I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:10-20
This is an example of New Covenant giving. Most of the institutional church in America teaches Old Covenant tithing. Here Paul isn’t chastising them for not giving their ‘tithe’ to the ministry, but thanking them for their love and concern and their ‘gift’ to him, and letting them know that He is also ‘content’ in God, and that God WILL supply all of his and their need. Paul didn’t have to ‘preach’ about the tithe to the gentiles, he trusted God to meet his need.
Money. The subject the Church does not really teach well. Especially within the confines of the worldly system they have modeled the operation of the Church. In the Old Covenant the giving requirement was the tithe (First fruits / 10% of income / profit). Now the spiritual leaders (Pharisees had LOTS of rules on this practice) taught the tithe to the tiniest details of life, even down to the smallest herb. But in the New Covenant the practice of giving was moved into a different realm and understanding. Jesus bought us with His sacrifice. Paul literally understood this and often called himself a ‘bond-slave’ of Christ, which meant that he identified as one who was owned for life (Voluntarily given his life to Jesus forever as a willing ‘slave’). Bond-slaves didn’t have ‘property’ or income that was their ‘own’. Everything a bond-slave had was property of their ‘master’ / owner. So Paul understood ALL the money in his possession was owned by Jesus. So how does ‘giving to God’ and the tithe fit into the money equation now? Since Jesus / God now owns it all? Giving was to be directed by the instructions from the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit, at whatever amount He asked for at the time. Since it is His money, He can direct ANY amount to be given at any moment. This was WAY beyond the old tithe (10%) mindset, it was the ‘whole heart’ and surrender lifestyle.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 1 Corinthians 7:22-23
How do we today become ‘bond-servants’ of men? Through debt. Jesus paid our spiritual debt for our sin to God through His sacrifice. Also in our earthly realm people became slaves via their monetary debts that they couldn’t pay. Today so many don’t view their debt as shackles to men, yet if you don’t pay your debt you could possibly land in jail and be ruined for a lifetime. To be in debt now makes you a ‘bond-servant’ to whomever you owe the debt. My advice? If you have to have debt, only have ‘secured debt’. (Debt that can be paid off completely by the item the debt is attached to.) So if the loan (debt) is on a vehicle make sure that the loan isn’t ever going to be higher than the value of the vehicle. Same with a house. Unsecured debt should be treated like a monthly bill — always paid off every month with NO interest charged. This is the goal. So many Churches are in debt to another entity. They are shackled and beat up the people for money so that they can pay the loan stroke on the building and property. Most churches fall back and resort to the Old Covenant teaching and system of the ‘tithe’. And yes, I have heard many a sermon on how the tithe is an everlasting requirement. But Jesus doesn’t ask me for only 10% of my heart, He asks me to surrender it ALL! I am not a robot and just following rituals or formulas, I am in relationship with Him and He directs my path / life.
Now the Holy Spirit will instruct me to give, and often it is more than is ‘comfortable’ to me. His asks are usually going to require an action of my ‘faith’ and trust in Him. It usually makes me wonder if I will have enough to cover my needs that month if I give such a ‘big’ gift. But my giving has also changed in that I usually am instructed to give to an ‘individual’ or family with no possible benefit to me. No tax relief, no outward recognition, but secretly, where only God and I know. So many still in the Church system give for ‘other benefits’, like status, tax relief, and influence. Jesus didn’t teach that but the opposite.
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4
So many are on the Church ‘board’ or an ‘elder’ because of what money they can give or have given to the ‘Church’. Again …opposite of what Jesus teaches.
But formulas and rituals are easier to teach, manipulate, and coerce than teaching the people how to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. Just sayin’. What’s your ‘Master’ telling you to do with HIS money?