Joyful and Generous Giving

How many of you tithe to your church? I would be willing to bet (if I were a betting woman) that very few, if any of you, (and I include myself in this statement) tithe biblically. I know, I know, this is an awfully bold statement for me to make, but I'll explain. As many of you may know, tithing is an Old Testament law, that the Israelites were to keep. There are some that teach that we as Christians are to do this as well. If we were to do it in the biblical sense, I would wholeheartedly agree.

Anytime, in the Old Testament, when a tithe is mentioned, it is in reference to food. That's right, food, not money. And the person (or family) bringing the tithe was to eat it, after they had offered it. That's right!!! The tithe was to be eaten by the family that offered it, as well as giving some to the priests, and sharing their bounty with others that may not have had food of their own. It was to be a time of celebration and merriment, surrounded by a bounty of food and fellowship.

You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or your new wine or your oil, of the firstborn of your herd or your flock, of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the heave offering of your hand. Deuteronomy 12:17 NKJV

This verse says "you may not eat" but notice it says that you may not eat it within your own gates. The next reference to tithing states this:

And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. Deuteronomy 14:23 NKJV (emphasis mine)

The following explains that the tithe was to be done every third year, and that they were to do the following with their firstfruits of that year.

"When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year--the year of tithing--and have given [it] to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God: 'I have removed the holy [tithe] from [my] house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten [them]." Deuteronomy 26:12-13 NKJV (emphasis mine)

And for those that may have been given the misconception that the tithe was food then, because that was the currency of the times, let me clear that up as well. Or better yet, let me share with you what God has said.

"But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. "And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household."Deuteronomy 14:24-26 NKJV

I know that there are many that teach that giving to your church is what we are still to do. I agree, that if we have been blessed with extra, that we should share it, so that ministry to others can be best facilitated. I know that one such Scripture that is used to support continued "tithing" or offerings to the church is Acts 2:44-45

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

The operative words here, are: "divided them among all, as anyone had need." I do not think it's a coincidence that Jesus never passed around an offering plate, with the expectation that money would be put into it. The only time we hear of Him asking for anything to be shared amongst all, is when He asks for food. (Think the 5 loaves and 2 fishes.) I think this is very telling. How about you?

Now, before you think that I am saying that we should not give to our churches, let me tell you, I am not saying that at all. However, I am saying that giving a tenth of your salary to further a ministry within your church is not always the best use of the finance God has blessed you with. God calls us ALL to be ministers to others. That's right, I said ALL. If you honestly feel, after prayer and thought on the subject, that giving to your church is reaching the masses with the Good News, and helping to feed and clothe the needy, then by all means continue to do so. If however, you find that the majority of your money tends to fund administrative costs for a church body that is not ministering effectively to Non-believers, or is not giving adequately to the needy, then perhaps you should re-evaluate your giving practices.

Jesus did mention giving in one of His lessons to the disciples. It is the mention of the widow that gave her last coins into the Temple treasury. He states that she gave all that she had, so it cost her more than all the others. He does NOT say, however, that she would be blessed for it, or even that she should have done so. In fact, there are some that believe (and I agree) that He probably was saddened by the fact that she gave to a system that was broken. Remember the "woes" to the Pharisees? Jesus was telling them that they were hypocrites for giving to the Temple, instead of providing for their widows, orphans, and other needy people. They had developed a procedure for giving, so that they didn't have to help others. They used their tithes and offerings as an excuse not to LOVE others, in the way that we are to LOVE everyone. The same way that God loves us. By providing for our needs, to name just one. Please do read the Scripture references for yourself, and pray about it. I'll leave you with these final verses, for you to meditate on.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Matthew 23:14 NKJV

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier [matters] of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23 NKJV

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8 NKJV

May the blessings of the Lord be upon you.

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