Ask a Pastor Column

Q: If a person can’t tithe (i.e. give 10 percent of their income as an offering), does God look down on them?

A: It’s easy for believers to slip into a perspective of merit or obligation in regards to charitable gifts. This is because just about everything in our world (religious or otherwise) is based on some kind of merit system. The merit system tells us we have to do things for God-gods-the universe in order to get good things from them. Everything is “paid for” by our good works. While Christians (and sometimes pastors and entire churches!) can mistakenly twist Christian charity into a merit system, scripture lays out an entirely different system based upon God’s free grace.

  Instead of obligation or arm-twisting, The Bible approaches financial contributions to the church and the poor as an investment opportunity (II Corinthians 9:5, 7; Matthew 10:8b). If we accept God’s forgiveness through Christ’s death on the Cross in our place by becoming a Christian, then, as Christians, we can contribute our finances to God’s work as thanks-offerings to Him. If we do so in faith, then God promises to supply our needs (Philippians 4:18-19; Matthew 6:33), reward us for showing godly generosity (II Corinthians 9:10-11), and continue to provide to us freely everything we need to continue to carry out His will for our lives (II Corinthians 9:8-9). We are clearly told that the extent of our reward will be determined by the extent of our generosity (II Corinthians 9:6).

We are also told that God works by percentages (II Corinthians 8:12, 15). In other words, a poor person who gives $20 might be rewarded more than a rich person who gives $200, because $20 is a greater sacrifice for the poor person (see the account of the widow’s mites in Luke 21:1-4).

These biblical principles help give us a better understanding of our financial situation and ability to give. The question that governs a believer’s charitable gifts isn’t “how much can I afford to give?” Our question is; “how much faith do I have in God and His promises?” If we truly believe in God’s loving care for us, then we will trust Him enough to give to the needy, even if it means depriving ourselves (Matthew 6:31-33; II Corinthians 8:1-5). When we give sacrificially (remember, the amount of a sacrificial gift depends on how much you have to begin with!), God is pleased and glorified (II Corinthians 9:7), and the door is opened for Him to provide for our needs graciously and supernaturally, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!

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