Sowing and Reaping
November 16th, 2008
Every year in November my pastor conducts a sermon series about finances. If you would like to listen to these great messages you can click the Ginghamsburg Church link in the right column and then click sermons. He does a remarkable job of explaining God’s vision for our financial future. Bottom line is God wants us to have much if we are diligent in using a portion of the “much” to go towards helping others in his kingdom. God owns everything and that means he owns the money that he gives me every 2 weeks. As the owner he says “Jay you can keep 90% of what I’ve given you, but I want 10% of it given back to me (God) in order that I may use it for others in need.” This is my translation of Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse so 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 you will not have room enough for it.”
Sometimes I feel like God has used me as the poster child for proving his scripture is the truth. After I crashed and burned 21 years ago, I took a look at my personal financial situation and it was scary. Although I thought I was slowly building an empire towards financial freedom, I was obviously unable to wait to get there before I started spending the money. My debt exceeded my assets…yep just like what is going on in our great country today. Because I was in so much trouble and bankruptcy looked like our only option my second order of business as this new Jesus follower (the 1st order was to pray daily) was to begin tithing…hey 10% of nothing is nothing right? I’ve got to be honest with you I was testing God, I was desperate and anything was worth a try. Although we are told to never test God, this is one area he tells us to test him as written in Malachi above. Twenty one years ago my wife and I decided we were going to give the first 10% of our fruits back to God. This was very difficult in the beginning but we did it. We had decided that my way obviously wasn’t working and “why not give God a shot.” I mean, after all he is God.
So here we are 21 years later truly feeling what it means when God says “I will open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Most people think the “blessing” he is talking about is monetary blessing and some of it is. But the blessings come in various shapes and sizes. We’ve been blessed with stable children, unbelievable college educations for our kids, a stable business, a stable marriage and a life of recovery that has brought hundreds of people into our lives that otherwise we would have never known. These are but a few of the eternal blessings we’ve experienced over the years. One of the greatest blessings we received by turning our first fruits over to God was the desire to be debt free. Debt is of the devil because if he (the devil) can get us to spend what we don’t have then it will be even more difficult to give anything to God. Does that make sense? Debt creates a state of paying backwards instead of forwards. We end up giving our first fruits to the devil and that sucks!
Well the best way to get out of debt is to spend less than you make…duh!!! But who am I to talk, I am a good addict, when I WANTED something I WANTED it now. Our great credit card system and lending institutions allows us to get what we want when we want it. I was always willing to give up the long term great for the short term good and it created a life where I was always looking back and saying “why couldn’t I wait?” God began to have me ask the question “Yeah I want this thing…but do I really need it?” I found myself slowly saying “no” to the urges and the blessings from this lifestyle are too numerous to list.”
As I said earlier, in some ways I believe God has used me as the poster child for proving his scripture is the truth. Today my wife and I have no personal debt, including our homes, and we give 15 to 20% of our income back to helping God. I do not say this boastfully, I am saying it as a witness to what living God’s word will do for your life. There is a freedom that is a wonderful by-product of living debt free and paying forward. One of my favorite books in the Bible is Galatians. Galatians speaks directly to those of us who struggle with addictions and the want of wordly possessions. In Galatians 6:7 Paul writes “Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spriirt will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” To that I say Amen, Amen and Amen.
P.E.A.C.E.
1. Post-Calvary Christian giving principles in Second Corinthians are superior to tithing. (1) Giving is a “grace.” (2) Give yourself to God first. (3) Give yourself to knowing God’s will. (4) Give in response to Christ’s gift. (5) Give out of a sincere desire. (6) Do not give because of any commandment (8:8, 10; 9:7). (7) Give beyond your ability. (8) Give to produce equality. (9) Give joyfully (8:2). (10) Give because you are growing spiritually. (11) Give to continue growing spiritually. (12) Give because you are hearing the gospel preached.
2. Abraham’s tithed in Genesis 14 in obedience to pagan tradition. (1) He did not “freely” give. (2) His was NOT a holy tithe from God’s holy land by God’s holy people under God’s holy Covenant. (3) His was only from pagan spoils of war required in many nations. (4) In Num. 31, God required 1% of spoils. (5) His tithe to his priest-king was a one-time event. (6) Not from his personal property. (7) Kept nothing for himself. (8) Is not quoted to endorse tithing. (9) Most commentaries explain 14:21 as pagan Arab tradition, it is contradictory to explain the 90% of 14:21 as pagan, while insisting the 10% of 14:20 was obedience to God’s will. (10) If Abraham were an example for Christians to give 10%, he should also be an example for Christians to give the other 90% to Satan, or to the king of Sodom! (11) As priests, neither Abraham nor Jacob had a Levitical priesthood to support; they probably left food for the poor at their altars.
3. Although money was common and essential for worship for over 1500 years, biblical tithes were always only food increased by God from inside Israel (Lev. 27:30, 32; see site for all 16 texts).
4. Since only farmers and herdsmen tithed, there was no minimum standard requirement for most. Tradesmen such as carpenters (Jesus), Peter (fishermen) and Paul (tentmakers) did not qualify as tithe-payers. The poor and Gentiles did not tithe.
5. Tithing was only commanded to national Israel under the terms of the Old Covenant. Tithing was never commanded to the Church after Calvary (Ex 19:5-6; Lev 27:34; Mal 4:4; Mt 23:23 matters of the law).
6. Those who received the first whole tithe did not minister atonement (Num. 18:21-24; Neh10:37b). Priests only received 1% (a tenth of the tithe) (Num 18:25-28; Neh 10:38).
7. In exchange for receiving tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Num. 18:20-26).
8. Firstfruits are not the same as tithes. Firstfruits were a very small token offering (Deu 26:1-4; Neh 10:35-37; Num 18:13-17). Tithes were the tenth and not the best; only 1% of the tithes included the best (Lev. 27:32, 33).
9. There were 4 O.T. tithes: (1) Government taxes (1 Sam 8:14-17). (2) Levitical (Num. 18:21-28; Neh. 10:37-39). (3) Festival (Deu 12:1-19; 14:22-26). (3) Poor tithe every 3rd year (Deu 14:28-29; 26:12-13).
10. Tithes were often taxes used to support Levite [politicians (1 Chron, chap 23 to 26; esp 23:2-5; 26:29-32; 27:5). Tithes never supported mission work (Ex 23:32; Heb 7:12-18).
11. OT Levitical tithes were brought first to the Levitical cities and not to the Temple (Num 18; Neh 10:37-39; 2 Chron 31:15-19). Most Levites required tithes in their Levitical cities where 98% stayed (Num 35, Josh 20, 21).
12. Malachi 3 is the most abused tithing text in the Bible. (1) Malachi is OT and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing. (2) Tithes are still only food. (3) His audience reaffirmed the OT curses (Neh.10:28-29). (4) The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law (Deu 28:12, 23-24; Gal 3:10/Deu 27:26). (5) “You” in Malachi refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (1:6-14; 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5). (6) The “whole” tithe never went to the Temple! (Neh 10:37b). (7) The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation. (8) The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included. (9) The “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms (Neh 13:5, 9). (9) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
13. The OT Temple and priesthood have been replaced by the priesthood of every believer. NT elders and pastors more closely resemble OT prophets who were not supported by tithes.
14. Tithing was not legalized as a church law until AD 777. If was not introduced as a local regional law until the 6th century. See any reputable encyclopedia.
15. NT giving principles are: freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, not by commandment or percentage and motivated by love for God and lost souls.
From the book, Should the Church Teach Tithing?
http://www.tithing-russkelly.com russell-kelly@att.net
Thank you for this information Mr. Kelly.
According to Websters’ Handy Collegiate Dictionary, a tithe is a tenth part; a tax; a contribution to a church, etc. This infers that a tenth part (i.e. 10 %) of a persons’s blessing from God be returned to Him to show that we can get by on 90% of what He gives us. I tend to go along with Mr Kelly’s line item #15. Primarily because I feel it is Christ’s perspective of a loving heart. Is a tithe, 10% of what you take in income only? What about the other income you may receive? The favor that Christ brings to you daily. I have found that when you give, in ministry through serving, the reward is truly packed down and overflowing.
Reed
Amen Reed. Giving joyfully, whether it be our tithes, time or talents is the way to be.