Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 9:
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
How much to give, then, is a matter of the heart – but it is clear throughout all of Scripture that giving to the Lord of our material resources is expected and fastens one’s heart towards the Lord. As Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). Under the old covenant, God gave the expectation of a tithe, 10% of your wealth, often the first 10% of your crop, as the required amount of giving for any family unit. Your giving was to be the “first fruits,” the first thing you give to, not out of what is left over. This is a precedent that goes all the way back to Genesis 14, and is frequently mentioned as part of God’s law for Israel.
In Matthew 23, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for only tithing! They neglect matters of the heart and neglect compassion, feeling that their legalistic way of looking at the law is what God wants. But God loves the cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7), who gives out of his abundance joyfully in service of the Lord’s kingdom. If you have abundance, you should give above the tithe, and for those who are going through a season of job loss or if you’re a student, you will give below that line – and the Lord understands that. But search your heart – and know that giving should sting – it should change your budget or affect how you live, that’s the point – our hearts are centered on him, so our finances should reflect that. This is God’s plan for keeping your whole life centered on Jesus Christ, so do not neglect this important aspect of discipleship.
The church is God’s plan.
The pattern that you see in God’s Word is that the contributions to the kingdom are brought into God’s house – into the temple and then into the church. While you can certainly can give to individuals and para-church ministries, God’s plan for blessing the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ runs through the church, his chosen vehicle for distributing the message of the gospel and changing the world. He has done that effectively – so while it’s not a requirement to give only to the church, it is the place where ministry happens directly under the stewardship of leaders put in place under God’s direct instruction and authority.
And our giving to the church is always in response to the grace we’ve been shown by Jesus himself. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says this –
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Paul’s argument for giving in 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 is rooted in this reality; he has given us his own Son so that we might be infinitely rich, having everything we need, including eternal life; how could we not then, respond with our own generosity? Each must give according to his own conviction (2 Cor. 9:7), but in measure to which one understands the grace they’ve been shown through Jesus. That does not mean that we should give 100 % of what we have and live in a tree. After all, the Lord has also given: education, housing, recreation, transportation, food, hospitality, and many other good priorities. We need to use the Lord’s resources in those ways too. This is where the general guide of 10% is a helpful one. Because you would spend that amount on other things, and in many instances, on things you don’t absolutely need, give to the Lord because you are invested in what he is doing in the world – you’ve seen the fruits yourself in your own life. Respond generously and joyfully.
In summary, you should be giving to your church. Use the tithe as a guideline, because it is a number that will pinch the budget for most – and if it doesn’t, give more. Be sure leaders in the church are using the Lord’s resources with wisdom and for the building up of the kingdom – that means, sharing what we have with missionaries, globally and locally, supporting staff in our church so that they have time to do the work they are called to, and providing a space for worship and ministry for our flock here at Redeemer. When you sow abundantly, you will blessed – not with financial resources or that fancy car you’ve always wanted, but with the continued promise of the Lord’s love for you and his open arms as your Lord and Savior!
Pastor Mark