Is Tithing Really That Important? (Part 1)

Last night we had a great service at SOS Church in downtown Stockholm.  I briefly shared on the subject of "Tithing" before the offering was taken.  Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."  

The concept of "tithing" basically involves 2 primary principles:

1) Ten Percent - The word "tithe" means 10%.  So God's challenge to us is that we would give 10% of our income back to Him.  I've been asked the question many times, "Should I give 10% before taxes are taken out or afterwards?"  A good answer to that question is, "How do you want God to bless you, with little or with much?"  If we want God to be generous with us, then it's good to be generous with Him.

2) First Portions - In the Bible, the tithe was given as a "firstfruits" concept, or the very first portions from the crops that were harvested (because agriculture was the primary economy during biblical times).  As you translate that principle into our lives, God's intent is that we give the very first portions of our income to Him…not the leftovers.  

When you put the principles of 10% and "first portions" together, what we find is that the Bible instructs us to give the very first 10% of our income to Him.  We shouldn't wait and see if we have enough left to tithe after our primary expenses are accounted for.  Instead, it's a faith-step in which we say, "I'm going to give God the first 10% of what I make, and believe by faith that He will multiply the remaining 90% in ways that go beyond anything I produce on my own."  After all, it's better to live off 90% of what God has blessed than 100% of what He is not able to bless (if don't obey the principle of the tithe).  

Next, I'll share a great story of how I've seen this principle work in an amazing way!

Comments

[Tony Isaac]

I totally disagree with your premise that the tithe is 10% and given as firstfruits. The bible never calls the tithe 10% of anything or of currency for that matter and it is completely different from the firstfruits.

The tithe in scripture is defined as the THE TENTH of agricultural produce and livestock. And this was determined by grouping the crops into ten equal parts and separating the tenth part as the tithe and counting off every TENTH animal and separating it as the tithe. So if a farmer had only 9 sheep for instance, He could not tithe because there was no tenth.

Malachi 3 was not written to today’s church. It was simply a reminder of Deuteronomy 28: a warning given to the children of Israel on the consequences of breaking any one of the Old Testament laws.

The firstfruits on the other hand were the first sheaves of corn and barley to ripen before the rest of the harvest. Some of the sheaves were waved before God while some of the grains were baked into a loaf and waved before God. It was shadow of the resurrection of Christ.

Agriculture being the primary economy in biblical times did not mean money was not available but God never gave the command to tithe money. You cannot tithe money.

If it is giving you are trying to talk about, then that is a completely different thing. The New Testament principle of giving is that everyone should give as they able and no 10% benchmark is stipulated.

God bless.

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