The teaching addresses the topic of ‘firstfruits’ and shows how a concept that many automatically associate with economics and tithing is actually about something far deeper: who holds first place in the heart, in one’s time and in daily life. It begins by dispelling the idea that the topic is merely a covert attempt to get everyone to open their wallets and give everything to a project; the focus is instead on the blessings that lie in giving the first and the best to God. “Teacher’s name here” explains how the firstfruits are a recurring principle throughout the Bible, relating both to tangible gifts and to an inner life in which God is given the right to what matters most to us. We are encouraged to set aside preconceptions about money and instead look at God’s heart behind the principle.

The starting point is the Bible as a book full of rights that God has given to His people, rather than merely a collection of rules to be followed. A common thread runs through the Old Testament concerning the first and the best, including in Exodus, where the Lord says to Moses: “You shall consecrate to me every firstborn. Every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites shall be mine; this applies to both people and livestock’ (Exodus 13:1–2). It is explained that Israel was God’s chosen people, and that those who have accepted Jesus are today also counted among God’s people. Therefore, the principle that the first and most precious belongs to God remains important, even if it is no longer practised in the same way as in the Mosaic Law.

This is illustrated concretely by the image of the firstborn child: how powerful it feels to hold one’s first newborn child in one’s arms, how expectation, love, uncertainty and joy are all mixed together. In the same way, the first of the livestock and the harvest were among the most valuable things one owned, and it was precisely these that God asked for as an expression of trust and honour. It is explained that God does not ask for this because He lacks anything, but so that we do not set our hearts on the gift more than on the Giver. The same principle applies to our finances today: God does not focus primarily on the figure, but on the heart behind it, and the question becomes whether it is the firstfruits or merely the surplus that is allowed to go to God.

We then zoom in on Jesus as the firstfruits in a very special sense. We read from the Epistle to the Colossians about Jesus as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn before all creation, the first to rise from the dead, and the one in whom all things were created and exist. Jesus is described as both God and the first to be given for us, and thus as God’s own ‘firstfruits’ for the salvation of humanity. The point is that God does not merely speak of giving – He Himself gave the most precious thing first. When we speak of giving the first and best to God, it is against the backdrop that God has already given everything in Jesus, and therefore He invites us into the same heart: a generous heart that loves to give.

[The Bible Society](https://www.bibelselskabet.dk/brugbibelen/bibelenonline/kol/1)

The teaching then explores the bikurim tradition in the Old Testament, where the Jews brought the first ripe fruits of seven specific crops to the temple: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. These are described as some of the most valuable things in the land, a far cry from today’s supermarkets where everything can be bought; back then, they were essential gifts resulting from God’s blessing upon the earth. The story is told of the Jewish farmer who goes out into his field or orchard, sees the very first ripe fruit, ties a reed around it as a sign, and later carries a basket of the first fruits to the Temple, where they are brought to God in joy and celebration.

Each of the seven fruits is mentioned with its symbolism: wheat as the bread of life and a symbol of Jesus as the bread of life; grapes as abundance and fertility; figs as peace and prosperity; pomegranates as fertility and royal dignity; and olives and dates as symbols of anointing, light and healing. It shows how God allows His people to give that which has both practical and symbolic value, and in return will bless them with what the fruits point to: life, abundance, peace, fertility, anointing and light. The principle is that when we give physical offerings to God in gratitude and faith, His response is to give spiritual and practical blessings back in abundance.

It is also explained how the priests of the Old Testament, the Levites, lived off the people’s gifts because they had no land of their own. The other tribes gave a tenth of their crops and wealth so that the Levites could serve God and the people full-time. It is pointed out that when 11 tribes give 10%, this amounts to 110%, so the Levites actually received enough both for their own upkeep and to pass on to others. The point is that God has designed His system so that both those who serve full-time are provided for, and there is still room for sacrifice and further generosity. It is emphasised that tithing in itself is not the ultimate goal, but often a good benchmark and a minimum from which the actual sacrifice first begins.

The teaching also traces the line back to Abraham and Melchizedek, before the Law of Moses was given. We read about Melchizedek, “King of Salem”, priest of God Most High, without known beginning or end, and how Abraham gave a tithe of all the spoils of war to him as a natural response to God’s blessing. It is emphasised that Abraham gave, not because there was a law, but because it was written on his heart, and he felt that it was the right thing to do. In the same way, the teaching points out that today, following the completion of Jesus’ work, we are not under the Law of Moses, but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who writes God’s will upon our hearts and calls us to a life of generosity that often goes beyond the minimum required by the law.

[kristentf](https://www.kristentf.dk/sites/default/files/pbsk/NT/12_Kol.pdf)

It is said that when Jesus dies and fulfils the Law, the ceremonial commandments are abolished as requirements, but God’s standard in the heart does not become lower – it becomes clearer. The example of adultery is given: previously, it was a sin to commit adultery in practice; now Jesus says that it is already a sin in the heart when one begins to lust in one’s thoughts. In the same way, the question of finances and the firstfruits is not a matter of hitting a precise figure, but of living in a marriage with Jesus, where everything He has becomes ours, and everything we have belongs to Him. The image of marriage is used several times: in a healthy marriage there is shared finances, shared responsibility and a shared life, and this is how God also wishes to have fellowship with His children.

Practical examples are given of what it means to be a living sacrifice. It is mentioned how it can cost something to pray for a person you don’t really want to talk to, or to give money that you could actually use for yourself. A distinction is drawn between giving from one’s abundance and making a sacrifice that is felt, and it is put into words that a sacrifice is precisely something that hurts a little – otherwise it is just what was left over anyway. We are challenged to consider whether we are ready to give everything to Jesus – not just words, but time, energy, money, comfort and plans – and to reckon the cost of following Him, just as Jesus Himself speaks of knowing the cost of building a tower.

The teaching describes how some people react when they hear that the temple tax and the commandments have been abolished: “Great, so we don’t have to give.” But the perspective is turned on its head: in the new life with Jesus, it is not 10% God and 90% me – everything is His. This does not mean that one must automatically empty one’s bank account, but that one lives in the awareness that one is stewarding something that ultimately belongs to God. When the Holy Spirit prompts us in a specific way, it may mean giving more than feels comfortable, or putting God’s kingdom before our own desires. The point is that those who have truly understood what Jesus has given do not ask “how little can I get away with?”, but rather “how can I honour Him with what I have?”.

The teaching also addresses the misuse of the ministry of giving, including prosperity theology, where the focus becomes that if you just give the right amount, then God owes it to you to make you rich, give you a luxury car, expensive brands and constant financial prosperity. The teaching distances itself from this mindset and emphasises that God is not a vending machine that can be triggered with the right gifts. God truly desires to bless us, but the goal is not our ego and status; the goal is for His kingdom to spread, for people to be saved, healed, set free and to experience His love. Examples are drawn from personal experience, where offerings were made to God’s kingdom in ways that caused financial strain, yet God surprisingly allowed the money to return, precisely because it was about His project and not about personal luxury.

Towards the end, the focus shifts even more strongly to the firstfruits as a matter of priority in general. This applies not only to money, but also to time, gifts, relationships and plans for the future. The question is asked: Is it God who gets the first part of the day, or is it the phone, the news and social media? Does God get the first part of our energy and creativity, or only the leftovers that remain once everything else has been dealt with? We are encouraged to let God have first place in our diaries, in our decisions, in our thoughts and in our actions, and to actively ask the Holy Spirit who and what should be prioritised, so that life does not simply drift by on autopilot.

The teaching concludes by highlighting how profoundly it transforms a person and a community when the firstfruits become a way of life and not merely a theoretical concept. When one gives the first and best to God in trust, it opens the way for His supernatural provision, leads to dependence on Him and a joy in helping to build His kingdom. We are encouraged to ask God very specifically: Where can I step into other people’s lives, whom can I bless, where can I use my money, my time and my attention so that it points to Jesus? We are reminded of the first disciples, who gave everything, shared their resources and lived in radical love, and a quiet but pointed question is asked: Is it enough just to believe, or does it require an active choice to give the first and the best to God in everyday life?

Quote from the teaching: If you only give God what is left over, it is not a sacrifice; the firstfruits are when He receives the first and the best, and you choose to trust that He will take care of the rest.

Relevant keywords: firstfruits – tithe – giving ministry – finances and faith – God’s provision – God’s kingdom first – living sacrifice – the Holy Spirit’s guidance – radical discipleship – sharing finances with God – trust and obedience – the heart’s priorities – bikurim – spiritual blessing – Christian daily life