Friday: Further Thought ~ Offerings for Jesus
Further Thought:
The heavenly record book of remembrance also notes the financial faithfulness of God’s family members. “The recording angel makes a faithful record of every offering dedicated to God and put into the treasury, and also of the final result of the means thus bestowed.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
The eye of God takes cognizance of every farthing devoted to His cause, and of the willingness or reluctance of the giver. The motive in giving is also chronicled. Those self-sacrificing, consecrated ones who render back to God the things that are His, as He requires of them, will be rewarded according to their works. Even though the means thus consecrated be misapplied, so that it does not accomplish the object which the donor had in view, — the glory of God and the salvation of souls, — those who made the sacrifice in sincerity of soul, with an eye single to the glory of God, will not lose their reward.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 518.
“God desires people to pray and to plan for the advancement of his work. But, like Cornelius, we are to unite praying with giving. Our prayers and our alms are to come up before God as a memorial. Faith without works is dead; and without a living faith it is impossible to please God. While we pray, we are to give all we possibly can, both of our labor and our means, for the fulfillment of our prayers. If we act out our faith, we shall not be forgotten by God. He marks every deed of love and self-denial. He will open ways whereby we may show our faith by our works.” — Ellen G. White, Atlantic Union Gleaner, June 17, 1903.
Discussion Questions:
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This week the lesson has covered a range of topics related to giving. A lot of it has centred on where the heart is. And indeed, it is a good thing to examine our motives and our relationship with Jesus as a precursor to our giving.
One thing that became particularly clear to me, particularly as I read the Torah references to giving is that it is helpful if we are systematic in our giving. The Hebrew approach to giving was very systematic. You gave certain offerings at certain times of the year. It was essentially a financial strategy for giving. It was tied to the agricultural cycle but you would expect that when most of the nation was involved in cropping and herding.
In our modern society, sometimes our offering planning has been haphazard. I remember as a student it was essentially whatever was left over in my pocket at the end of the week. And I know that some of that attitude has carried over into adulthood for some of us. If the COVID situation has taught us anything at all, it has possibly introduced us to the notion of systematic electronic giving. The potential is there for us to sit down and organise our giving so that money is automatically deducted from our bank accounts at the appropriate weekly/monthly times. For us, it has been a liberating experience. We essentially set up our giving and review it a couple of times a year.
I am aware that not everyone likes electronic banking and prefer to see the money go from the hand into the offering bag, and that is fair enough. However, whatever method you use, systematic giving is good planning and biblically based.
It is important for those of us who give to keep Ellen G. White's point in mind because it shows the importance of ensuring that funds are managed and distributed in conscientious and responsible ways. Properly distributing funds ensures that donations are used for the greatest good, instead of being misapplied in ways that do not directly benefit those who need them most. Additionally, a good stewardship of funds allows for more resources and helps to build trust with the community.
On Wednesday Phil van der Klift responded this way to my comment about the heart following the gift. in part "love and giving are inseparably one-and-the-same." This ties in nicely with today's lesson. It also causes me to wonder what it says when individuals are inconsistent in giving or aren't giving as generously as they could, etc.
Is it possible that a hardened heart can still provide monetary support to the church treasury? Mark’s gospel account seems to indicate this to be possible – Mark 12:41-44.
Jesus, observing the act of giving, compares the motivation for giving by some to be a ‘custom’, and others to be an act of desiring to share their love of God with others. I am sure we recognize what makes the difference.
As a good steward of God’s blessings, I want to carefully consider the what, when, or how much to give. We have been offered to receive a renewed heart and mind; renewed by the Holy Spirit with which to discern the 'giving' according to His council.
I do not participate in online banking and do not support the idea that tithing should become the act of an automated transfer of funds. Yes, it is convenient, but I rather see the act of tithing as the church member's individual, personal support of the local church-family.
The local church also supports the work done on the mission field by those organized to do so. I recognize that this is not necessarily the model the SDA organization subscribes to, but consider this approach to be more effective for the ministry of saving souls locally and abroad.
Especially the institutionalized, organized church needs to be aware of its stewardship role and prudently apply the funds entrusted to them. They are either used to "the glory of God and the salvation of souls”, or used for self-aggrandizement through building great cathedrals/structures which become the tombstones by which to remember the misapplication of funds.
I strongly believe that learning to understand the wisdom inherent in ‘giving’ is included as part of our sanctification - the renewing of our hearts and minds -, as we experience life lived as members of the kingdom of God here on earth.
As such, true giving and sharing has become our way of life - the powerful and impactful personal life of the good steward who is a cheerful giver. Like Phil said: ‘one is given to give' - the trustful steward's way of life.
As stewards of the manifold Grace of God we share His Grace and Mercy with others - 1 Peter 4:10. Sharing selflessly extends God's Glory manifest in our life to all mankind.
Brigitte, I think you will find that in general, most of the tithe is returned to the local church in the form of the salary for your local minister. After all where else is the money supposed to come from? The fact that it is distributed by the conference rather than paid directly by the church, allows for equality or payment independently of the size of the congregation. I know that there are areas where the distribution of tithe is not as transparent as it should be, but if it is managed properly it has the potential for being fair and equitable.
The online giving system that I use, Adventist Giving, sends the money directly to the local church. Unfortunately, the threat of hackers has moved them to limit their services to users in North America.
If we consider and keep before our minds the actual basis upon which true life is only possible, we progressively grow in our awareness of the degree to which self-renouncing love - 'living to give' - is as essential to our being as is eating or breathing or exercising or healthy relationships, etc. Even God lives on this basis. And, the heart motive behind giving is vital because that reflects our degree of authenticity.
Like eating healthy food, the more we 'live to give' in whatever healthy and sustainable ways we can, the more our ability to do so will grow. Consequently, the greater our capacity to benefit/bless others will be and therefore the greater the praise that will go to God who is the author and sustainer of all of this (John 15:8;16 principle). This is why and how it is more beneficial to live/seek to give than to live/seek to receive (Acts 20:35).
This is the core of the abundant life that humanity was originally designed and created for - and to which all who are willing are being progressively restored. Ultimately, there actually is no other viable alternative.
Hi Phil - my apology for inadvertently misquoting your phrase “living to give” in my comment today. We both seem to grasp this all-encompassing truth of life, and it has made a great difference in how I now understand giving and sharing.
Hi Brigitte
'Given to give' and 'living to give' are essentially referring to the same thing. God, as Creator-Sustainer, beneficently provides to us so that we may in turn participate in life that is based upon living to give. So, no apology needed.
You are right, it is an all-encompassing truth that places other truths in their proper 'light'. And yes, it does make a great difference to how we understand and see what life is about - giving and sharing. These are no longer things that are merely part of our life and living, they are its foundation and core activity - just as they are for God. The perpetual "circuit of beneficence" as Ellen White refers to it.
Under the Old Covenant God regarded the tithes, offerings, sacrifices etc as His food (Lev 3:11,16;21:6,8,17,21,22; 22:25; Mal 3:8-10). The tithe, firstborn, firstfruits, the Levites all belonged to God (Lev 27:30-32; Ex 13:2,12; 23:19; Num 3:12,13). He claimed them as His.
Since the Law has only “shadows of future good things, not the substance” (Heb 10:1); the New Covenant reveals what all those shadows pointed to. We got a hint in Isa 66:18-21: “… Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the Lord… to my Holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord…”
These “offerings” seem to be gathered in from the world, the nations. We might consider Christ’s bringing in of the Samaritans in Jn 4:30-38. Christ introduced true worship to the woman. She recognized him as Messiah and partook of living water and believed to eternal life. When urged to eat physical food Christ replied that He had eaten food the disciples knew nothing about. His food was fulfilling His Father’s will and accomplishing His work. His Father’s will was the eternal security of those who were His (Jn 6:39,40), just as the Levites received offerings and secured them in the storehouse. He goes on to relate the Samaritans conversion to harvesting, from which tithes and offerings are gleaned and He was rejoicing in His harvest as Israel rejoiced in their two harvest feasts.
Rom 15:15,16 Paul identified his ministry to the Gentiles as a “priest ministering the gospel of God so that his “offering of the Gentiles” may become acceptable, sanctified by the Spirit”. We are urged to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice. Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice of a soothing aroma. Again, in the New, God claims believers, the elect, as HIS and gifts them to His Son as His bride, just as He gifted the Levites to Aaron, High Priest. “I have manifested your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were YOURS and You gave them to Me (Jn 17:2-6,9,24).
We have adopted the “Tithe and Offering” method as our means of supporting and promoting our message. It has proven effective in our ministry. It’s interesting that Christ nor His disciples adopted that method. Theirs was was founded on another type or shadow. Deut 25:4: “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing”(! Cor 9:7-11; 1 Tim 5:17,18); and Christ’s “The laborer is worthy of His wages” (Matt 10:10; Lk 10:7; 1 Cor 9:14). This method is more dependent on God’s gracious providential care. He must influence and stir recipients of the Gospel to provide for ministers of the gospel. From the love He pours into believers they will joyfully provide for all the needs of fellow believers including ministers, like the Early Church.
In the comments, I am seeing it oft repeated that the life of beneficence -- of living to bless others -- is the only viable approach to finding the abundant life that is eternal. Is this true?
Yes, it is. There is a reason why this way of living is God's perfect will for our lives. Our happiness is contingent on our conformity to it. Because God is interested in the happiness of His created beings, the venture into self-seeking and self-aggrandizement (i.e. sin) will soon be excised from the universe as a cancer.
Is it a blessing to understand this truth? Yes, but the real blessing will not come from our ability to understand and articulate this truth, but from our ability to live it.
Scripture does not flatter the state of fallen man.
So we come back to the truth that an unselfish life is the only viable approach to living. Is this truth all-encompassing? Foundational, yes; all-encompassing, no. What does it leave out? Well, we might want to talk about the good news of salvation. We might want to focus on the cross of Christ. The kind of life we need to live is the essence of the law, and the law never saved anyone.
Additional, essential, truths could read like a table of contents from the book Steps to Christ: God's love for man, the sinner's need of Christ, repentance, confession, consecration, faith and acceptance, etc.
In short, a vital connection with Jesus, by faith, is our only hope, and this will necessarily entail a life of penitence and humiliation. It's not enough to know what we should be. We also need to know what we are, and what Jesus is to us. How thankful we may be for the latter!