Generous Giving Or Ten Percent?
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye rob me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
At some point in our walk with God, we are going to ask the question, are we still bound by the ten percent rule set forth in Malachi? I’m sure that you, just as I was taught that we are to give ten percent of our income to God. But, it is not in Malachi where the ten percent rule is given, what it say’s is this, Malachi 3:10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah 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. 11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts. Ten is a special number, often used by God, and it is used through out the Old Testament and some places in the New Testament. Here are some examples, Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou wilt give me I will without fail give the tenth to thee. 32. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. Genesis 8:5 and the waters abated continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. Exodus 12:3 Speak unto all the assembly of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month let them take themselves each a lamb, for a father's house, a lamb for a house. Leviticus 16:29 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you. In the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, the home-born, and the stranger that sojourned among you. If you read the whole Bible you are going to find there are numerous accounts of the number ten throughout the Bible. I’m not saying that it’s wrong to give your ten percent, but maybe some of you may have experienced what I have. Have the time ever came when you had more than one bill due, or your pay check was less than you needed to pay your 10%? But you went ahead just the same, and paid that 10% knowing you had already wrote checks for bills, but believing that God was going to work everything out, so that none of your checks bounced? Well, I have, and was truly disappointed when my checks bounced, and was left owing return check fees to the bank, and to the vendor. Now this did not happen all the time, but it happened more times than I needed it to. I began to pray and ask God why was this happening, when I wanted to give, and was trying to be faithful in fulfilling my obligation. Well, it took some time for me to get that answer, and it came when I was not looking for it. You see, Jesus never taught giving 10% of what you have, but this is what he said, “Luke 6:38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. And here we find Paul writing about giving, Acts 20:35 In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Paul also wrote to the church in Corinth, Corinthians 9:6-11, 6. But this I say, He that sowed sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sowed bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7. Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.
8. And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:
9. As it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abides forever.
10. And he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:
10. Ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God.
Now do you see? God loves a cheerful giver, and not just the person whose giving the ten percent. Paul did not tell the church at Corinth to give ten percent and God would love them, but he said, “Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves the cheerful giver. So, when you give, give it from the heart, and not because it’s an obligation, and if what you give is all you can afford to give, then give what you have. The Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology had this to say about titheing, “Nowhere does the New Testament require Christians to tithe in the sense of giving 10 percent, but it does reiterate many things associated with tithing: those who minister are entitled to receive support (1 Cor 9:14); the poor and needy should be cared for (1 Cor 16:1; Gal 2:10); those who give can trust God, as the source of all that is given (2 Cor 9:10), to supply their needs (2 Cor 9:8; Php 4:19); and giving should be done joyously (2 Cor 9:7). The New Testament directs that taxes be paid to the state (Rom 13:6-7), which replaced Israel's theocracy. Paul's vocabulary and teaching suggest that giving is voluntary and that there is no set percentage. Following the example of Christ, who gave even his life (2 Cor 8:9), we should cheerfully give as much as we have decided (2 Cor 9:7) based on how much the Lord has prospered us (1 Cor 16:2), knowing that we reap in proportion to what we sow (2 Cor 9:6) and that we will ultimately give account for our deeds (Rom 14:12). Brian K. M
Information taken from Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Edited by Walter A. Elwell Used by permission of Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, copyright c 2005. All rights to this material are reserved. Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in other media, or mirrored at other sites without written permission from Baker Publishing Group.
Some will not be able to accept this teaching, but I say to them, keep giving your ten percent if this is what you believe, because, you are doing no wrong. And the person who gives only what they can afford to give, keep on giving, for you have done no wrong, just be sure that what is given is the true amount that you can give, don’t try to short change God. Keep in mind about the story of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5
1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2. And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4. While it remained, did it not remain thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou have not lied unto men, but unto God.
5. And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.
6. And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
7. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8. And Peter answered unto her, tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
9. But Peter said unto her, how is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
10. And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
Whatever way you give to God, let it be done in love.