Biblical Giving

This is not another message on the topic of tithing or offering. I have done this many times. But, this time I have something to say about the correct biblical way of giving to God and His work.

The Scripture is very clear, God's covenant people in Old Testament time, gave to God and His work under the Law of tithing in the Old Testament. They tithed out of fear of breaking the Law of Moses. On the other hand, christians who are also God's covenant people, give to God and His work under the Grace of giving which is of freewill. They give out of love for the Lord and His Body (the Church) as moved by the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 9:7). We can say that in the New Testament Church Christians practice "guided" giving and not "forced" giving as those in the Old Testament under Moses' Law did. In my opinion, any Local Church that compels christians to pay tithe, not only acts contrary to the New Testament teaching, but is actually trying to pour new wine into old wineskins (Matt. 9:17).

I have something new to share in this message. You may call it some sort of revelation in a way.

There is no doubt that the Bible does have much to say about money and finances. A good example can be found in 2 Cor. 8.

Paul was writing to the Corinthians about the Macedonian Churches, and he was telling how the Holy Spirit moved on the Macedonians to be generous in their giving. Then he drew a lesson from that.

"Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy (the Macedonian churches's) and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. for I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (2 Cor. 8: 2 - 5, NIV, emphasis added).

Paul said that it is God's will that Church members must give themselves first to the Lord, and then give to the Church as moved by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all Local Churches must ensure all their members give themselves to the Lord first. In other words, the first thing christians have to give to the Lord is not their money, but themselves. That is how it must begin with each of us if we want to please God and do His will. I think this is an important spiritual law for the Local Church and individual believers:

"Do not give our money to God if we have not given ourselves". God wants us and desires us to do His will.

We must begin with ourselves. We cannot buy a good relationship with God with our money. This is how God sees us doing if we give without given ourselves to Him first. Actually, God can get on all right without our money. I believe it is for our benefits that God requires us to give, but he has a command - He wants us first. Then, out of the giving of ourselves, by His grace, the proper New Testament giving will naturally flow.

The Scriptural way of giving oneself to God is explained in Romans 12:1,2.

1. Present his body on the altar of God as a living sacrfice.

2. Be tranformed by the renewing of his mind - conform to the mind of Christ.

3. God's will be made known to him and God's will becomes his will.

Also, he needs to fear God and develops an intimate relationship with the Lord. Only then he knows how to give to the Lord.

Let us study the case of the giving of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1 to 10). We all know that they perished not because they did not give their money, but because they lied to the Holy Spirit. They pretended to have given all, but in actual fact they kept back part of the proceeds from the sell of land.

Please take note of the following:

1. Ananias and Sapphira failed to give themselves to the Lord first. If they had, they would not lie to the Holy Spirit.

2. They would not have perished or even have been punished in any other way, even if they have not given a single "mite" to the Lord (Acts 5:4).

3. No tithing was imposed on the believers in the early Church. I believe if Peter had demanded tithes from Ananias and Sapphira they would be more than willing to give. In this situation they would have given much more than 10% of the proceeds from the sell of their land. They kept back only part of the proceeds.

I just cannot understand why many Local Churches compel church members to give tithes. I still hear preachers say, unless christians tithe properly God would demand tithes from the them in some disastrous ways - their house gets burned down, they will meet with some accidents, their cars will need repairs often, they and their love ones get seriouly ill and so on. This sounds like a serious curse to me! Why put fear to God fearing christians when there is no Scriptural reference to support their beliefs. In fact I heard this sort of "warning" from a brother in Christ within the first month I was saved!