The mission of Lighthouse Teaching is to build others up to be a light in their communities and with others around them. We accomplish that mission by focusing on a few core pillars and values, but there is an aspect of the Christian life that must be discussed if we are ever to be lights in this world and reflect Jesus to those around us. We must discuss the basics of the Church, and how Christians are supposed to be involved within it.
Church can be a touchy subject however, and many people have been hurt and offended by both those in the Church, and teachings they’ve heard. People aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a right and wrong way to go about discussing the important Church topics. So, we must discuss these topics in the light of scripture, without corruption and without shame, focusing on what the Word specifically says.
One of the major Christian disciplines, and a basic practice for the churchgoer is the tithe. Today, we will be discussing the tithe, what it is, and why we should give it in the first place.
What is the Tithe
The word, “tithe”, is a hard word for many to hear, as there have been many church leaders that have corrupted it. We’ve made it a burden for the typical Christian, and it has caused some Christians to leave the Church entirely. But if we look at what scripture has to say about the tithe, it is certainly clear that it is more of a blessing, than a burden.
A tithe is simply a tenth of one’s income that is given to the Church as an offering. You may hear it called an offering or a gift, but it’s simply 10% of the money that you make.
We see the tithe throughout the entirety of the Bible, with mentions in both the new and the old testaments. However, the first mention of it is found in Genesis 14:20, which goes all the way back to Abraham.
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all” (Genesis 14:18-20).
Here, we see that Abraham, or Abram at the time, gave the priest a tithe, as a response to the blessing that Melchizedek gave to him. The priest greatly blessed Abram, so Abram gave a tenth of what he all he got to the priest.
Thus, for us, we can see that the tithe is a proper response to a spiritual blessing, which leads us to the reason why we are to tithe in the first place.
Why Should We Tithe
Many know about the tithe, and as we’ve already discussed, many have had bad experiences with it. This leads people to wonder why we are supposed to tithe, and even questioning if we should do it at all. Under the New Covenant, we are freed from the burden of many Old Testament laws. However, the disciplines are not something that we should forsake.
Through many New Testament scriptures, we can see both a scriptural basis for why we should still tithe under the New Covenant, and why we should do it in the first place.
Our Duty to the Church
The first reason why I believe that we should tithe is because it is simply a churchgoer’s duty to the Church.
There are multiple scriptures for this specific reason, but I want to look at two.
“But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things” (Romans 15:25-27).
“If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?” (1 Corinthians 9:11-12).
Let’s be honest, money is an important thing in this world. It can be used to bless people and change lives, but it can also be used poorly, and reap corruption. Whenever it is used in the right way, however, it can help God’s will move along, and helps ministers to keep sharing the gospel. This is what Paul, one of the most influential ministers in history, is saying in these two verses.
If you’ve been blessed by your church or a nearby ministry, why not bless them in return? If you’ve received something from the Church, it is simply your Christian duty to bless them back. However, you don’t need to give everything you have, or to every ministry you see and certainly not out of compulsion. But we all should tithe 10% to the Church we attend and are blessed by, with a cheerful heart.
Freely Recieve
One of the most important reasons that we all need to give a tithe is because we have been blessed, but not just by ministers. But also, by God.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
Every good thing that we have in life was freely given to us by God. He didn’t ask us to get perfect, before Jesus died for our sins. Nor did he expect us to give millions of dollars before he blessed us with the ability to make money, and more of it. Yet again, when we gave us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, He didn’t ask something of us before (Ephesians 1:3). Instead, he freely gave to us, and continues to give. That is why, we must freely give back.
Freely Give
When we tithe, we aren’t just giving to the Church, but to God. As we have freely received from God, so shall we freely give back to Him.
“Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
This was a command given by Jesus to the ministers that He sent out. If they apply to them, surely, they should apply to us. God gave so much to us, and He continues to bless us as His children. The least that we can do is trust God with a tenth of what we make and give back to Him.
Also, when you freely give, there is blessing that comes from that.
“”Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you”‘ (Luke 6:38).
There is a sort of cycle that happens when you give. As you trust God with your finances, He will continue to bless you, and just as you freely received, you will continue to freely give. So, the tithe not only blesses others and God, but also you!
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why we should give, and those are just a few of them. But it’s important to remember the heart behind giving.
We don’t give to others to expect something. We give to others to bless them, and to bless God. As we bless the church and give our tithe, we are blessing others out in the world! Oftentimes there are many great things that the typical church does for your community or even other communities through missions and gifts. Our tithe not only blesses the Church, ourselves, and God, but also the rest of the world, and is one of the best ways we can bless others.
Tithing and stewarding a heart for blessing others in crucial to our mission. The fact of the matter is that most in the world aren’t very generous, so tithing and blessing people with your giving is a great way to reflect Jesus to the world and show the light that only Jesus offers.
Lastly, according to statistics from Vanco, only 5% of churchgoers tithe. Imagine what would happen if that number went up to 50% or 70%. The Church needs the tithe, and if more Christians began to tithe, the Church could do so much more, for the lost, broken, and needy.
So, my prayer for you all is this: that you would have the heart and desire to freely give to the Lord and his Church, and that you would trust Him with your finances, and your peace.
Have a great week!
