My Pastor, when I was a member of Faith Baptist Church of Canoga Park in the 70's taught that Abraham gave a tithe to Melchisedec before the Law showing that a tithe was a good place to start for Christian giving.
I agree.
The tenth is a good place to start if one is monitoring their giving to God.
But according to the New Testament in Christ's blood, we as believers are not under the Law, we are under grace and Christ's finished work on the cross for us.
As I see it,
true giving is prescribed in 2 Corinthians 9...
" But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:
9 (as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for [your] food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;
11 being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;" ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 ).
The tenth was for the support of the temple and its priests under the Law of Moses.
Not to extort the New Testament believer to pay the salaries of a "pyramid" business model styled more as a corporation, and not the
family of spiritual brothers and sisters ( who love each other and their Savior ) that it is.
Giving is to meet the needs of fellow believers and to show the grace of God to the world's poor...
Not to make ( what ought to be ) humble and God-trusting-for-every-need pastors and teachers, rich and comfortable;
Or to build up a huge "work for God" like so many in this day and age try to do.
There's a reason it's called "filthy lucre", and that believers are not to be greedy of it...
Because the love of money is the root of
all kinds of God-honoring and selfless behavior , isn't it?