Why Give?
“From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8) Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. 9) You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10) Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11) I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:7-11)
Prosperity preachers twist the meaning of Malachi 3:7-11. For them, it’s all about the money. If you want more money from God, give more money to God. But what if this passage isn’t ultimately about money? What if the prophet’s point is that stinginess or generosity toward God reveals our priorities and depth of love for him? Malachi 3:7 tells us that the Israelites had turned away from God. Their love for him was not sincere. In response, God graciously invites them to return to him. How? By repenting of their covenant-breaking thievery and honoring him with the fullness of their tithes.
For the Israelites, giving was a matter of obedience and covenant-keeping. Generosity was intended to mark their love for, and faith in, God. In practice, their tithe made temple sacrifice and worship possible. When God made a covenant with Israel, he commanded them to give back to him 10% of everything they received (see Leviticus 27:30). This tithe was used to support the priests and the Levites—including the musicians who served in the temple. In short, because worship wasn’t optional in Israel, neither was their giving. That’s why, here in Malachi, God accuses his people of robbing him when they broke faith and refused to bring to him their tithes. Israel’s refusal to tithe revealed their lack of their commitment to, and respect for, the God who saved them!
Of course, all this has to do with the Old Covenant, right? As New Testament Christians, what does tithing have to do with us? Answer? In regard to the Law, it has nothing to do with us. Even so, in Matthew 6:24 Jesus makes it clear, our own giving (or lack thereof) reveals the depth (or shallowness) of our devotion to God. Without specifically commanding the tithe, Jesus declares, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” In 2 Corinthians 8:5 Paul makes clear—those who give themselves first to the Lord will also generously give back to God according to his will.
Christian, when push comes to shove, God doesn’t “need” your money. The ultimate reason God calls us to give is because he himself is Giver of all. As his people, should we not be givers too?
So what about it? As a Christian do you have to tithe? Ultimately, that’s between you and the Lord? Personal Opinion Alert: For me, it makes no sense that someone living under grace would want to give less than those living under Law. The more we understand God’s generosity towards us in Christ, the more generous we’ll become towards him and others. The New Testament calls for sacrificial giving with a joyful heart. When we ask, “Lord, what’s the minimum percentage of income you require of me?” we’re asking the wrong question.
Questions to consider:
1. What does your giving reveal about your relationship with God?
2. What does your giving reveal about the depth of your trust in God?
3. What does your giving reveal about the location of your “treasure”? See Matt. 6:19-21.