Jesus did not cancel the law, but fulfilled it
Many people wonder if they should still give tithes in the New Covenant, and if they still have to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as holy. Or was this only for the Jewish people in the Old Covenant?
We know that the commandment to keep the Sabbath was very important for Moses and the prophets. The Lord made the seventh day holy from the time of creation. But it is strange that this is the commandment Jesus was most often accused of breaking.
Many say that Jesus has cancelled the commandment to keep the Sabbath. But that doesn’t agree with His own words when He says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17 (NKJV). In other words, Jesus did not come to remove the Sabbath commandment, but to fulfil it.
We read further how Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment ... You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:21-22,27-28 (ESV).
This is how Jesus took all the laws. He fulfilled them. The Law was not perfect, but Jesus came with what is perfect! The Sabbath law was no exception. We can take this law in the same spirit and say, “You have heard that it was said: ‘You shall keep the seventh day holy.’ But I say to you that all days are holy.” We read about the Sabbath: “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honourable; if you honour it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly…” Isaiah 58:13 (ESV). When we see what they should not do on the Sabbath, we could ask this question: Were they allowed to go their own ways and talk idly on all the other days?
The spirit of the Sabbath vs. the letter of the Law
In the Old Covenant they had six days to do their work; then they did what they themselves wanted. But the seventh day belonged to the Lord. On that day they had to do what the Lord wanted them to do. Is this how Jesus took it? In Isaiah we read that they honoured that day by not going their own ways or talking idly. Jesus fulfilled this commandment. He honoured each day by always doing what the Lord wanted Him to do and not seeking His own.
In the New Covenant we have become servants of the Spirit and not of the letter (Romans 7:6). The Pharisees did not understand this, and they accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath commandment according to the letter of the law. But Jesus never went against the spirit of the Sabbath, even though He picked ears of grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-28). This is also how He kept the other commandments, such as when He did not condemn the woman who was caught in adultery (John 8:3-11).
Even if the Jews in the Old Covenant kept the Sabbath according to the letter, many of them did not keep it in spirit. They were in the wrong spirit, and they had no rest. They only waited for the Sabbath to end so they could sell grain, and cheat with prices and dishonest scales (Amos 8:5). Today there are many people who can be called “Sunday Christians”. They live in the spirit of the world, but on Sundays they go to church, worship and look pious. But they are glad when Monday comes and they can go back to seeking their own interests.
The apostles had come into a completely different life when they wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV).
This is not only for Saturday or Sunday, but for every day. People who are very zealous for keeping the Sabbath – the seventh day – don't understand the true meaning or the spirit of the Sabbath. They serve the letter of the law and give special attention to days and months and seasons and years. But it is different when we have become children of God. God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, and we live and walk in this Spirit – not just one day, but each day and at all times (Galatians 4:6-11).
Impossible to enter into rest under the law
God said to Israel that the Sabbath was a sign between Him and them. They had no rest in Egypt or in the desert. But God had given them the commandment about the Sabbath as a sign that He would lead them into rest in the Promised Land. But Joshua did not succeed to give them rest (Hebrews 4:8). They were disobedient and made a covenant with the enemy (Judges 2:1-4).
But we can now hear the good news: “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” Hebrews 4:10 (ESV). "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good … and he rested on the seventh day.” Genesis 1:31; 2:2 (ESV).
With Christ came the time to make things right so we can be perfect according to our conscience and rest from our works (Hebrews 9:10). If you do not have a good conscience, you do not have any rest, not on Saturday, or on Monday. But if you live in the Spirit of Christ and give your body as a sacrifice that is pleasing to God, then by faith you enter this Sabbath rest each day. You rest from your works as God rested from His (Hebrews 4:1-11).
All these discussions about keeping Saturday or Sunday as a holy day come from a lack of spiritual understanding. God rested when His work was done, and we do not read that He started to work again. Under the law they worked, and struggled, and laboured, but they didn’t get anywhere. They simply could not keep the law and come to rest. Therefore Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV).
The Sabbath rest began with Jesus. He was raised on the first day, and a new time began. He gives rest; so it is very fitting to keep the first day as the day of rest. People need a day on which they can be free from earthly duties, so they can have time to come together around God’s Word. For a person with spiritual understanding, it doesn’t really matter which day is used for that purpose, because he gives his body as a sacrifice to do God’s will every day.
If he earns any money, he does not do it in the spirit of ambition or love of money. He earns that money in the Spirit of Christ and is a steward of it. (Acts 4:32; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Ephesians 4:28.) He enters into rest by faith.
Giving tithes - 10 percent or 100 percent?
Giving tithes is also a problem for many people, simply because they follow the letter of the law and not the Spirit of the law. But with giving tithes it is the same as with keeping the Sabbath. In the Old Covenant, which was only a shadow of the good things that were coming, they had to give 10 percent to the Lord and they could use the other 90 percent as they wanted. Was this how Jesus lived? Did He do away with giving tithes? No, He came with what is perfect; He gave Himself 100 percent to the Father. Therefore, He could say that no one could be His disciple unless he gives up everything! (Luke 14:33.)
Did the apostles ever say anything about giving tithes? No, they said, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV). (Read 2 Corinthians 8 and 2 Corinthians 9.) Yes, you may say that this is about voluntary gifts, which are in addition to the tithe. When you say that you show you are not free at all, you are under bondage. Tithes are not voluntary – they are more or less demanded of the members. Preachers often pressure the members to commit to paying tithes. This shows they have not come into the spirit of the commandment.
New Covenant giving
It says about Jesus that He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (Philippians 2:5-7). It was of His own free will that our Lord Jesus Christ became poor for our sake though He was rich, so that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). If we are to be members of the body of Christ, we must come into the perfect law of liberty. According to this law, it is not enough just to give tithes and a few voluntary gifts; we must give ourselves first to the Lord and to the church according to God’s will. When we have given ourselves, we have also given everything we have.
Through the Spirit of Christ we have come to what is perfect (Romans 7:6). And it is better to have fellowship with one person who, by the Spirit of Christ, is a member of the body of Christ, than with a hundred thousand who slave away according to the old letter of the law. It is better to receive one cent that is given from the heart than a lot of money that is only given out of duty or to look good before other people. (Mark 12:41-44.)
Let us make every effort to come into that rest (Hebrews 4:11-13).