NT Guidelines: Give voluntarily

When Moses was tasked to lead the building of the tabernacle, the recorded attitude among the people who came to give involved a moved heart that came to give freely and willingly.  Likewise, for the special offering to the needy saints, Paul said --

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7

We might today be more inclined to give when we feel like it and unfortunately 4 out of 10 churchgoers have never felt like it.  In contrast the Macedonian believers --

begging us earnestly for the privilege[a] of sharing in this ministry to the saints - 2 Corinthians 8:4

When we catch a vision of God's grace, we will give voluntarily - beyond our duty.





Guidelines for Giving

Old Testament Tithing vs. New Testament Giving

Tithing and Systematic Proportionate Giving

“The Jews were constrained to a regular payment of tithes; Christians, who have received liberty, assign all their possessions to the Lord, bestowing freely not the lesser portions of their property, since they have the hope of greater things; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living into the treasury of God.” Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202) in Against Heresies 

A few hundred years later, Augustine indicated that tithing was still practised --

“Tithes are required as a matter of debt, and he who has been unwilling to give them has been guilty of robbery. Whosoever, therefore, desires to secure a reward for himself . . . let him render tithes, and out of the nine parts let him seek to give alms.”

Note the clear distinction between the mandatory tithe and the voluntary offering of almsgiving.  Alms were to be given -- above and beyond the tithe.

Jerome said --

 “If anyone shall not do this [pay tithes] he is convicted of defrauding and supplanting God.”

Like Augustine, Jerome believed and taught that it is possible for New Testament Christians to “rob God” by withholding the tithe, just as it was for Old Testament believers. For the first four hundred years, the Church often, if not normally, considered the practise of tithing a minimum standard for giving.

And all the tithe (tenth part) of the land, whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. - Leviticus 27:30

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings [you have withheld].9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, this whole nation! 10 Bring all the tithes (the tenth) into the [a]storehouse, so that there may be [b]food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you [so great] a blessing until there is no more room to receive it. - Malachi 3:8-10

There were three tithes for Israelites.  One tithe supported the the priests and Levites, another provided for a sacred festival and the third tithe supported orphans, widows and the poor.

The practise of tithing began long before the law of Moses.  Abraham tithed to he high priest Melchizedek.  Jacob promised a tithe to the Lord.

Honor the Lord with your wealth
And with the first fruits of all your crops (income) - Proverbs 3:9

Reconstructing a Biblical Model of Giving: a Discussion of Relevant Systematic Issues and New Testament Principles

A BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TITHING: TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF GIVING IN THE NEW COVENANT ERA

Understanding the Grace of Giving

THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE

Christian Proportionate Giving

Proportionate Giving

7 Biblical Guidelines for Giving to God

Should Christians Tithe?

A picture of all people

The five-hundred year-old play Everyman is a picture of all people. Some balk at such a picture --

Then I heard [the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘[a]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes, [blessed indeed],” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest and have relief from their labors, for their deeds do follow them.” - Revelation 14:13

Our Lord enthusiastically commends works done for the right reasons. Immediately after saying our salvation is not by works, Paul adds --

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;  not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].  For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. - Ephesians 2:8-10

 Scripture ties God's reward-giving to His character --

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for His name in ministering to [the needs of] the saints (God’s people), as you do. - Hebrews 6:10

 The verses that follow tell us that if we are to inherit God's promised blessings we must not become lazy but diligent in our God-given works.

James repeatedly states that good works are essential to the Christian life --

Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom. - James 3:13

God gives us eternal rewards for doing good works, persevering under persecution, showing compassion to the needy and treating our enemies kindly.   He also grants us rewards for generous giving --

Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect [that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money]to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me[becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” - Matthew 19:21

 We know Christ will say to some believers --

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’ - Matthew 25:21

Not "well said," or "well believed," but "well done."  What separates the sheep from the goats is what they did and didn't do with their God-entrusted resources of time, money and possessions.

What a powerful encouragement this is to saints who sacrifice in this life to prepare for the next ---

Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by [a]doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin];11 for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you. - 2 Peter 1:10-11

Death

And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment - Hebrews 9:27

The old saying, "Nothing is certain but death and taxes," is only half true, since there are tax evaders, but no death evaders.

This judgement is for all people, not some.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. - Apostles Creed (A.D. 250)

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. - Nicene Creed (A.D. 325)

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. - Athanasian Creed (A.D. 400)

Scripture confirms this inbred human expectation of judgement. It says that God will judge everyone, and He will judge fairly. Specifically, He will judge us according to our deeds --

“I, the Lord, search and examine the mind,I test the heart,To give to each man according to his ways,According to the results of his deeds." - Jeremiah 17:10

If you [claim ignorance and] say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs and examines the hearts and their motives?
And does He not know it who guards your life and keeps your soul?
And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works? Proverbs 24:12

But these [false teachers], like unreasoning animals, [mere] creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, reviling things they do not understand, will also perish in their own corruption [in their destroying they will be destroyed],13 suffering wrong [destined for punishment] as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously]. They are stains and blemishes [on mankind], revelling in their [e]deceptions even as they feast with you.                     2 Peter 2:12-13

But they will [have to] give an account to Him who is ready to judge and pass sentence on the living and the dead. - 1 Peter 4:5

And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account. - Hebrews 4:13

But I tell you, on the day of judgement people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.           Matthew 12:36

For God will bring every act to judgement, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil. - Ecclesiastes 12:14

God knows the motives of people's hearts and judges us in that light.

We are all sinners and the wages of sin is death.  But an all-holy God, out of love for us, judged Jesus for our sins.  Only by embracing Christ's atonement for our sins can we escape the everlasting punishment due us.  God's justice was satisfied, but only at the cost of His own blood.

He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts I will give [water] from the fountain of the water of life without cost. - Revelation 21:6 -- without cost to us, but at unimaginable cost to Him - a cost visible for eternity, as we behold His nail-scarred hands and feet.

Grace is not cheap because it is free, but, because it is free, by some it is held cheap.