How should we make our offerings
Tithing has always been a bit of a sore point in the church. Is it Old Testament and old law? Or is it just as much New Testament and therefore still for today? I am pleased to tell you that I have no intention of going there and stirring up disagreement and grumbling. My concern with tithing, any kind of offering actually, is more along the lines of – how to do it.
Today, we make our tithes and offerings for the most part in cash or a cheque. We calculate how much we perhaps should give, how much we can afford to give, and then how much we will give and we dutifully place that amount in the offering or in an offering envelope and place it in the offering. Either way, our church ends up with a heap of money and cheques each Sunday which has to be accounted for and banked. Some churches are very religious about this and monitor how much each member gives – even so far as chasing up what they consider shortfalls. But such places are, thank God, few and far between.
I want to ask a question here about how tithes and offerings are paid? When the ancient Israelites were wandering round in the desert for forty years, coins hadn’t even been invented. That didn’t happen until about 600 BC in Lydia in modern Turkey. So when the Bible talks about bringing all the tithe into the storehouse – Malachi 3:10 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” – what is it saying?
I believe it was simply accepting the fact that the tithe had to be in goods or in kind if you like, because money was not available to them. I mean, when the Israelites were wandering around the desert, where was the nearest bank ATM available to them in those days?? Offerings were made in goods – real sheep, real wheat, real gold that was weighed and measured according to weight alone. A shekel was a weight of gold or silver.
Today, offerings come in all shapes and sizes – and they are all quite Biblical too. Sacrifices of praise, a clap offering, a dance of worship – all sorts of ways to worship and offer of ourselves. Let me ask you this, is it Biblical to offer our service – physical work – as our offering. Is it possible to say to our church, I work 40 hours a week so as my tithe, I offer you four hours of my time doing whatever you want me to do. Actually, as a retiree, I would offer a whole day but that’s another matter entirely. All I am asking is – is this a Biblical way to tithe by tithing our time rather than our money?
Well ???
Good question Chris....I believe you are right in pointing out that God was talking to the Jews concerning tithes, and I agree with you that offering is not about just money....it's about all that we are or have...whether it be cash, or time...the world and churches have turned the whole thing into a question of cash...
ReplyDeleteI disagree that tithing was specifically given to the Jews (I'm trying to see where Mark read that in your post, not having much luck) - Abraham tithed long before the nation of Israel was established (considering Jacob - also called Israel - was his grandson). Later, the tithe was for the provision of the priests and those who kept God's house. So, in modern day Christianity, since the pastors are our 'priests', shouldn't we be tithing to provide for them as they teach us? I will say that I am an associate pastor up-front, but I do not take a salary from my church. My church can't afford that, and there are two senior pastors in front of me who would need it more than I do anyway if it COULD be afforded. We tithe 10% of what my husband makes, and also will tithe from what I will be making at my part-time job.
ReplyDeleteEven when I don't know how the bills are going to balance out that month, tithe always comes out first. It's not about feeling that I have to tithe, but that acknowledging that God comes first no matter what the circumstances. It's saying that I trust HIS provision more than my math and budgeting skills.
That said, there are times when there isn't money. If the only way you have to give into His Kingdom is through your time or actually giving physical things away (garden produce, clothing, etc), then by all means give it. You can't reap if you don't sow.
I think there's a reason that the scripture about testing God's blessings with tithing ended up in the last book in the Old Testament (after all, God knew where it was going to end up!). Why is it one of the last things talked about before the interlude leading up to Christ?
I will say the same thing to both Mark and Rebekah - in my view, my opinion only, everyones tithe or offering is, in one sense, NONE of the church's business. It is solely between that person and God. As it happens, I do believe in tithing simply as a measure for our giving, not as a legal weapon to be wielded by over zealous religious folk. And yes, I know folk who have been badly hurt when accused of all sorts of "crimes" over their tithes and offerings.
ReplyDeleteIt may not have originated originally for the Jewish people but it was for God's people whether they be pre-Israel, Israelites, or Christians.
But as I said - all this is my own opinion and I was only asking the question when I set out.
:-))