Evangelist Francis Frangipane once said, "If our doctrines are not producing love, they are a smoke screen that will keep us separate and outside the house of the Lord... Ezekiel 36:26 'Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.'" What a powerful statement this is. Tithing or not tithing means nothing if love is not in focus (1 Corinthians 13). You can be the most faithful tither or abundant giver on planet earth and it will still serve to be a stench in the nostrils of God if you have not love and if love has not motivated your ministering. The same is true if your gift, be it a "tithe" or something else, is not given according to obedience to the prompting of God's Holy Spirit (Romans 7:6).
The Apostle Paul's instruction to the Corinthian church was that all motivation of the giving they would bestow for the work of "the ministry" (which was, in fact, meeting the needs of others) was to be influenced by the very grace of Jesus Christ who gave everything, even His whole life for us. This was Paul's teaching to the Church and this was Christ's example to His Church!
2 Corinthians 8:7-15 – "But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work [of giving] also. I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. And I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also; that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality - at this present time your abundance being a supply for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as it is written, 'he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.'"The Word of God states that the Law is NOT of faith (Galatians 3:12). The Word also states that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:23b). So how can men presume that God is pleased by subservience to ordinances that He Himself has abolished (or if you prefer the term, "fulfilled") in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 7:18; etc.)? Romans 7:6 tells us,
"But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter."It is therefore evident that the method whereby we serve God is according to that manifold grace of God that Paul spoke so often about. What ordinance of the Law surpasses the grace of God? Paul was not remiss in stating that the Old Law had "glory", but he stated that when that old glory is compared with the glory of Christ that is not wrought according to the Law in any way, it makes the old glory seem to be without any glory! What a magnificent statement!
2 Corinthians 3:7-11 – "But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory."
The reality is that those who want to continue to apply the ordinances of the Law, wrought under Moses, the Bible says that there is a veil over their hearts! They are missing the revelation of the glory that Christ's New Covenant brings! If they will only remove that veil and understand that
"where the Spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM!" (2 Corinthians 3:17) then the full reward of Christ's freedom can begin to permeate every area of the heart! If these truths can penetrate our hearts, what glorious results may transpire! God be praised!Galatians 5:1, 14 (KJV) – Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage… For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
While Christians continue to be taught things like: "Give to God and He will command the blessing," (this being, in all truth, a distorted reinterpretation of an Old Covenant promise wrought under and directly linked to observance of the law of Moses - Deuteronomy 28:1, 8) the same who teach such things forget that even Paul stated in the book of Romans (11:35),
"…who has first given to Him that it shall be repaid to him?" In other words God is sovereign in His dealings with men and men have no right to demand anything ofGod (Romans 9:16, 21-24). Yes God has indeed also ordained principles in His Word (in the New Testament) that declare there is a reaping of blessing and grace in accordance to the measure we sow in grace, however, the blessing always flows down from His hand FIRST in order that we may, in turn, bless others (2 Corinthians 9:8). What then follows is more blessing from God's hand that the ministry of blessing others may continue. All of this is for His own glory!The emphasis on prosperity, popular in much of the church today, often teaches Christians to give money, even tithes, so that God will bless and even make the giver wealthy (Malachi 3:10). But God's New Covenant promises and blessings are given based upon the grace He has already bestowed on every believer in Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9; Ephesians 1:3-6; Romans 15:8, 9; Galatians 3:16; etc.)! This is why Paul says to give accordingly as you are able (according to the measure whereby you have been prospered by God) and as you are willing, keeping in mind the very grace Jesus bestowed (2 Corinthians 8:3; 8:12-15; 9:7; etc.). This is Christ's very principle of grace (Matthew 10:8; John 1:14; 13:15, 34; 15:13; etc.). His blessings to man are not dependent on works or percentages of income that people give, for He has already given everything! He gave His life. Every blessing we receive in this life are on the merit of His grace alone and not according to anything we can do (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; etc.). This very fact should motivate us to give far beyond mere legalistic obligation (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) - and not only in terms of money to various organizations, but individually of our time, talents, gifts and availability (person to person) to pour ourselves out as the Father provides us direction and opportunity. This is precisely why the way of Jesus is higher, greater, better and far more excellent than any observance of Old Covenant law (especially of tithing). The early church gloriously proved this reality!
We should also consider the important truth that giving should not be thought of only in terms of money given to a religious organization. Giving takes on many different forms, not just monetarial and may have nothing to do with supporting religious organizations. When we give from love and in response to the Spirit of God, the details are covered! Regardless of how some groups may use coersion and manipulation to compell people to give, the simple fact is that the only thing we, as Christians, owe anyone is love! The expressed "need" of churches to sustain their existence through exacting tithes of people is not only unbiblical but it also show a real lack of faith on behalf of those who pressure their congregations to "give to God". If God has truly ordained them to exist, then we must believe He is truly able to provide for their existence without necessitating leaders to coherse and manipulate people to pay up. I will say this again, giving MUST flow from a freewill decision and it MUST be motivated by sincere love. In fact, God only wants our obedience in this area if it is performed because we want to. If we give because someone has required it of us or compulsed us to do so (in the name of God) so that we give begrudginly, then we are missing the mark! I have stated this passage before but I will state it again to stress this point; God loves a cheerful giver. Many preachers say that this is an order to give cheerfully... NO! The passage is saying that YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE if your heart isn't in it. In other words, God is interested in the motivation of your giving. Unfortunately though, many today present giving as a duty you must perform to gain God's favor and blessing (while their prime motive is often to keep themselves employed). This is a lie! Giving is ALWAYS a freewill choice, not a mandate laiden with curses for failure to comply! If giving ever ceases to be a matter of freewill, THEN IT IS NOT REALLY GIVING AT ALL!!!
"Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give."
2 Corinthians 9:7 (CEV)
If there is any purchasing that has been done in relation to grace, it is Christ's purchase of man! He owns us completely and can direct us any way He sees fit! Woe unto any man who would proclaim otherwise and usurp God's authority in the life of the believer, even as it concerns his giving. There is only one Temple in the New Covenant and it is not the building you attend once or twice a week for church. God's Spirit dwells in this holy temple and He leads and guides in accordance with the will of Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (emphasis added) - What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 7:22-23 (emphasis added) - For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
In many ways we are severely lacking a pure demonstration of the ministry of God's grace among those who propose themselves to be "ministers" in the Body of Christ today. Many are not preaching or manifesting this grace of giving as it is so clearly taught in the Word. They have convoluted the message with the traditions of men. As a result, many in the body of Christ do not have any real idea what grace giving is really about. In truth, it has zero to do with observing rituals of the law in an attempt to please God, get His blessings, and remove curses. It has zero to do with some ordinance purposed to finance religious organizations. It is also non-exclusive in definition; in other words, giving takes on many forms, not just the form of money. Giving of the New Covenant persuasion has nothing to do with setting "benchmarks" to guide and motivate responses to needs. Many Christians are led to believe that the tithe should at least be considered as a "starting place" for giving. Some say, "it's the least you can do?" But God's Word disagrees emphatically with such mindsets!
On the contrary, Scripture teaches that our "reasonable service" (i.e. the least we can do) is to give our WHOLE LIFE as a living sacrifice to God! This, and only this, is holy and acceptable to Him. When preachers tell their congregations that tithing is a necessary benchmark for giving, they are not preaching the truth but rather leading people away from the truth!
Romans 12:1 (LITV) - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Giving has everything to do with how we respond to the magnificent grace the Lord Jesus has already bestowed upon every man, woman, boy and girl who call upon His holy name. Remember His great gift (LOVE) and let that cause you also to excel in the great grace of giving! If you absolutely feel you need a "benchmark" then LET LOVE BE YOUR BENCHMARK! Anything less is simply not enough! Please don't be deceived by those who insist anything other than the Way of Love demonstrated to us by God's rich mercy and grace. Sincere faith, working through Love (not duty, guilt or performance mindsets), is what moves God's heart and reveals to others that you are His child. With a revived understanding of biblical truth, I believe that every saint of God can be a blessing to others, to their fellow brothers and sisters, and to God (no matter what percentage or of whatever substance a person gives of freely - whether money, food, compassion, service, friendship, or other posessions). It excites me to consider what may happen when the world sees the attitude of Christ in giving manifested in the body of Christ! Yes, I believe that we (just like the early Church - e.g. Acts 2:44-47) can minister the very Gospel of Jesus Christ in this grace of giving! So, just as our Lord Jesus Christ gave freely and willingly, of no compulsion but out of love and obedience to God the Father, so let us give with the same mind. Amen!
Philippians 2:3-8 - Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.