8 07 What Is The Tithe Twp

The Preacher’s Notebook The Paper and Electronic Pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC (Delivered by E-mail and Us Postage Through Subscription as an Extension of the Pulpit Ministry of this Church)

Dr. Terry W . Preslar – PO Box 388 – M ineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858 – E-Mail: [email protected] Copyright (C) 2007. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

Vol. I

August, 2007

Issue 1

What Is the Tithe The Tithe is a portion of one’s earnings, usually one tenth, that are given to those who perform the work of the Lord since it belongs to the Lord (Lev. 27:30-33). The first religious act recorded in the Bible is the offerings of Cain and Abel in recognition of the duty to offer a portion to God. It appears that Cain failed to rightly divide his offering. A study of ancient peoples reveals the fact that many peoples set apart a tithe as their offering to express gratitude, invoke favors or avoid disaster. We know that some of the patriarchs offered tithes and inasmuch as others had divine approval it is most probable they did also. The tithing plan was incorporated in the Levitical system, it required that one or more tithes be devoted to religious and charitable purposes. The tendency was for priest to lay greatest stress upon method, while the prophet stressed motive – both were and are important. Upon the return from exile the Pentateuchal system was recognized as the standard of religious obligation and was reinstated. Between the Old and the New Testament times the observance became greatly complicated and amplified by the teachings of the rabbis. The practice was rigidly and conscientiously observed by the Pharisees in the times of Christ. Jesus lived and labored in a pious Jewish home, they observed the Jewish customs. Jesus himself commended the Law which included the observance of the tithe. He never repealed, abrogated or abridged its observance. He called for a devotion far beyond that of the tithing Jew. He lived what He taught. In Pentecostal times the Christian, under the Leadership of the Holy Spirit, brought their possessions and put them in a common fund to care for an emergency situation. They did not stop at a tithe. Paul approved of the tithing plan for the regular work of the church but special needs called for additional offerings. He taught that Christians should make their offerings regularly, proportionately, worshipfully, cheerfully, voluntarily, and prompted by love. He taught that Christian liberality was a grace to be cultivated rather than a requirement to be grudgingly met. The writer of Hebrews (I believe him to be Paul) believed that Christ in glory receives tithes from His followers as truly as every earthly priest received tithes from their people. No early Christian writer objected to tithing unless it was because he thought it was too little for a Christian to contribute to the Lord’s work. No reason has been discovered in the Bible why any Christian should give less than a tithe, but many Biblical reasons are given why he should give more. The tithe should be the minimum not the maximum of Christian giving. The teaching of the Bible from beginning to the end is that God is the sovereign owner, we are stewards -1-

of all we possess, we should contribute at least a tenth of our increase to the Lord’s work and use the other nine-tenths in a way that will meet divine approval. The Christian steward tries to live and love as Jesus did. Jesus was the perfect steward. Stewardship is a glorious doctrine and experience says that it is a blessed way of life. There have been many of the past to lead the way in this path, their names are legion. I am sure you might add others to this list: John D. Rockefeller, the world’s largest contributor to religion, education, medical research, and for humanity in general began to tithe when a small boy and tithed the first dollar he earned. William E. Gladstone, probably the world’s greatest statesman, tithed and urged his son to do the same as the best plan for rightly handling his income. William Colgate whose gift led to the founding of Colgate University was advised by an old sea captain to make a good soap, give an honest pound, and set aside a tenth of every dollar earned for God. Joy Cooke upon whom Lincoln leaned for financial help during the War Between The States began tithing as a lad. Mrs. Russell Sage who has contributed so many millions to philanthropic causes began tithing when only a child. Chester Ward Kingsley, great Boston banker and philanthropist, heard his pastor pray: “Lord give me a hand to get and a heart to give...” He at once began to tithe, then more than tithe, and in his lifetime gave away more than half a million dollars (in those days a dollar was much more than it is now). Harvey S. McLeod of Troy, N.Y. when he was converted asked his pastor how to make the most of himself for God. “Tithe,” said his pastor. McLeod did so and helped scores of young men to get an education and won hundreds to tithing stewardship. H.Z. Duke of Texas began as a tither and increased his contributions until for several years before his death he gave to the LORD’S work practically his entire income. James L. Kraft, the cheese man, says he had reached the brink of bankruptcy when it suddenly came to him that he had left God out of his life and business. Immediately he repented, took God into partnership, began to tithe, and things got better, and kept on getting better. Now his business is the world’s largest cheese company and he gave his time without price going all over the world urging men to take GOD into partnership and do business for God. Time would fail to tell of William E. Dodge, M.W.Baldwin, the locomotive man, A.A.Hide of mentholatum fame, Charles R.Brown, former dean of Yeal, J.H.Anderson the princely merchant of Knoxville and a hundred others who began as tithers and went forward in happy, helpful, hilarious giving to Christ and His work. There is so very little in the Bible about any Other plan for church support and so very much about giving. It seems to be a fundamental of Christian doctrine that God’s children should start to meet the Bible requirement for Stewardship with the Tithe (10% of gross income) and offerings (at least as much as the Tithe). Christ’s words were simple, clear, concise, of universal application and eternal duration. Recall a few of His precepts with reference to material possessions and our duty. The words of the Lord Jesus are abundantly clear on the subject of giving: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38) (See Matt.6:21, 24-25, 33; 7:12; 17; 10:8; Mark 12:17; Luke 6:38; 8:37; 12:15) Truly, “Never man spake like this man.” When Jesus touched upon any subject he said the first word and the last word. We can never get beyond His teachings. Certainly these precepts of our Lord are sufficient to show that he expects his followers to be faithful stewards, to be prompted by the highest motives, and to go far beyond the mere legal requirements of giving as taught in the Old Testament. We find these truths to be evident in the life of the saved.

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