There Are Times When Not To Give
Sometimes we must put our foot down and say, No. I cant this time. Never give if giving means disobeying the Lord. Never give when we know the money is going to be used for something ungodly. Never give if giving will harm your family financially. It is so easy for believers to be taken advantage of. Some people have money, but would rather spend your money.
Some people are just lazy moochers. Believers should give, but we should not keep giving to someone who is making no effort to help themselves. There comes a time when we have to draw the line. It is possible that we can help people to remain content in their laziness.
Many people can benefit from hearing the word no in a respectable way of course. Instead of always giving money to someone who is constantly mooching off you, give your time and help them find a job. If they want nothing to do with you because you denied their request. Then, they were never your friend in the first place.
25. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
Generous Grace Giving Is The New Testament Standard
When you say grace, a lot of people, unfortunately, connect it with hang-loose, undisciplined living. But that is not grace! Nor is grace the balance point between legalism and licentiousness. Rather grace is totally opposed both to legalism and licentiousness, which are two sides of the same coin.
Legalism and licentiousness both operate on the principle of the flesh. Legalism is an attempt to earn standing with God through human effort and leads to pride or condemnation, depending on how well you do. Licentiousness casts off restraint and lives to gratify the flesh.
But Gods grace is His unmerited favor based on Christs sacrifice. The motivating power in grace is the indwelling Spirit of God. The person under grace responds out of love and gratitude to God and depends upon the indwelling Holy Spirit to conform his life to what God requires. With that basic understanding of grace, let me spell out some things that grace giving is not, and then some things that grace giving is.
A. Grace giving is not …
Random and irresponsible. It does not mean that you give every now and then, hit and miss rather , it is planned and systematic .
Based on feelings. Being under grace does not mean living by feelings. Living under grace means walking by faith and obedience in response to Gods love. There are many commands under grace.
Usually less than the requirement of the law. Gods grace should motivate us to excel far more than the minimum under the law .
Can You Give Tithes Online
Many churches are making online, mobile, and text giving available, and according to the statistics, all these options are actually increasing giving amounts.
According to one study, Churches that accept tithing online increase overall donations by 32%.
If your church doesnt offer this option, you might want to point them to a few tools that will help them make it possible. Here are a few:
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Our Financial Giving Reveals A Picture Of Our Lives Surrendered To God
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Godâthis is your spiritual act of worship.
When we truly recognize all that Christ has done for us, we’ll want to offer ourselves wholly to God as a living sacrifice of worship to him. Our offerings will flow freely from a heart of gratitude.
Christian Quotes About Giving
A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.
You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others.
When you learn, teach. When you get, give.
Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have.
Its not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
Give. Even when you know you can get nothing back.
As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor. It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality. A.W. Tozer
The more you give, the more comes back to you, because God is the greatest giver in the universe, and He wont let you outgive Him. Go ahead and try. See what happens. Randy Alcorn
In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave. Charles Spurgeon
You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving. Amy Carmichael
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Tithe And The Number 10
Most of us are aware that we as Christians are to give, but many people get hung up on the 10% part of the tithe. The fact is that God knows we can not all give an equal amount because we all have different resources, so He gave a percentage ensuring it would equal out.
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth but she, out of her poverty, put in everythingall she had to live on.”
Jesus understood that even though this widow gave a small amount compared to the others, her heart was more giving because she gave a larger percentage of what she had than all the others. This verse is also interesting because this widow gave all she had to live on. There are many people today who say they can’t afford to tithe but this woman realized she couldn’t afford not to.
Give God 10 Percent Or 100 Percent
- 20008 Feb
If your desire is building a solid financial future, God shares that desire for you. He wants you to take dominion over the state of your finances. Part of this process involves how you perceive yourself. Do you see yourself as a steward of another’s resources? Or do you believe you have personal ownership over what is in your care?
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Tithing Was A Requirement Of The Law Of Moses
After their exodus from Egypt, Moses gave the Hebrew people the tithing requirement as part of Gods law. These tithes were used to support the temple priests, provide for widows and orphans, and to help finance religious festivals that were held throughout the year.
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30
What Is Tithing In The Bible
First, let’s start by answering the question “what is a tithe?” The definition comes from Hebrew and means “a tenth.”
Tithing in the Bible refers to giving 10 percent of your annual earnings, productions, or possessions. In the Old Testament, we observe Abraham and Jacob offering a tithe to God in Genesis 14 and 28. The Israelites were also commanded to tithe from what they earned .
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Should You Automate Tithing
Using some of the tools listed in the section above, you can make tithing automatic by automating it. While I am thrilled that technology is making it easier for us all to give, I personally like making a bit more of an event and use it as an opportunity to give in faith.
So even though we dont use checks anymore to tithe, we use the app on our phone and Linda and I do it together and pray over our giving each time we do.
It is just a simple way that we can still stay connected to our giving.
That said, for some people creating a set-it-and-forget-it approach to giving is the easiest way for them to stay consistent with it.
So if that is what you need to do, by all means, go for it. I would just encourage you to regularly remind yourself of what is happening automatically and pray over your giving.
Where Should You Give
How should we determine where to give, since we are confronted with so many ministries and needs worldwide? Of course, waiting upon the Lord in prayer is crucial for determining where to give and how much to give. But also, there are some guidelines. The local church is Gods ordained means for propagating the gospel , and so you ought to support its ministries. Beyond that,
If youre giving to a Christian organization , ask some questions:
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Tithes And Offerings: Your Questions Answered
10 Min Read | May 26, 2022
Churchgoers throughout history have been talking about tithing since, well, forever. And whether or not you grew up in the church, youve probably at least heard about it. But what does tithing actually mean?
If youve been wondering what a tithe is, how much you should be tithing, and whether you should even be tithing if youre in debt, youre not the only one.
So, lets start with the basics.
The Gospel Leads To Making Sacrifices With Our Money
Did you know that it pleases the Lord when we make sacrifices? As believers, we have to make sacrifices for others, but we like to live above our means. We like to give the old stuff that doesnt cost a thing. Does your giving cost you? Why give the old stuff why not the new? Why do we always give people the stuff that we dont want? Why not give people stuff that we do want?
When we make sacrifices that cost us we learn to be more selfless. We become better stewards with Gods resources. What sacrifice is God leading you to make? Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice that trip that you have been dying to go on.
Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice the newer car that you wanted. Sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice the time that you wanted for yourself to bless the lives of others. Lets all examine our giving. Is it costing you? Sometimes God is going to ask you to dip into your savings and give more than usual.
14. 2 Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD. my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
15. Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
16. Romans 12:13 Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
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What Are Offerings In The Bible
When you study the Bible, âofferingsâ are a bit more nuanced than âtithing.â Actually, what you think about âofferingsâ is largely based on what you believe about âtithing.â An offering is a financial gift you make to your church that is more than your tithe . For example, if you give 10 percent of your annual income to your local church, then an offering is any money you donate that exceeds this amount.
Do you believe Christians are called to live generously?
Then an offering is a financial gift you make to your local churchâregardless of the amount you give. Basically, âofferingâ is what you call giving to your church.
These two nuances arenât perfect.
But if you search online for tithing, then youâll see that this is the way many church leaders talk about giving.
Thereâs one more thing you need to know about offerings:
God also calls you to offer yourself as a living sacrifice to him.
Check out these words from Paul:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godâthis is your true and proper worship” .
To offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God is to offer yourself entirely to him.
Offering your life to God isnât something you do one time at the altar or on the days you feel good. Living sacrificially for God is something he calls everyone to do every day.
Practically speaking, Paul explains what this means in the next verse in Romans:
Our Attitude In Giving Is Important To God
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Tithing Is Not The New Testament Standard For Giving
Many churches promote a concept called storehouse tithing, based on Malachi 3:10, where God tells Israel to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. They teach that the local church is the storehouse, the tithe belongs to God, and His blessing is conditioned upon faithfulness in tithing. One pastor in a church near me in California preached that if his people werent giving ten percent to that church, they were in sin and needed to go home and repent!
Before I critique this view, let me point out that there are some commendable points regarding tithing: Those who tithe are often acting in obedience to what they believe God has commanded. Tithing gets some to increase what they give. Tithing helps consistency and discipline in giving. But consider these seven reasons why tithing is not Gods standard for Christians:
A. Tithing was a part of the law of Moses believers are not under the law.
Romans, Galatians, and other New Testament passages make it clear that Christians are not under the law of Moses. That does not mean that we are lawless, because we are under the law of Christ . Those aspects of the Mosaic law that reflect the moral character of God are valid under the New Covenant and are repeated as commands in the New Testament. But the church is never commanded to tithe.
B. Tithing was an involuntary tax to support Israel believers are not a part of the theocratic nation.
G. F. Hawthorne writes (New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology , 3:854:
Are You Cursed For Not Tithing
Here is the verse from which this question arises:
Malachi 3:8-9: Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, How have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you.
As Christians, we have to understand that the Old Testament verses like these have to be viewed in light of Jesus work on the cross.
In this case, Galatians 3:13 clearly states that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Christian believers have been specifically REDEEMED from the Curse of the Law If we have been redeemed from the curse of the law, then there is no way we can be cursed for not tithingSo under an entirely New Covenant, it seems to me unscriptural to be telling people that if they dont tithe, theyre going to fall under a curse because the Curse of the Law no longer applies to believers
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