Giving to the cause of Christ is a very important task that Christians carry out every first day of the week in their local churches.  It is a commandment that we keep because we love the Lord and His cause, as well as the local church that we attend.  Sadly, error is taught by most denominational churches regarding our responsibility when it comes to giving.

Most churches teach that Christians are commanded to tithe.  To tithe is to give one-tenth of a person’s goods.  It must be pointed out, however, that tithing was a part of the old law and never commanded of those under the law of Christ.

Leviticus 27:30–34 (ESV)
³⁰ “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. ³¹ If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. ³² And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord. ³³ One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.” ³⁴ These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.

Verse 34 is very important, yet it is ignored by churches that demand tithing today.  The commandment was given to a specific people, that is, those who were under the law of Moses.  The New Testament gives us different instructions when it comes to giving.

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 (ESV)
¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.  ² On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

Paul tells us when and how much we are to give, but says absolutely nothing about tithing, nor did any other inspired writer of the New Testament.  Through Paul, God simply tells us to give as we have prospered.  Who decides how much one has prospered?  The one doing the giving.  God gives us the responsibility of determining how much we will give, and our decision will demonstrate how much we love the Lord and His cause.

2 Corinthians 8:8 (ESV)
⁸ I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

When Paul says, “I say this not as a command,” he is not saying that giving is not commanded, but that giving to the poor saints in Judea, which was the subject under consideration, was not a command.  The church had a choice whether they were going to participate in that effort or not.  However, once they agreed to do so, and it became a work of that local church, every member was commanded to store it up as they prospered, and by fulfilling their obligation, they were proving that their love was genuine.

The command in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is clear.  They were to give as they prospered, and they were to do it on the first day of the week.  That is the pattern that we must follow.  There is no New Testament command found on the pages of inspiration to tithe today.  We are under a new law—the law of Christ, and we must act accordingly.

Yes, giving is important.  Every local church has financial needs that must be met, and the only scriptural way of doing that is by laying by in store as we have prospered on the first day of the week.  To do anything else, or to demand anything else, is to set forth the commandments of men and not God.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.