It is unfortunate that the thing which separates many people from a true devotion unto God is their money. Whether it's working many hours on the job in the pursuit of making more of it or a stingy attitude when it comes the releasing of it, they both have the same effect. The person who works long hours usually doesn't have the time or energy to give God their whole devotion, while the stingy one lacks the love of God or desire for the kingdom.
People are always willing to sacrifice for what they love. It is easy for us to talk about the things that we love, and if our love for God was real and true, then we'd have no problem sacrificing in our obedience and reverence concerning His kingdom. It basically boils down to our attitude concerning Him.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10
It's not so strange to find non-Christians who love their money more than they love God, but what's really sad is to find those who claim to love God, but possess a stingy, non-involved attitude concerning His kingdom. Selfish and covetous preachers have, in many cases, caused people to closely guard their pocket-books. Their unfaithfulness and disloyalty have bred congregational distrust when it comes to money. With the economy rocking and reeling as it is, many have chosen to be more conservative in their giving.
I can remember, especially as a child, paying church dues. We would gather our $2.50 and proudly place it in the church offering basket. At that age, I didn't have a clue about church finances or even God's will concerning it. Later I would learn about tithing, but even in that there have been scandals and improprieties. So what is the will of God concerning giving?
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6
Tithing was first mentioned in Old Testament scriptures, but not as many people realize. Many think that tithing was initially an ordinance of God given in the laws of Moses. That is not altogether true. If you read Genesis 14:20, you will see that Abram gave tithes to Melchizedek, priest of the most High God hundreds of years before their was a law. It was Abram's symbolic gesture of thanksgiving for Melchizedek's part in delivering Abram from king Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him.
God instituted tithing in the law as a means of providing for the temple and the priests who attended unto it. Because these had no inheritance as other tribes of Israel, and were designated for the priests' office, it fell upon all others to give so that the house of God would be maintained. A tenth of all their increase of cattle or crops belonged to God and was to be faithfully brought unto the priests. But the people were not always faithful in their obligations to the ministry of God, prompting God to express His displeasure to them.
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Malachi 3:8-9
God called all those who kept for themselves what should have been designated for God as thieves and robbers and He pronounced certain curses upon them because of it. But He also spoke blessings to those who were faithful in their giving. He promised to pour out a blessing upon their homes and that He would "rebuke the devourer" for their sake. God promised to make their land a "delightsome land", and that all nations would know that they had been blessed by God.
But what does the New Testament say about tithing? Many believe that the New Testament did away with the provisions of the law, but what did Jesus say about it?
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18
The law contained ordinances of righteousness that were impossible for us to attain without the power of God's Spirit residing in us. The law was full of deathly penalties for disobedience, and though it detailed the mind and heart of God, it lacked the substance to bring us into obedience to it. That's what made the coming of Jesus Christ a necessity. It is because He was raised from the dead, as promised, that we have also have hope of resurrection. Glory Hallelujah!
If the truth would be known, the tithe and our offerings still belong to God. We are commanded to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus". What exactly does that mean? It means that, just as He humbly submitted Himself to do whatever the kingdom required, then that's what He did. In His case, it meant death. And with us it should be no different.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:34-36
A very popularly quoted scripture reads "for God loveth a cheerful giver," and no words could be more truly spoken. It has always been in the heart of God to give, for He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus Christ loved us so much that He willingly gave His life for us. Scriptures teach that there could be no greater love than a man would lay down, give his life, for his friends.
Many people say that Jesus never commanded us to tithe, but that's not true either. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for placing a greater emphasis on their giving because they did so to be seen of men. He told them to continue tithing, but not to forget their need for judgment and the love of God. See Luke 11:42.
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
In closing, I admonish you to read Proverbs 11:25 that reads "the liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Jesus told us "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). I would rather obey God than to listen to the minds of selfish, stingy men, for it is God who shall reward every man according to that which he has sown.
