Romans 6:14
"For sin (or the old Adam) shall not have dominion over you: (in other words, we’ve been set free from its control by virtue of our redemption and now His working out of our salvation. Now here it is) for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Plain enough? We’re not under any law, this covers both. Now that doesn’t give us license. You’ve heard me say that a few times. But we’re not under any stipulated law that says, "thou shalt and thou shalt not" command. We are not under the Levitical Law but we’re under Grace. I better follow that up with what that means - come back with me now to II Corinthians chapter 9. I better do this or I’ll be on the hot seat. Now this is what takes the place of the Levitical Law of tithing. The Law of tithing was set aside, along with all the law of commandment, when Christ finished the work of the Cross and put us under Truth and Grace. Oh most people don’t know this, because they have not been taught it. But in this next Scripture is where we are at in the Body of Christ, the true Church today!
II Corinthians 9:6-7
"But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
What controls the heart of the believer? The Holy Spirit! So as the Spirit gives us directions, we give. Whether it’s 2% or 100%. The Spirit is going to direct us. Alright, and so he says, "As every man purposes in his heart, so let him give." Now if the Spirit is going to move us to give, are you going to give grudgingly? Well, of course not. You’re going to give cheerfully. And what are we to give? Our selves whole heartedly in His Love to all, this self-sacrificing Love and that requires the Truth in His Grace speaking through us. If any thing else is required He'll tell us and He'll be our supply of the thing needed.
Now let’s come back again to Hebrews chapter 7. So Abraham of course, gave the tenth of all that he had gotten through the battle with the kings of Chedorlaomer, but he gave a tenth to the high priest, Melchizedek. Now reading verse 5 again.
Hebrews 7:5
"And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, (in other words, out of the Nation of Israel. Not from any Gentiles) though they were come out of the loins of Abraham:"
Naturally, because Abraham was the father of all these tribes of the Hebrews.
Hebrew 7:6
"But he whose decent (or genealogy) is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises."
Well, what promises? Out of you is going to come a nation of people. To you and your people I’m going to give this area of land. Those were the promises to Abraham. Do you see that? They have the material realm, the land with all that it produces.
Hebrews 7:7
"And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."
What does that tell you? Isn’t that what the whole theme of Hebrews has been? That was good, but this is better. Over and over. Even in the first six chapters, yes, the angels are something else. But who’s better than the angels? Christ. The Law was good but what’s better? Grace. And all the way through, we’ve seen the comparison from that which was good to that which is now so much Better.
So again, he says, there’s no contradiction here. That, that which is less, that which is now put behind was blessed because of this which is so much Better. Grace far exceeds that which only had the power to show us our unworthiness and guilt of shame, the Law. Now verse 8.
Hebrews 7:8
"And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."
He’s alive for ever more. Never to have to lay down His Priesthood because of death as we’ll see later in this same chapter. Now verse 9.
Hebrews 7:9
"And as I may so say, Levi (the priestly tribe, remember) also, who receiveth tithes, (now this is tough) paid tithes in Abraham."
What does he mean by that? How could Levi pay tithes in, what would that be? His grandfather? Well, you see, it was just by virtue of the promises that out of Abraham would come these twelve tribes of Israel, the Hebrews. And everything that followed went back to the promises made to Abraham.
That’s why Paul alludes to Abraham so often when it comes to trust. That we can have trust like the man of faith, Abraham. And Abraham was not saved under Law. He was saved before the Levitical Law was given. And he became a believer by trusting, God and His faithfulness to His Oath of promise alone. Even circumcision hadn’t entered in yet. Abraham believed God, Romans says, and it – his believing – was accounted to him for righteousness.
Then after he became a man of faith, remember he's trusting God and God tested him by what he went through. The trials for twenty-five or so years, yes, then circumcision followed. Then the Nation of Israel appeared, and then came the Levitical Law. But Abraham was never under any of the ramifications of that Law. Alright verse 10 tells us what I just told you. Why did Levi pay tithes?
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