Why Give? - A Christian Theology of Giving

An offering is response to God that we trust God to provide and we are thankful for what God has provided. It is given to do God's work. A Christian theology of financial or material giving has its roots in the Old Testament and Jewish practice. The Biblical story begins with two stories of creation; an acknowledgment of everything being created by God. What we have is created by God and it comes ultimately from God. When we give, we give back what is originally God's.

Over time in the Jewish religion, a system of offerings evolved with the tithe continuing into Christian practice. The tithe is 10 percent. Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High blessed Abraham after he defeated the King Chedorlaomer. Abraham gave a tithe of everything to him (Gen. 14:17-20). This tithe was in response for God being with him in his victory. The practice of tithing continued into Christian times with farmers giving a tithe of their crops to the church.

Malachi, an Old Testament prophet, writes,

"Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing" (Malachi 3:10).

The people of Israel made a covenant with the LORD that he will be their God and they will be his people. As part of that covenant they were to bring tithes and offerings of their produce, but they did not. Malachi reminds them that they need to give and trust that God will bless them.

Jesus develops this idea in the sermon on the mount,

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well" (Matthew 6:31-33).

Jesus points out it is not the amount of our gift that matters, but how much we give in relation to what we have.

"A widow came, and put two copper coins, which make a penny. And Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in every thing she had, her whole living." (Mark 12:41-44)

In our baptismal covenant, we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We enter into a covenant like the people of Israel where we trust God to provide for us. Our offerings are a token of our faith and of our thanksgiving for what God has given us.

As we reflect upon our giving back to God from the many blessings He has bestowed upon us, we would do well to consider the words from Ex. 23:19 "The first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God." Ask yourself, “Have I given to God and the ministries of His church the ‘first fruit’ of my labour? Have I made him my first priority? Or do I give Him what’s left over? It’s something to think and pray about.