First Fruits

by Emily Wooten
First fruits is the biblical principle of giving God the very first and best portion of our increase.
Exodus 23:19 The first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God.
Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:
Romans 11:16 For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Genesis 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Malachi 3:6-11 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
In ancient times a family’s crops were their lively hood. Humans bartered trading goods for other goods. It isn’t complicated. Whatever the increase, 10% of it is to honor God.
People don’t often look at tithing as worship, but we should. God said we should bring our tithes and offering to him so “that there may be meat in mine house.” Provision for God’s house is a biblical principal. We see examples of people who showed their love and appreciation for God by worshiping him with tithes and offerings.
When we think about the many ways God loves us and has provided for us, it causes us to experience a feeling of gratitude. In response we submit to God the first fruits or 10% of our increase. Offering money, time and other resources is one of the ways the body of Christ continues his ministry today, reaching out to those who are lost and teaching God’s people how to access all he has for us.
Salvation didn’t stop when God raised Jesus from the dead. His ministry didn’t stop when he went up to heaven. We are his voice in the world today.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: