I might be kicking a hornets nest, but I would like to know what some people’s opinions on the matter are. Are we called to give a tenth as the Israelites were, or do we give according what’s in our heart? Please let me know. I look forward to a spirited(And friendly) discussion.
The term tithe means first fruits. What is the principle of the first fruits that God instilled in the world?
Exodus 13:2 Consecrate to me every firstborn male.
The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”
Here, God plainly declares that the firstborn “is Mine.” It belongs to Him. In fact, you’ll find God declaring many times in Scripture that the firstborn is His! For example,
Exodus 13:12–13 says:
That you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males
shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.
Jesus was God's firstborn, and God himself practiced what he commanded. He sowed Jesus, Jesus was in a very real sense God's tithe to the world. Notice that God gave Him to us before we believed. Romans 5:8 says:
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We give our firstfruits offering—our tithes—in much the same way. God is a giver and a tither, we are born of God and hence we have God's DNA.
This is independent of Law or Grace. We don't give because we are commanded to, we give because God is a giver, and we are created in his image.