“6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ”
Devotional - Luke Humphrey
Many people ask whether or not the New Testament teaches that we should give a “tithe.” In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were required to give 10% of their “income (harvest, flocks, etc.) to the Lord. This money went to support the Levites and the sacrificial system that was wrapped up in the Old Covenant. This tithe functioned like a tax—directly tied to both the civil and ceremonial life of the nation of Israel.
The Old Covenant tithe is no longer required in the New Covenant. But the New Testament actually teaches something far more demanding: give bountifully, give freely, and give cheerfully.
Give Bountifully
Paul motivates us to give by showing us the reward that comes through bountiful—generous—giving. If we love our money and hold onto it, then we will miss out on the true reward that comes from God. But if we give abundantly, then will reap abundant reward from God. This isn’t financial reward—though God may bless us with financial provision—but reward that is kept in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves cannot steal. For some people, giving 10% of their income may not be bountifully at all, for others it might be quite a sacrifice.
Give Freely
We should give to the Lord and not under compulsion. This means that we should not be forced into giving either by a sense of “earning God’s favor” or by a sense of peer pressure that really wants to impress those around us. Instead, our giving should freely flow from the free grace that we have received in Christ.
Give Cheerfully
Finally, we should give cheerfully, not grudgingly. Giving should be a joy not a burden. And notice the reason that Paul gives: for God loves a cheerful giver. We give not to earn God’s favor but to glorify God and because we have enjoyed God’s favor. God is far more concerned with the motivation behind the gift than with the amount of the gift.
In the New Covenant we are not commanded to tithe, but by the Spirit we are commanded to something far greater: bountiful, free, cheerful giving. Because of the grace of Christ the love of money has lost its grip on our hearts and so we are willing to give everything away for the sake of Christ.
“What is our only hope in life and death?
That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Fighter Verses
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New City Catechism
© Crossway, newcitycatechism.com