law-burden than grace-giving tithe-teachers preach.
5. THINGS THE TRUE
HOLY BIBLICAL TITHE WAS:
Note:
None of the following is included in what modern tithe-teachers ask for today.
They simply do not teach anything true about biblical tithing.
A. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHE WAS ALWAYS ONLY FOOD FROM INSIDE HOLY ISRAEL. While it
is true that “The earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof” (Ps 24:1), God
never approved of holy tithes from outside His holy Israel (Lev 27:30-34; Num
18:19-28; Deu 12:1-9; 14:22-29; 26:12-13; 1 Chron 31:1-19; Neh 10:37-38; 12:44;
13:5-12; Mal 3:7-10; Mt 23:23; Lk 11:42).
B. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHE WAS ALWAYS ONLY FROM HEBREWS LIVING UNDER THE OLD
COVENANT INSIDE HOLY ISRAEL (Lev 27:34; Mal 4:4).
C. THE
TRUE HOLY FIRST BIBLIAL TITHE WAS ALWAYS ONLY FOR THE LEVITE SERVANTS OF THE
PRIESTS. The Levites performed most temple duties except ministering the
sacrifice (Num 3:6-51; 18:21-24; Neh 10:37b).
D. LEVITES
WERE COMMANDED TO GIVE THE BEST 1% (A TENTH OF THE TITHE) TO PRIESTS (Num 18:25-28;
Neh 10:38).
E. THREE
TITHES WERE COMMANDED TOTALLING UP TO 23%, NOT 10%. These included a 2nd
yearly festival tithe to be eaten by all (Deu 12:6-7; 14:23) and a third tithe (every
3rd year) to be kept in the homes for the poor which included Levites (Deu
14:28-29; 26:12-13).
F.
ISRAEL’S KINGS USED TITHES AS TAXES: Tithe-teachers do not teach that tithes
were taxes under Israel’s kings; this is a sin of omission. Without objection
from God or His prophets, the governments of David and Solomon began collecting
tithes and using them to pay government workers such as judges, treasurers and
rulers (1 Sam 8:14-17; 1 Chron 23-27; esp. 26:29-32).
G.
LEVITES AND PRIESTS WORKED PART-TIME IN MINISTRY FOR GOD: Since there were far
too many eligible priests and Levites to serve in the temple, they were divided
into 24 courses (families) and took turns serving at the temple at least one
week of 24 or 2 weeks per year). The remainder of their time was spent farming,
raising tithed animals and working trades necessary for temple ministry and
upkeep. Reputable church historians across denominations agree that both
priests and Levites boasted of working trades while not at the temple and
teaching trades to their children. Although there is nothing either right or
wrong about full-time ministry, it is wrong to teach that ministry in the
temple was a full-time occupation to be mimicked by full-time preachers today.
6. THINGS THE TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL
TITHES WERE NOT (PER MOSES,
NUMBERS, MALACHI AND JESUS):
A. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM OUTSIDE HOLY ISRAEL. Abram (Gen
14:18-20) and Jacob (Gen 28:20-22) were not examples of holy Law-tithing. Both gave
freewill sacrificial vow offerings.
B. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM PRIESTS (PART ONE). The O. T. priests
represented God, the end-recipient, and, like God Himself, were not commanded
to tithe but were expected to give freewill offerings. In Malachi 1:8-14 God
cursed priests for stealing -- exchanging bad sacrificial animals for good ones
in their freewill offerings. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests stole the Levites’
portion of the tithes. And Malachi 3:8-10 is likely God commanding “you”
priests (from 1:6 and 2:1) to return the stolen tithes. The point is that O. T.
priests (the nearest comparison to N. T. pastors) only gave freewill offerings.
This is not taught by modern tithe-teachers.
C. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM PRIESTS (PART TWO). Numbers 18 (not
Malachi 3) is the ordinance in the Law which details support of Levites and
priests. It tells the people to tithe food to the Levites (18:21-24) and tells
the Levites to give a tenth of their food-tithe (1%) to the priests (18:25-28).
However, the Law never commanded priests to tithe! God’s original goal for
every Hebrew to be a priest in Exodus 19:5-6 preceded actual tithing in
Leviticus 27:30-34. For Gentiles, God’s plan has been partially fulfilled under
grace by all believers in First Peter 2:9-10 which quotes Exodus 19:5-6.
Therefore, if O. T. priests were not required to begin their level of giving at
10%, there is no biblical precedent for the N. T. post-Calvary believer-priest.
One must twist God’s Word to make it say otherwise.
D. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM HEBREW INCREASE from working trades or
other skills from inside holy Israel.
Hebrews could not boast of benefitting God.
E. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM HEBREWS OR GENTILES from working trades
or skill from outside holy Israel. Neither
the pre-Calvary O. T. nor the post-Calvary N. T. teaches that anybody outside
holy Israel tithed. There is no biblical precedent. Again, God did not want man
boasting of benefitting Himself through his own increase.
F. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FROM JESUS OR PAUL. Neither qualified as a
tither. Both were non-food-producers. As a carpenter and traveling preacher,
Jesus did not qualify as a tithe-payer. Also, coming from the tribe of Judah,
Jesus did not qualify as a tithe-recipient under the Law.
G. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT GIVEN TO JESUS OR TO HIS DISCIPLES. Jesus
never taught his converts to pay tithes either to Himself or to His disciples. Jesus
commanded His disciples to depend upon freewill offerings while evangelizing
(Mt 10:5-14; Lk 10:1-11. If Jesus had commanded others to give tithes to either
Himself or to His disciples before Calvary, He would have been sinning (Mt
23:23)!
H. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT MONEY (PART ONE). The Law never included
money, gold, silver or anything earned or made by man as holy tithes. Only
uninformed men teach that biblical food was the same as barter-money. “Money”
occurs in Genesis 32 times and 44 times before the tithe is described in Leviticus
23:30-344. Money paid for slaves (Gen 17:12+), land (Gen 23:9+), freedom (Ex
23:11), court fines (Ex 21 and 22), sanctuary dues (Ex 30:12+), vows (Lev
23:3-7), poll taxes (Num 3:47+), alcoholic drinks (Deut 14:26) and marriage
dowries (Deut 22:29). Most important, since money was never included in any
biblical description of holy tithes. Therefore, there is no precedent for
describing tithes as income increase today.
I. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT MONEY (PART TWO). Jesus clearly taught that
money with the image and language of human government was only to be returned
to man’s government and not to be given to God (Mt 22:14-17; Mk 12:14-17; Lk
20:22-25). Although difficult to accept, this was Jesus’ inspired application of
the Law! Tithe-teachers always ignore these texts when they refer to the Law as
our beginning point of giving government money.
J. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT A UNIVERSAL ETERNAL MORAL PRINCIPLE. To be an
eternal universal moral principle, 10% increase-giving would have to be written
upon the heart and soul of every human being (Rom 1:18-20; 2:14-16). Tithing
did not even apply to non-food producers living inside holy Israel. Again, there
was no precedent. Like rest and worship, “giving” is an eternal moral principle.
However, like worshiping and/or resting “on the 7th day,” giving
“23%” in three tithes was only known through special revelation and only to Old
Covenant Israel.
K. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT FIRSTFRUITS. Like tithes, Old Covenant
first-fruits were always only food from inside holy Israel. Unlike tithes,
first-fruits were the first small token harvest of the season (Ex 23:19; 34:26;
Lev 23:17; Num 18:13-17; Deu 18:4; 26:1-4, 10; 2 Chron 31:5a). It is wrong to
teach that Christians must bring the first 10% increase of their wages as
tithes because such was true of O. T. first-fruits.
L. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT TAUGHT BY PAUL. At the end of his three
missionary journeys, in Acts 20:20 Paul wrote “I kept back nothing that was
profitable unto you” and in 20:27 he wrote “For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God.” Yet none of Paul’s many writings even suggest
that the church should practice tithing. In 20:33-34 Paul boasted “I have
coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. … these hands have ministered
unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.” Those are not the words of
a man usually supported by others.
M. THE
TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NOT CHANGED FROM FOOD TO ANYTHING ELSE. Abram
and Jacob’s one-time vow of pre-Law tithes from pagan sources did not qualify
as holy tithes under the Law. The description of holy tithes to exclude money
or man’s increase never changed. Holy tithes were only food in Leviticus
27:30-34; they were still only food 1000 years later in Malachi 3:10 and they
were still only food 1400 years later in Matthew 23:23. The tithe-teacher must
twist God’s Word to make them anything else.
N.
THE TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITHES WERE NEVER USED FOR MISSION SUPPORT. Hebrews
never spent anything on mission work to convert non-Hebrews. Although
missionary support is valid for Christians, there is no biblical precedent for supporting
it by teaching tithing.
O.
THE TRUE HOLY BIBLICAL TITES WERE NOT EXISTENT IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY. The
early Church followed the example of Jewish rabbis who considered it sin to
gain from teaching the Word. Not even the incorrect description of tithes appeared
as a doctrine in early church history! Justin Martyr (A. D. 150) opposed
tithing as a Jewish doctrine. The Didache
(150-200) opposed tithing. Over 500 years after Calvary the regional Council of
Tours (567) and the regional Council of Macon (585) unsuccessfully attempted to
make tithing a doctrine of the whole Church. Finally, over 700 years after
Calvary, in 777, French King Charlemagne allowed the Church to make tithing
church law, but even that did not last in the Roman Catholic Church. The
earliest Baptists of the 1640s considered paying pastors to be a grievous sin. Southern
Baptists failed to introduce it as a doctrine in 1895. Although it seems firmly
entrenched today, the references for tithes did not first appear in their Baptist Faith and Message until 1963 and
the word “tithe” still does not appear.
P.
THE TRUE HOLY BIBLLCAL TITHES HAVE NOT BEEN AFFIRMED BY SCORES OF LEADING
SCHOLARS AND BIBLE DICTIONAIES. It would take many hours to read my list of well-respected
theologians, Bible dictionaries, Bible commentaries and the articles which accompany
them at http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id2.html.
The following is a sampling: Believers Bible Commentary, Billy Graham Evangelistic
Assoc, Encyclopedia Britannica, F F Bruce, Craig Blomberg, John Calvin, Lewis
Sperry Chafer, Dallas Theological Seminary, John Nelson Darby, Alfred
Edersheim, Walter Elwell, Theodore Epp, Evangelical Bible Dictionary, Irenaeus,
Zola Levitt, Martin Luther, Masters’ Seminary, John MacArthur, Justin Martyr, J
Vernon McGee, Bruce Metzger, Moody Bible Institute, Nelson’s Bible Dictionary,
New Bible Dictionary, John Owen, Dwight Pentecost, Charles Ryrie, C
I Scofield, Philip Schaff, Charles Spurgeon, Charles Swindoll, Tertullian, Merrill
Unger, Unger’s Bible Dictionary, John Wesley, John Walvoord, Wycliffe Bible
Dictionary
7. MALACHI AND HOLY TITHING
The use
of Malachi 3:8-10 to support Christian tithing is a modern scandal and sinful
abuse of God’s Word today. While ignoring Malachi 1:6 TO 3:7, tithe-teachers do
not point out:
A. In
1:6 God began addressing only the priests as “you” and never switched back to
the people as “you” afterwards.
B.
God cursed the priests four times in 1:13-13 and 2:1-2 for stealing and
breaking his covenant with Levi (1:6 to 2:10).
C.
The only diversion from priests as “you” is 2:11-12 where others are referred
to in the third person. It is clear that “you” refers to the priests again in
2:13.
D. From
3:1 onward God answered the priests’ mocking from 2:17.
E.
Since “ye sons of Jacob” in 3:6 cannot refer to all 10 tribes, it can just as
easily only refer to “you” priests who are “sons of Jacob.”
F.
“Ordinances” in 3:7 refers back to God’s “covenant with Levi” in 2:4 and 2:8.
The sacrificial worship “ordinances” included tithing in Leviticus 27:30-34 and
Numbers 18:20-28.
G. Priests
robbing God in Malachi 3:8-10 is identical to their action in Nehemiah 13:5-10.
Since the priests had taken the Levites’ food (tithes), the Levites (not the priests)
left Jerusalem and the temple was closed.
H. The
Hebrew of “this whole nation” in 3:9 can just as easily be translated as “this
whole nation – of you priests” which is consistent with the continued use of
“you” since 1:6. Compare the NAS, RSV and NIV.
I.
“All the tithes into the storehouse” in 3:10 only makes sense if it refers to
the priests returning the Levites’ portion of the tithe they had stolen in Nehemiah
13:5-10. It is clear from 2 Chronicles 31:1-19 that Solomon’s temple did not
have storage space for the tithes of the whole nation. Also, God would not
cruelly expect Levites and priests to travel to Jerusalem from around the
country to have food to eat where they lived.
J. Nehemiah
10:37b is clear that the ordinary people were commanded to bring the first
whole Levitical tithe to the farming communities where the Levites lived. This
is also seen in 2 Chronicles 31:15-19. The Levites brought the priests 1% to
the temple as needed (Neh 10:38).
8. ONLY THE NUMBER “10” REMAINS
The
argument that “grace-giving is greater than Law-giving” has no interest in the
real O. T. tithe except to borrow the number “10” as a beginning point for
grace-giving. The description of modern tithe-teachers that “tithing means 10%
of gross income before taxes” has no correlation to the O. T. ordinance of
tithing at all and the comparison should not even be used.
9. POST CALVARY GIVING
God
has not left Christ’s body, the Church, without guidelines for freewill giving
(2 Cor 8 and 9 all). Just as justification is only “by grace through faith --
plus nothing,” even so grace-giving does not mean “10% Law plus.” Grace does
not need to borrow from “law” in order to boost itself to a higher level of
giving. The pastor who feels the need to borrow “10%” from the O. T. tithing
worship ordinance (of 23%) indirectly admits that he does not know how to
encourage his congregation to give because they love God, love lost souls and
want to advance God’s kingdom.
23%
holy tithing of food from inside Israel was only an ordinance of the covenant
God entered with Israel to replace land ownership of those Levites and priests
who occasionally ministered in the Temple. According to Hebrews 7:12, that
ordinance (from 7:5) was “of necessity changed” and the “change” was NOT to
incorporate it into a church-support commandment. Rather the “change” was “there
is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before (in 7:5) for the
weakness and unprofitableness thereof” in 7:18. God’s Word is clear on this.
Please
join me in eradicating this vestige of Law which is hindering the Church from
fully breaking free from the bondage of Law.
In
Christ’s love
Russell
Earl Kelly, PHD
P.
S. Please visit my other web sites on Theology, Seventh-day Adventism and
resurrection plays. I am more than happy
to answer any questions.
