The Heart of Giving
Money and possessions are mentioned over eight hundred times in the Scripture. Money is the second most mentioned issue in the Bible, second only to faith. In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), one out of every ten verses (288 in all) talk about money. Jesus, in sixteen out of His thirty-eight parables, taught on how to handle money. The Lord Jesus Christ knew that the heart of the issue of giving was the heart: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21).
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”—Missionary Amy Carmichael
The History of Giving
God taught on sacrifice immediately after the fall of mankind. The first man of faith, Abel, demonstrated sacrificial giving when he presented God an acceptable offering (Gen. 3:21; 4:4; Heb. 11:4). The patriarch, Abraham, was the first recorded tither in the Bible, followed by Jacob. Both men gave a tenth long before the Mosaic Law was given (Genesis 14:18-20; 28:20-22). The Nation of Israel, under the law, was required to give 10% of all of their increase (Num. 18:24-28; Neh. 10:38); in addition, they were commanded to bring in offerings to the annual feasts (called the second festival tithe, Deut. 14:22-25), and they were instructed to give to the poor (Ex 23:11; Lev. 19:10; 23:22).
Old Testament saints brought their tithes into the temple and New Testament saints to the house of God, their own church (1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 4:34-35; I Cor. 16:1-2). Old Testament commands gave authority to the New Testament church giving (I Cor. 9:8-14; Titus 3:13-14; 3 John 5-8 ). Even the command: “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox…” was an Old Testament command that gave a New Testament principle regarding the church’s responsibility to take care of its ministers.
Christ gave His church “The Great Commission,” a command to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20). This expensive endeavor has been borne by the faithful giving of God’s people.
The Honor of Giving
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)
God promises to bless those who live in His economy (Malachi 3:8-12).
The believer can get by in life far better by giving tithes and offerings and living on what is left than he can by not giving to God and trying to live on 100% of his income. This is because it is better to live with God’s blessing on one’s life and finances than to live without it. Thousands of believers have learned that God blesses those who tithe. God says in Malachi that He will “rebuke the devourer!” This means God will not allow things to happen to us that will rob us of our money. However, this doesn’t mean we will never have troubles (financial, health, or otherwise) but that God will stop things that would otherwise happen outside of His blessings and testing. In Haggai 1:5-9, God warned His people that because they had neglected the building of His house after the return from the Babylonian captivity, they did not have His blessing. They worked and tried to get ahead, but God had cut holes in their earning bags! If you earn $100, it is much wiser to live in God’s economy with $80 or $90 than to put your money into a bag with holes.
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Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)