In the First Century A.D. while people did help support the leaders and to help the less fortunate and the community of Christ followers by voluntarily pooling wealth, there wasn’t the modern debt and costs required today to run a typical western church. The Church’s focus was on the organic and grassroots spreading the gospel of Christ, the Good News that leads to eternal Salvation for the forgiveness of sins.
Regarding soliciting donations, I like what Bible preacher the late J. Vernon McGee, who created a five year radio Bible study called “Through the Bible,” said about financial support (paraphrasing): “If the community doesn’t support my ministry, then I’ll just fold up and quit. If it is God’s will that I minister and the will of God is fulfilled, God will bless it and enough funds will come in, if funds are needed, to support the ministry. I’m not going to beg you for money for a ministry that is not fulfilling the will of God and spreading the Word of God.”
There was no mandate that people give, people gave in love and gratitude in response to the gift of God’s grace and forgiveness of sins, caused people to give generously in their love for others and most importantly love for God. If you are not sure about your church, Jesus did teach His disciples to scrutinize for false treachers. Faith is a precious thing that should not be led astray by the wolves. Jesus taught, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15). One way to interpret this is some people are after your money.
There is one very impactful incident where a couple said they would sell their property and give all the proceeds to the early Church. They lied and were immediately judged for their underhandedness, an example that certainly must have sent a shockwave of a teaching throughout the community that sin is not only against one’s community but against God Himself.
FAFO, so to speak. Better not even try.
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge. And bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your authority? Why is it that you laid this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard. 6 And the young men rose up and wrapped him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you were paid this much for the land?” And she said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard these things. – Acts 5:1-11
After reading this story about the example set by this couple who sold a piece of real estate and did not give the entire portion to the apostles, is not about giving everything you have to the church, it is about lying to make your self look better than you actually are.
They did not have to hide the fact that they needed some money to keep for their own benefit, but they made the fatal mistake of vowing the entire amount when they had no intention to. This remains a start example of people who think they are fast and dirty with God. There are no secrets that God does not know. Thinking you can live your life as though God will not know is, simply said, a bad idea. It’s not that everyone who ever lied was immediately judged, but rest assured, justice will be execute sooner or later. In this case it was very soon.
There another passage that is often used by church to convict the congregants to give money and that is the poor old widow and here last penny. It goes like this:
41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the crowd was putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two lepta, which amount to a quadrans. 43 And calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those putting money into the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44
It is not consistent with the Word of God or Jesus teachings that people must give to the church with the risk to their welfare. The story represents a comparison of hypocrisy of the rich religious leaders to make themselves look pious while they have often promoted the stripping of possessions of widows and the unprotected. However, this poor woman’s suffering is often used by pastors aiming to make the congregation be more like the Pharisees who are giving out other surplus. In my opinion, this makes for bad leadership.
Another popular story used to make people feel the guilt in orde to fill up the offering plate is the story about the rich young ruler:
16 And behold, someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. -Matthew 19:16-22
This story highlights the fact that this young leader had much property and Jesus knew that it was this person’s idol, a spiritual weakness. The young man was so shocked that Jesus would advise him to sell all he had, he had no response but to walk away sullenly. we he not completely taken aback, he might admit he has a problem with idolizing riches and property more than his love for God.
There are other examples of wealthy people generously giving back to God without selling everything they had, for example, Zaccheus, a tax collector who became a believer, responded to accusations of wrong-doing from the crowd:
But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have extorted anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” -Luke 19:8-10
While we do not know whether the rich young ruler finally came around to following Jesus, the fact remains that, the focus is not for everything to sell all that they have to follow Jesus, but being willing to give up everything one possesses for the sake of the kingdom, is something every realizes as they become sanctified and more like God. We are not all called to just drop everything in our life in one massive sacrificial transition, although transformations like that are not impossible and could be within the will of God for some people.
The last example, I will cite an example is regarding the 10% tithe.
Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi, who receive the priest’s office, have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brothers, although these are descended from Abraham. – Hebrews 7:3-5
This passage is a reference to a tithe that Abraham offered:
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest continually. – Hebrews 7:1-3
Further in this passage in Hebrews is a tenth cited by Jewish law that the Levites, the tribe that were dedicated to the priesthood and service in the Temple, were to be supported by tithes.
This is not a commandment that Christian congregations are obligated to pay tithes to your local church, although people may freely give to support the church. The mention of a tenth or 10 percent given is only a small portion of the mentioning of tithing in the Bible but this was an important support for a group of people who were ordained by God to focus solely on priestly duties for the Israelite nation.
The application of the tithe, or offering to God, comes in a myriad of examples mentioned throughout the Bible, often to the fruits of your labor, or portions of flocks, or produce. The fruits that you produce are a blessing from God and tithing becomes an act of worship, a result of faith and gratitude. A person’s tithing may take different forms especially in today’s economy and variety of personal skills and abilities, but money is the most quantifiable if you live in an area where the economy where cash in the most fluid form of currency.
I’ll close with this:
Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh.” 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3 So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is lying at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”8 Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother; and it happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. -Genesis 4:1-8
And just say that, offerings in a time before there was cash, did people offer the product of their work. it’s not that God likes meat and doesn’t like grain or vegetables, it is that Abel gave his best in gratitude and Cain put together what was convenient. God sees and judges the heart much more than outward appearances, and yes, ingratitude can result in animosity and violence.
Consider the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, taking upon Himself the sin of the world to make certain the humanly unbridgeable chasm between sinful man and Holy God can be crossed for the greatest hope you can ever be blessed with in this life.
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel from the late Pastor John MacArthur, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
All quoted excerpts have footnotes removed, usually from Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), sometimes from New International Version (NIV), on rare occasion the Amplified Bible (AMP).
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