The fear of the law of tithing (Part 6)
Verse of the day: Galatians 3: 10 "All who are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, and does not put it into practice "
In the verse of the day, Paul was writing to the Galatians who were puffed up with pride by touting within the law. He reminds them of a law of the Old Testament that says " Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out " (Deuteronomy 27: 26)
When talking about the Law of Moses, many think of the Ten Commandments, but the Law of Moses consisted of 613 commandments including payment of tithing. The same law said that if someone does not practice ALL the 613 commandments, he was under a curse. Even if someone managed to observe 612 commandments and failed on one, he became guilty of all and fell under the curse! In short, NOBODY (even Moses) has managed to keep the law as it should, which means that everyone was guilty and that is why Jesus came on earth to save the humanity.
Back to the tithe: Tithing is one of the 613 commandments. If someone faithfully tithe by touting himself within the law but continues to work on Saturdays (the Sabbath day) or keeps eating ham or meat from pork, he is automatically under a curse because he is attached to the law (the tithe) as I pointed out in the verse of the day, it is clear that those who are of the works of the law are under a curse.
The bible clearly says in Colossians 2: 16-17 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths: which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ "
All the law is a shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ. It means that all the law spoke of Jesus Christ. When you see the shadow of someone, you cannot discern his true face but when you discover his body, everything becomes clear. This is exactly the case with the law: It was a shadow of what we have to live in the New Testament. That is why Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law, but he came to accomplish it (Matthew 5: 17). He had to come so that we may be delivered from the curse of the law to live by faith in Him. Today many continue to focus on the law and, therefore, they live under the curse despite the blood of Jesus.
In the same chapter, Paul wrote to the Galatians, saying: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3: 24). Paul described the law as a teacher who had to lead us to Christ to be justified by the law but in the following verse, it clearly shows that through faith in Jesus, we do not need to be under the teacher (law) ... he said, "faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Galatians 3: 25)
Here's the big question: How should we give in the New Testament? You will have the answer in the seventh part.
Chris Ndikumana
