The Orthodox Christian Network Blog

Click here to listen to this week's episode of Jason's Get Wisdom podcast, and click here to download the free study guide for this episode.

----------------------------------------

There are few areas of life that are more problematic for the spiritual life than those that involve money. St. Paul teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil, “for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). The Lord therefore warns us, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). He continues with a parable involving a rich man who neglects God in his pursuit of wealth; God condemns him and notes that his wealth alone will not enable him to enjoying eternal life. Christ concludes, “So is he who lays up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God” (12:21).

The Bible makes it clear that all money belongs to God: “‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). If you believe that all your money in reality ultimately belongs to God, then you must also believe that He has the right to determine how you use His money. The Bible is very clear that you are expected to give some of this money directly back to God.

The first instance of a tithe appears in Genesis 14:18-20: “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he gave him a tithe of all.” You can learn three things from this episode. First, Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe - the Hebrew word, ma’aseer, means one-tenth - of all his possessions. Second, this offering was given to God as an expression of thanks for God’s work on Abram’s behalf. Finally, by remembering that Christ is a “priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6, 20; 6:20; 7:17; see also Psalm 110:4), you can learn that it is appropriate for you to similarly give a thanksgiving tithe to Him Who was foreshadowed by Melchizedek (see Hebrews 7:8).

Leviticus 27 contains a series of instructions concerning tithing. The focus of these instructions can be seen in 27:30: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.” Interestingly, the offering was to be made from the “firstfruits,” or best, of the person’s holdings (Exodus 23:19). Furthermore, if the person wished to keep the firstfruits, he was required to not only give God the monetary value of those holdings, but to add twenty percent to the offering (Leviticus 27:31).

Among other references to tithing, Numbers 18:21-32 and Deuteronomy 12 and 14 give information about tithing that is vital to your understanding of why you need to give money to God through the Church. Numbers teaches that the tithe was intended in part to support the priesthood; the Levites received no salary, and God therefore demanded that the tithe be used to reward them for their service. You should remember that you should similarly tithe in part to reward your priest for his service, as St. Cyprian of Carthage teaches:

(The tithe system for the Levites) was done by divine authority and arrangement, so that they who waited on divine services might in no respect be called away, nor be compelled to consider or to transact secular business. Which plan and rule is now maintained in respect of the clergy, that they who are promoted by clerical ordination in the Church of the Lord may be called off in no respect from the divine administration, nor be tied down by worldly anxieties and matters; but in the honor of the brethren who contribute, receiving as it were tenths of the fruits, they may not withdraw from the altars and sacrifices, but may serve day and night in heavenly and spiritual things.

You also learn that the tithe was also intended for the maintenance of the House of Worship. Deuteronomy thus becomes significant because God stipulates that the tithe should be brought to the place in which He dwells, i.e., the Tabernacle (and later Temple). You therefore give your tithe in the Church.

Malachi 3:8-9 presents you with a particularly important lesson: refusing to give money to God is to rob Him. God’s people not only robbed Him by refusing to give money, but also by the fact that - when they did grudgingly give their tithe offering - they gave him their worst produce and poorest animals. God expects not only money, but the best of everything in your life.

Christ confirms that - in addition to concerning ourselves with judgment, mercy, and faith - you should continue to tithe (Matthew 23:23).

An immediate and obvious benefit of tithing is the benefit it provides to the parish. Fr. Dimitri Cozby explains: “Parishes need suitable places for worship, education, and fellowship; you are still responsible for your priest’s livelihood; and the Lord continually reminds you of your obligation to the needy. Therefore, the practice of good stewardship, represented by the tithe, retains its importance.”

Fr. Dimitri stresses that your offering should not be merely pragmatic; you should give your money for more than simply the physical maintenance of the parish facilities. He adds:

With regard to our material blessings, we confess that He is their true source by returning a portion to Him, to be used for His purposes in this world. These works include the maintenance of worship, the support of those called to His special service, and aid for the poor. By thus giving a portion of our wealth for His purposes, we sanctify the remainder. Through offering a part, we bring the whole of our lives into harmony with God’s will.

By giving a tithe to God through His Church, you play a role in His redeeming work in the world. You are, in essence, using your money in a holistic spirituality that directly impacts every area of your life. Furthermore, as you contribute to the Church, you can further be blessed by seeing how God uses your contribution to bring others into a deeper relationship with Him and us.

On a personal level, your relationship with God will deepen as you make your offering to the Lord. Thanking God for His work in your life, and demonstrating this thanks in part through your monetary offerings, will increase the joy you experience in your communion with Him. Additionally, you will realize that your financial self-sacrifice both reduces your consuming interest in material things (thus exercising further control of the passions that lead to your unhappiness), and increases your dependence upon God to provide for your material needs (giving you freedom from worry (Matthew 6:24-24; Luke 12:22-34)).

You will find, in accordance with Christ’s words in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that your heart will always focus on the area in which you invest your treasure. By investing your money in the Kingdom of God rather than yourself, you will become increasingly content with the blessings of your membership in that Kingdom. This promise is at the heart of these words by the Holy Apostle Paul:

This I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:6-8; see also Proverbs 11:24; 22:9).