Tithing. The word will provoke many comments like “That’s Biblical. We’re supposed to be doing it.” Or “Isn’t that the same as giving in general?” Better yet, “I’ve never heard of that!” These are things you might expect to hear if you were doing a Man On the Street Interview in a city in the Deep South (Bible Belt). However, sad to say, you would be more likely to hear these responses in the typical American church on any given Sunday. The truth is that American Christians are virtually clueless as to what the Scriptures teach in regards to how we are supposed to give our finances in worship to God. For the next three months through these articles, it is my intent to correct this gap in instruction at least for the readership within the range of this blog. Since our giving according to Scripture falls into three categories (i.e. tithing, gifts/vows, and offerings), we will begin with tithing, when it began, how it progressed and how it is applied to today.
The tithe, or 10% of one’s personal gain or income, began as a measure of gratitude given unto God, a least token from the recipient of benefits and blessings from God. It was an act of worship unto the Lord, a concrete effort borne out of a heart overwhelmed by God’s goodness. This is what was experienced by Abraham (rf. Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7:4-10) and Jacob (rf. Genesis 28:20-22).
Later, in the Old Testament, when the children of Israel became a nation and God’s law became the glue that bound them together into a distinct people-group, the tithe became to them a requirement. It served both as a means of sustenance to the Levitical tribe as the priests for the nation. You see, the Levites were not given land by which they could sustain themselves when the Promised Land was divided, but were made the keepers of the worship of God and dependent upon the other eleven tribes for their physical support via the tithes and the sacrifices. The tithe was also one of the chosen means by which God gauged the hearts of His people in terms of their obedience and real desire to worship Him. He made it very clear that the tithe was His and was to designed to sustain His continuous worship(rf. Leviticus 27:30-33). Because Israel was a Theocracy, there were two separate tithes taken for other efforts on behalf of God's people. The first was to establish and continue the feasts that were celebrated in His Name (rf. Deuteronomy 14:22-27). The second was taken every three years for the provision of the poor (rf. Deuteronomy 14:28-29). The total yearly tithe then was 23 1/3% for the typical Israelite with 10% of that amount going specifically toward the worship of God. All of this amount was required by God. Any attempt to use it for one’s own purposes and not for His worship was stealing from Him (rf. Malachi 3:8-10), thus making oneself subject to His wrath.
There are some within the Christian community who believe that when Jesus arrived on the scene, He did away with the Old Testament commitment to tithing, that it was an outdated part of the Old Testament Law. However, this could not be further from the truth. At no point in His ministry did Jesus speak against the tithe. Indeed, He was adamant about being diligent in one’s finances. When asked about Roman taxation, which was very unpopular with the Jews of His day, Jesus’ response was very enlightening, “Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” (rf. Matthew 22:21) In that one statement, Jesus not only shared with His followers the principle of paying your taxes as good citizens of whatever country God places you in providentially, but also viewing giving the tithe (the 10% of our personal gain or income that belongs to God) as seriously as we would paying our taxes to the government!
Wow! With this kind of understanding of tithing, we would never even consider using God’s money to fund another summer vacation or paying off a bill or buying an appliance, etc., now would we? Indeed, for many of us who are now reading this information, we are realizing for the first time that we have been systematically sinning because we have not been tithing at all for many years. We actually have been using God’s money for our own purposes and wondering why the money that we’ve been making hasn’t been covering all of the bills that we’ve been getting. God has promised that, if we would trust Him with the 10% that belongs to Him, He would bless and make the other 90% to cover all of our needs (not necessarily all our wants, though). Tithing is, after all, an act of worship as well as an act of faith. This is why it is something He requires of His people, not of the rest of the world. It is a spiritual duty. The unbelieving world has not a clue nor comprehension of what God is up to when He commands His people to tithe, nor the blessings that He showers down upon them when they are obedient to do so.
So, my challenge to you is this. If you haven’t been tithing, start now. Whatever your income is as within your power when your paycheck comes to you, take 10% off the top, designate that as your tithe, and give that to your local church where you attend. Do this as a commitment and do not fail to uphold it no matter what arises. You will be tested to see if you will be obedient. Then watch God work in your life. He will not fail to meet your needs as He will not fail to keep His Word and His promises to His people. Remember Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”
As it was true then, so it is true today. God never changes!
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