What about Tithing?

“Come on, I dare you!”

I imagine you have either said that or have heard it some time in your life. It is a challenge to do something someone else is giving you as a test of courage. Sometimes these challenges are to do good things and sometimes it isn’t. “I dare you to jump off the roof,” is usually not a good dare. “I dare you to read your Bible daily,” is a wonderful dare.

Did you know God gives dares? That’s right, God dares us to do something. God says it this way, “Prove Me.” It is just like God saying, “Test Me,” or “Check Me out and see if I am lying to you or not, I dare you!” There is only one area of our total lives where God dares us to prove Him and that is with our money.

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts."
Malachi 3:10-12

Tithing is as much a part of Christian living as is praying or studying the Bible. In fact tithing is the only area where God says to try Him. God promises if we tithe we will receive much more than we give.

When we tithe God will:

1) open the windows of heaven to us and pour out a blessing so large there is not room to receive it all;

2)God will also rebuke the devourer – things will not decay or be used up as fast and our labor will have a greater and sweeter yield; and

3)we will be called blessed by others as a testimony of what God has given us for our obedience. How can you go wrong with promises like that?

What is a tithe?

Giving to God can be classified as either a tithe or an offering. The first tithes recorded in the Bible were given by Abraham to the Jewish Priest King Melchizedek.

As you may remember Abraham and Lot came into a disagreement and Lot chose to live in the well watered valley of Sodom and Abraham chose to live in the desert valley to the east. Lot camped close enough to Sodom he could see the town every morning when he came out of his tent.

There was a band of warriors from the north that came down and raided Sodom. Lot lived close enough he was raided too. Lot and his family were taken captive by the warriors along with the people, the king, and the things stolen from Sodom. Abraham heard about the raids and took a large group of his servants to fight the warriors and free his nephew. Abraham and his men caught up to the warriors and God gave Abraham the victory. Abraham found a nearby Priest – King to offer thanks to God for the victory.

Abraham gave Melchizedek one animal out of every animal that had been recovered. He also gave him one pound of gold and silver for every ten pounds recovered. Additionally Abraham gave a price to God for every person rescued. Abraham had additional possessions at home, but he tithed off the increase of the victory given to him by God.

Tithing is not the only way to give. After we give 10% of our increase we are then able to give offerings. Offerings are additional gifts we give in addition to the tithe. Offerings don’t start until the tithe has been given. Once the tithe is paid the offering can begin. Tithes are required, offerings are love gifts. Tithes come to your local church to support the mission it has in the community. Offerings go to special projects and events as God burdens your heart to help. Once given both the tithe and the offering are no longer yours. You are not to receive a benefit from the place where you put your tithes and offerings.

It may be easier to understand it in light of the Old Testament system of offering animals. A family would raise crops or animals to make a living. They would then take the very best they had and bring it to the temple to be offered to the Lord. When the animal or grain was brought to the temple, the priest would take a portion of the meat and grain to eat himself. The rest of the gift, except for the unclean parts, would be burned in the fire to God. When the family gave the lamb there was no benefit to the family, except for the joy of giving. The family had to release the animal completely to the priest. They could not direct who, what, when, where or how the gift was to be used. The whole animal may be burned or it may go to feed the priests. Once the gift was given, the family had no power over it.

Often when we speak of tithes and offerings many people only apply it to money. Money is to be tithed and offered to God as gifts but we are to tithe other things as well. We should tithe our time. We are to give God one day out of every seven. We should tithe our talent.

We need to donate our God given abilities to minister to people, this would include our singing, reading, listening, encouragement, and discernment. We can even make offerings of praise, thanksgiving, and testimony.

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." Hebrews 13:15

God is not just in us giving but in us giving properly. A gift given with the improper attitude does not have the same reward as gifts given the right way.

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

We are also to have a right heart attitude toward our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Jesus said:

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-24

God loves us and wants to bless us. Many times we get in the way of God’s blessing with our lack of faith and our disobedience. Test God and see what He will do for you in this new year. This year make your resolve to be a cheerful giver of tithes and offerings.