Before you get your blood boiling, give me a couple of minutes of your time. My husband, Mark, and I were sitting in a small group discussing generosity. We were to go around and ask if each person felt they were generous and how. After sharing how we felt we were generous, a woman turned to Mark and I and said, “So, you are tithers!?”  Before I could open my mouth, Mark replied so matter-of-fact, “No!” I am certain I saw this woman’s head spin around. She was taken back.  Mark is pretty black and white and blunt with most things. While I am just as blunt, I at least soften my response with a brief explanation. Longer if needed. So, let me explain.

First, you need to decide if you are under The Law or under Grace. Are you under The Old Covenant Law or The New Covenant of Jesus? The 613 laws spelled out in the Old Testament would be a lot to keep up with today. Of those 613 laws, fifty-seven of them are on sacrifices alone. According to The Law, when I sin and make an animal sacrifice; it can not have olive oil on it, but must have salt. Did you know that? When is the last time you made an animal sacrifice for your sins? If I had to make an animal sacrifice each time I sinned, there would be no animals in my town. Romans 13:1 states, “Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power.” Florida law, specifically section 828.12 of the Florida Statute, prohibits the sacrificial killing of animals other than for the primary purpose of food consumption. So, which am I to obey? The Laws of the Old Testament or the command in the New Testament to obey the laws of the land? I attended a church once that didn’t pass an offering plate that particular Sunday. We were called to bring our tithes and offerings to the baskets sitting on the altar. I didn’t see one person drop off a bag of grain, a goat without blemish, or linens.

There are twenty-three laws on marriage.  One of them reads, “That the woman suspected of adultery shall be dealt with as prescribed in the Torah.” (Numbers 5:30).  Apparently, many of us women need to be put to death immediately.  Adultery is defined as any sex outside of marriage.  Under the marriage laws there are a few on honoring your mother and father too. I know a lot of teenagers breaking The Law. There are nineteen laws of the treatment of employees, servants, and slaves. Perhaps we need a history lesson on the 13th Amendment. Again, obey the laws of the land is spelled out in The New Testament.

Getting to the point, there is twenty-four Old Covenant Laws on tithing. Are you keeping all of them? Do you even know half of them? Too many people and churches are stuck on Malachi 3:10. I cringe each time I hear it, knowing the whole point of giving to the Lord is missed on this scripture from The Old Testament. Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” This verse is Jesus talking to the Pharisees, condemning them for tithing to the penny but neglecting the more important issues of justice, mercy, and faith. Then there is my favorite scripture to back up my giving mentality instead of tithing. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I like to break it down like this: God loved. God gave. What did He give? His all. His only son. His everything. His best. God gave the Darling of Heaven, His beloved and only son, Jesus.  God has never given me 10% of anything. It is a well-publicized fact that Rick Warren, lead pastor of Saddleback church in California, gives 90% of his pay back to the church. Is that a tithe? I am no mathematician, but how can 90% equal 10%? That 90% is his offering.

Back to tithing. If we are to tithe; why do we limit it to only our money? The Bible clearly states that we are to give of our talents. The story of the talents in Matthew 25, beginning in verse 14 is not just about talents (their term for money), but it is also about our skills/talents. Are you a business man who knows how to invest? Do we know how to wisely trade and increase our money? Do you have a skill or talent you could be offering to your church and aren’t? Are you using your spiritual gift just for yourself or for the body? My husband is a carpenter and uses that skill to bless local ministries, businesses, and our church. I have never seen him turn in a bill for his time or his talent. Most receipts for any goods he needed end up in the trash. Pastors have told him to turn in the receipts for reimbursement and allow someone else to bless the church with the money to pay for his supplies. But, it is his offering. It’s his heart. What skills do you have that you are hiding under a rock? Do you love children? Good, we can use you in the nursery on Sundays and Wednesdays.  Do you like to clean? We have an opportunity for you to serve.  Do you love meeting new people?  Good! We will hook you up with the Greeter’s Team. Do you get my point?

Several months ago, my husband and I “adopted” a small business in our community. That was not our intention when we first visited this business. But, when we each shook the hand of the owner, God let us know that He had a purpose for us being there. A purpose beyond patronizing this business. We both fell in love with the owner. We have helped him promote his business both with our time and money. Mark has used his talents to fix some things there. Those aren’t the reasons God has us there, but it has helped build trust and a friendship with a man who needs Jesus. Mark gives a lot of time to this business. As a family we support this business. More importantly, we have invited the owner and all patrons into our home where they can see the love of Jesus in practical ways. We aren’t preaching to them from a pulpit. We aren’t demanding they change. We are simply loving them right where they are as commanded to in Matthew 23.

Do you tithe your time to God and His church? Ten percent of a 24-hour day is two hours and twenty-four minutes. That means that each week we should be tithing about 17 hours of our time. I have worked at a church. It is hard to get people to commit to one hour each Sunday, let alone 17 hours a week. There are so many ways your local church, community, and neighbors need you to be giving. Setting aside time to pray for your church and community is giving time to God.

Matthew 23:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 

John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Do you get the feeling Jesus is trying to make a point? In these scriptures there isn’t much that wasn’t in The Old Testament. Leviticus 19:18 tells us to love our neighbor. So what is different from the old and the new? Five little words, “as I have loved you”. In The Old Testament we hadn’t yet experienced the love of Jesus in the physical form.  I want you to let those five words resonate in your heart. Powerful words. As I have loved you. How did Jesus love us? He gave everything for us just as His Father gave His everything in the form of Jesus. Jesus gave us His very life. He gave us a way out of hell. He gave us direct access to God. He gave us the Holy Spirit. He gave us hope, grace, and forgiveness. He didn’t tithe (10%) to us. He gave it all, 100%!!  I am grateful that He forgives 100% of my sins.

We don’t tithe because Jesus didn’t tithe when dealing with us. We are called to follow Him repeatedly in the Bible.  We are called to be Christ-like. We give offerings. Those offerings come in the form of checks, cash, stage sets, school supplies, volunteering our time, a bed to sleep in, love, acceptance, and so much more. We don’t keep track because the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:3 to not let our right hand know what our left hand is doing.  I know that Mark has given extra offerings to church, people, and other places.  He doesn’t usually tell me about it, but I know. He probably knows the same of me. I am not sharing the way we give to pat ourselves on the back, but rather to make a very important point.

I am grateful for the people who give more than 10% of their income. Churches wouldn’t be able to financially function without these people. If we restrict people to 10% we are tying the hands of the Holy Spirit to move people to give more.  I am grateful for those that serve endless hours in the church. Without them my children would have no Children’s Ministry to attend on Wednesday and Sunday. See those song lyrics up on the screen of your church? Someone is giving their time to run the sound booth. See those musicians on the stage playing your favorite worship song? They are giving their time and talent to lead you into the act of worship. When is the last time you thanked them? When people give above 10% think of all a church can do with that? Think about how much more food can be bought for the food bank. Think how many more Bibles can be purchased and given away. Think how many more children can be reached by VBS. Why would you ever want to limit giving?

10% is a good starting point to teach new believers how to begin the act of worship known as an offering. We can not pick and chose which Old Testament Law(s) we want to still follow simply to meet a need.  Where’s the faith in that?  Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Giving is a condition of your heart. I have listened as a group of Christians argued over whether a tithe is 10% of gross or 10% of net. Seriously??  Check your heart. If you are writing a tithe check that is exactly 10% of your income down to the penny, you might need a heart check. The Lord loves a joyful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

If you are holding on so tightly to your money, time, talents, and spiritual gifting; then it has become your idol. Remember, you can’t receive a gift with your hands closed around something else.

Take whatever is holding you back from fully giving in all areas and lay it at the cross. Then take your offering, whatever it is to you, to the altar. You will NEVER be able to out-give God! Trust me when I say, He will always give it back and then some. John 3:16 says it so well. God loved. God gave. If we love God, then we will joyfully give to God; our very lives.

So no, we do not tithe. But we sure love to give.