1 John 3:16


"By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Sunday 14 March 2010

The Whole Law

If we live by one law then we must fulfil the whole law. We cannot choose the laws we like and leave the rest. Legalism focuses on a few laws and brings people into bondage to those laws, but neglects other laws. For example, if we say that we should not eat this or that food, or take this meat because it has blood in it, then we must also not worship in any place but the city of Jerusalem. That is what the law says.

Take heed that you do not offer your burnt offerings (worship) in every place, but in the place which the Lord shall choose…(Jerusalem)…(Deut 12:13-14).

So, if we say we must keep the law then we must go to Jerusalem, otherwise we are not keeping the law. We must come under the whole Old Covenant. If we preach one law, we must come under the whole law.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised (to keep the law), that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (Gal 5:3).

Those who say that we must tithe, because of the book of Malachi, must keep the whole law. The law of tithing says that they who receive the tithe, the Levites, must not own any property, but the Lord is their inheritance.

And the Lord spoke to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any part among them (the other tribes): I am your part and your inheritance among the children of Israel. (Num 18:20)

This was to avoid corruption among those who take the tithe, so they do not take it for themselves and so they do not serve for profit. So, if today we receive tithes by the law, we must divest ourselves of all personal assets, in keeping with the law that we preach. If we preach the law, we must also live by the law.

Those who tithe in Christ do so not because of the law, but because Christ lives in them. They give because they love Christ’s body and are committed to the life of Christ in His body. They give because they have life and life overflows and they have a heart to reach others with the gospel. They give because Christ gave His life. We give because we have a new heart and we do not live for ourselves.

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