Hebrews 7: 1-8 (NIV)
[1] This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
[2] and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
[3] Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
[4] Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! [5] Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham.
[6] This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
[7] And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.
[8] In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
Hebrews 7:8 implies that Christians (New Testament Believers) also ought to pay tithes… to Jesus Christ; who is a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
How do we pay tithes to Jesus our High Priest, under the New Covenant?
We do so by giving our tithes to the segments or groups of people in our community that He specifically mentions.
In the Old Testament we see who Almighty God intends to benefit from the tithes of His people.
Deuteronomy 26: 12
[12] When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
In effect, God wanted a tenth (the tithe) of every income-earning member of His people to be set aside and given to the following groups of the community: the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.
Our tithes, under the New Covenant, ought to go to those who instruct us in the Word, the poor and needy persons in our local assembly or church first, and even also to the poor and needy in the larger community.
Matthew 25: 35-46
[35] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, [36] I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
[37] “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? [39] When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
[40] “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
[41] “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
[44] “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
[45] “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
[46] “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Note verse number 40: ‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The Word of God says that those who share spiritual things with us – our pastors, apostles, teachers, and so on are entitled to part of our incomes. Galatians 6: 6 says: “Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.” And 1 Timothy 5:18 says: “…Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”
All Scriptures from the New International Version (NIV) except otherwise stated.