The Irony is Harsh

There was once a preacher lamenting the evil of alcohol. With his voice rising, he looked at his parishioners and said, “Throw all your beer in the river! Toss all your wine in the river! Heave all your whiskey in the river!” When church service was nearing the end, the music director stood up and announced that the closing hymn would be “Shall We Gather at the River.”

I always laugh when I hear that joke. I know many Biblical jokes often have a theological element. I also know that some church sermons hoping to have a theological element end up being a joke.

Well, sermons that I have recently heard twice at two different churches around the area I live in come off as total jokes. Both sermons “educated” parishioners regarding giving. Each message adamantly proposed that giving to the Lord is not possible until first you reach a 10% plateau (your tithe). Anything above tithing is the actual giving.

What a joke!

Now, I will be the first to say that there are favorable things to say about giving—or tithing, and hopeful outcomes as the result. First Timothy 6:18 tells us to give generously. The Word of God tells us that we should give according to an inner motivation, not an external compulsion (2 Cor. 8:3-5, 11, 12; 9:7). Also, doesn’t the Word of God teach us that giving from the heart is better than giving much (Mark 12:41-44; 1 Cor. 15:10)?

Thus, I understand that we, as Christians, are to give generously from the heart. But, I take umbrage with preachers who make tithing an obligation that supersedes the Grace of Christ. Such irony is harsh considering these same preachers often present sermons rightfully highlighting that the Grace of Christ conquers all (Galatians 2:21).