Five Things We Will Learn
1. Why Christians are children of Abraham and heirs of the promise
2. How the Law came after the promise and did not cancel it
3. Why tithing cannot be dismissed as merely Mosaic Law
4. How Jesus explicitly affirmed the tithe in the New Testament
5. Why Jesus ultimately ends the debate by demanding total surrender
ABRAHAM, THE PROMISE, AND THE ORDER OF SCRIPTURE
Scripture establishes a clear order: the promise came first, the Law came later.
God’s covenant with Abraham was based on faith, not legislation. Paul makes clear that the Mosaic Law, introduced centuries later, did not nullify or replace the promise God made to Abraham.
“The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.” (Galatians 3:17, NIV)
Because of this, believers in Christ are not children of Moses; they are children of Abraham by faith.
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29, NIV)
THE TITHE BEFORE THE LAW
Abraham’s faith expressed itself through action. One of those actions was the tithe.
After God gave him victory, Abraham voluntarily gave a tenth to Melchizedek, the priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18–20). This occurred before the Law, before Moses, and without command or compulsion.
The New Testament later reveals Melchizedek as a type of Christ and treats Abraham’s tithe as spiritually significant and enduring (Hebrews 7). The Law later regulated the tithe, but it did not create it.
THE LAW CAME AFTER THE PROMISE—AND DID NOT CANCEL IT
Paul’s argument in Galatians is decisive. The Law did not replace Abraham’s covenant; it served a temporary role until Christ. If the Law did not cancel the promise, then it did not cancel the faith-based practices flowing from that promise.
Since believers are heirs of Abraham, not Moses, the tithe cannot be dismissed as merely Old Covenant.
JESUS EXPLICITLY AFFIRMED THE TITHE
Jesus directly addressed tithing in the New Testament. When correcting the Pharisees, He said:
“You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23, NIV)
Jesus did not abolish the tithe. He affirmed it while confronting hypocrisy and misplaced priorities.
THE MISLEADING ARGUMENT THAT ‘THE LAW ENDED THE TITHE’
Many argue that tithing ended because Jesus fulfilled the Law. This argument fails because the tithe predates the Law, the Law did not cancel Abraham’s promise, and believers are heirs of Abraham.
But Jesus goes further.
FROM TITHE TO TOTAL SURRENDER: JESUS ENDS THE DEBATE
The Old Covenant required a tithe.
Jesus, under the New Covenant, asks for everything—if we want to be His disciples.
Jesus made this unmistakably clear in His encounter with the Rich Young Ruler:
“Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor… Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21, NIV)
The issue was not money; it was ownership.
Jesus then stated the principle plainly:
“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, NIV)
And again:
“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” (Luke 14:33, NIV)
FINAL WORD
The question is no longer whether Christians should tithe.
The question is whether Jesus is Lord of everything.
When that is settled, generosity becomes worship—and the argument disappears.