New Testament Giving As Taught In Scriptures

     In this essay I will be addressing a issue that can get you into big time trouble in the Black Church.  Dr. Earl keller calls it the "Taboo Doctrine, and Dr. Graeme Carle calls it "Eating Sacred Cows.  What am I talking about? Tithing!
     There is an ongoing debate, among thinking Christians, concerning the scriptural teaching on giving for the New Covenant Church.  It has been taught for years that tithing is required of each Christian by God. It is really interesting that the Old Testament scripture of Malachi is used as the word of authority. Malachi 3:8(NLV) 'Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, 'What do you mean? when did we cheat you? 'You cheated me of the tithes and offering due me. You are under a curse  for your whole nation has been cheating me'.
     As a student of the scriptures this point of view puzzled me in light of what is said, and not said in the New Testament.  My first thought is this information was for the Jews, and I am a Gentile.  Jesus and His disciples spent their entire time trying to convert the Jews and Gentile in the teachings of the New Covenant and letting go of the Old.  In Gal 3:13 I read that Christ had redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written.'  In Galatians 5: 4 'For you are trying to make yourself right with God by keeping the law, you have cut off from Christ!  You have fallen away from God's grace.  In my humble understanding of Galatians 3:13 Christ has cancelled out the curse of Malachi 3:8 when He died on the cross.  Did not the God the Father give the power and authority to His son Jesus?  In Galatians 5:9 we are warned that trying to keep parts of the law while following Christ  is like a little leaven that can corrupt the entire lot? Is teaching tithes in the NT church a little leaven?  In Matthew 5:17 Jesus tells us that He did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, but He came to fulfill them!  Mathew Henry gives the example of the law as a vessel that had some water in it before, he did not come to pour out the water, but to fill the vessel to the brim.'
     As I read more of the New Testament I began to wonder why Paul never mentioned tithes!  One theologian from Into the Light Miniseries wrote, "Did tithing become part of the New Covenant?  If so God decided to hide it from Paul and other New Testament writers.  Some say tithing was before the law, part of the law and enforce now also.  Where are the New Testament Scriptures for this?  If you know your scriptures, you know that circumcision was before the law, but it is not mandatory today.
     I know you bible scholars remember the 'Council of Jerusalem and what took place there!  It was a meeting of all the high ranking Christians Leaders to deal with the Jews wanting to force Gentile converts to be circumcised as proof of genuine conversion.  Acts 15:7 (NLV) ' At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed the followers; " Brothers you all know God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 15:10 Why are you now questioning God by burdening the Gentiles believers with the yoke  that neither we or our ancestors were able to bear. The finding of the council was read in verse 15: 28 which stated' " For it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to US to lay not greater burden on you than these requirement:15: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.  If you do this, you will do well.  Where is the directive to tithe 10%?  This would be the ideal time and place to give that directive!

     What does the New Testament really say about giving?  In Act 2:44-45 we read that they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as everyone had a need'. This is again repeated in Acts 4:34.!  In 2 Corinthians 9:7 Paul says, 'Every man according as he puposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."  This goes hand in hand with Hebrew 10:16, The Lord said that this the Covenant that I will make with them after those days, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds, will I write them.  Paul, unlike many preachers today believed that the Lord has written on the heart, and had confidence that people would give accordingly.      
     Why is tithing taught with so little scriptural authority?  Jesus give us the answer to this question in Mark chapter 7: 7-12.  He confronts the preachers for teaching the people man made traditions instead of the teaching of the Lord.  In 8 He said that they were laying aside the commandments of God, to hold to the tradition of men.... In verse 9 He tells them that they reject the commandment of God, that they may keep their own traditions. He was particularly upset that people were being taught that they had to give to the church when their parents needed help. In 7:10 He says, " For Moses said, honor thy Mother and thy Father; and, whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death." In 7:12 Jesus says that these teaching make it impossible for the people  care for their parents.  He goes on to say I never told you to give to the church and neglect you parents. That teaching is something that you and others devised. In 7:13 Jesus says that you, by your man made traditions, make the Word of God of none effect.  He goes on to tell them that this is their custom/tradition, and they have many more that He does not approve.  This is still happening in the church today? Yes!
     How many times have you heard from the pulpit, " your tithes should be paid first before anything else?'  Is this what the scriptures teach in Mark 7: 6-13.  Have these preachers, teacher not read the scriptures, or do they pick and choose what they read?  One writer said this is to exegetic the body of scriptures with inconvenient omission".  Dr. David Jeremiah once said the preachers have to stop the practice of not teaching those scriptures that are contrary to their denomination, beliefs, or comfort zone.  If there is milk coming from the pulpit, how will anyone become ready for meat?
     Tithing was not introduced to the New Testament Church until the 1870"s.  In 1885 Parson Cook a Presbyterian wrote the "Divine Law of Beneficence which said," You will observe these gifts were all free will offering-no laws imposed on fixed rates of contributions.  Some say that Cook's favorite text was 1 Corinthians 16:2.  The Apostolic Treasury 1870 stated ,"All churches finances are to be underwritten by free will offering paid by the rich and the poor alike according to their ability." 
     In 1916 J.R. Roberts writes in the Dictionary of the Apostolic Church,' It is admitted universally that the payments of tithes or the tenth of possession for sacred purpose did not find a place within the church during the age covered by the apostles and their immediate successors.  Who were their immediate successors? Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Tertullen, Origen, Thomas Aquinas!
    In 1878 C.P Jennings , instituted tithing and said,' The tithes is to be paid before any other debt. It is the debt to be paid before anything else can be called a gift or a free will offering."  How many times have you heard this?  Tithes, and Pew Taxes were used by many denominations to pay for clergy salaries.  Research has shown that teaching tithing has had little success in the church. Research by the Barna Group show that only 9% all born again believers tithe.  The average tithe given is about 3% and not 10%. In 2007 the median amount given to the church was $400, and the mean amount $1308. Those who usually give 10% or more would have done it anyway because it's on their heart to give.  Christ knew that Laws could not change the heart! There are many in congregations who secretly whisper that they don't believe they have to pay tithes, because they can find not such orders in the New Testament.  They say they do not wish to confront the pastor or go against his/her teaching, even though they don't agree or believe this specific teaching.  They feel that they speak with their pocketbooks, if not with their mouths. In fact churches with highly committed, and generous church member sometimes do better than churches that teach tithing.  One Mennonite write stated, 'Tithing is so deeply rooted in Christian Tradition, so deeply embedded in the Christian Psyche that some have to struggle to evade its hold on their hearts."
     I want to make one thing clear,  that I am a 'free will' giver and in 2011 gave more than $9,000 to the church and various charities.  It looks like we have given over $10,000 for 2012. So I am not against giving! I am writing this because I believe in the truth and the truth will set you free.
     There are modern day theologians such as the late J. Vernon Mcgee,  George Barna, Chuck Swindoll, John McArther (_1982-2000), Charles Spurgeon, Mark Driscoll who don't believe in tithing is NT scriptual!  In the past we had Clement of Rome Justin Martyr, Terullian, Origen, Thomas Aquinas who did not believe tithing was a dictate of the New Covenant.  If you know your church history some of these men had direct contact with the apostles, and some were the one's who were next in line to lead the church.  I think I would have more confidence in these men that anyone teaching today.  The further you get from the source the more convoluted and water down the teaching gets.  Uneducated, unwise people teaching, preaching, and biblically unread parishioners, will continue to be the downfall of the church.
     It is shameful when man made traditions permeate the church and the members can't tell the difference.  My advice to you is found in Act 17:11, " Everyday they studied the holy writing to see if what teachers said was true."  The people of Berea knew when Paul and the rest were lining up with scriptures.  I sit in church and hear people shout Amen to some of the most off the wall opinionated man made traditions that have been past from one preacher to the next .  The people have not idea what they say amen to!  In Palms 119:98-100 we are told that by studying, and meditating that you can gain more insight than your teacher, and you can understand more than the aged.  You have to learn to read and study the word in breath and dept .  Going to a bible study every week with a teacher who is unknowingly teaching man made traditions won't help.  It is beneficial to some time attend a church where teaching takes place and take a break from preaching. I hope you can tell the difference!
     I hope that this essay will challenge you to search the scriptures, to ask yourself questions, to seek answers.  Some reading this are so indoctrinated that they stopped reading after they found out the content.  I have been told by some that tithing may not be in the NT, but it's not hurting anyone!  Others have said if we teach that NT stuff we will have to close our doors for lack of finances. 
     When and if this essay get out, I will probably be seen as a heretic and a cancer to the faith. Peter was brave enough to change his thinking when face with the dream/vision about foods that had once been forbidden to consume.  In today's church it would be difficult for one who had gained doctrine insight to go against the status quo of the faith. God speed!