God created the Earth and everything in it, including us (Gen 1), meaning everything belongs to Him. This fundamental truth should shape how we approach every area of our lives, including our finances. The Bible also reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Acknowledging all the blessings God has given us, we respond with gratitude by giving from the resources He has entrusted to us.

Generosity in our finances is an expression of our faith in God’s goodness and His guidance toward a better future. Our giving isn’t based on external factors like the state of our finances or whether we agree with every decision made by church leadership. We give because we want to honor God, grow closer to Him, and worship the Creator who we trust with all aspects of our lives (Matt 6:19-34). Moreover, money is one of the biggest distractions the world uses to pull us away from God. Jesus warned us time and again about the potential grip money can have on our hearts (Matt 6:19-24). That’s why we give—to keep ourselves from being consumed by materialism and to remain focused on the eternal truths that Jesus offers.

The concept of tithing is introduced in the Old Testament, even before the law is formally given (Gen 14:20, Gen 28:20-22, Deut 26:1-2, 2 Chr 31:4-5), and Jesus reaffirms it (Luke 11:42). Tithing involves giving the first 10% of your income to your local church. Why the local church? Scripture shows that tithes were used to support the work of the local faith community, which today means the local church. The tithe applies to all income levels, and with it comes a promise of God’s blessing (Mal 3:10). While this blessing doesn’t always come in the form of financial gain, it always means we will experience more of God in our lives. What's clear is that Jesus calls his followers to go beyond the norm in sacrificially giving for the sake of others (Matt 19:16-30), and the tithe is a powerful, biblically supported way to start.