Blog Abundant Life: Tithing and Firstfruits

“Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income; [Deut. 26:2; Mal. 3:10; Luke 14:13, 14.]” ​

Proverbs 3:9, Amplified Bible Classic​

Tithing is the foundational act of financial obedience and trust in the Lord put into practice in a very real sense. We all work hard to earn a living, often scraping by paycheck to paycheck, and giving the first 10% off the top to the work of the Kingdom is undoubtedly a sacrifice. It is a profound act of faith, trusting that God will supply our needs, and this sacrifice of our earnings truly is where the rubber meets the road in demonstrating our belief in God.

Acknowledging Divine Ownership​

Before we explore the practicalities, we must first establish the theological foundation: God owns everything.

“THE EARTH is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.”

Psalm 24:1, Amplified Bible Classic

Everything on Earth—all the wealth, all the resources, and even the skills that produce it—belongs to Him. We bring nothing into this world, and we certainly take nothing with us when we die. All we have is merely a gift for us to enjoy while we are here. This perspective is in stark contrast to the world’s view of personal entitlement.

If everything belongs to God, then all our income belongs to God also. This means that 100% of our income is His, and tithing is simply an act of worship that acknowledges His kindness. Furthermore, even our ability to work and the skills we possess are gifts from Him:

“John answered, A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven.”

John 3:27 Amplified Bible Classic

Tithing is our way of honoring God for these gifts. Though it is a sacrifice, it is a marvelous act of faith. If we really take hold of this truth—that it is all His—it is much easier to release the designated portion and walk in this Wisdom and obedience.

Tithing is Not Charity​

It is essential to distinguish between tithing and charity, which we explored in the previous chapter. Charity is a gift of mercy given to those in need. Tithing, however, is an act of obedience and worship. It is the non-negotiable firstfruits designated for the work of the Kingdom (the storehouse). Without faithful tithing, the Church cannot fulfill its mission of outreach, benevolence, and discipleship.

I have found that there is no easier way to maintain this practice than to just do it. It’s a practice that becomes a natural habit if we discipline our minds and prioritize it in our budget. Simply making the gift without giving too much thought to the cost is the easiest way to ensure it’s done consistently.

The Divine Challenge​

The Lord, through the prophet Malachi, issued a powerful challenge to His people:

“Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Malachi 3:10, Amplified Bible Classic

This is a deep and profound verse, and it is perhaps the only place where God explicitly invites us to test Him. In this specific matter, we are challenged to see what He will do for us if we are faithful in our giving. The promised blessing is one of such overflowing abundance that we cannot contain it.

Unfortunately, some have abused this verse as part of schemes designed to fleece people, using false promises of wealth to deceive those who are vulnerable. For this reason, we must exercise the Wisdom and Discernment we discussed previously. It is our absolute act of obedience to tithe, but it is also our duty to vet and use discernment about where we send our hard-earned money, ensuring it goes to the legitimate work of the Kingdom.

In conclusion, we tithe to honor God, demonstrate our faith in Him, and to contribute to the needs of the Kingdom and those who advance His work. Tithing is an essential element of the abundant life, reinforcing our faith daily that God is our provider, and it brings us into partnership with the work of the Kingdom.

 

[Guard Your Heart]

In conclusion, we tithe to honor God, demonstrate our faith in Him, and to contribute to the needs of the Kingdom and those who advance His work.

Click to shrink...

Hi Jason,

You’ve done your homework. Well worded and it does indeed speak to the truth about the Old Testament tithe. But I am left to wonder. Where do we draw the line? Are we Old Testament, New, or both? My understanding draws from the New Testament where God requires 100 percent of everything we have. I will explain.

Although tithing is practiced in the church, it is not required under the dispensation of grace. Tithing is an Old Testament obligation adopted by the church to increase giving. The custom of paying a tithe was an ancient practice found among many nations of the ancient world including Israel. Tithing was a form of taxation and not unique to the Jew.

The New Testament church sets an example of how much we should give but never out of obedience to Old Testament law and practice, both of which have been put away according to Hebrews 9:13-15.

Although God desired “ten percent” of one’s wealth under Old Testament Law, now under grace He desires so much more than the tithe. God desires “all of the believer’s heart.” God values the heart of the believer more highly than any earthly treasure including the tithe. If the value God places on the heart were not true, then for whom did Jesus die? Surely not for the tithe.

In conclusion, would you agree that when God possesses 100 percent of the heart, tithes and offerings will never be an issue again?

Blessings!

GYH

 

[JasonJ]

Hi Jason,

You’ve done your homework. Well worded and it does indeed speak to the truth about the Old Testament tithe. But I am left to wonder. Where do we draw the line? Are we Old Testament, New, or both? My understanding draws from the New Testament where God requires 100 percent of everything we have. I will explain.

Although tithing is practiced in the church, it is not required under the dispensation of grace. Tithing is an Old Testament obligation adopted by the church to increase giving. The custom of paying a tithe was an ancient practice found among many nations of the ancient world including Israel. Tithing was a form of taxation and not unique to the Jew.

The New Testament church sets an example of how much we should give but never out of obedience to Old Testament law and practice, both of which have been put away according to Hebrews 9:13-15.

Although God desired “ten percent” of one’s wealth under Old Testament Law, now under grace He desires so much more than the tithe. God desires “all of the believer’s heart.” God values the heart of the believer more highly than any earthly treasure including the tithe. If the value God places on the heart were not true, then for whom did Jesus die? Surely not for the tithe.

In conclusion, would you agree that when God possesses 100 percent of the heart, tithes and offerings will never be an issue again?

Blessings!

GYH

Click to shrink...

I think we tithe in faith to honor God and to supply those who do the work of the kingdom so I don’t think the new covenant does away with the call to tithe.

I still think we can’t out give the Lord and no matter how much we sacrifice our return from Him will surpass all expectations.

We cannot buy His blessings so all giving done from love and faith is what we should be putting into practice. So to answer what I think your question is, I think we still need to give first fruits because we need to support the workers and the church who need that support. I think God intended it to be supported in this way and is part of the economy of God and the church.

Thanks for you feedback and for sharing!