Tithing
Exodus 25:1,2 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an
offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man
whose heart prompts him to give.
Sometimes in the Christian faith you may hear a pastor say that they are going to take up a free will offering. As a rule they mean a offering that has no obligation to it pertaining to normal tithes and offerings that provide for the usual running of the church business. The tithe comes from the 10% that Abraham gave Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20, and then later in Deut 14:22-29. The offerings obviously come from God’s commands that we see in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Most of these offerings are tied to the different sacrifices at the tent of meeting or tabernacle.
I found as a pastor that offerings, whether free will or regular offerings are given not as God intended. Maybe it comes from the many times pastors put guilt trips on the laity to increase giving. Maybe it comes with the unwarranted guilt, often for things done years and years ago, even though they know that they are saved by the grace of God and that all their sins are forgiven. They give because they just can’t forgive themselves. Their giving seems to help ease the burden that they carry. Then too, it can be a matter of good bookkeeping as they fear Malachi 3:8-11 where it says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me? But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty. Anytime we give to the Lord whether it is at church or to someone in need, if it is not given to the Lord because we love him it is not giving correctly. It would be like receiving a gift from someone, and you know it is given out of obligation rather than love and appreciation! It certainly takes all the fun out of the giving and the blessing out of the receiving.
Because we as Christians are saved and received our forgiveness by grace, we are no longer under the law. Jesus fulfilled the law for us. Yes, the law points us to a better life, but it will not lead us to a better relationship with the Lord. We give because we love Jesus and appreciate all he has done, is doing and will do for us and all creation. Jesus would love us just as much if we didn’t give a penny! For Jesus it is not matter of us giving, but of his giving to us!
So, why do we or should we give? Well, common sense tells us that if are to have a pastor they need financial help to live on. Someone has to provide a place financially for a building to worship at. Someone has to pay for the bills that it takes to keep lights on and etc. Then to someone has to help financially to help with the ministry for Sunday School material, missions, and the like. Let’s face it, life takes finances to keep things going at church just like it does for our own lives.
God wants us to give to him! No matter where our giving goes to, we need to give with the heartfelt intent that it is to bless the Lord. I believe that giving a tithe is important in that it helps us to learn to trust and depend on the Lord and not from what we can provide. Beckie and I started tithing when we became Christians back in 1974. Before we became Christians and started to tithe, I can honestly say that we were barely keeping our heads above the water so to speak. Over the years God has been so faithful to not only provided of all our needs, but even given us our hearts desires when we could have never have had them on our own doing. These things didn’t always come in financial means, but in unexpected blessings that were unmistakably God given. I can honestly say I don’t regret giving to the Lord. I have infact found out that I can’t out give him. God will not have to hang his head when I look at him, knowing that I was the better giver in our relationship and he won’t with you either. Give with a cheerful, loving and thankful heart and you will be blessed in your giving to Jesus. Your only regret will be that you can’t give more!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, please help us to always remember that in our giving it is always to you. Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to give to you. You are wonderful!
Comments