Some arguments assume that tithing came from Moses, and therefore vanished with Moses. That it was established in the Law and we are “no longer bound by law”.
But the key in my understanding is this. Tithing did NOT begin with Moses, nor is it connected to the law alone.
It existed hundreds of years before the Law, in a covenant that predates Israel, predates Sinai, and predates Moses, before there was a tabernacle, Levites or rituals.
Abraham tithed to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18–20.
Jacob vowed a tithe to God in Genesis 28:20–22.
Both of these “tithes” happened centuries before the Law.
So what, you may ask?
This…
Tithing is not a “Mosaic command” or a Law which becomes obsolete because of the Cross.
It is a covenant principle of honor and worship. The tithe is an indicator of the heart. In much the same way baptism is a natural response of the obedience of a loyal heart, so tithing is an outward indicator of who and what you actually trust and obey.
Remember what Jesus said…
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
And this is exactly why Hebrews 7, brings Melchizedek and Abraham into the New Covenant conversation.
It is because Jesus is a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, not after the order of Levi.
(Hebrews 7:1–8)
And this is the part anti-tithers conveniently skip…
In the New Covenant, the priesthood changed and when the priesthood changed, “there is of necessity a change also of the law.”
(Hebrews 7:12)
The tithe under Moses supported Levites. The tithe before Moses honored Melchizedek. The tithe under Christ honors our Melchizedek-Priest King.
So when we tithe, we are not following Moses. We are imitating Abraham.
Jesus never said tithing would end. Instead He said, “These things (tithing) you ought to have done.”
(Matthew 23:23)
And no, that is not a Mosaic obligation or “yoking ourselves to the Law”.
That is Jesus confirming a timeless principle that didn’t start with Moses and doesn’t end with Moses.
No matter how you might view the Mosaic law through the lens of the Cross, the Christian returns the tithe based on the Abrahamic pattern.
New Covenant-grace giving does not cancel tithing. Grace giving empowers tithing.
We don’t tithe to be saved. We tithe because we are saved. We tithe out of honor, not obligation. We do so joyfully, not begrudgingly. Out of revelation, not intimidation. Out of gratitude, not legalism.
Under grace we give cheerfully, but cheerful giving includes both discipline and devotion. And the tithe has always been the foundation, not the finish line. It is what opens the heavens to create an atmosphere of favor. It is a weapon of warfare against the devourer. It breaks the spirit of mammon off your finances and causes the 90% to function more effectively than holding onto the 100%.
If tithing is only raw duty and obligation to you, then I understand why some reject it.
However, if tithing is Abrahamic and Melchizedekian, then embrace the revelation and principle because that is the covenant, the Hebrew writer tells us, Jesus brought you into.
That is why New Covenant believers can tithe with joy and see its effectiveness.
Now at the end of the day, everyone reaps the fruit of their theology. Tithing or not tithing is up to you. But for those who do, ask the Lord to renew the revelation in your heart in 2026. I believe this year the Lord is going to distinguish His people in remarkable ways. Especially as you obey His Word.
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