Tithing vs

Tithing vs. Giving

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Rom 6:14)

Our exposure to the concept of tithing is not always quite biblical:

Offering envelopes: “Bring ye the tithes into the storehouse.”
The Preacher, “The tithe is the Lord’s, anything over the tithe is an offering.”
Somebody is in the hospital, and some church-goer says, “Well I guess the Lord will get his tithe one way or the other.”

Are Christians required, or even commanded, to tithe?

A good place to begin to understand this issue of tithing will be the oft quoted passage from Malachi 3:8-12.

Let’s establish six things that the Bible is very clear about regarding the law of the tithe.

Everywhere it is commanded it is commanded of the Jew. (Mal 1:1, Num 18:26)
Everywhere the tithe is mentioned it is a reference to food or livestock. (Mal 3:10, Neh 12:44, 2 Chron 31:5-6, Deut 14:22-23, Lev 27:30-32) Notice that under the law (Lev 27:31) if you wanted to give money instead of livestock or grain you’re supposed to tack on another 20%.
The purpose of the tithe is to feed the Levites. (Neh 10:37, Num 8:24-26)
The tithes are to be brought to the “storehouse.” (Mal 3:10)
If Jews do not bring their tithes, God is going to curse them. (Mal 3:9)
If their faithful about bringing their tithes, God will bless them to the point that they won’t even have enough room to contain it all. (Mal 3:10)

Here are the facts about our situation under grace:

When you and I got saved we were supernaturally blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph 1:3) (Even if you’re broke!)
According to 2 Pet 1:3 he has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. (When you got saved you were blessed before they ever passed the plate the next time you showed up to church.)
Jesus Christ died for us to take away the curse of the law! (cf. Mal 3:9 and Gal 3:13)
There is no storehouse at this church or any other church. (At least I hope not!)
Maters, taters, and collard greens won’t pay a churches light bill or send missionaries to the ends of the earth! (Can you imagine if Bro. Dee showed up with 3 or 4 five-gallon buckets of orange-blossom honey, or if Bro. Todd tried to drop off about 15 or 20 cows at church today?!)
I’m not a Levite and neither is anybody else as far as you know. There is no such thing as a priest-class. The church is a royal priesthood, made up of individual believers.
There isn’t a single commandment ever given to “the church of God” requiring a tithe.

A few objections:

Q: But Bro. Lee didn’t Jesus Christ endorse tithing.

A: He most certainly did. See Matt 23:23. Did you notice the substance of those tithes? Had the New Testament begun when Jesus Christ made that statement? (see Col 2:14, Eph 2:15)

Q: But Bro. Lee isn’t tithing mentioned before the Law, or the Legal dispensation?

A: Yes it was, and that is a good point. It’s mentioned in Genesis 14 when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and in Genesis 28 when Jacob promises to give God a tenth of everything God gave him. But notice that in both of these cases they involve voluntary gifts with the percentage set, not by God, but by the giver. You’ve got a good principle set forth in these two passages, but no commandment.

What you have in the Old Testament is the same thing you have taught in the average Baptist church today, a religious tax paid to gain the favor or avoid the wrath of almighty God. And by the way each time you see the term offering related to tithes in those OT passages, it’s talking about the OT sacrifices (which also served to feed the Levites). So this “tithe-is-the-Lord’s-and-everything-over-that-is-an-offering” business, won’t cut it when you get into the New Testament. All of it belongs to the Lord, not just the tithe!

So what does the Bible say about Christians and giving?

Well first of all let’s look over here in Galatians 5 to understand what being under Grace is supposed to give us and what it is not supposed to give us. (Gal 5:1, 13)

Now come to 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

Notice: There is a precedent in the NT for giving, the collection is to be taken up on the first day of the week, and we’re to give as God has prospered us. (Widow’s mite illustration from Mark 12:41-44.)

You pay your bills because you have to, you save some money so your kids will have something (2 Cor 12:14). Once you’ve done that everything else is prosperity. You’ve got food, shelter, transportation, clothing. The rest of it is prosperity. If we’d give accordingly we’d get a lot done for God. A lot more than we could with just a tithe! I’ve got money to drop $20 on lunch after church, I ought to be able to send $40 to the mission field so souls can be saved.

Now come to the main passage about this subject in the NT, 2 Cor 9:1-15.

vs. 1-2

This church had a reputation for giving all they possibly could financial to advance the ministry. If every Christian had to give 10% or wind up cursed how could one church’s zeal for giving provoke another church?

vs. 3-4

Paul has been bragging on their giving and he’s heading back their to get another collection, so he’s trying to warn them ahead of time so they’re not embarrassed when he shows up if the gift doesn’t match their reputation.

vs. 5-6

If you only put a little into missions you’ll only get a little out. In the context here, the spiritual increase will reflect your financial sacrifice.

vs. 7

Not a tithe, but what you purpose in your heart. It’s a ready mind in v. 1 and here it’s a purposed heart.
You don’t give grudgingly. If putting that envelope in the plate on Sunday is akin to having a root canal for you, you should really keep it. If you resent having to write that check instead of buying some new toy you don’t need, then don’t write the check!
Not of necessity. You see that? That’s the beauty of it, that’s why it’s called giving and not paying. You don’t need to give, you get to give.
And God loves a cheerful giver. If you can’t give your little or you lot cheerfully, then just keep it, tithe and all!

vs. 8-11

May abound… not to big bucks, but to every good work.
And increase… not your bank account, but the fruits of your righteousness.

vs. 12-13

It calls giving a service! Then he calls it a ministry! When you give you become a part of the work that you’re supporting. You take a part in the fruit that is produced by those gifts.
Notice it’s an experiment, you try out different amounts to give. You experiment with it.
Those saints that were receiving the benefit of this church’s giving, are glorifying God for the giver’s subjection to the gospel of Christ! If you’re not giving it’s because you’re not subject to the gospel of Christ.

vs. 14-15

Notice that these believers are motivated to give abundantly and sacrificially because of the grace of God that is in them.
Lastly, check out the standard for giving that motivates us as Christians. It’s the reason we give our time, our talents, our substance, everything. It’s all done thanks to God’s unspeakable gift to us: his Son Jesus!

That Old Testament Jew gave ten percent. He’d never had his sins washed away by the blood of Jesus. He didn’t have the Holy Spirit living inside of him. He’d never been given the promise of eternity in heaven, with a mansion and a street of gold. If that guy can give ten percent of what he owns, what do you think you and I can do?

Some day you and I are going to die. If you’re saved you’ll go to heaven. You’ll be leaving your house, your cars, your hobbies, and everything else you own. The only thing you won’t leave behind is what you’ve sent on ahead. Whatever you give to God, you’ll get back at the Judgment Seat.

Some practical tips about giving:

You can not out give God. (Go ahead, try it.)
Don’t forget that God wants a lot more out of you than your money.
If you’re not giving, try tithing. (Teach your kids, too.)
If you’re tithing, start giving.