A comment posted in response to my earlier entry on tithing referred to God's requirement of the tithe for the people of Israel. That was compared to the church's release from the requirement of a tithe under the assumption that Christ's salvation leads us to be free and joyful givers. I had referred earlier to the institutional requirement of tithing, so it seems appropriate to comment on what God truly requires of us. The prophet Micah asked that question in response to the propensity of the people to forget God's call and to seek salvation in ritual offering. His answer was that God requires more than the legal obligation of a tithe. What God requires of us is to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8) I believe the implication is that when we are doing those three things, tithing as an obligatory act will be unnecessary, because we are already giving our all to the service of God.
Jesus rebuked the legalists of his day when he said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is those you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others." (Matthew 23:23) To me, the scriptures are clear. The tithe is an instrument by which we express our commitment to God's will and way. Faithful living in all matters is the truly effective witness we can offer in response to God's grace and mercy toward us.
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