Money Matters
What does God want me to do with money?
Martin Luther said: “The Christian goes through three conversions: the heart, the mind, and the purse.”
This is content from a sermon series I did as we taught through Proverbs. Money is a touchy area for most people, and many haven’t been taught much from the Bible on the subject except the topic of tithes and offerings. Discussing it in Church can often feel manipulative and self-serving for many Pastors but we need to teach what the whole Bible says about money if we want people to honor the Lord with wealth.
Many people have questions like these:
-Why can’t God pay His own bills?
-Does God need my money?
-Why do churches ask for money?
-Does God care how much I give?
-After Government taxes, that average 24%, how can I tack on a 10-24% religious tithe?
-Why should I give to a church if God destroyed the Temple, and Priesthood and Christians are not subject to the civil or ceremonial law of the Old Testament?
-If the laws of the Sabbath, Foods & Sacrifices are no longer required for Christians, why should anyone feel responsible to place themselves under the economic system of Israel?
-Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for devouring widows houses but praised the widow who gave her last pennies to them? Doesn’t that seem oppressive?
-What if I don’t agree with the way churches spend the money we give?
-Is it ok for me to designate or determine where I put a tithe?
-Is it my money or God’s if I go to work everyday?
-Is it right for churches to give our hard earned money to people not working or living self-sabotaging lives?
-Why should I give money to Christians who move to other places and live?
It seems like I’m subsidizing them to live free from the hardships of daily work life, how is this fair? Does an address change really make anyone a “missionary”?
-Shouldn’t church leaders be poor like Jesus?
-What if my pastor drives a nicer car than me?
-Do I have to give to a church if I attend it?
When someone asks, “Do you expect 10%?”—especially a young couple trying to make ends meet—that’s a real and important question.
My answer is: Scripture calls us to generosity shaped by worship, not mere calculation.
1. The Starting Point: Honor God First
The Bible consistently frames giving as worship and trust, not obligation:
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits…” (Proverbs 3:9–10)
“Each of you must give as he is able, according to the blessing…” (Deuteronomy 16:17)
“Give generously… without a grudging heart.” (Deuteronomy 15:10)
The principle is clear:
Give first, give proportionally, and give with the right heart.
2. The Role of the Tithe (10%)
In the Old Testament, God’s people were instructed to give a tenth:
“Set aside a tenth…” (Deuteronomy 14:22)
And not leftovers, but the best:
“I will accept no offering…” when it dishonors God (Malachi 1:10–14)
This giving supported:
Worship and ministry (Numbers 18:21)
Community celebration (Deuteronomy 14:22–27)
Care for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:28–29)
So the tithe was not just a number—it was part of a life ordered around God.
3. The New Testament Teaching
The New Testament doesn’t emphasize a fixed percentage—it presses into the heart and posture of giving:
Willing and cheerful
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Proportional and intentional
“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside… as he may prosper.” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Sacrificial, not just convenient
“They gave according to their means… and beyond their means… of their own accord.” (2 Corinthians 8:3)
A matter of the heart, not neglecting justice
“You give a tenth… but neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done…” (Luke 11:42)
Marked by trust in God’s provision
“Give, and it will be given to you… For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)
Seen in sacrificial devotion
The widow “put in all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43–44)
Eternal perspective
“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19–21)
The shift is this:
Not less than the tithe—but deeper than the tithe.
4. What I’d Say to a Young Couple
If a couple says, “10% feels like too much right now,” I would not respond with pressure.
Start with faithfulness, not fear.
Begin somewhere intentional—not nothing
Make it first, not leftover (Proverbs 3:9)
Let it be proportional (1 Corinthians 16:2; Deuteronomy 16:17)
Let it be joyful, not forced (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Grow over time
And remember:
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer…” (Proverbs 11:24)
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:17)
5. The Heart Behind It All
God is not after reluctant obligation:
“You say, ‘What a burden!’” (Malachi 1:13)
He desires willing, joyful generosity shaped by trust:
“They gave themselves first to the Lord…” (2 Corinthians 8:5)
“The righteous give without sparing.” (Proverbs 21:26)
Giving isn’t about hitting a number.
It’s about honoring God, trusting Him, and becoming a generous person.
My goal as a pastor isn’t to enforce 10%.
It’s to help people learn to put God first, give with joy, and grow in generosity over time.