Sacred Cow #2 - Tithes and Offerings: This post may not win me many friends in the institutional church. But hey, I have to be honest about my struggle to figure out how God looks at money.
I grew up in the church and heard all of my life about the importance of tithing ten percent of my income to God. Of course, I should give offerings to God over and above my tithe when it seems the right thing to do. And in the last couple of years, I have come to a very different interpretation of the Scriptures on tithing and giving offerings.
Before I get stoned by an angry mob of church accountants, please hear me out. I'm describing my process to discover God's heart for giving not to find a way to justify hording more stuff for me. If that's all I wanted to do, I could come up with some pretty easy excuse to do just that.
More than the gift, God wants us to see the need and be moved to action. More than the ritual sacrifice of ten percent, God wants obedience. He desires our giving to spring out of a vibrant relationship with Him. God wants us to freely give and do it with a joyful heart. God doesn't need our money. He wants our hearts.
Many preachers love to bring up Malachi 3:9-12 when talking about the importance of tithing to the local church. Malachi 3:9-12 (King James Version) says, "9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts."
According to many zealous preachers, if you do your part, God will do His part by pouring out a blessing upon you. It's kind of like an unspoke agreement. But does this mean that God's favor can be bought for only 10% of what you make? This approach has always made we wonder if the motivation to give is to receive or to honor God? What ever happened to giving based out of love for God and appreciation for the things He gives us every day?
Interestingly, no where in the Scripture do we see Gentile Christians instructed to pay a tithe. Early Christians gave to meet needs within the body of believers, take care of the sick and poor, and send out missionaries. There was no such thing as pass the offering plate so that we can keep the lights going in the church building. And while I am not saying that this is necessarily wrong, I am not saying that it is required either. Christians should be generous, given to hospitality and known for meeting real needs within the community.
Actually, the tithe mandated by the Jewish law was as much an income tax as anything. Tithe money was used to pay the priests, administer the temple sacrifices, and keep God's system of justice running. Priests were tied to the government as agents of justice, overseeing the law, maintaining cultural standards, etc. Many of these functions are done by the government today.
In the new covenant, all true believers are priests. God has imparted His Spirit into our spirit. We no longer have to offer blood sacrifices or keep ritual purity through the nuances of the law. Many of the things that the tithe system was established to pay for are no longer required by God. Jesus paid the price in full.
And if you want to be Biblically accurate, the tithe is 23.3% not 10%. God instituted the following 10% tithes for the nation of Israel: 1.)A tithe of the produce of the land to support the Levites, 2.) A tithe of the produce of the land to support religious festivals in Jerusalem at the temple, and 3.) A tithe of the produce of the land collected ever third year to support local Levits, orphans, poor, strangers and widows. Do the math. This comes up to 23.3% every year.
By contrast, giving in the early Christian church was voluntary. People were encouraged to give as God instructed them. By taking missionaries into their homes, giving to the poor, being hospitable to neighbors, etc., Christians demonstrated their love for God and each other. Early Christians understood that everything they had belonged to God. Many sold large parcels of land and gave to leaders to administer to take care of the needs within the community. These brave men and women knew what it meant to trust God as their provider.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (New International Version), "6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
God wants us to give cheerfully as we seek Him to know how generous to be. It's not about a quota or formula. God wants us to give to keep our hearts from becoming entangeled with stuff. God wants to build our faith and reliance on Him. It is more about our hearts being in the right place than anything else. And God has chosen to involve us in His plans. We are to be His hands and feet. We get to be agents of divine miracles.
The Apostle Paul encourages Christians to give. We are to be generous. But notice that he doesn't say anything about a tithe. There is no 10% requirement as the basis to be in good standing with God.
While there is definitely truth to the fact that God blesses those who obey by giving as the Spirit guides, God's blessing may not come in the form of raise at work or some other tangible financial miracle. We are not supposed to play "Let's Make a Deal" with God.
I believe that in many cases God wants us to give far more than 10%, 20% or even 30% of our income. We are to be observant, see needs, and meet them as the Spirit enables and calls us. God wants us to recognize that He owns it all. We only give back to Him what He has already given to us. God has called us to be good stewards and to honor Him by every penny we spend.
When we try to develop solid formulas, it can be hard to nail down specifics. Should we give 10% of our gross or net pay as a tithe? Should all of the tithe money go to our local church? What about missions organizations? What about your own efforts to reach out to neighbors, homeless and the needy in your community? Does this count as a tithe or offering? How does God keep the books in heaven? Does it count if we open up our homes and spend money housing short term missionaries? What about buying lunches for church youth at the local sub shop? Do all those cups of coffee bought as conversation starters for discipleship encounters count for something on the whole offering ledger?
Now, I am not saying that Christians should avoid giving to local churches. Instead, I am encouraging believers to be less robotic and to give as the Spirit leads them. You will probably find that God is calling you to give more not less. And, you may be called to give to meet some pretty unusual needs.
Scripture clearly supports the idea of believers paying ministers and others providing valuable resources to the body of Christ. Those tasked with spreading the Gospel as a full-time occupation definitely deserve to eat and provide for them families. Notice the instruction of Jesus to His disciples as He sent them out to minister. Jesus said, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat" (Matthew 10:8-10). God called His disciples to travel light because He would provide for their needs through the generosity of those God called to give. The disciples were not to charge for administering the free gifts of God or spreading the good news. But this does not absolve the recipients and others from doing their part to support the kingdom of God. We are to recognize that "the laborer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7).
Read the following Scripture passage and see what Paul had to say about paying ministers for their labor for the cause of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:3-18: 3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? 7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Paul outlined a defense for paying ministers even while he personally abstained from charging for his service. Although Paul did take support from those who willingly gave, he did not require it or try to coerce believers to pay him. Always focused on the call, Paul would rather go without than act in a way that hindered the spread of the gospel of Christ. Paul's letter does warn about abusing a ministerial office for financial gain. Some do look at ministry as a way to obtain the 'good life' - fancy cars, luxury watches and mansions. These people will bring judgment upon themselves if they act out of faithlessness. For the most part, Paul does not say that everyone must follow his personal example. Paul wrote, "The Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Each minister must seek the face of God and listen for what the Lord would have him do. According to your measure of faith, God may require you to go forth with little to no support on the books. Others may be provided for completely without any expense unpaid. God will work uniquely in every circumstance.
How does this all translate to the issue of giving? Well, that's something that you must discover for yourself as you wrestle with God. It's never really about the money. It's about giving God our hearts. As we yield our hearts over to God and trust Him with everything, our pocketbooks will follow.
