Subject: [kingdom-alert-update] #176 (9-19-02) p.1 Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 11:16:22 -0700 From: "J. Faust" To: Kingdom Alert THE KINGDOM ALERT (WEEKLY UPDATE) Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. ***************** IN THIS ISSUE ***************** PART I: "GOD, THE BELLY, OR THE CREDIT CARD?: AN EXAMINATION OF TITHING IN RELATION TO MODERN CHRISTIANS" -TITHING ACKNOWLEDGES GOD AS BENEFACTOR AND OWNER -SYSTEMATIC TITHING IS BETTER THAN HAPHAZARD GIVING -TITHING IS FOUND IN ALMOST ALL NATIONS IN HISTORY -TITHING WAS PRACTICED BY PATRIARCHS BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW PART II: "GOD, THE BELLY, OR THE CREDIT CARD?: AN EXAMINATION OF TITHING IN RELATION TO MODERN CHRISTIANS" -THE OBLIGATION TO TITHE IS NOT ABOLISHED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT -THE NEW TESTAMENT AFFIRMS TITHING AS A MORAL DUTY -EARLY CHRISTIANS ADVOCATED TITHING AS A MINIMUM -TITHING BRINGS FINANCIAL SUFFICIENCY -SHOULD WE TITHE IF WE ARE IN DEBT? -CONCLUSION ************************************************************************ GOD, THE BELLY, OR THE CREDIT CARD?: AN EXAMINATION OF TITHING IN RELATION TO MODERN CHRISTIANS (PART I) ************************************************************************ "....the vast majority of those individuals attend churches that teach a biblical responsibility to tithe. The fact that fewer than one out of every ten born again believers does so suggests that financial stewardship is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges facing the Christian Church in America today." (George Barna, Barna.org) "The younger a person is, the less likely they are to donate any money at all, to donate to a church, and the less money they donate when they do give. In terms of generations, Baby Busters (adults in the 18 to 35 age bracket) were the least generous on every count..." (Barna.org, April 9, 2002) Should modern Christians tithe (i.e. give at least ten percent of their income to their local church)? Should they tithe while they are in debt? To fully answer such questions, we must first notice the unholy spirit of this age that is driving multitudes toward a spirit of reckless, casual religion (though we also see the smoke of ungodly formalism and superstition on the horizon). Everywhere we turn in this age, we see an attack upon ordained authority and ordained order. This movement is a fulfillment of the following Scriptures (2 Timothy 4:3, 3:1-3, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 10-14, Jude 1:4, 8). Today, supposed "Laodicean rights" ("I want to do my own thing, be comfortable, and love myself") are held to be more dear than the commandments of the Almighty God. While the ordained rule of the husband and father in the home is despised, the ordained order of the church is likewise under attack (1 Corinthians 14:40, 1 Timothy 3:1, 4-5, 10). In an effort to avoid the sin of Nicolaitanism (i.e. Romanism), many are going too far into religious anarchy and antinomianism. And as everyone should know, totalitarianism, in whatever realm, always follows upon the heels of anarchy. It is for this reason that the principle of tithing must be defended. There are spiritual enemies who seek to undermine the support of God's full-time workers (pastors, missionaries, etc.), and grind to a haphazard halt the work of the churches (sending out the Gospel, helping the poor, etc.). Some, in a zeal for liberty, are unwittingly being used by these spiritual enemies to usher in the very Nicolaitanism they are striving so hard to avoid. It is therefore hoped that this information and research will be a blessing to many churches today. TITHING ACKNOWLEDGES GOD AS BENEFACTOR AND OWNER "He also required the firstfruits of the fields and firstlings of the flock for the same purpose - honest acknowledgement that God is the owner of all things." (Ralph S. Cushman, 1879-1960, "Will A Man Rob God?") To begin the study of this subject, we will first deal with some broad, but true principles. We will then argue from direct New Testament Scriptures that the obligation of tithing is still binding today. One of the first reasons that giving unto God the firstfruits of our increase is an obligation for ALL AGES is found in Proverbs 3: Proverbs 3:9 HONOUR the LORD with thy substance, and with the FIRSTFRUITS of all thine increase: By systematically giving God our "firstfruits" (not what may or may not be left over through chance), we HONOR God. God is worthy of this honor in all ages, especially those with the most light (NT): Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, WHERE IS MINE HONOUR? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? The Lord was not looking for only warm feelings from Israel. He was looking for a manifestation of their regard for Him through the sacrificial giving of their firstfruits unto Him (Malachi 3:8). The Lord has no less right to ask modern Christians where His honor is today than He had in the days of Malachi!: "One cannot satisfy his landlord by praising his property, or sending him gifts on birthdays, anniversaries or at Christmas. Neither does one satisfy God, the Owner of all things, by complimenting Him...and giving Him the left over change from the previous week's spending. God expects recognition of His ownership...The tithe is the minimum rate of return God expects for the financing of His work on earth." (A.J. Wall, "Financing the Lord's Church," Baptist Sunday School Committee of the American Baptist Association, 1963) SYSTEMATIC TITHING IS BETTER THAN HAPHAZARD GIVING "Those who give without system, keep no accounts and part with as little as they please, sometimes fancy themselves fairly liberal, whereas if they would only put on paper the amount of their charity, they would be, in many cases, on comparing it with income, thoroughly ashamed of how little they actually part with, and as a consequence, of how much they rob the Almighty." (Henry Lansdell, "The Sacred Tenth," 1906) The above statement by Lansdell was true when he wrote it; it is certainly true today! Notice the following survey reports for the past few years: "One out of every six born again Christians (16%) gave no money to his/her church during 1999. The proportion who tithed to their church was just 8%...In general, the more money a person makes the less likely he/she is to tithe." (Barna.org, April 5, 2000) "The latest report on the tithing habits of America's churchgoers is in. The survey by an Illinois group called Empty Tomb indicates the trend of people giving less to their churches is continuing....Others note that despite a booming economy which has raised salaries to all-time highs, people have also become more selfish and self-sufficient and feel less of a burden to obey God's Word." (PCANews.com, Jan. 17, 2001) "While many Christian churches teach the biblical principle of tithing - that is, giving 10% of one’s income to the church - relatively few people follow the practice. One out of every six adults (17%) claims to tithe, but a comparison of the amount that people gave to churches and their household income revealed that just 6% actually donated one-tenth of their income (pre-tax or post-tax) to churches. The level of misreporting among born again Christians was just as prolific: 32% reported tithing, yet only 12% actually did so in 2000. Even so, born again Christians were about four times more likely than were non-born again adults to tithe (12% vs. 3%, respectively)...Assessing the outcomes of the annual giving survey, George Barna, president of the company that conducts the study, noted several significant challenges facing churches. 'Two major trends are in force. First, the Baby Bust generation, which includes adults in their twenties through mid-thirties, barely gives to churches or religious causes. Second, their predecessors, the Baby Boomers, who are in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties, are generous donors but simply do not assume that they ought to give to churches....As these two generations become more prolific within churches, their tendency to give less to churches will challenge ministries.'" (Barna.org, June 5, 2001) "In total, one out of every 12 adults (8%) had given away at least 10% of their income last year. That was marginally above the 6% registered in 2000." (Barna.org, April 9, 2002) "The Hoge study found that planned giving means greater giving. Not surprisingly, tithers give the most." (thelutheran.org) Two things are apparent based upon the above reports. First, as the lawless, Laodicean spirit (that will not endure the "sound doctrine" of Titus 2, etc.) continues to invade homes and churches, an increasing number of younger, professing saints are growing up with no knowledge of their responsibilities toward the local church. For many of these, throwing a ball with two friends in a park on Sunday is "having church"; and buying their sister a birthday card is "supporting God's work with their money." Secondly, it is clear that good intentions and warm fuzzy feelings cannot support God's work in the same manner as the Biblical principle of systematic giving. It leaves churches dependent upon extra-Biblical methods: "In many places no attempt has ever been made to train the people to give in some systematic manner, and the teaching of God's Word on this subject is entirely neglected. What money is given, is given in a careless, thoughtless manner...Nothing is more damaging to the spirit of true liberty than this neglect of proper Scripture training, while the very life and love of the Christian are sapped and destroyed by these times of extra pressure, and periodical spurts at raising money. Under such circumstances, it cannot be expected that the offerings of the people will come in any other way than in dribbles. And that is just how they do come in...And so in churches where systematic giving in any form is unknown, Christian people become more and more enfeebled and weak, and less inclined to give at all." ("Charles A. Cook, Systematic Giving," American Baptist Publication Society, 1888) If tithing is supposedly legalistic (and giving God whatever we feel like giving Him from time to time is supposedly the manner in which God has ordained under grace), then why is it that the "legalistic" giving almost always out-gives the so-called "grace" giving? Certainly, the reason is that when people grow increasingly selfish (2 Timothy 3:1-2), it becomes easier to soothe the conscience with the slightest sacrifices: "According to some, man must merely ease his own conscience in his giving. One may ease his conscience by giving a small amount while another cannot ease his conscience until he gives more." (A.J. Wall, "Financing the Lord's Church," Baptist Sunday School Committee of the American Baptist Association, 1963) The Biblical principle of tithing is obviously a MINIMAL standard by which we can systematically gauge our giving. This orderly manner of giving, with the right motives, will result in blessing for the churches: "God meant, in giving His tithing system to His church, that religious things should be managed systematically, decently, and in order." (Babbs, "The Law of the Tithes," 1912) "Of all the subjects we present...none will help your churches more than this." (J. Wilbur Chapman, "The Tithe," 1908) TITHING IS FOUND IN ALMOST ALL NATIONS IN HISTORY Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts... The principle of giving unto God the firstfruits of our increase is written in our hearts. It is not a part of the ceremonial law. It is a lasting, moral obligation for all ages. The fact that so many nations have decided upon a tenth (tithe) as the portion to set aside for God, argues for a patriarchal revelation given to ancient man, when all the world was united. Notice how widespread this principle of tithing had become in ancient times: "Arabians required every merchant to offer a tenth of his frank incense to the priest for their God....Xenophan, after his Retreat of the Ten Thousand from Asia Minor, together with his captains, consecrated the tithe of his gains to Apollo and to Diana, and built a temple supported by tithes....The duty of tithing is frequently mentioned in the Egyptian documents....China accepted the law of the tithe very early....The same may be said of India....So general, therefore, is the testimony of the antiquity of tithing, that we are constrained to adopt the statement of Monacutius:...'in the annals of all times none are found who did not pay tithes.'" (Babbs, "The Law of the Tithe," 1912) "The [Babylonian] temple and priests were supported by the contributions of the people - partly obligatory and partly voluntary. The most important among them were the 'tithes' paid upon all produce." (Dr. Sayce, Professor of Assyriology at Oxford, quoted by Lansdell, 1906) "In the case of the ancient Romans also, we are able to trace the practice of tithe-paying to their earliest or legendary history...We have traced the practice of tithe-paying into almost every known country of importance in the ancient world." (Henry Lansdell, "The Sacred Tenth," 1906) “The picture-writings of Egypt, the cuneiform tablets of Babylonia, and early writers of Greece and Rome inform us that before the Bible was written, and apart there from, it was an almost universal practice among civilized nations for people to pay tithes to their gods; but none tell us when, or where, the practice began, or who issued the law for its observance....How should it be that so many peoples have hit upon a tenth for God's portion, rather than a fifth...or any other?” (Henry Lansdell, The Sacred Tenth, 1908) "The payment of tithe is a practice both ancient and widespread, being found among many peoples, Semitic and non-Semitic." (Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, 1909) "....there are collected examples of the custom [tithe] among the southern Arabians, the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, the Lydians...the Greeks, and the different nations of Italy....there is something that may be said for it as a practice favored by the light of nature, as well as by the usage of those who enjoyed the light of revelation." ("Imperial Bible Dictionary") This information certainly argues that the principle of tithing is an obligation for all times. It is the DUTY of man. As with all holy duties, it should be performed in hope, with joy. TITHING WAS PRACTICED BY PATRIARCHS BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW Tithing was practiced before Moses was born. It is no more rendered void by grace than praying is abolished by grace: "There are some duties which the Bible seems to recognize as understood from the beginning...The duty of tithe-giving - of giving one-tenth of one's income to the Lord - is one of these duties which seem to have needed the record of no original announcement or injunction. Like prayer, tithe-giving was practiced by the patriarchs long before the proclamation of the Mosaic Law. While, as in the case of prayer, it finds no specific mention in the Decalogue....The duty of tithe-giving certainly seems to stand out in the Bible as a duty of equal obligation with prayer." ("The Sunday School Times") Abraham, before the Mosaic Law, paid tithes: Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him TITHES of all. Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, PAYED TITHES in Abraham. Jacob, before the Mosaic law, also gave tithes: Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the TENTH unto thee. We are never told that these are the ONLY times these patriarchs tithed. And the fact that it is recorded that they did so is certainly provided for a reason. When this fact is coupled with the history of all ancient nations, we understand that the principle of tithing was included in the Mosaic law for the same reason that all moral obligations were included in the law. These moral obligations do not cease with the passing away of the ceremonial letter. They are to be fulfilled in them that walk according to the Spirit: "...the tithe which was holy before the law, and during the law, was not made less holy by the passing of the law." (George W. Brown, "Gems of Thought on Tithing," 1911) “Moses did not institute the tithe; its origin dates from antiquity. However, he did add a second and third tithe...that passed away when Jesus came....The first tithe, which is the Lord’s, was not added by Moses and did not pass away with Christ. The first tithe has existed since time began and will continue until time shall be no more.” (A. Edwin Wilson, "Selected Writings") --- You are currently subscribed to kingdom-alert-update as: t&t@jesus-is-lord.com To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-kingdom-alert-update-431142H@XC.Org