Old Action, New Reason

“Charlie, we talked about tithing and being trusted with small things so God can trust us with big things. That’s a lot to take in. How are you doing with all of this?” 

Charlie nodded his head while taking off his coat and settling into our corner.  “I heard tithing is Old Testament and that it’s not relevant today. It’s not like, a rule, ya know.”  

This is not a new topic or a new objection. “Charlie, you bring up a great point. Yes, many of the rules we live by today originated in the Old Testament. What is great about that is what was once done because it was a law is now done because of love. We give back to God what belongs to God as a response to his love for us, not a response to a law we must obey or else suffer the consequence. You see, the action is the same but the reason is different. Jesus raised the bar by adding the heart behind the action. For example, under the law, you must not commit adultery. Raising the bar, Jesus said if you even look at a woman lustfully you have committed adultery in your heart. Whatever the law was, Jesus explains it with something even greater, the heart.” Charlie was quiet, listening intently. “You see Charlie, giving and being a giver is a truth in God’s word that exists before the law, during the law, and after the law. The truth remains the same, God owns all we have. God is immeasurably generous with us. God puts us first, above all other things and God wants us to trust Him, putting Him first, especially with money. He wants the motives in our heart to drive our obedience.”

Charlie leaned forward, “So if I don’t tithe is it a sin?”

“Well, I’ll put it to you this way, not giving when you can give is sinful.  Knowing what we should do and choosing not to do it is sinful. Not trusting God with our money is sinful. But here’s something else to think about Charlie, did you know that you could be sinfully tithing?”

“Wait, what?  How could you be sinfully tithing?” Charlie asked.   

“If you are doing it for the wrong reasons,” I explain. “If you think that by tithing God now owes you something, that would mean you’re doing it with the wrong attitude of the heart. Or if you did it simply out of religious duty. God doesn’t need our 10 percent. He wants our heart, and he wants nothing to compete with it. God doesn’t owe us something when we obey him. And trying to somehow earn God’s favor actually diminishes the work of Jesus on the cross. Does that make sense?” 

Charlie nodded. “Yes, in other words, don’t try to manipulate God but have the right heart when giving.”

“Yes!” I said, enthusiastically. “Listen, Charlie, God isn’t playing games with us. The only reason to give back to God is to do so in response to the cross that Jesus died on for us. It’s to acknowledge Him as first, period. Money is the one thing we tend to want to negotiate with God on, but He’s not in the negotiation business. Either He’s first or He’s not. Either we trust Him or we don’t.”   

Charlie let out a big sigh, shook his head, and said “Man, I think I actually understand!”

“Charlie, God is authentic and so is His love for you. I hope you see that putting him first with money really isn’t about money at all.”  

“Yeah, I think I’m getting that!”  

We both stood up, Charlie put his hand on my shoulder and said “Same place, same time?”  

“Same place, same time Charlie!”