All believers in Christ Jesus should give, tithe freely with the understanding that what one has is from and is God’s as stated in 1Ch 29:14: “Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything, because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.” Acknowledging that fact indicates one’s servanthood and understanding that what one owns is given to them by God. The scriptures also inform us that all gifts given to one by God are not to be kept or hidden, but invested into His kingdom as stated in The Parable of the Talents, in Mat 25:14-30, with verse thirty indicating the harsh penalty for one’s failure not to invest and give back. In the Old Testament, Lev 27:30 informs that God, through Moses, set the tithe at ten percent. However, in the New Testament, starting in Act 4:32, the early church began as a “commune,” where all believers turned over all their money to be distributed according to their needs. The penalty for a believer holding back was severe, as Act 5:1-11 informs.
Before the church, Christ Jesus’s teachings and instructions set His Church’s foundation. In Joh 3:1-15, Christ Jesus instructs that one needs to be Born Again, thus giving up his life and all that one has to be a true believer. The Widow’s Offering, Mar 12:41-44, Christ Jesus again gives an example of giving all. In the Rich Young Man, Mat 19:16-30, Christ Jesus gives an example of giving all. In Luk 14:33, Christ Jesus states, “None of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything, “giving all” you have.” There is no grey, only black and white. Christ Jesus’ life and death gave an example for all to follow. In Mat 16:24=28, again, Christ Jesus informs that one must follow in His footsteps by giving up one’s life, “giving all,” and picking up one’s cross to be a disciple. Again, no grey, only black and white.
For those following His calling into full-time service, such as Bishops, pastors, etc., Christ Jesus gave explicit instructions for their compensation as written in
Matthew 10:9-10, “You have received without paying, so give without being paid. Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets. “
Hebrews 13:5, “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.”
Pride, Greed, and Lust are all parts of this world. In 1Jn 2:15-17, one is instructed not to love this world we live in, and in Rom 12:2, one is instructed not to conform to worldly standards. This would indicate that compensation that exceeds one’s needs is in direct violation, and those who enrich themselves in His name will suffer, as written in Luk 16:1-13 and Mat 7:21-23.
In closing, are you committed to giving everything? If so, praise God; if not, pray and seek. Also, is the church you are attending worldly-driven or purpose-driven? Purpose-driven is where a church has open books, monthly statements, and salaries based on a need’s standard, using all proceeds from the storehouse to equip members to proclaim the Good News, which conforms to the early church. If you are a member of a Purpose-driven Church, praise God. A Worldly-driven church, however, has no open books or monthly statements to share with its membership. Bishops, Pastors, etc., salary or compensation is based on a “Wants instead of a Needs Standard,” usually with little to no accountability. Their reasoning and excuses reveal their false piety and true nature when asked. If you are a member of a Worldly-driven church, cry out for redemption; if your words fall on rocky soil, leave, because the actual name of that church can be found in Rev 3:14-22. God Bless.