Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 February 2025

Reading From Matthew 22:1-22

“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”

–Matthew 22:18-22

     When the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians met with Jesus to ask Him this question, they appeared to have humility and acknowledged that Jesus was a Teacher, that He was a man of integrity who was teaching “the way of God in accordance with the truth.”  This is astonishing considering the many times that the religious leaders tried to make Jesus incriminate Himself which would enable them to arrest Him.  The Lord’s popularity among the people was a threat to their positions of power over them and the lucrative careers they had in controlling the religious system of the Jewish province in the Roman Empire. 

     Those in the religious establishment of Judea and Galilee walked a tightrope politically because they knew that if there was any unrest, the Romans would hold them accountable and use force to crush anything they perceived as rebellion.  The majority of those looking for a Messiah were focused on the political and militaristic prophecies of His coming and so it is understandable that the crowds that followed Jesus wherever He went would trouble the Pharisees and Sadducees.  There were also terrorists in those days called Zealots who were using guerilla warfare against the Romans and some of them had become disciples of Jesus.

     Our Lord saw right through the flattery of those who approached with the question about paying taxes to Ceaser, which is amazing to me because they seemed to acknowledge Jesus’ authority.  He is God and so He knew that they were really try to lay another trap for Him.  This passage shows that Christians are to pay their taxes to the secular state as good citizens, but they are also to give to God and His cause upon the Earth.  The amount that we are to pay to the state is determined by whatever tax laws are in place, but the amount that we give to God is determined by the guidance of His Word and the Holy Spirit living within His sons and daughters.

     Tithes and offerings are meant to be given cheerfully.  I don’t believe that God ever meant giving to be a burden.  He understands that a faithful wealthy person giving ten percent of their gross income and freewill offerings above and beyond that is far more feasible than for a faithful person who lives paycheck to paycheck.  It is my belief that the concept of tithing on the increase is particularly helpful to those who would like to tithe but are not financially able to give ten percent of their gross.  Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath.  I think He would say the same about tithes and offerings.  It is usually wealthy Christians who maintain that God demands ten percent of everyone’s gross income and they make others feel less than if they are unable to financially do this. 

     Tithing on the increase is liberating for the working poor.  Deuteronomy 14:22 tells us, “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.”  If a hard working person is struggling to make ends meet, they ought to take whatever their net pay is, minus what they need to live on, and give the Lord ten percent of that; this would be ten percent of their increase.  This would bring joy to their hearts knowing that they are being faithful to tithe, but at the same time honoring the guidance given in I Timothy 5:8 which says, “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 

     The Lord knows our hearts, just as He knew the hearts of the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians.  He saw their hearts and knew their wicked intent.  He sees the hearts of His children and sees their pure desires to honor Him.  It is my opinion that this would actually increase the money that comes in for the work of the ministry.  The idea of tithing on gross income is so unattainable for someone with very little disposable income and they become so discouraged and disillusioned with giving that they don’t give anything.  But tithing on the increase He has blessed us with makes giving doable and we can all feel good about it.  The idea would be to give more and more as the Lord blesses us.  For the working poor, tithing on the increase is giving the whole tithe.

“Lord Jesus, thank You that You came to bring freedom and joy to us, not bondage and misery.  Where Your Spirit is there is liberty and Your Spirit is dwelling within our hearts!  What wonderful happiness comes to us when we experience Your Gospel, Your Good News.  When we are in You, there is no condemnation.  Rather, we are inspired by Your love and generosity to give freely and share the abundance that You have graciously blessed us with.  Show us the way forward from the principles of Your Word revealed by Your Holy Spirit.  Pour out Your blessings upon us in every way as we give You all the praise, glory and honor.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

–II Corinthians 9:6-11

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

 –I Chronicles 29:14

A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

–Proverbs 11:25

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

–Luke 6:38

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

 –Malachi 3:10