Bible Truth

Tithing Part 7

What is the new covenant principle of giving?

The whole concept of giving under the new covenant is one of joyful and liberal giving with no upper limit or minimum starting point and is done entirely from freewill choice rather than from an obligation. Blessings are promised as a result of this giving although if you are giving just to get blessed you are missing the concept. This also means that the churches have no minimum income guarantee, but instead are able to use the same faith they preach from the pulpit.

2Co 9:6-8Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Here are the basics of the early church principles of giving

1. Give as you have purposed to give. A small amount or a huge amount, but either way it's the amount that YOU decide. If God wanted someone else to set the amount for you then this scripture would say just that. Examples of giving under the New Covenant are all about free will and gratitude and nothing about compulsion or percentages. If you have purposed in your heart that 10% is a good amount for you to give, then give that amount, but because you want to, not because you have to.

2. Don't give grudgingly. If you are grudging the amount you are about to give its the wrong amount. Stop. Pray and find the amount that will make you happy to give. God doesn't enjoy donation remorse and it's better not to give at all than to give and then be resentful about it.

3. Don't give of necessity. Tithing was a necessity, freewill giving is not.

4 God loves a cheerful giver. If you have just given the money for your electric bill to the church and your power supply gets cut off, the average Christian is unlikely to be cheerful while reading the prosperity scriptures by candle light. God is able to make sure you have sufficient means to help others as well as taking care of your own needs by his grace once you understand the real principles of giving.

Give Secretly

One of the best ways of giving is in secret. In the case of giving to a fellow believer in need, it doesn't make them feel beholding to the giver and bypasses any possible embarrassment. In the case of giving to the church, it makes sure that the top givers don't end up indirectly buying favour with the leadership or having any greater influence than anyone else.

Mat 6:2-4 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Sadly many churches track your giving and some even give you an online giving account that keeps a precise record of your contributions so that secret giving is not possible.