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In giving to God, the primary question often on Christ-followers minds is: How can we give unto God in a manner acceptable to God? While that question may be a fundamental question, God desires us to ask the next level question. A question that will lift the nature of our giving to a whole new realm. The question is: How can we give in a manner that touches God’s heart?
In our series on Tithing, we have covered in Part 1: The Biblical Principles and Part 2: Distinguishing Tithes and Offerings. There we laid the biblical basis for tithing and offerings. Now we examine the kind of responses that God desires from us, by answering both the questions posed above.
GIVING THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
Giving obediently
God has set out His expectations and hence commands that His people would give back to God what is holy, the tithe (Lev 27:30-32). Mal 3:7-8 reveals God’s view when His people failed to do so.
Malachi 3:7–8 (NIV) 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings.”
When His people failed to do so, God viewed it as a disobedience (“have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them”) and a robbery (‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings.”) After all, we are merely stewards of all that God has provided to us.
Hence a tithe is acceptable to God when it is given out of obedience. On the other hand, if we gave because we were forced to such as taxed, whether by church or state – we gave out of compulsion, not willingly, not out of obedience. It is a different matter if we were willingly taxed, because we wanted to be obedient anyway.
Giving faithfully
Scriptures reveal that God expects tithing to be done as instructed and also regularly, continually. If anyone needed to withhold any portion of a tithe for a season, then God required that 20% be added.
Leviticus 27:31 (NIV) Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it.
There is no excuse before God for being continually inconsistent in our tithing. God expects us to be faithful in our giving.
Thus, delayed tithing incurs a tax. It seems God allows for delayed tithing to account for some unforeseen difficult circumstances. Yet God implemented it in a fashion that discourages its continual delay. In essence, there is no excuse before God for being continually inconsistent in our tithing. God expects us to be faithful in our giving.
I heard the story about an elderly lady who was devoted Christian. One day during the Sunday morning service, she had a heart attack and collapsed. Emergency services were called and as the paramedics were bringing her on a stretcher to the ambulance, she weakly beckoned her daughter. The tearful daughter bent over close to her as the elderly lady struggled to speak. The congregation held their breath knowing this may be her last words. “In my purse”, the lady gasped into her daughter’s ear, “are my tithes. Put it in the offering bag.” That, is faithfulness.
Giving with faith
Early in Genesis was recorded the first offerings made to God. It was a watershed moment in human history, leading to the first murder. The story also offers important insights into giving that is acceptable to God.
Genesis 4:3–5 (NIV) 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
So what made the difference in their giving? Was it because Abel gave animal sacrifices while Cain gave agricultural? A key part of the answer was given in Hebrews 11:4 (NIV) By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.
Hence the distinguishing factor was faith. Abel gave with faith, while Cain did not. Yet there were deeper issues as revealed in 1 John 3:12 (NIV) Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. So why did Cain murder Abel? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
It appears that early mankind understood they should make offerings to God. It was the norm that every head of household (any adult male who is responsible for a household) should make such offerings. Abel gave of his offerings with faith, thankful to and trusting in God for his provisions. Abel behaved righteously. On the other hand, Cain did not offer with faith. He was not thankful nor trusting in God for God’s provisions. Instead, he likely made offerings to meet expected societal/family obligations and sought to hide his lack of faith. He was living a lie. That is probably why his actions were viewed as “evil”. Hence, God accepted Abel’s offerings but rejected Cain’s.
Giving with faith is a fundamental requirement to be acceptable to God. Are we trusting God for His provision even as we give a significant portion back to God?
Hence, giving with faith is a fundamental requirement to be acceptable to God. Are we trusting God for His provision even as we give a significant portion back to God? John Gagliardi illustrated this point powerfully with this story.
A deacon told his pastor, “Considering what I earn, and the needs of my family, it’s impossible for me to tithe.”
A wealthy businessman in the church overheard the conversation and approached the deacon. “God has blessed me, and I’d like to help,” he said. “Why don’t you give 10 per cent of your income to God, and if you run short at the end of the month, I’ll make up the shortfall.”
The deacon was delighted. “In that case, I’ll start tithing right away!”
The businessman drove home his point: “You trust me to provide for you, just because I said so. Yet God tells you the same thing in His Word, and you do not believe Him.”
God’s fundamental expectation is that we give obediently, faithfully and with faith back unto God.
It may be concluded that God’s fundamental expectation is that we give obediently, faithfully and with faith back unto God.
GIVING THAT TOUCHES GOD’S HEART
There is a giving from our hearts that is the next level, and it touches God’s heart when He sees that. One that goes beyond the fundamentals of acceptable giving. What are some key characteristics?
Giving as worship
The sacrifices and offerings practiced in the Old Testament were first and foremost seen as acts of worship. As they sought to honour God. The same perspective continues in New Testament times. Paul shared about the Macedonians who gave despite their lack, as an act of worship unto God firstly, then to help The Jerusalem churches during the trials of famine.
2 Corinthians 8:4–5 (NIV) 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
We can intentionally give from our hearts, as an act of worship unto God.
We could give obediently, faithfully and with faith and leave it at that point. Or we can intentionally give from our hearts, as an act of worship unto God. We can come with an attitude that says, “We give because of You. We give this to honour you, O Lord! To worship the One who is faithful to Provide. Because we love You!” Perhaps the next time we give of our tithes, we can take a moment to do it prayerfully, as an act of worship to God. God is touched when we give with a worshipful attitude.
Giving joyfully
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Joyful giving arises from a thankful heart and the perspective that it is a privilege to give.
Why does God love a cheerful giver? Because it reflects more than a willingness – an eagerness of heart to give. Where does such eagerness spring from? Joyful giving arises from a thankful heart and the perspective that it is a privilege to give. What a privilege to be part of God’s family and to share in the family responsibilities such as giving for His Kingdom.
Once a member of our church had sold a piece of land for a significant profit. She decided to give the church a tithe of the profit. It was the single largest amount we had ever received up to that point in the history of our church. As she gave, she expressed her excitement to be able to give this unto God. How much it must have touched God’s heart!
Sometimes in our giving to God it can become mundane, since it is done so regularly. Why not spice it up? Take a moment to discover some reasons why you can rejoice in your giving. To consider why you can be thankful to God.
Giving lovingly
1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV) If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
When we give out of a love for God and His Kingdom, it means a lot to God. We give because we care. It matters to us that we can give to help the Kingdom and His people.
So many parents love their children and willingly give sacrificially to them. There is a special joy when we see our children willingly and generously give back to us. Not because we demand, but because they value us.
Once a father bought his little boy some French fries. Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one french fry to taste it. The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries."
The father is grieved at his son’s selfishness. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him. The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son so selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries; I just want one french fry."
How grieving to God who lovingly gave the us the best, when we fail to love Him in return by being generous to God.
How sad when those we love and have been generous to, fail to return the generosity to us. How sad God must feel when despite all His generosity to us, we fail to be generous back to God. How grieving to God who lovingly gave the us the best, when we fail to love Him in return by being generous to God.
Giving sacrificially
Jesus was very impressed with the poor widow who gave the 2 copper coins at the temple.
Mark 12:42–44 (NIV) 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
When giving hurts, yet we willingly give; God’s heart is touched by the sacrifice.
When giving hurts, yet we willingly give; God’s heart is touched by the sacrifice. For some to tithe is comfortable. For some to tithe is a huge sacrifice. For the widow it was giving everything needed to live on. What is equally instructive is that Jesus never sought to intervene in the widow’s giving to make it easier. Jesus did not take away her opportunity to make the sacrifice. Neither did Jesus stop the grateful woman who broke the very expensive alabaster jar of perfume to anoint Him (Matt 26:6-13). The sacrifice in itself becomes a fragrant offering to God.
Some have argued that it is not fair to expect the poor to tithe. Yet God placed that expectation. The privilege of the poor is to have the same opportunity to tithe. It is not our place to take that privilege from them. It is our responsibility to care for them in their need.
Giving excellently
A powerful example of giving excellently was when King David made every possible provision for the future building of God’s temple, even though he will never see it (1 Chron 28-29). With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, King David made sure detailed temple plans were drawn up and every temple article designed. He allocated all the human resources required to construct every aspect of the temple, including the temple ministers and officials. He also made sure all the necessary materials were provided and budgeted for. Then he gave far beyond from his own treasures. In other words, King David gave of his best, par excellence unto God!
Giving with excellence to God means giving with our utmost to bless God
Giving with excellence to God means giving with our utmost to bless God. When Abel gave of his offerings to God, he made sure to give the firstborn of his animals and their fat portions burnt for God (Gen 4:4). He gave in a manner that met the code in Moses Law, which came thousands of years later. How excellent is that?
CONCLUSIONS
God looks at our heart and He sees the depths from which our giving comes.
We showed that acceptable giving to God requires obedience, faithfulness and faith in our hearts. However, we can go beyond such fundamental basics to give in a way that touch God’s heart. Let’s consider how we may give with a worshipful heart, with joy or love. Perhaps we could give sacrificially or excellently. God looks at our heart and He sees the depths from which our giving comes.
In our next study we will look at the blessings that tithing brings.
Copyright©️2023 by Wilson Lim. All rights reserved. Materials are free to be distributed in whole or part as long as proper acknowledgement is given to the author and not sold for profit.
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