This is week one of our tithing/ not tithing series and instead of shying away from difficult problem passages, i think the best way is to power right through them. Week one is a general exhortation to give generously to the Lord BECAUSE He first gave to us. This little pithy throw-away phrase has been used and abused by pentecostal offering hosts for decades, but it unfortunately is absolutely 100 percent true. This is not only true about our finances that we steward but also about every other aspect of our life and our proximity to the Gospel. We respond to Christ because He first responded to us, we love because He first loved us, we serve because He first served us, and we give because He first gave to us. We can see this paradigm reflected clearly in the first instance of tithing in the narrative of Abram and Melchizedek that is reinterpreted and specified in Hebrews. Have fun!
Genesis 14:17-24
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 14:17–24.
Hebrews 7:1-10
The Priestly Order of Melchizedek
7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 7:1–10.
Matthew 6:1-4
6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 6:1–4.
Obviously giving has a cost. My Dave Ramsey app has made that abundantly clear. However, what is the true cost of generosity for a believer? If the Lord is the supplier, and we are already giving in response to His gift, are we really even paying anything? That’s like thanking the IRS for your tax refund. It was YOUR money to begin with. The real cost of giving is stewardship. Am I stewarding and living in such a way that creates margin in the gift God has given me? This is also a great opportunity to explore themes of risk/ faith and stewardship/ negligence. Giving out of poverty also cannot be looked at like a get out of bad decisions free card.