Tithing and Giving: Conviction or Coercion?

With a Subtitle: A believer's case for cheerful giving over prosperity-gospel pressure.

A brief Excerpt: God is a giver, but He is not a slot machine. Rina Schultz separates Spirit-led generosity from prosperity-gospel manipulation, and keeps the gift of Jesus at the center of what it means to give.

The Author is: Rina Schultz

Editor’s note – Few subjects get distorted in the modern church as quickly as money. Rina Schultz affirms generosity while refusing to let giving become a lever for guilt or greed. We’re running this piece because it draws a clear line between conviction and coercion and because it keeps the gift of Jesus at the center, where it belongs.

What I Believe About Tithing and Giving

Let me start by stating that I believe in tithing. I believe in putting God first. I believe in giving God the firstfruits of everything: your labor, your day, and your time. I also believe in giving. God is a giver, and we’ve been created in His image. Like Paul, I believe that you should give with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7). Give what you have determined in your heart to give, and give what you can afford to give (2 Corinthians 8:12-13). Act according to the conviction of your own heart.

You Cannot Out-Give God

You cannot out-give God. This is true. God gave His Son (John 3:16). We cannot out-give this. Jesus gave His life willingly. We cannot out-give this. Once Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Holy Spirit came to live in us. We cannot out-give this. I believe this fact is indisputable. God gave the best Heaven could offer. We in turn give our sin, our brokenness, and our needs. The best thing we can give to God is our hearts when we accept and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Editor’s note – It’s worth pausing here. The author has moved the conversation off of money and onto the cross, which is where it should start. Before we ask what God might give us, we do well to remember what He has already given.

When Giving Becomes Coercion

Unfortunately, whenever I hear the expression “not out-giving God,” it usually refers to money. I have lost count of how many times I have watched some televangelists coercing their viewers to give, and not only give, but also give more than they can afford because “you cannot out-give God.” If you have not predetermined to give and only do so once you have listened to this “you cannot out-give God” message, it’s not conviction. It’s manipulation.

Editor’s note – The distinction matters. Giving prompted by the Spirit and giving extracted by pressure can look identical in the plate, but they are not the same before God, who weighs the heart, not the amount (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Stewardship, Not a Slot Machine

I have a problem with this. Everything we have, we received from God. He gives us the ability and the opportunity to earn an income. He expects us to be good stewards of the things He gives to us (Luke 16). This includes our finances. I don’t think God ever desired that we should treat Him as a slot machine, be irresponsible in our giving, and then expect Him to provide more than we sowed. I remember that Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, told Satan that we should not test the Lord our God.

We are told that God wants to bless us financially, and when we sow we can expect up to a hundredfold return (Mark 10:29-30). Many Scripture verses are quoted to justify this, including that God will give until it overflows (Luke 6:38). Some said that Jesus was rich because He had a treasurer. I have a few questions about this. If Jesus was rich financially, why did so many affluent women (Luke 8:1-3) in particular provide for His and the disciples’ needs? Why did Peter have to fish for temple tax? Why, in the Book of Acts (Acts 3:6) do Peter and John say to the crippled man, “Gold and silver we don’t have,” when they heal him in the Name of Jesus? Why did Paul have to work to maintain himself on his journeys and even testify that he learned to live with both plenty and scarcity (1 Corinthians 4:11-12) if God wants us to be rich and if we can sow our way into financial blessings?

So many televangelists seemingly became exceedingly rich while the sowers remained poor or became poorer because they didn’t exercise good stewardship. God is not a genie in a lamp. He doesn’t use magic wands to supply our greed (1 Timothy 6:10). He’s not a slot machine in which we can deposit money, press a button, or pull a lever and spew out our jackpot.

The Greatest Blessing of All

God blessed us in so many ways, but the greatest blessing ever was the gift of Jesus. I think it’s an insult to God to treat Him as our personal lottery ticket.

These are my thoughts. What do you think?

A Word from the Editor
Rina’s closing question deserves an answer, and we think she is right. The gift of Jesus is the blessing that makes every other one look small. Paul, who knew both plenty and want, learned contentment in either (Philippians 4:11-12), because his treasure was never his bank balance. May our giving flow from that same settled joy, with no one standing over us pulling a lever.