The law is very insidious! I hear preachers, even preachers in this kingdom message, quoting Malachi 3:7-10 and laying the law of tithing upon God's people. Oh! How they love to use verse nine, "Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." But that is a lie! Someone says, "Now, wait just a minute, brother Eby, are you calling the word of God a lie?" I do not hesitate to tell you that it is a lie to lay that curse of the law upon God's redeemed people because the Holy Spirit testifies that "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. The law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. CHRIST HATH REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3:10,12-13).

God's redeemed people are NOT under any CURSE of the law! The law of tithing was for the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant! Only certain commodities were tithed —— not money! Only Levites could receive tithes. It was used for administering their office and to help the poor, widows, and orphans. There is no Levitical priesthood today! There was a first tithe that was required (Lev. 27:30). Then there was a second tithe for the feast days (Deut. 14:22). At the end of every three years there was a third tithe for the fatherless, widows, etc. But the requirements of the law, the Old Covenant, have been abolished! The laws of Moses are now —— illegal! Paul and the other apostles NEVER taught the Gentiles to tithe! I do not live under some divine curse for not tithing!

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By Thomas Kissinger:

THE APOSTLE PAUL DID NOT TEACH THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH TO PAY TITHES!!! He did however teach the church to give, and to give with a cheerful heart. 2nd Corinthians 9:6, 7 states … But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; NOT GRUDGINGLY, OR OF NECESSITY: FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. In actuality, this scripture holds us to a much higher standard of giving than the Old Testament law of tithing. God wants you to DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN! No percentage is mentioned here. If the best you can do is 5%, then give 5%. If you are able to give more, then give 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40%. If you are able to give it all, then give 100%. The most important point in giving is NOT THE AMOUNT, but that you do the best you can, and that you do not give grudgingly, or of necessity, but as a cheerful giver. IT IS TIME TO COME OUT OF THE LEGALISTIC MINDSET OF THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW OF THE TITHE. When ministers quote Malachi 3:8-11 as a means to put pressure on people to give, and as a means to teach them how to give, and as a means to make them feel guilty for not giving, THEY ARE OUT OF LINE, AND THEY ARE NOT RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH! This passage of scripture pertains to God’s dealings with His people under the OLD COVENANT. WE MUST STOP TAKING PORTIONS OF THE OLD COVENANT THAT WE WANT TO INCORPORATE INTO THE NEW COVENANT, FOR IF YOU TRY TO KEEP ANY OR SOME OF THE OLD COVENANT YOU MUST KEEP IT ALL. IT IS ALL OR NOTHING!!!

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"The apostle Paul did not quote a single tithing scripture to make people give, not one! The apostle Paul knew that only LEVITES could collect tithes. Paul introduced a new way of giving - OUT OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN YOUR HEART! When the writer of Hebrews used the word "tithe" in chapter seven, he was not dealing with tithing, but a higher priesthood than the Levitical Priesthood, that is, the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. When Jesus spoke of tithing in Matthew and Luke, remember this: The New Covenant is not the set of books from Matthew to Revelation. The New Covenant was not ratified until Jesus offered up His blood in heaven which was after His resurrection. Prior to that, the Old Covenant, and the Levitical Priesthood was still in effect. Here is the conclusion of the matter: We should give, not from the letter of the law which kills, but from the Spirit Who prepares works for us to walk in. One comes from bondage to a set of laws, and the other comes from LOVE, which is the nature of God. The first usually produces pride and self-righteousness, and the latter produces joy. The higher ways of God are much better than the lower ways of the Old Covenant."

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I have heard people say that since tithing is of the law, and they don't want to be bound by the law, they only give when the Lord tells them to give, and the spirit of love is not the root of it, not realizing that to give only because they are TOLD to do so is evidence that they are STILL UNDER THE LAW. It matters not who is telling us to give: the written word, pastors of the churches, or the Holy Spirit Himself, if we are compelled to give in any way other than LOVE, we are giving according to the law. Is there any difference between the Spirit that told Moses to have Israel to tithe unto the Levites, and the Holy Spirit that will tell us to give to a certain man or ministry? I can see no difference between them - it is the SAME SPIRIT; therefore, if it was a law to Israel of old to give, then it is also a law to those today if they have to be TOLD TO GIVE, even if it is by THE HOLY SPIRIT. We can be told, of course, to give where there is a need, and where love has been grounded in our hearts, we can certainly be an obedient son, and this is not of the law, but of love.

When we are truly BORN OF GOD, most unusually, no one has to prompt us, not even the Spirit, to minister to the saints in the area of finances or anything else, for IN LOVE we give according to the need. This is FULFILLING THE LAW, for in this it is our very NATURE TO SO DO. In my estimation, it is far better to do things because of our intense love for God, the saints, and His creation, than because we are TOLD TO DO SO. Sure, it is wonderful to hear our Lord and then obey Him, for we are called to be faithful servants; but without being truly BORN of His Spirit, growing up into Him, and being enraptured in the marital union of Christ, we soon fail at what we are told to do. Without KNOWING GOD personally, it is impossible to love Him, and when love is lacking we will do exactly what Israel did when the laws were imposed upon them - they rebelled when the laws offended the desires of the flesh. This is what we have when people today are not supplying the needs of the people and ministries by the Spirit of Christ and use the excuse that "tithing is of the law." In reality they have more love for themselves than for God or His creation, and when they tithe it is very often still for themselves; they expect to please God, and in doing so, He will reward them with some sort of blessings.

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