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I believe the Lord has established certain laws or dynamics into the fabric of the universe which are at work whether we know it or not. The greatest example in my estimation is the law of sowing and reaping. Lets review Galatians 6:7-9…

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

I remember the moment years ago when the Spirit highlighted the word “whatever”. Sowing seed may include the giving of finances, but it also transcends the exclusivity of finances. “Whatever” means, whatever. Most would agree that the verse includes things like: Mercy, forgiveness, love, kindness, and the like. It also includes negative things like: Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, deceit, impatience, and the like. When we “sow” or release such things it puts in motion an equal and opposite reaction that boomerangs to come back upon us. What we give, we receive. How we act, it is reciprocated. The verse reminds us that our actions have a day of reckoning where we will experience the very thing we initiated.

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When the movie Braveheart was initially released I watched it as a period piece of film which took incredible historical liberties with the person of William Wallace. I knew much, if not all, of it was fiction, but I loved the action sequences and battle scenes. After years of watching it however, I have come to appreciate one of the sub-plots in even greater measure. It has to do with the political climate surrounding Scotland and its de facto rulers, the “Nobles”. The Nobles are a study in political survival, self-interest, and expediency. They are actually a great illustration to the nature of long term political leadership.

I must now offer a caveat…

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I have found that people in general struggle with expectation and obedience. We resist wrestling and responding to the question, “What might God require of me?” That is the achilles heal of the grace heresy. There is a marvelous, wonderful, and freeing aspect of grace which accomplishes what you could never do on your own. Salvation is a free gift accessed through faith and not of works. Your righteousness is actually His righteousness both imputed and imparted. That is what we call, “Good News”.

But somehow we have turned the grace of God into a license to avoid obedience (Romans 6:1-2, Jude 1:4). Some twist and turn to avoid any aspect of obedience or expectation upon their walk with the Lord. Grace has become a “get out of obedience” card for them, rather than an “enduement of power” pipeline which enables a person to obey beyond their normal capacities (2 Corinthians 12:9). Obedience is seen as “works righteousness” rather than a natural fruit of God’s grace. Sadly, the principle of tithing gets caught in the crossfire.

Jesus does indeed own it all. As my wife used to teach the kids in Children’s Church, “When Jesus is Lord it means He is the boss and He calls the shots”. This isn’t theoretical lordship. He is Lord of ALL, including your finances.

This is important backstory to my practice of the tithe. As the Lord has prospered our house through the years, I began to see that I was enlarged in far more ways than a paycheck. Which brings me to principle 3:

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As Christians we sing songs and give testimony to the supposed fact that our life is not our own. We declare that all we have is the Lord’s and He owns it all. It sounds good when we sing and it certainly is impressive when we give testimony.

But do we actually know our heart? The Lord undoubtedly knows it, but the question is, do we know? And how can we be certain that we know our heart accurately? 

I find statistics fascinating. The following are a sampling of the most updated metrics we have concerning giving and tithing within the Christian community:

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For many believers, tithing feels analogous to taxation. In much the same way the government sets taxes to operate the bureaucracy, many see tithing as a divine tax to operate the church organization. While it is true that those monies are ultimately used for supporting the ministry, the problem is most Christians approach tithing like an HOA fee or membership dues. It’s the price of church membership and the amenities it provides. This mentality is what my previous article addressed. I tithe because of an Abrahamic principle (to Melchizedek) not Mosaic (Levitical).

I have found that tithing is deeply and profoundly spiritual. It is rooted in revelation. I can tithe for decades (and I have) but without faith and revelation it becomes solely an economic transaction. But if I practice it as revelation everything changes.

Which leads to Principle 1…

Money is spiritual.

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