The Dire Need For A Mind Shift From The Religious And Traditional.

In the wake of the ongoing controversy on tithing in the Nigerian church which has seen different preachers like Paul Adefarasin and Enoch Adeboye throw in the weight of their own opinion on the matter, what bothers me most in all these things is the failure in seeing the dire need for a heart and mind shift from the religious and traditional which obscures the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. 

What burdens my heart is the unchecked tenacity in holding unto the religious tradition of tithing while failing to see the fellowship of ministering to the needs of saints which is the foremost order of giving in the new testament church which also the HolySpirit was very particular about.

It is sad to see the ugly religious trend and tendency to make doctrines of encounters in the old testament while neglecting or despising that which scripture clearly presents to us as a new testament practise and doctrine.

Abram in a one time encounter paid tithe to Melchizedek, Jacob in a one time encounter vowed to give a tenth to God and we many many centuries after make a doctrine/tradition/practise of that which even the apostles who were physical descendants of Abraham never did.

Jacob only woke up from an overwhelming encounter and in fear set up a stone for a pillar/altar and made a vow to return and build it as God's house & to give a tenth of all if God will keep/protect him in his way & make provision for him, there's however no account of the fulfilment of that vow and who Jacob paid his vow to. Peter waking up to an overwhelming encounter of the transfiguration said to the Lord "It is good for us to stay here, let us stay here and make three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elias", this was a manifestation of the religious, traditional mindset which always seeks to institutionalise and build around divine encounters/moves.

It is thus not a surprise to see that while Peter was still blabbing the voice from the excellent glory came with the emphasis & focus of heaven "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him". The religious and traditional mindset as manifested in Jacob and Peter would always want to build, institutionalise and make a tradition/monument of divine encounters/the moves of God. Am not surprised to see religious and traditional minds today making a doctrine and practise of the one time tithe Abraham gave in an encounter he had with Melchizedek. Despite the fact that there's not even one scripture both in the old and new testament that teaches Abraham's tithing as a practise & doctrine to be observed by generations after him. If in the religious mind frame like Jacob our God is a God that needs 10% of our income to keep/protect us & make provision for us according to the riches/accumulation of our tithing then we're in such a very sorry and pitiable religion.

For those insisting on tithing preceding the law and trying to make a doctrine/practise of it, you should also know that polygamy preceded the law and just as scriptures reveal that polygamy was not God's original intention/order for man from the beginning likewise scriptures reveal that tithing was never God's original intention/order for Israel when he brought them out of Egypt. 

Exodus 19

3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;  4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Had Israel obeyed the voice of the Lord and not turned aside to idolatry at Sinai, they would have remained a kingdom of priests and surely there wouldn't have been any such thing as the institution of the levitical priesthood over the people and the commandment to tithe. 

Finally the church on account of the sacrifice and blood of Christ is constituted a royal priesthood and holy nation. 1 Peter 2:5 says "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

This unlike the levitical priesthood represented in Abram when he paid tithes to Melchizedek, is an unchangeable priesthood. This priesthood has no need for the daily sacrifices of bulls and goats, neither does this priesthood have need of taking tithes from anyone seeing that all in it are kings and priests unto God. 

Hebrews 7 

 12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

 26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 13

10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.