Even though tithing isn’t a major New Testament emphasis, the Bible actually says a lot about giving. The very heart of God is about giving because He is a God of love. He gave the greatest gift ever given to fallen man in a sin filled world.... "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
If as Christians, we are to enjoy a rich and vibrant relationship with God, growing in Christlikeness, we must have a heart of love, a giving heart, just as He did. If we have a heart of love we will also have a heart for giving. "He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses." (Proverbs 28:27) "let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need." (Ephesians 4:28)
The Apostle Paul said that the churches of Macedonia gave beyond what they could really afford to give because they first gave their heart to the Lord. "For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we had hoped, but first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God." (2 Corinthians 8:3-5)
So what does all this Biblical admonition look like in action, in the context of giving in the modern church experience?
No one can tell you what to give, not even God. However, God hopes that by His great love sacrifices for you, you will develop the heart He wants you to have with a generous spirit of giving, one that will become a natural and sustaining part of your life in Christ.
Reasonably, we should give first at least a tithe to the congregation where we are regularly fed spiritually. After that we should feel motivated to give beyond the administration of our local assembly, to those opportunities, situations and needs that God lays on our heart. I know there is a teaching out there that is believed by many Christians that says, since we are not under “law” that we do not have to give a tithe. They teach that since we are now under “grace” we can give anything we want. However, this is not the teaching of the Word of God.
We need to understand that giving of at least a tithe was started by God and nurtured in the hearts of believers long before the law was ever given. Abraham gave a tithe in Genesis and this is confirmed in Hebrews. He gave because he wanted to give back to God a “little” that had been given to him. "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most high. And he blessed him and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he gave him a tithe of all." (Genesis 14:18-20)
Jacob lived before Moses and the law, and he gave a tithe of all he had. "And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." (Genesis 28:22) So at least a tithe becomes our starting point.
Understanding the principle of tithing and giving is not a matter of law, it’s a critical cornerstone of our expressive love for God. We need to constantly refresh our minds with God’s views on tithing and giving and the consequences of being stingy with what already belongs to Him. Remember Malachi 3:8-11 where God says: "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings, you are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation...” These curses and blessings concerning tithing and giving were not just given to ancient Israel... they’ve applied to all believers through the ages. In Proverbs 3:9-10 there is another guiding principle for every believer... "Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." Maybe you don’t have a barn or wine vats to fill, but I think you get the idea of what God is telling us.
Jesus also included the warning that we should not brag to others about our giving. "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory form men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." (Matthew 6:1-4)
You probably know well the story of the “widow's mite” of which Jesus spoke about... "Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." (Mark 12:41-44) Can you relate to what this widow did? Most of us can not. God wants sacrificial giving. Everything we have is from Him to begin with. God loves for us to step out in faith and trust Him with our giving. This is the avenue by which He will reward us abundantly.
Giving is not really giving unless it is sacrificial. Remember the little boy who gave up his lunch to Jesus, and how Jesus feed more than five thousand people with that small bit of food given sacrificially. (Read John 6:5-13) It does not matter how little we have to give, we need to be willing to give it, and God will bless others and ourselves for "sacrificing."
We are to give with joy. "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) Cheerful in the Greek language is hilaros (hil-ar-oss); It means to be willing, good-natured, joyfully, ready. The word describes a spirit of enjoyment in giving that sweeps away all restraints. The English word "hilarious" is a transliteration.
How important is giving? Your eternal salvation depends on developing and manifesting a life-long heart of giving. there is no way around this expectation that god has of those who claim to be His followers.
There will come a time when all people will be shown to be true believers by their giving. Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-46.... When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the king will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'”
What a grim warning! The passage goes on to say that those that did not give when they saw those in need were not His sheep and destined for everlasting banishment. Strong language indeed, but explicit of the way God feels about giving. Cain said to God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9) The answer is obviously, "Yes we are!
Jesus illustrated this with the story of the Good Samaritan. "And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He said to him, 'What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?' So he answered and said, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' And He said to him, 'You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.' But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' Then Jesus answered and said: 'A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave then to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you. So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, 'He who showed mercy on him.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:25-37)
There is so much more that can be said about this subject of giving, but I would like to close out this discussion with these reminders... Jesus said that He would reward us if we even give a cup of cold water. (Matthew 10:42) God is watching our every action, and He knows our every motive. He wants us to give, because He is a giving God. "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this... to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)
