How much should a Christian give? The Bible says we should give as “God hath prospered us” (1 Cor.16:2). The Bible speaking in 2 Corinthians 9:7 to give as one “purposes in his heart” is just saying individually we determine the amount. However, whatever amount we decide to give must still be as God has prospered us. Notice in 1 Corinthians16:2 that this mandate applies to all Christians with any type of income. “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God that prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Since every week has a first day/Sunday, our offering should be given on every Sunday. What we give is determined by how God prospered us that week. The Lord’s money should be set aside first from our other money to be given when we meet for worship on Sunday (Pr.3:9-10; Acts 20:7).
Now, how much is giving as God has prospered us? The amount we give will vary from Christian to Christian since our incomes are different and Christians individually decide how much. Yet, there is a Bible principle which many Christians follow. The reasoning goes like this. Christians live under a better spiritual system than brethren of other dispensations. The Hebrew writer says, “But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Heb.8:6). The book of Hebrews discusses the Patriarch, Mosaic, and Christian dispensations and concludes that the Christian age is far better. For example, one died without mercy under Moses’ law (Heb.10:28), yet we live under a system of grace (Heb.10:29; John 1:17). Tithes, which were a tenth, were given by the patriarchs (Gen.14:20; 28:22), and were given under Moses’ law (Mal.3:8,10). Jews under Mosaic Law even gave other offerings in addition. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Mal.3:8). Again, today we are allowed to decide how much to give (2Cor.9:7), but the amount must still be as the Lord has prospered us (1Cor.6:1-2). Our offering must be given with consideration because one could give an unacceptable amount by giving too little because it was not as the Lord had prospered them. See, one can rob God today too.
So, here is the point. How can we that live under Christianity with better spiritual benefits be justified giving God less than brethren who lived under more demanding covenants? This is why we should give God more than a tenth out of everything we receive. I mean everything. If we found $5 on the ground the Lord should receive some of it.
We should generously give and never try to nickel and dime God. For the record, I am not saying Christians should tithe. No Christian in the bible gave tithes. Both the Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations of giving tithes are no more (Heb.7:1-12; Eph.2:15; Col.2:14). However, Christians living today are still blessed and obligated to sacrificially give to God and should do so cheerfully and generously every Lord’s Day beyond ten percent.
