• "Tithing: the Returning to God of the Firstfruits"
• Sermon for the Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity
• November 14, 2004
• The Reverend Stephen C. Scarlett

It is my responsibility at this time of year to say something about tithing, which is the return to God of the firstfruits of the increase that God has given us. This is the biblical means by which the ministry of the body of Christ is supported.

We have been studying Genesis in our Bible classes. It is arguable that the best Bible story on giving is the first one, the story of Cain and Able in Genesis 4:3-7. Genesis tells us:

"And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it'" (NKJV).

Cain was unwilling to correct his error. Instead, in anger, he killed his more righteous brother Abel.

The epistle to the Hebrews provides the following commentary on the story. "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous" (11:4). Abel offered God the first and best of his flock because he had faith. He believed that God was worthy of his first and best and he trusted God to take care of his future needs. The implication is that Cain, who "brought an offering," did not really trust God. He was a reluctant giver, offering to God only some of the extra grain that he could spare.

As Hebrews says, "Without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that [God] is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (11:6 NKJV).

The faith of Abel illustrates a right understanding of the creation. God made the world and everything in it. He made man and planted a garden paradise for man to live in. The logic of giving is this. Man will return to God the first tenth of his increase, and the first and best of his livestock, in token acknowledgment that everything man has belongs to God. And God, for his part, will put his blessing on the rest and make it sufficient to meet man's need.

The attitude of Cain, conversely, is the product of the Fall. The implication of the original sin is that man took possession of the creation. Man said of the garden, "This is mine and I will eat what I please." The post-fall attitude is exhibited by Cain, who sees the grain he has harvested as his rightful possession and, thus, can only make a grudging offering to God.

The irony of Cain's attitude is that it resulted in the loss of all his grain. God cursed the ground for Cain's sake and made him a vagabond on earth. That is, he lost all that he had. This is the consequence of possessiveness, which is really the deadly sin of covetousness* the sin that lies at our door desiring to rule over us. If we think that anything is really ours, we will eventually, in this life or in the judgment, lose it.

Conversely, the Bible teaches that faithful giving, giving that acknowledges God's ownership of everything, results in added blessing upon the giver. Proverbs says, "Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine" (3:9 NKJV). Jesus said simply, "The measure you give will be the measure you get back" (Luke 6:38, RSV).

Jesus concluded the parable of the talents, which describes two faithful stewards and one faithless steward (Matthew 25:14-30 cf. Luke 19:12-27) by saying, "To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away" (Matthew 25:29). Jesus didn't mean that all who have money will get more money. The thing the faithful stewards had was faith.

Everyone who has faith, who trusts God and is a faithful steward of all that God has given, will receive more from God. The more is not always more money or more things. God also gives profound spiritual blessings, not to mention the gift of eternal life. We should note that Abel got killed for his righteous gift. But now he lives forever with God because of his faith. One cannot out give God. The faithful steward always end up with more.

We practice the faithful discipline of tithing when we return to God the first tenth of what he gives to us. In practical terms, this means that when we receive our income, God should get the first check. This is what makes it an offering of faith. The return of the first part is the token acknowledgment that it all belongs to God. God puts his blessing on the rest and makes it sufficient to meet our needs.

Tithing falls under the heading of spiritual disciplines. We worship God on the first day of the week. We begin the day, and each new part of the day, with prayer. We begin the meal with grace. We offer back to God the first part of what he has given us. Through these and other faithful habits, life is sanctified; the creation is offered back to the Creator.

But-and this is a big but-our spiritual disciplines are pleasing to God only when they are offered with the right attitude, the attitude of faith. When we understand the gift of salvation and life in Christ, when our heart is right with God, we practice our spiritual disciplines joyfully and willingly, in response to God's grace-like Abel. But if our heart is not right with God, if we have not yet experienced the gift of grace, we perform the disciplines of the Christian life grudgingly like Cain.

God does not desire our prayers and gifts as ends in and of themselves; God is pleased with our offerings when they are outward and visible signs that we really believe in God, that we really trust him, that we have faith. As Hebrews says, "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous."

The patriarch Jacob pledged to God saying, "Off all that thou givest me, I will surely give the tenth to thee" (Genesis 29:22). God incorporated the tithe into the Law of Moses.

God commanded the people of Israel to give the first tenth of their income to support the temple ministry (cf. Leviticus 27:30, 32; Numbers 18:24; 2 Chronicles 31:4-5).

In the New Testament, Jesus, while vilifying the Pharisees for their lack of justice, mercy and faith, nonetheless said that they were right to be meticulous in their practice of tithing (Matthew 23:23).

As Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these thing shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). cf. Acts 10:4.

St. Paul says, "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6).

John Bunyan summed it up when he wrote, "There was a man, some called him mad. The more he gave, the more he had." The principle applies to all forms of giving and service, but the Bible is clear that is applies to money also.

As Malachi says, "Bring the...tithes into the storehouse...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, RSV).

As Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart by also" (Matthew 6:21).