Giving is an important aspect of the Christian life. Money represents both your life and the place where your heart is. If you earn $10 an hour, then a $10 bill represents one hour of your life. When you give that same $10 to God, you have actually given God 1 hour of your life. That is why it is so important to give for the Christian.

Also, where you put your money, your heart follows. So if you invest in the things of God, your heart will be in the things of God. God knows this.

Luke 12:34 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Because of this, there are three types of monetary offerings that the Bible talks about. They are: titles, offerings and alms. Here are the distinctions:

TITLE

The tithe is literally one tenth. Malachi 3:8 talks about robbing God by withholding your titles. God asks for 10% of your raise. This 10% was destined to finance the work of God (Numbers 18:24). It is given by the Christian as something that already belongs to God.

Leviticus 27:30, 32 – And all property title to the land, both to the seed of the land and to the fruit of the trees, belongs to the Lord: it is a thing consecrated to the Lord. 32 And as for the title of the cows or the sheep, of everything that passes under the rod, the tithe will be consecrated to Jehovah.

Giving less than 10% is not tithing. Giving more than 10% is more than a degree; only 10% can be considered a title.

OFFERS

The offerings are exactly what it implies. There is no fixed amount for it to be an offering. It is anything above 10% that God requires you to decide to give out of your love for God and your appreciation for what He has done for you.

Deuteronomy 16:10 – And you shall make the solemn feast of weeks to Jehovah your God with the tribute of the voluntary offering of your hand, which you shall give to Jehovah your God, according to what Jehovah your God has blessed you;

An offering is something you decide. The amount is not set. It is given according to the blessings you believe God has blessed you with. This offering is also given to the work of God. It’s a way of saying, ‘Thank you!’

ALMS

Alms are money, or things you have bought, that you give to someone in need. It is your decision to help the poor, meet the needs of the needy and love your neighbor.

Acts 3:2 – And a man was carried lame from his mother’s womb, whom they laid every day at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, to ask for alms from those who entered the temple;

This, again, is something you determine to do. There is no fixed amount, no determining factor except your own heart.

Proverbs 19:17 – He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord; and what he has given he will give back.