Tithes and Offerings

As we continue our season of stewardship, I would like to offer a reflection on Malachi 3:8-10. Malachi, a prophet in Israel probably 500 years before Christ, writes this to the people:

Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me – the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.

Let me make several observations. First, the word “tithe” simply means a tenth, and “offerings” are gifts above and beyond the tithe. Second, the ancient Israelites lived in an agrarian society, so their “tithes” were largely given in the form of crops, but we can apply the principle today with our income. Third, the “storehouse” referenced above was a repository of various crops, the “first fruits” of the harvest, that were set aside as food for the Levites who served in the temple, food for communal celebrations, and as food for the relief of the poor – the widow, the orphan, and the stranger in the land. Fourth, God is clear that the tithe belongs to Him, and anyone who withholds the tithe is guilty of robbing God. Finally, God promises to bless His people as they bring the tithe to Him in obedience and faith.

As we consider our own giving, the principle of the tithe is still important. I don’t want to lapse into legalism, but the biblical practice has always been to offer the first fruits of our life and labor to the Lord, understood as a tithe, and be content to live on what is left, not the other way around. As we commit to this practice, I realize that for many it will be a fairly radical rethinking of how we interact with our income, so moving gradually is fine, as long as movement continues. Also, it is worth noting that following the tithe legalistically might be too easy for some. For those with a lot of resources, which is most of us, we should use the tithe as a floor, not a ceiling.

If you give a tithe to the local church, where does your money go? It goes to the same aspects of the life of God’s people as the Old Testament tithe: providing livelihood for the church’s ministers, providing resources for our common life together, namely worship and formation, and, finally, giving to those who are the most vulnerable, both in our society and in the world around us.

As we prepare to turn in our pledge cards next Sunday, I’d like each one of us to pray about how God might be working with us on our understanding of the tithe, and then take up God’s challenge to “put Him to the test,” believing that, as we do, we will see the blessing of God on our life together as we continue to seek God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness together.

Peace,

Chris