Tithing and giving are two Biblical principles that are greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. Some denominational groups believe tithing and giving is of Old Testament era and is not applicable for today’s Believers. Other denominational groups believe in tithing but not giving. To understand the principles of tithing and giving, we first need to believe that the Old Testament and the New Testament are both applicable for today’s Believers. The Old Testament is the New Testament manifested, so we need to know and understand both the Old and New Testament for clarity of God’s principles.
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It is my belief that both tithing and giving are needed in the kingdom of God. When we give of our tithes, offering and giving to others with a “right heart attitude” it becomes a form of worship to Father God and a blessing to the giver and receiver. For this article, we will focus on “giving.”
Giving is simply helping others that are in need. However, some of us are of the mindset that “other people’s problems are not their problem.” Individuals with this attitude go through life missing out on the principle of “sowing and reaping.”
As God’s ambassadors on earth, we are to make an impact for God’s kingdom, which includes “giving.” We are instructed in the Word that we will always have the poor, the widow, and the fatherless among us and that we are not to forsake them (Deut. 15:11 “for the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.”)
Giving (sowing) is God’s way for us to receive His supernatural blessings. The law of sowing and reaping is one of the most powerful principles outlined in the Bible in relation to our personal finances—a principle that will work for all who have faith to believe and apply it by becoming a “giver!” Second Corinthians 9:6-9 reads “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” God gives us the opportunities to reap financially and as we receive from Father God, we are to cheerfully sow into the lives of those in need (this is after our 10% tithe) not because we are expecting something in return for giving, but because we have a “right heart attitude” toward the poor, the fatherless, and the widow. When we give to the poor, we are lending to Father God, and He repays more than we have given away. You will learn that as you are obedient to God’s word, you place yourself in a position to receive supernatural blessings. Receiving is as simple as giving! Unfortunately, many Believers are waiting for their “bonus at work, or for their ship to come in” before they become givers. “The question is, what are you doing with what you have now? If you have a problem giving $100, you will have more difficulty giving $1000. Start where you are. By giving the cycle is set. When you begin giving out of what you have, God will bless you with more to give in the future, because He knows you can be trusted” (question by Dwight Nichols).
Giving then becomes a form of thanksgiving to God for what God has already given us. He has blessed us, now we have the opportunity to be a blessing to others. Once we have given, we have completed the giving and receiving cycle. Also, when we become a giver we are laying up a heavenly account. Our heavenly account is much like an earthly account that you can make deposits into Matthew 6:19-21 tell us “…… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, …..” And, the good news is that God’s economy has no lack. We can withdraw from our heavenly bank account through the principle of sowing and reaping. When we have a need Father will not forget us—He will supply ALL our needs according to His riches in glory.
With sowing and reaping, God evaluates our giving on the basis of our attitude. Is our attitude one of love? The only way we can give out of a heart filled with love is to recognize that our gifts, monies, etc. come from God and we are actually giving back to the Lord a portion of what He has blessed us with. When we give our gifts to Him, our hearts will automatically be drawn to the Lord; and nothing in life can compare to entering into His joy and knowing Christ more intimately. Proverbs 3:9 tell us to honor the Lord from our wealth. As soon as we receive income we should set aside the amount we are going to give. This will help us to remember God first by having a “right heart” attitude in giving.
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Georgetta – Christian Lifestyle & Budgeting Coach
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