Giving

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In Christianity we know that God calls us to give but to do so secretly:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your [c]giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." - Matthew 6:1-4

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” - Luke 6:38

The Bible speaks of three types of giving, they are:

1. First Fruits

2. Tithes

3. Offerings

First fruits are a gift to the Lord of the first of the harvest. This requires faith on the side of the giver as this was the first of the harvest, the first "the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field"

Exodus 23:16 "Also you shall keep the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field." (NASB)

Nehemiah 10:35 - "We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree." (NIV)

Proverbs 3:9-10 - "Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; Then your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine." (NASB)

Tithing is recognizing that the tenth of all your earning belongs to the Lord:

Leviticus 27:30-34 - "‘Now all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. If, therefore, someone should ever want to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it a fifth of it. For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. He is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; yet if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed.’” These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai." (NASB)

Numbers 18:26 - “Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe." (NASB)

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 - “At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and you shall deposit it in your [a]town. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the stranger, the [b]orphan, and the widow who are in your [c]town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do." (NASB)

Offerings

Malachi 3:8-12 - “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and [d]offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of armies." (NASB)

Footnotes:

a.)    Matthew 6:2 Or give alms
b.)    Matthew 6:3 Or give alms
c.)    Matthew 6:4 Or alms

d.) Malachi 3:8 Or contributions

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Last update: June 5, 2023

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