Tithing/Giving in the New Testament

Billy Graham was quoted as saying, “If a person gets his attitude about money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”

Why should we give money to a church….?

Practical reasons:

There were in the early church and there are today, very practical reasons to give money to a church.

Acts 6

1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

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We are called to feed the hungry and take care of the poor?

Then it takes manpower and finances to do this

1 Corinthians 16:1-3

The Collection for Jerusalem (Judean church was in financial need)

1 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.3 When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem.

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This was the first example of a “missions” program

The churches in Asia were helping the churches in Judea

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This is also the first place we hear about a weekly setting aside of finances from individuals for a specific purpose

There were other things Paul thought the church should pay

1 Timothy 5:16-18

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.

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These are all things that would need organization and a continuance of funds in order to administer properly

These are (3) practical reasons to give…..(Church Mission statement)

To help the poor in our community

To help other churches needing financial assistance

To pay the staff who are responsible for the care, and spiritual growth of the church

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Nowhere is this called tithing in the New Testament…..

or is there any indication of prescribed amounts ….

Except being generous

Paul tells us in his writing what financial giving should look like in the new testament church

Romans 12:8 (Speaking about our gifting from God) if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;

2 Corinthians 9:6 [ Sowing Generously ] Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Commentary on this piece of scripture

2 Corinthians (3. Divine Principles of Giving: Why the Corinthians Need to Give Generously (9:6–15))

No farmer considers sowing (planting seed) as a loss of seed because the harvest will provide the seed for the next season. Consequently, no sower begrudges the seed he casts upon the ground or tries to scrimp by with sowing as little as possible. He willingly sows all that he can and trusts that God will bless the sowing with a bountiful harvest. If the farmer, for some reason, stints on the sowing, he will cheat himself of that harvest. The more he sows, the greater the harvest he will reap and the more he will have for sowing for the next harvest. Applying this analogy to giving means that plentiful giving will result in a plentiful harvest. But what kind of harvest is reaped by generosity?The idea that generosity to the poor would meet with overflowing blessing in return was common in Jewish thinking

Old testament Scriptures that show us this thinking

Proverbs 11:24–25 NLT

24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Malachi 3:10 NLT

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

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Paul, goes on to explain further about the attitude we should be giving with 2 Corinthians 9:7-13

2 Corinthians 9:7–13 (NLT)

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10

Example of this Acts 10:1

New Living Translation Chapter 10

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!

Proverbs speaks to this also

Proverbs 19:17 17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!

2 Corinthians 9:10-11…says it this way

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.

1 Timothy 6:17 17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable.

Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good.

They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.

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Jesus speaks to finances also

Matthew 6:20…20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

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How do you store up treasure in heaven

“When we live sacrificially for Jesus’ sake or serve Him by serving the body of Christ, we store up treasure in heaven. Even seemingly small acts of service do not go unnoticed by God. “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42).”

Is Jesus and his mission our first priority? (seriously think about this)

Matthew 6:33 NLT

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

What will be given to us? - Earthly needs

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Is the work of Christ, our relationship with God and the church (his body) really our first priority

If it is

we will support it before anything else

If it is

we will give to it sacrificially

Give our time

Give our prayer

Give our physical help

Give our financial resources

State: Church is not a spiritual social occasion - it has a divine mission that Christ is VERY serious about

State: When was the last time you gave truly sacrificially to church..

Most of us give an amount based on what is left after OUR stuff has been paid for

How many of us pay their Netflix bill every month

How many of us pay our credit card bill every month

We give to God according to what is left over, not what has been given to us (our pay)

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Do you see why God might consider us thieves

Malachi 3: 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!

“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’

“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.[a] Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

"Don't worry about how God will bless your tithes and offerings.

He might increase your income.

He might lower your expenses.

He might sustain your household appliances.

He might protect your health.

He might keep your car out of the shop.

God blesses us in his way, in his time."

New Testament giving…How are we to give in our local church?

2 Cor 9:7 (NIV) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

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An example of this…

2 Corinthians 8

1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.

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That is new testament giving….forget 10%

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Jesus shows us the new testament way to live old testament laws:

1 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!

Or

7 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Or

31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery

Or

38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’m39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

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Jesus calls us to a much deeper level of obedience and surrender than the law of Moses.

What Jesus calls us to is much more demanding than anything in the old testament.

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A prerequisite for new testament giving is to be a cheerful (willing) giver

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So what will stop you from being a cheerful, generous giver

If you don’t believe this!!:

1 Timothy 3:14-16

Paul wrote to Timothy to say..

15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

If you do not believe that about this local assembly, then you will not have the desire to give in a New Testament way.

If you harbour resentments or disagreements with the governance of the church or with each other

If you really do not believe God will supply all of your needs

Don’t trust God to meet your needs..so you horde or withhold

State: What are the benefits of being cheerful and generous…

Richard Foster, in his book, Money, Sex and Power writes, "Giving with glad and generous hearts has a way of rooting out the tough old miser within us.

Even the poor need to know that they can give. Just the very act of letting go of money, or some other treasure, does something within us. It destroys the demon greed."