The tithe is a test ... and the only question on that test is, "who owns it?"

I've heard people say, "We're under grace now. The Old Testament law doesn't apply to me anymore. So, I don't need to tithe."

Let's apply that logic to something else. "We are under grace now. The Old Testament law doesn't apply to me anymore. So I'm free to kill anyone I wish."

Sounds pretty silly when you say it, but you're effectively saying the same thing when you apply that logic to giving God the first of the first fruits of the blessings HE provided you.

It's a test. And the only question on that test is, "who owns what you have?" This test started long before the laws delivered by Moses came about. We can stretch it all the way back to Adam and Eve. He said, 'you may enjoy the fruits of every tree in the garden except for the one in the center'. And what did they do? Even non-christians know the answer to that question. And by eating the fruit from the tree in the center of the garden, the first humans effectively said to God, "we aren't just stewards of the garden, God. We own this Garden. We earned it through our own efforts. No acknowledgement if anything YOU've done is necessary."

And we're saying the same thing to God when we don't tithe. "I own this God. I am not merely a steward of the gifts you've given to me. I own them. I earned them."

Tithing is life, not law. The concept of acknowledging God's provision is throughout the Bible. It precedes the laws of Moses.

And, to take it further, Jesus said "you have heard, Thou shalt not kill. But I say, holding anger in your heart for your brother is as good has killing him." I'm paraphrasing of course, but apply this to the tithe, what do you believe Jesus is telling us here? That, based on the New Covenant, we are to give less than a Tithe or, rather, more?

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Romans 6:15