wealth and tithing

06/18/09
By Emmanuel Donkor
in featured articles, finances

If you have been a Pentecostal, Charismatic, or Evangelical Christian long enough, you have heard words such as wealth and tithing in conversations or sermons. With the current economic downturn and its associated hardships, there is a need to return to the truth regarding the principles of wealth and tithing.

Humanity has walked away from God, the real source of wealth and life. The direct consequence is greed and excessive materialism. There is urgency for the Church of God to inform and educate the world regarding this concept. Yet in many ways, the Christian community has lost sight of the truth.

This article will attempt to deconstruct the image we have had about wealth and tithing. We will do so through the only one truth, God’s Word. By doing so, we can look at the two principles from God’s perspective.

wealth

Many people, Christian or otherwise, associate wealth with amassing material possessions. The Collins English Dictionary throws up different dimensions of the word. While wealth is often associated with material possessions, it also includes other important elements, a wealth of gifts, desirable qualities, as well as natural resources. There are vital lessons we need to learn about wealth from the definitions.

There is a source for the wealth for which we strive. Psalm 24:1 makes this point clear: “The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it…” (NIV). This truth indicates our total reliance on Him for our survival. When things do not go according to plan financially, He is the one on whom we need to call.
Secondly, when God created man, He gave him the responsibility of managing the resources of the earth (Genesis 1:28-31). This we have failed to fulfill because we shifted our focus from wealth as a means to an end to seeing wealth as an end in itself. As a result, we often wear ourselves out trying to make more of it.
In spite of this, God is still in the “business” of empowering people with wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). He also empowers us with ideas which in turn creates wealth without adding sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). This is His way of making sure that we have what we need in order to live our lives in accordance with His will.
Wealth is not only measured by material possessions. It includes skills, gifts, talents, and abilities graciously given to us by God. This is why it’s not appropriate when we say we are poor because then we have failed to recognize the talents and abilities God has given us. These gifts are worth more than what millions of dollars. With these gifts, we can become the “salt” and “light” of the earth and create lasting wealth (treasures in heaven).

Wealth is one of the many blessings God bestows on us so we can be channels of blessings to humanity. However, we stand the risk of losing out on eternity when we focus entirely on wealth accumulation. As Jesus put it in Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (NIV).

tithing

In the Old Testament book of Malachi, God repeats the basis for wealth creation for the people of Israel. He reminds them that the tithes must be brought into the “storehouse” and in return, He will “throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it…” (Malachi 3:10). A tithe is a tenth part of every increase God gives us. “But you shall remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). In the book of Genesis, Abraham offered a tithe of the spoils from his battles to Melchizedek, King of Salem (Genesis 14:20).

Following Abraham’s example, we tithe because God commands it and because of our indebtedness to Him. Our faithfulness in tithing enables His body, the church, to carry out its mission of broadcasting the gospel to the ends of the earth, being the pillar and foundation of truth, and caring for orphans, widows, and others in need.

Tithing is one of the ways we show our gratitude and appreciation to God for the life, energy, and ability He has given us so we can create wellbeing for our families. In the context of Malachi, God demanded the tithe because the people of Israel had robbed him of it “…will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask how do we rob you? In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse because you are robbing me…” (Malachi 3:8-9).

When we do not tithe, we do not acknowledge Him as the source of our life and wealth. On the other hand, when we acknowledge Him as the source, He creates the opportunity for us to create more wealth.