Tithing
First of all, simply because anyone pronounces you to be a “bad disciple”—your pastor, me, someone you hear on the radio, someone whose book you read, etc., does not make you a bad disciple. It means that you need to be discriminating and discerning between biblically faithful teaching and teaching that departs from what you understand to be the gospel of Jesus Christ.
No pastor or teacher has the biblical right to tell anyone that they must give 10% of their income, and that if you don’t you will “sow yourself into poverty”. The only thing that is being sown in such a circumstance is bad, inadequate and misleading teaching.
You are right not to buy into this teaching. It is manipulative and just plain wrong. I will send you a booklet we have on finances that includes a number of questions about giving. Thanks for allowing PTM to be of service.
In Christ,
Jesus did not preach that we should adhere to the old covenant system of tithing. Jesus told those who were under the old covenant to tithe (Matthew 23:23 ) according to the old covenant instruction. But the church of Jesus Christ , founded in the cross of Christ and his empty tomb, following the new covenant in the blood of Christ, does not have a requirement to tithe a specific percentage. Rather, Christians are told to give of all we have, to forsake all and follow him, to be a living sacrifice. Our giving is a choice each of us makes and we make that choice free of restrictions about exact percentages that we must give, according to the new covenant.
It is not biblically correct to “sow a seed” of money and expect to receive a direct blessing from God, whether material or immaterial, on a one-to-one correspondence based upon the “seed that is sown.” This idea is often used by churches, ministries and pastors to motivate people to give to the work of the church. While the cause in most cases is for the gospel of the kingdom, the idea behind the promotion and motivation is biblically flawed.
The passage in Galatians 6:7 is taken out of its context and twisted (such a thing is probably not the intent of the person doing so, of course) into something that God, as he inspired the Apostle Paul, did not intend.
One of the basic rules of understanding the Bible is to understand the passage in its context. We also need to remember that the passage had a meaning to its original audience, and we should ensure we understand that meaning first before we attempt to apply the passage to our lives.
First—the context of the book of Galatians. This book is specifically devoted to teaching against legalism—the idea that if we do certain things, then God will or is even obligated to respond in a certain way. Paul teaches that freedom in Christ means that we are released from the basic principles of the world, which is the idea that God is so impressed with our good deeds that he will give us salvation as a result. Legalism is performance-based religion, whereas Christianity is based solely on the finished work of Christ on the cross. We are saved by God’s grace, not by what we do. Christ did for us what we can never do for ourselves.
With that brief summary, which does not do justice to this powerful book of Galatians, we come to chapter six. Paul begins by talking about doing so, bearing each other’s sins. In the verse immediately prior to the verse about which you ask, Paul tells us to “share good things” with our spiritual instructors and then he says, in verse seven, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
Paul is addressing a practical matter, but one that has spiritual implications. At the beginning of the chapter we are told to take care of one another and to help those who have burdens. Then he says that we should also take care of those who give us spiritual instruction, and that we will reap what we sow. It is in the context of caring for others’ needs that we are told that we will reap what we sow—not the idea that if we sow a financial seed it is like a spiritual investment in the heavenly stock market. It is not saying that God will make sure that our “investment” will pay dividends for us, giving us more money back, better health, happier marriages, etc., etc. This is not at all what this passage is teaching.
This passage is teaching that our giving and sharing and our financial support for those who give us and others spiritual instruction is an investment—both for now and for eternity. When we give of those resources God has blessed us with, we are laying up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20). We are making deposits into God’s kingdom of heaven and to his work being done on this earth, where help and healing is available to those who are spiritually sick, in spiritual bondage and prison. We invest into God’s kingdom and to his work so that new life—the new life in Christ—can be given to those who are weak, lost and broken.
It is in that context we will reap what we sow. We will help others who desperately need it—not that we will in some way help ourselves. Our motive in giving should be to help others, to bear the burdens of others—not some investment scheme that will, in the long run, give us physical benefits.
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht
If you click on “Tithing” – one of the categories under “Ask Greg” – you will find a number of questions and answers we have posted that explain that a strict 10% tithe is not binding upon or required of Christians today. A strict 10% tithe was a part of the old covenant – Christians are under the new covenant. This does not mean, of course, that Christians do not give to or support God’s work in this world – but it does mean that the exact amount we decide to give is not dictated to us – not by the Bible, and certainly not by any church or pastor.
Giving of our time, talents and treasures for the kingdom is part of the New Testament message. This is not to say that each one of us must support every church, denomination, and ministry, any more than any one of us is responsible to feed and clothe every child that lives in our town. Giving does begin at home, at the household of faith. We should support, as we can and as we decide, the church and the ministries that nourish us and give us spiritual direction. But we must also take care of our families, and live normal, fulfilling lives as we believe we ought and we can.
Jesus is clear about the dangers of legalism, and the rest of the New Testament adds to his teaching. We are not to live in fear of sinning, worried about fulfilling a humanly devised laundry list of do’s and don’ts. We are to live according to the new commandments of Jesus. And those are outlined for us in the New Testament.
Jesus told us to come to him, to give our burdens to him (Matthew 11:28). We all need to be careful that we do not accept or shoulder burdens that rightly belong to our Lord.
You introduced the matter of paying tithes before or even instead of bills – this is a matter between an individual and God – I cannot comment except to urge caution, for while God honors our devotion, neither does he wish us to exercise blind faith or to be financially irresponsible.
In Christ,