When we read about the early church and how they handled money, one of the first examples we come to, and also the most famous, is the account in Acts 4:32-5:11. The text begins by stating that nobody in the community was in need because those who had more shared with those who had less.One example is given where a man named Barnabas sells some of his property and gives the money to the apostles who then distribute it to those within the church who had need (Acts 4:32-37).
Following this, in Acts 5, we read about a husband and wife in the church named Ananias and Sapphira, who decide to do something similar. They also sell some of their possessions, with the intention of giving the proceeds to the church. But when they receive the money, rather than give everything, they only gave part of the proceeds. However, they tell the apostles and the rest of the church that they had given everything. As a result, both of them are struck dead by the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11).
The Sin of Ananias and Sapphira
It is worth being reminded that the sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not in their failure to give everything they are earned, but in lying to the church (and to God) about giving everything they had earned. We must not read into this passage anything about a requirement to give 100% of our profit to the church. There is no “Tithe or Die!” teaching in Scripture.
To the contrary, Ananias and Sapphira did not have to give any of their profit to the church if they did not want to. It would have been perfectly legitimate for them to have sold their possessions and kept 100% of the money for themselves.
But they had seen how much praise and honor Barnabas received when he sold his property and gave the money to help those in need, and apparently wanted to get similar praise and honor for themselves. This was the wrong motive for giving, and then on top of it, they lied about how much they had received in the sale, and how much they were giving to the church.
The Early Church and Money
It is also worth noting what the early church was doing with the money they received from those who so generously gave to the church. The context indicates that the money went to provide for anyone who had need (Acts 2:45-56; 4:32-35; 6:1). By all appearances, there were no buildings or paid staff or expensive programs. The money collected from those who had excess went to support the daily needs of those who had less.
I am not saying that this is what must be done today, or that how churches spend their money today is necessarily wrong. All I am arguing here is the idea that in the early church, tithing was not required or demanded, but those who had more were encouraged to freely and generously give to those who had less.
This sounds a lot like “redistributing the wealth,” doesn’t it? But it isn’t. In a future post we will look at why not.
The problem with giving money to the “church” is that so often the money is used for purposes and causes much different than those the early church was addressing. Not only was the early church apparently investing little or nothing in properties, staff salaries and programs, but they also were not giving thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands to support or oppose certain ballot measures. Sharing with those in need has been sidelined.
For example, think of the churches that have put major money into defeating gay marriage, as in the Prop 8 campaign here in California and the “Minnesotans for Marriage”. If one gives money specifically for those causes, then giving the money to the causes is justifiable. However, if the money comes from general donations, then isn’t money given to support those political causes, or any political cause, being grossly misappropriated?
Sam,
Yes, oftentimes when we give to churches, we lose the ability to help determine how the church spends that money.
I am all for giving to a church, IF a person is in full support of how that church spends the money. If not… well, maybe the giving should go in a different direction.
I see the tithe as more of a starting point than anything else. There are some people who come to church and will reach into their billfold and pull something out so they have something to drop in the plate when it comes around. A 20 is usually the biggest bill people carry around, but if that’s all anyone gave, there wouldn’t be enough to pay the A/C bill and most people like meeting in a climate controlled building. Some of these people realize they need to give more. Now some people are able to give 90% of their income and still have enough to live on. You don’t want to make too big of a deal about those people because many people will see that as unattainable. It is much easier to point to the scriptures concerning the tithe and once they’ve learned to tithe, maybe they will begin to give offerings also.
Timothy,
I am all for people giving to their church if they want to, but I have argued in numerous previous posts that a 10% tithe is not really required for us today.
See some of these posts: Pass on the Offering Plate
I do think that most people do not give enough of their income, but I am not sure that more needs to be given to the church. I also agree that some people could (and maybe should) be giving 90% or more.
Thanks for the comment!
Wow, I was just about to rip you a new one for teaching a false doctrine. Then i saw you are drawing attention with a grandiose statement to the truth. My friend mandatory tithing taught in the church today is a doctrine of devils. It is a sprit of covetousness and manipulation and can become idolatry. keep exposing these lies