In the last post we discussed the reason Christians need to be free of Financial Bondage. The reason is to be free to fulfill the Great Commission. God has put us on this earth for more than working 40 to 80 hours each week to pay off debt and so we can keep up with the Jones.
We are here to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). For many Christians our greatest part in fulfilling the Great Commission will be financing missionaries and ministries like Keswick. But not only does giving serve to fulfill the Great Commission, it also is a process that God uses to bring us closer to Him.
I believe the Bible speaks of three levels of giving: 1. sharing from obedience; 2. sharing from abundance and; 3. sacrificial sharing. I would like to take this post to briefly discuss the first two levels and start to direct our attention to level three. I will explain why at the end of the post.
Sharing from obedience pertains to our tithe. The word tithe means 10%. The Israelites were instructed to tithe (Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 14:22-23, Malachi 3:10). Many will say that we are not under the Old Testament Law that we are under grace. This is true (Praise God!) but we must remember that when we move from law to grace the standard is always raised. Hatred is as bad as murder (1 John 3:15), and a lustful thought is the same as adultery (Matthew 5:28). Just as the law was our tutor to lead us to Christ and His grace (Galatians 3:24) tithing is our tutor to lead us to giving. I believe that tithing is the starting point for giving in a Christian's life.
Before we leave tithing, I want to mention one more thing. The only place in the Bible where God invites us to test Him is in Malachi 3:10-11. It says: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse…and test Me now on this, says the Lord…if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows…" Do you think God will pass His own test?
I believe the second level of giving is when we share from our abundance. Paul commended the early church for sharing from their abundance (2 Corinthians 8:13-15). 1 John 3:17 puts it a little stronger by saying that God's love does not abide in us if we withhold our blessings from other believers that are in need. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:48b, that we have a big responsibility when God blesses us.
So in God's school of giving, grade one is the tithe and grade two is sharing from abundance, but what about grade three; sharing sacrificially? This is where we really start to grow in our relationship with Christ. We will be taking a journey to grade three, sacrificial giving, throughout May.
I would like to encourage you to go on this journey with me. My churches fellowship (Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches) will be embarking on a "Great Commission Fast" called WeShare 2010 from May 1st to May 31st. The purpose of the campaign is to move our giving to level three and fulfill the Great Commission through sacrificial giving. On this blog we will be discussing what is sacrificial giving and hopefully share experiences of sacrificial giving both as the giver and the receiver. Also we will share the blessings and lessons learned as we move to Grade three in God's giving school.
If you are not associated with a Grace Brethren Church, I would encourage you to find a ministry that is true to the Word of God and embark upon this journey with us. Americas Keswick will be having a Family Freedom Walk on May 8th and the spring is always a very difficult time for their general budget. Perhaps it might be a good opportunity to make a sacrificial gift to the ministry of Keswick.
It is time that we as believers move to grade three with our giving. I look forward to hearing your comments as we go on this journey together.
6 comments:
Comments on Stewardship Insights from George Hutchison (Crown Financial) on Tithing
http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/04/from-financial-bondage-to-blessings-of.html --edited--
George: The word tithe means 10%.
Russ: I think you are somewhat dishonest by not defining the word “tithes” as it is used in the biblical Law. The true biblical “HOLY” tithe was always only food from inside God’s holy land which He had miraculously increased. Although money was very common even in Genesis and essential for sanctuary worship, money was never a tithe-able item. Jesus could not tithe and neither could anybody who lived outside Israel.
George: The Israelites were instructed to tithe (Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 14:22-23, Malachi 3:10).
Russ: True and ONLY the Israelites under the Old Covenant could bring an acceptable tithe. And the tithe from the above texts was always only food from inside the holy land of Israel.
George: Many will say that we are not under the Old Testament Law that we are under grace.
Russ: “We” Gentiles of the Church never were under any part of the Old Covenant. And tithing was never defined as an eternal moral law of the conscience and nature.
George: This is true (Praise God!) but we must remember that when we move from law to grace the standard is always raised. I believe that tithing is the starting point for giving in a Christian's life.
Russ: This argument is deceptive and is based on false assumptions. It falsely assumes that everybody in the Old Testament was required to tithe although it only applied to food producers who lived inside Israel. And it falsely assumes that everybody I the OT began his/her level of giving at ten per cent although non-food producers and the poor were never involved in tithe-giving.
George: The only place in the Bible where God invites us to test Him is in Malachi 3:10-11.
Russ: First, God did not instruct “us” (Gentiles) in Malachi. Nehemiah had just excluded non Israelites from such worship and intermarriage. Second, the whole law was a TEST –not merely tithing. Obey all to be blessed; break one to be cursed. (Gal 3:10). It is absurd and dishonest to think that God is obligated to bless a tither who lives in a sinful relationship. (Yet I know “Christians” who do both.)
George: Do you think God will pass His own test?
Russ: Since God does not farm or raise herds inside His holy land of Israel, He does not need to tithe. God sacrificially gave his cherished Son as a freewill offering for Hebrew and Gentile–not as a tithe.
George: (2 Corinthians 8:13-15).
Russ: Read 2 Cor 8:12-15. Equality giving means that many should give more than 10% but others are giving sacrificially even though at a lower level. For some reasons you are unable to admit that.
George: So in God's school of giving, grade one is the tithe and grade two is sharing from abundance,
Russ: You have no texts to prove that tithing is grace giving. Levitical tithing was cold hard law and was required whether one was cheerful or not. Those who received the Levitical tithe as an inheritance were not allowed to own or inherit land. Why is that ignored today?
George: … but what about grade three; sharing sacrificially? This is where we really start to grow in our relationship with Christ.
Russ: You think that a Christian cannot “start to grow in our relationship with Christ” until AFTER first tithing and giving freewill offerings. Those are cruel words to the poor who are trying to obey 1st Timothy 5:8 and first pay for medicine, food and shelter.
I urge you to enter an extended dialog with me on this subject.
George said, "The Israelites were instructed to tithe (Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 14:22-23, Malachi 3:10)."
Now let's be 100% honest and stick with the scriptures.
First, Leviticus 27:30-33 is God's definition of His tithe, which was a tenth of crops, and every tenth animal that went under the rod. Notice these are ASSETS, not income, that came FROM GOD'S HAND, not man's labor. God did NOT require anyone to tithe from his income, even though the farmers did, in fact, have income, whether in the form of goods and services from bartering, or in the form of money.
Next, Deuteronomy 14:22-23 is the Festival tithe, which again was on ASSETS that came from GOD'S HAND, not from anything made or earned by man.
Third, Malachi 3:10 - Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... In Nehemiah 10:37-38 we learn that the firstfruits were taken to the temple for the priests, and the tithe was taken to the Levites to go into their cities. The Levites were then required to take a tenth of the tithe to the priests at the temple. ONLY THAT TENTH, a tenth of the tithe, ever wound up at the temple; therefore, ONLY the tenth of the tithe from the Levites could have been taken to the storehouse.
In Numbers 18 The Word says that Aaron will be high priest, forever. In Numbers 18 The Word says that the tithe is to be taken to the Levites, forever.
Now consider Hebrews 7:5,12,18.
In Hebrews 7:5 we are told that the sons of Levi (the Levites) took the tithes under the law.
In Hebrews 7:12 we are told that when the priesthood changes, the law will change.
In Hebrews 7:18 we are told that the law was disannulled.
The law, or command that was disanulled in Hebrews 7:18 must be Numbers 18.
If Numbers 18 was still valid, we could not be priests, and Jesus wouldn't be high priest. Numbers 18 is all or nothing. Numbers 18 includes the tithe was the method for supporting the Levitical priesthood.
We are now under a better covenant. Why would anyone want to bring forward an inferior method into a superior covenant?
Hi Russ, I haven’t heard from you for a while (probably because I haven’t talked about tithing). Your comments are very thought provoking. Thanks.
Let me address the line of reasoning that the tithe only applies to Israelites under the Old Covenant or law. I believe that tithing is a principle that transcends the Old Covenant. It was established back in Genesis 14 (approximately 400 years before the 10 commandments) and referred to by Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42 and Luke 18:12).
The overriding principle is found in Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
This principle of giving to God to let Him (and us) know where our hearts are played out in the Old Covenant through laws. The laws of tithing were in force in the Old Covenant until the law was fulfilled through Christ (Matthew 5:17).
As Christ’s death put an end to the Old Testament sacrificial system, so does New Testament giving put an end to Old Testament tithing under law. But just like Christ’s death compared to the Old Testament sacrifices, the standard is raised when we move to the New Covenant (Galatians 3:24).
So if our giving is to be governed by the new standard (New Covenant) and the standard is raised it is very helpful to know where it started. Based on this, I stand by my statement “In God’s school of giving, grade one is the tithe”. It is neither a law nor a doctrine, it is a very helpful principle in assisting us come to a full understanding of what is expected of us under grace (Romans 8:4).
Here are two other comments on the tithe. Since the number 10 represents the whole in the Bible (10 commandments represents the whole law etc.) a tithe could be looked at to represent God’s ownership of everything in our lives.
The people that read this blog are in America and most likely in the top 20% of the wealthiest people in the world. Not being able to give 10% of their income to the work of the Lord is most likely not a result of genuine need but rather a result of misplaced priorities in the past.
Is the tithe law or even a doctrine? I would say no. Is it a great starting point (Grade 1) for a timeless principle of honoring God with everything He has entrusted to us (Luke 12:34)? Absolutely!!
Russ, there are some other points in your comment that I would like to continue to discuss with you. However, as I mentioned in this post we are moving to a campaign to encourage our churches to embark upon sacrificial giving journey. I would rather not tie up the blog with our discussion. I will contact you at your email address on your website to continue the discussion. If that address is not correct, please let me know how I can contact you.
Thanks again for your comment. I look forward to continuing our discussion. George
Abraham tithed to Melchizedek of all the spoils of war (Genesis 14:20) well over 400 years before the Mosaic law. It was a voluntary, gracious act of worship, not a duty of the law which did not yet exist. This reveals the principle that a tithe was considered a worthy act of tribute long before it was ever commanded. As such, a tithe is a noble, though not commanded, starting point for church-age grace-giving as opposed to law-giving.
George, I just discovered your blog. I just glanced through your last post and its comments. It was good to find Keith's clarifidation at the end. Good stuff.
Dan Jackson
Keith said, "Abraham tithed to Melchizedek of all the spoils of war (Genesis 14:20) well over 400 years before the Mosaic law. It was a voluntary, gracious act of worship, not a duty of the law which did not yet exist."
Not so, Keith. Biblical historians agree that during this time period, it was custom to give a tenth of the spoils of war to the king. For Abraham not to have given the tenth, he would have gone against custom. This was not a gracious act of worship at all. Abraham made a vow that he would keep nothing for himself (Genesis 14:22-24).
Keith said, "As such, a tithe is a noble, though not commanded, starting point for church-age grace-giving as opposed to law-giving."
Your statement is not supported by the scriptures. Hebrews 7:5, 12, 18 make it clear that Numbers 18, which includes tithing, was disannulled and therefore, not appropriate for the Christian Church.
To call giving a tenth of one's income to the church The Lord's tithe is cheapening God's tithe and not appropriate. God defined His tithe, gave His ordinances for His tithe, and no one has a right to change them.
Give all you want, but DON'T insult God by calling it His tithe.
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