Why I Tithe

"Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts." -- Malachi 3.10-12

My goal is to support stewardship awareness on a more personal level this year as the Finance Committee, the Church Session and the Congregation thinks through, prays through and plans financially toward 2008. Instead of doing full-blown messages on financial stewardship, I thought I would write a series of short flyers written from a personal point of view. This week’s topic: "Why I Tithe." Next week: "Why I Pledge." And then for Stewardship Sunday "Overflow Ministry."

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Tithing is a confusing and somewhat intimidating issue for many in the pews. I want to let you in on why I tithe from a personal point of view. I am not saying that you have to do as I do or think as I think – there are various schools of thought when it comes to tithing and people of godly character vary in their interpretations of this teaching. I am one Christian among many on this issue, and I think it is fair that you hear from your pastor on this issue as well.

So … Here goes … !

The Tenth Part

The word tithe is a word hardly anyone uses in every day speech. It means the tenth part of something. In the Bible people were to give a tenth of their crops and flocks as well as their money. The tenth part was considered holy or dedicated to the Lord. The basic rule of thumb for the Hebrew people was: A tenth of what we have is exclusively God’s.

Although the rules concerning tithes and offerings are fairly complicated (to our way of thinking), the conscientious Jew would be in fact giving 21% of his blessings/income in whatever form to Temple and King.
The Hebrews did not proscribe amounts for offerings, but percentages for the most part. The reason – They were an agricultural society. Some seasons were better than other seasons. They were to bless as they had been blessed by God. The fairest way to assign a consistent offering was to calibrate it by percentage. Many churches today emphasize the same concept of proportional giving … to bless others in proportion to how you have been blessed by God.


The Least I Could Do

Early in my Christian life (late teens for me) the concept of tithing was brought to my attention and I have regarded the practice (also known as a spiritual discipline) of tithing to be a basic form of Christian obedience. I considered the giving of ten percent to be a biblical standard for my own giving … that if I were faithful in this, I was doing my part. I am always free to do more, but this was the benchmark.

I also considered my tithe as a seed for continued blessing. Some may take issue with this. For me – this is how it has worked. God sustained me in lean times (I have real stories to share here) and I am convinced that it was directly linked to my willingness to give to Him come what may (see Malachi 3.10-12).


Learning All Over Again

After we were married, Sheila and I had to come to agreement as to how we were going to give as a couple/family. We had differing perspectives and it took a while to sort things out. During that time we were under teaching that emphasized the necessity and blessing of tithing and we came to the prayerful agreement on how we were going to disburse God’s exclusive portion of our income (blessing). It has been amazing to see how God has blessed our 90% over the years …!


Tithing is not a matter of Old Testament Law. It is a way we relate to Jesus.

One of the considerations that often comes up in a discussion of tithing is that this was a matter of Old Testament law and is not binding to believers today. I understand that and respect peoples’ differing views on this matter.

However, my eyes were opened to keen biblical observation that tithing was considered the basic form of giving and gratitude to God long before the Law/Torah. We have two Old Testament examples of tithing in the lives of Abraham and Jacob, both of whom lived hundreds of years prior to the Law.

The Book of Hebrews (read Genesis 14.1-24 and Hebrews 6.9-7.19) refers directly to the tithing story of Abraham and interprets it significance for us. Space does not allow me to go into detail (… happy to discuss it, though) … But, to make a long story short: Abraham gives a tenth of everything to the Priest Melchizedek. According to the writer of Hebrews, Melchizedek is a type or Old Testament prefigurement of Jesus Christ. In essence (see Hebrews 7.4-10) the descendants of Abraham gratefully acknowledges the greatness of Jesus Christ through the giving of the tithe. Again, this is not a law for us, but a pattern worthy of consideration for the Christian’s growth in the grace of giving.


Next Post: Why I Pledge

I will deal with another controversial matter of stewardship … Pledging. Again, it will be from a personal and pastoral point of view. But, to be up front, I am hoping to lead others to actions that will result in tithing and pledging toward the work of God here, blessing in proportion to how God has blessed us. We need to move forward together on the financial level with Biblical guidance and insight …! We have nothing to lose by doing this kind of study ... and most everything to gain.

Bulletin Flyer ... September 30, 2007