Am I supposed to tithe 10%? Is that an Old Testament concept? I heard Pastor Shawn say that it’s not 10% it is 100%, what in the world does that mean?
It is true. We need to change our thinking. The tithe does come from the Old Testament system of giving 10% so the church (temple) could operate. In the New Testament Jesus challenges us with thinking differently about money and obligation. Jesus goes for the heart, not the rules. He said things like, if you harbor hate in your heart, than you are guilty of murder. If you look at a women with lust, you are guilty of adultery. What’s His point? It is a matter of the heart. So is giving. Forget about 10% being God’s, actually 100% is God’s. We are in the position of being God’s money managers. We need to seek God in all matters of our finances. We need to be good managers. In terms of being generous we need to grow in our giving.
“But since you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you –see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV
6 Keys to Understanding Giving in the New Testament
God owns everything; I’m His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted–not given–to us.
My heart always goes where I put God’s money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.
Heaven–the New Earth, not the present one–is my home.
We are citizens of “a better country–a heavenly one”.
(Hebrews 11:16
(Hebrews 11:16
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I should live today not for the dot, but for the line.
From the dot–our present life on earth–extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in Heaven.
Giving is the only antidote to Materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.
God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money than we need so we can give–generously.