The aspects around giving to the church, and especially around the concept of tithing, is something that must be understood in the context of the New Testament Church, and the Old Testament roots.
The Old Testament
The Old Testament is rife with references to giving 10% of your earnings to God; Abraham and Jacob in Genesis 14 and 28, and the commandments to tithe in Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:25–28, Deuteronomy 14:22–24 and 2 Chronicles 31:5–6 (Wisnewski 2020). It is argued that the offerings of Abraham and Jacob is “descriptive”, rather than “prescriptive” (Wisnewski 2020), and that the latter verses are prescriptive laws to the Old Testament Jews.
In the Old Testament, the order to tithe was an instruction from God.
The New Testament
Since Bible times, things have changed. The Jews of the day had no money and traded their livestock and crops in a barter system to earn wealth. Today, as we have evolved to the use of money, the tithe was therefore adapted to our measure of wealth, meaning money, and the tithe was moved to be 10% of what we earn.
In the New Testament, Jesus came to fulfil the law, and the commandments. Christians are encouraged to give, of everything they have, not only their earnings, but in all things, and even more than a tithe, to give love and in Love, as this fulfills the law (Romans 13:8).
All believers, from the times of Jesus to today, are to give “what they purpose in their hearts” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The story of promising a gift and then reneging on that promise is very clearly explained in Acts 5:1-11. Ananias and Saphira promised to give the money received from the sale of a piece of land to God, and then lied when they had the money about how much they made, and they died for it.
Our Offerings
From the above and all the New Testament teachings about giving, and cheerfully giving, I would venture to suggest that it is better to commit to God R100 per month, and give R200 cheerfully, than commit to giving R200 and then when you run into issues, only give R100 begrudgingly.
The amount you give is not important, as Jesus highlighted in Mark 12:41, as it is the spirit and the faith that accompanies your gift, that affects God, and effects His blessings. We serve God as stewards of His belongings and His people on earth, and if there is one thing I am very certain of, it is that God does not need our money. He bought us with His blood, we belong to Him, and so does all the blessings we receive and all we own. He needs our faithfulness to Him in the way we use the money He gives us, to give in the same way He gives to us. To be faithful to His people the same way He is faithful to us, love as He loves us, and have the mercy He shows us, every day. To really and practically live 1 Corinthians 13 daily.
Jesus had no home (Matthew 8:20), owned no transport (Mark 11:2-7), and at times ate at the home of sinners (Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39).
Do not get tied up with the figure of 10%, and don’t let it become a stumbling block or hurdle in your life, a milestone, or a defined limit for what you must give God. He gave you your whole life, so that you may live and have a life in abundance, He did not only give 10%, so you can have 10% of the abundance.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says: "Every man according as he purposes in his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all, may abound to every good work:"
Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9 above had nothing to do with only money, but “Every thing” or "All", notice that it is two words; "every thing" and "all", and for what!: "Good work".
Give what is in your heart, from the money you are blessed with, as well as the time you are blessed with, and the love you are blessed with, and the gifts and talents that you are blessed with, just give, so you may abound in all for Good Work.!!!
WORKS CONSULTED
Wisnewski, Jesse. 2020. Tithing in the Bible: 100+ Scriptures about Giving. Accessed online at https://get.tithe.ly/blog/106-bible-scriptures-about-giving#:~:text=In%20the%20Old%20Testament%2C%20we,31%3A5%E2%80%936). February 2024.