"Tithing & Stewardship" | "What's All this about Money?" | "Tithing & Breast-Feeding" | "Marijuana & Money"
In response to an inquiry... What About Giving?
Of course whole books have been written on the subject of
financial stewardship, so the topic will not be completely exhausted in
a article like this, but it is an important topic to God. In fact, 16
of the 38 parables of Jesus deal with handling money or possessions.
Not that God needs our money, nor that we are to be obsessed with the
getting of wealth, but because God watches how we will handle
"unrighteous mammon" in order to determine if He can entrust to us the
"true riches" (Luke 16:11)
On the matter of tithing, some folks mistakenly think that
tithing is out of the Old Testament law and consequently state; "we
are not under the law but under grace - therefore tithing is not a New
Testament concept". Actually, we see Abraham tithing to Melchizedek
400 years before the law. We also see Jacob committed to tithing after
his vision of the ladder to heaven. So we know that tithing is a
principle of faith, even more than a mandate of the law, which came
through Moses 400 years later.
Then as we move into the New Testament, nowhere do we find a
revoking of the pattern of giving in the manner that had been
historically established. What we see instead are some of the
principles of faith reinforced and amplified upon. The fact is, it
takes faith to give money away. Faith that God will rebuke the
devourer on our behalf. Faith that as we give, it will be given back
to us, "pressed down shaken together and running over". Faith that as
we sow seed, we will see a harvest in return, as it says
"What-so-ever a man sows, that shall he also reap."
While many rely on the abundance of Old Testament scriptures to
teach giving, (such as Prov. 3:8,9; Mal. 3:8-12) Paul the Apostle tied
a number of these principles together in his instructions to the
Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9. For instance he
refers to the principle of sowing and reaping in 2 Cor 9:7-11; "So let
each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of
necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all
grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in
all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is
written: "He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his
righteousness endures forever." Now may He who supplies seed to the
sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown
and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched
in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us
to God." Note that He gives seed to the sower - when He finds generous
people he increases them so they can be all the more generous.
Paul also was bold to promise God's faithfulness to the
Philippian believers who gave, that God would honor their faith and
generosity by being their provider. Phil 4:16-19; "For even in
Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that
I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from
Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an
acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply
all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
So to get real specific, What I believe the Scripture teaches is
not tithing as a burden, but tithing as a way to experience the joy of giving
as an expression of worship to God; an expression of faith in His promises;
an opportunity to demonstrate our love and support toward one another;
an opportunity to sow toward a harvest; and an opportunity to prove to
Him that He is more important to us than material things. Anyone with those
principles in mind would want to look for ways to be generous and try
to go way beyond a mere tenth of their income, sowing into ministries,
missions and the poor..
To be real transparent for a moment, for a long time I lived
under the inferior concept that I "had to" tithe, and nothing more. I gave Him
the "bare minimum", and saw a "bare minimum" return of provision on His
part. I then began to understand the real truth about giving and began
to look for ways to be as generous as I could within the boundaries of
proper stewardship of my other responsibilities, and have seen these
truths proven over and over and over in my life.
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