Living Margin: A Biblical Framework

Did you know there are over 2,000 verses in Scripture devoted to handling money and resources? Or that Jesus spent over 15% of all of His teachings about financial matters? All too often, well intending people follow practical financial wisdom yet ignore spiritual principles.

Statistics vary, but between 60 and 80 percent of Americans are likely living paycheck to paycheck. While a significant number of Americans enjoy the advantage of secure jobs and ample savings, millions lack the necessary funds to cover unforeseen costs or sudden emergencies.

Consider that 72 percent of Americans are not completely financially secure, and 26 percent never expect to be. The prevalent phrase used to describe this situation is “living from paycheck to paycheck,” signifying a lack of funds to pay for future expenses until your next paycheck arrives.

According to various articles, Christians today give, on average, 2.5% per capita for their tithe. During the Great Depression, Christians gave 3.3% per capita on average. This decrease in church giving can’t be chalked up to less financial prosperity. Despite having more disposable income, the truth about tithing is that people today still give less to the church.

After nearly 400 years of slavery, the people of God had no idea how to handle wealth. They had to be taught on how to get the slave mentality out of their lives and make way for managing their time, talent, and treasure. Essentially, they were taught a framework that first gave to a person (their priest), then to their place of worship, and finally to themselves as well as the poor among them.

First was to give the Terumah (H8641), which was 1/40th (2.5%), offered to God as a "offering," essentially the first fruits of the harvest. For it to become Terumah, two things had to happen: it had to be lifted high (essentially saying I give this to God) and then it had to be placed into the hands of their spiritual leader (priest/pastor).

The next thing they would do was to take a tenth of what was left, and they would give it to their worshiping community/church. Then, they would give the next tenth to themselves.

So they were commanded not only to give a tenth, but they were commanded to save a tenth. They saved a tenth for their annual cycle of feasts (festivals) and then whatever was left over they would trade it in for silver and gold as an inheritance for their children’s children. However, every 3rd year, instead of giving it to themselves - they gave the third tithe to the poor.

Occurrences of the word Terumah can be summarized as: offering 26 times, heave offering 23 times, oblation 18 times and gift 1 time. Numbers 18:24 specifies what the Terumah was but doesn't specify the fraction. Numbers 18:28 specifies a specific Terumah, a 10th of the tenth ... a separate "offering".

So, what makes the difference, what causes financial freedom to happen in our lives and how can we achieve it? The "guidelines for good living" found in the bible teaches a financial framework where you give a Terumah to your spiritual leader, a tithe to your church (spiritual community), a second tithe to your children’s children (savings), and a third tithe going to the poor.

The law of gleanings (Lev 19:10) was intended to work this same way. As an example:

If a small field was 100sq mtrs 10 X 10, and you draw a circle within it with the arc touching the sides of the square, then the area of the circle was to be harvested (and this provided the whole harvest from which the Terumah, first and second tithe came) then the area harvested would be 79% of the whole field. So, the 21% was for others. You could of course give more.

● Side of a square = 10cm

● Area of the square = 100 Sq Cm

● Area of a circle = Pi R squared = 3.142857 X 5cm squared = 79 sq cm

● Remainder = 21 sq cm

In the Scriptures, people were told to harvest their fields but not to harvest the corners. If a circle is drawn inside a square, it comprises roughly 79% of the area. Using the principles above, we're called to live on a circle in a square.

The math from the commands matches the illustration from agriculture. 2.5% is put in the hands of the spiritual leader; then a tenth is given to the worshiping community; and a tenth for yourself, in the form of savings, but one third of that is given to the poor. Following the living margin framework above, it is almost exactly the same percentage ... leave the corners and live in the circle.

To put it practically, if we used money, say $1,000, then executing the process:

● A 1/40th would be $25. This is given directly to the one living amongst you and brings spiritual truths. It was given by a process of first offering it to God as a wave (heave) offering, then into the hands of the spiritual leader. The remainder would be $975.

● Then, the tithe was calculated. 10% of $975 = $97.5 (round to $98). This was to be given to the Levite (no inheritance - i.e. pastor/church). Remainder $877.

● Then the second tithe was calculated. 10% of $887 = $88. Remainder $789. The legislated savings scheme. It turns out that $789 is 79% of $1,000.

The law of the Terumah is one part of the laws of righteousness and generosity, so there is a relationship. The Hebrew word Sedak is the word for generous (H6662), derived from the Hebrew word Sedaka (H6663) meaning righteousness.

There are 2016 verses in the Bible that associate righteousness with generosity. Here are a few: Psalms 37:25, Psalms 112:5, Isaiah 1:15-18, Luke 3:7, James 1:26, Deuteronomy 24:17, and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. So we can see that the tithe has sound mathematical principles, sound physical principles, and sound spiritual principles.

There are 3 parts of giving: the first-fruits, the tithe(s), and freewill offerings. (Romans 11:16) So the benefit is that this method cared for the needs of the Levite (pastor/church), physical needs of the poor, and an enforced savings for you and your family. This framework, instituted by God, looks like a perfect (agricultural) income system and if we used this principle today, we would call it a great "tax" system.

To expand upon this and bring further understanding, the first part calculated was the Terumah, which was calculated at 1/40th and was given in to the hands "of the ones living amongst you bringing spiritual guidance." After Terumah was taken, one tenth was designated as the ma’aser rishon, or first tithe, which was given to the Levite (today this could be your local church).

After the first tithe was taken, another tenth was separated and this was either the second tithe or third tithe, depending on the year of the sabbatical cycle. In the first, second, fourth and fifth years, it was for you (the tither) to save, sort of an enforced savings, dictated by God. In the third and sixth year, it was to be given to the poor.

The central theme in the living margin correlates with the three interwoven spheres of relationship that comprise our lives; God, others, and self. We take notice that God is our King and our judge. Therefore, we take time to reflect consciously and carefully on what we are doing and why, of where we are heading, and about who we are as human beings made in His image.

First, the Tefillah (prayer) in which we turn to God. The wondrous privilege of conversing with God, whether to express praise or thankfulness, to repent or to petition, opens our hearts to the Almighty and acknowledges His sovereignty over us. We confess our radical dependence upon Him and our desire for Him.

Second, the Tzedakah (charity) in which we concretely express love and concern for the well being of others. In a consumer driven society, we must examine where our loyalties lie and whether we’re giving into the lives of those God has given into our hands for care and kindness.

If so, then we are giving life and hope to others, we are building loving and abiding relationships, and we are allowing God’s light to shine into the darkness of the poor, the needy and the brokenhearted.

Finally, the Teshuvah (repentance) in which we examine ourselves with our innermost being is expressed by our outward deeds. Now is the time to consider how we are progressing towards the goal set before us and deepening our relationship as we serve the Lord. Where we fall short, the gift of repentance enables us to realign with our true selves as children of the Father and heirs to the fullness of life in Jesus.

God set apart festival seasons for His people to reflect upon the important things in life. The annual succession of biblical feasts represents a cycle of sanctification whereas God sets in motion divinely appointed times (mo’adim) for celebrating with His covenant people.

These moadei-Adonai, “set times of the Lord,” recur in season cycles: spring (Passover), summer (Pentecost), and fall (Tabernacles). Each festival has its unique rhythm and character, corresponding on the one hand with annual agricultural harvests and on the other with key events in Israel's redemptive history.

In the spring, we are reminded of God’s great Redemption fashioned in the Passover (Pesach). Fifty days later, at Pentecost (Shavuot), we are reminded of the great Revelation given by the Holy Spirit first at Mt. Sinai and then on Mt. Zion. And then in fall, we are instructed to rejoice in the goodness of the Creation by celebrating our Creator during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

In ancient times, these three pilgrimage festivals drew people out of Israel, including Jesus and His disciples, up to Jerusalem and the House of Adonai to celebrate. Far more than celebrations of agricultural seasons and remembrance of historical events in the life of God's people, the appointed times were seasons of intense spiritual opportunity - reminding us of important truths about the character and conduct of God.

Pesach/Passover, with the redemption of the Lamb of God, and Shavuot/Pentecost, with the revelation of the Spirit of God, are readily acknowledged by the church today. Significantly, of the three great appointed times of the Lord, Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is the least easily accommodated within the classical Christian worldview. But Sukkot reminds us to truly rejoice over the good things in this world that God has given us the capacity to enjoy.

The changes we desire to make in life become increasingly possible when we change our environment and the influences around us. We can also use our experiences to our advantage and use them to bring about positive changes in how we live and what we do. We see a process every year, where God reminds us that:

● We are cleansed from impurity and all our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus.

● We have faith released to lay hold of the provision and blessing of God.

● We are able to move into His presence and experience His glory.

Following the living margin guidelines permits evaluation to see if we are fulfilling God's purpose and plans in our life. It manages our time properly, which enables us to use our talents and treasures for the work of God's Kingdom. Everyday we make decisions on how to steward our time, talent, and treasures.

The living margin framework is not just a guideline for God’s cycle of freedom, blessing and celebration, but an invitation to enter into His presence everyday as we advance the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Weekly Cycle: The key to being free is becoming more effective with what you do.

Weekly Cycle of Freedom

● Spiritual: Start of Week

● Service: Middle of Week

● Social: End of Week

* Modify to your family and/or community schedule

** One day of spiritual observance and abstinence from work

Monthly Cycle: The key to blessing is to give away what you can’t keep.

Monthly Cycle of First-fruits.

● Terumah - 2.5% to your spiritual leader

● First Tithe - 9.75% to your church community

● Second Tithe - 5.85% to your savings and/or used for festivals

● Third Tithe - 2.9% given to orphans and widows

Annual Cycle: The key to sustainability is to gain what you can never lose.

Annual Cycle of Festivals.

● Feast of Unleavened Bread

○ Passover - Celebration of God’s deliverance

● Feast of the Harvest

○ Pentecost - Celebration of God’s provision

● Feast of Ingathering

○ Tabernacle - Celebration of God’s glory

References: Nehemiah 12:44, Nehemiah 10:35, Exodus 25:2, Numbers 31:41, Proverbs 3:9,Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 14: 28-29, Deuteronomy 24:17-18, Psalms 37:25-26, Isaiah 1:15, Luke 3:7-9, Luke 19:1-6, James 1:26, Acts 2:44-45, Acts 4:32-35, Malachi 3:6-12, John 12:32, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 1 Corinthians 9:6-15, Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Deuteronomy 26:1-12. Numbers 18, Numbers 31, Deuteronomy 14, Deuteronomy 26, Leviticus 27, 1 Corinthians 16, 2 Corinthians 9, Acts 2, Acts 4.