Many Christians believe that because we are now under the new covenant, tithing is no longer a practice that makes any sense. However, the gospel -- moreover, the message of Jesus -- is not an excuse that exempts us from the need to give, but a revolution that gave us the liberty and capacity to give freely.
The tithe is an old practice that was assigned to Israel which served two functions -- to measure the heart of the givers and to make sure that the temple of the Lord was funded and provided for. Today, the purpose of such is still the same.
But didn't God abolish old rituals when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for all mankind? Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." The Mosaic law has more dimensions than we think. Some were abolished by the cross, others abolished by change in culture and yet others survived through the ages.
The need for atoning sacrifice was abolished when Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice that allows us to enter the presence of God freely. The concept of dietary laws has changed because of the growth and expansion of the kingdom of God to include societies that were culturally different from Israel.
But there are laws and practices that, by philosophy, must survive through the ages. Take for instance the ten commandments and social justice laws of the Pentateuch. Even though Jesus died for our sins, that penal substitution has not given us an excuse to ignore social justice laws and treat other people with discrimination or injustice. We are still to refrain from killing people, stealing from people or cheating people on their wages.
The tithe is one of those practices that by philosophy we can say should and has stood the test of time. If we truly understand what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, we would not skip out on the opportunity to tithe.
In the area of giving and generosity, the cross is not an excuse for us to skip the offering box because "Jesus paid the price in full." It is, however, a blessed assurance that we do not need to earn God's favor through good works. Will God bless you even if you don't tithe? I absolutely believe so. That's God's common grace.
Generosity, and more specifically tithing, is not a ritual that we keep so that God will continue to love us, but it is rather an expression of our devotion, trust, honor and love for God. We can never give more than what God has given us, but that's not the point.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Some may decide to give scraps, others the full 10th, while others probably even more (just as the poor widow gave all she had in Mark 12:42). But if you really understood that God has given you everything that you have right now, giving a measly 10 percent of the 100 percent we have received from Him or even more will not be an issue.
