The clear Biblical model for the financial support of the local church is through the tithes and offerings of God’s people. The word ‘tithe’ simply means ten percent. Even before the law was given, Abraham gave a tenth of his plunder after his victory of rescuing his nephew Lot. It was the understanding that those who worshiped God, would give ten percent of their increase as a way of acknowledging that everything comes from Him. (Genesis 14:17-20, Hebrews 7:1-5)
We see that God set it up in the Old Testament that the building and maintenance of the temple would be through the voluntary giving of God’s people. (Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 26:11-12, Nehemiah 10:32-39, 2 Kings 12:4-5, 1 Chronicles 29:1-18, 2 Chronicles 31:4-10, Ezra 2:68-69)
One of the indications that the nation of Israel had drawn away from God was the fact that they had failed to give their tithes to the Lord. We read in Malachi that the Lord exhorted His people to return in repentance to Him by first giving to Him the tithe and ceasing to rob Him. (Malachi 3:7-12)
We see this pattern of giving a portion of our income continued in the New Testament. (1 Corinthians 16:2) It is often misunderstood when Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for tithing on even such small things as mint and spices that He was saying it was unnecessary. However, Jesus told them that they should have practiced the more weighty matters of the law without neglecting the tithe. (Matthew 23:23) Jesus commended not the amount given, but the percentage, or the sacrifice that it meant to the giver. (Mark 12:41-44)
A fundamental issue of discipleship is stewardship. In Mark’s Gospel it reads, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? ‘No servant 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.’” (Luke 16:10-13 (NIV))
Tithing is one of the areas that God allows us to test Him in. He says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” “(Malachi 3:10 (NIV)) I can give personal testimony and the testimony of so many others of the reality of this portion of scripture. Our family has seen the financial as well as many other types of blessings because of our commitment to give back to God a tenth of what He has provided to us. We have seen unexpected sources of income, a lack of vehicles and appliances breaking down, exceptional values on purchases, good health and a lack of medical bills, just to name a few.
God is not really after your money, He has the power to create whatever He needs, but rather He is after your heart. Jesus said “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 (NIV)) Tithing is an issue of faith and trust in God. When you give the first ten percent to God you are saying two things: First of all, “I acknowledge you as the source of all that I have. (Deuteronomy 8:10-18). Secondly you are saying, “I trust you to meet my needs, not the money in my checking account.” When you enter into that relationship of faith you enter into God’s economy where you can be confident that He will meet your needs, physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially.