Wednesday: Honest Tithe – Holy to the Lord
We often talk about giving God tithe. But how do we give to God what He already owns?
Read Leviticus 27:30. What two important points are found in this text in regard to tithe?
Image © John Baker from GoodSalt.com
“Tithe belongs to the Lord and therefore is holy. It does not become holy through a vow or a consecration act. It is simply holy by its very nature; it belongs to the Lord. No one except God has a right to it. No one can consecrate it to the Lord, because tithe is never part of a person’s property.” – Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, Stewardship Roots (Silver Spring, Md.: Stewardship Ministries Department, 1994), p. 52.
We do not make tithe holy; God does so by designation. He has that right. As stewards, we return to Him what is His. Tithe is dedicated to God for a specific task. Holding it for any other designation is dishonest. The practice of returning a holy tithe is never to be broken.
Read Hebrews 7:2-10. How does Paul’s discussion of Abraham’s tithing to Melchizedek reveal a deeper significance of tithing? To whom was Abraham really tithing?
Thus, as the Sabbath is holy, so the tithe is holy. The word “holy” means “set apart for sacred use.” The Sabbath and the tithe are connected in this way. We set apart the seventh-day Sabbath as sacred, as holy; and we set apart the tithe as God’s sacred possession, as that which is holy.
“God has sanctified the seventh day. That specified portion of time, set apart by God Himself for religious worship, continues as sacred today as when first hallowed by our Creator.
“In like manner a tithe of our income is ‘holy unto the Lord.’ The New Testament does not reenact the law of the tithe, as it does not that of the Sabbath; for the validity of both is assumed, and their deep spiritual import explained. . . . While we as a people are seeking faithfully to give to God the time which He has reserved as His own, shall we not also render to Him that portion of our means which He claims?” – Ellen G. White, Counsels on Stewardship, p. 66.
| What can you do to help keep the realization alive in your heart and mind that your tithe is, indeed, “holy”? |
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Can tithes be given for use to a group of faithful workers who give their time to share the word of God to other, and not given in the church offering bag?
Good question, i had this in mind to ask as well....
It is a very tempting question indeed especially when we are faced with mismanagement of church funds and sometimes desperate needs within our local church.The temptation is use it as you see fit to help in the Lords Kingdom.But Malachi 3:10 clearly spells out where the tithe should go.To the Lords storehouse. Where is this? The church treasury i think..
Is this group God's storehouse? As the text say the tithe hath to be brought to his storehouse. I actually have SDA friends who have argued this point from spirit of prophecy to me before as they return their tithe to missionary efforts as oppose to the church. I personally can't defend or oppose so until then I keep it safe and return tithe to the church and free will offerings to missionaries
I do think so. If it used to do God's work. For example, if there is an emergency like someone is very sick and needs medical attention, if I only have the tithes, I am going to use it to render assistance to that person rather than keeping it for next Sabbath to take to church.
Do you trust God or men? What does God require of us? What is the "storehouse"?
Pray to know the will of God that you may follow it. HE is in charge regardless of the reports of unfaithfulness in men.
God will make duty known to all who are seeking to know and follow it. It may not be the same duty for every servant of God. Follow Him, not another.
If you read Numbers 18:21 and on, you will know why tithes are given in church
Your question is not a new one ... there are 'self-employed workers' who are persuading sincere people to give them their tithe instead of 'returning the tithe to the storehouse' who end up regretting it. A review of the GC Official Guidelines on the use of the tithe can be somewhat confusing for those who have a problem with the SOP as there is more SOP quotes than 'sola scriptura'. In these days where people are throwing Sr White into the 'false prophet' basket, we should lean more to 'what says the Word'. As for me and my house - we cannot but believe that God used a dedicated Grade 3 scholar to throw light on His Word! Esiten, 'return' your tithe into God's storehouse .... it's safest in their hands. I am sure you will be blessed if you give a 2nd tithe to independent faithful workers - but "give back' to God what belongs to Him first.
Tithe was made for men, not for God. I rather give back to God my tithes to an organized Institution such as the church than any where else. I basically know where these funds are going to. I also give offerings, which are different than tithes. I do give offerings at the church, but also help people in my surroundings. What I perceived is that the more I consciously give, the more blessed I am. I do have to work a lot in my field, but ultimately God is the one Who blesses everything I do.
In the same breath I must ask is it wise as a steward to return God's tithe to any organization that is not making sound decision in light of end time gospel or should we return the tithe and leave consequences to God as far as the organized church goes
We are to do what we know is right....that's our obligation. If an organized church mishandles money or anything, God will hold them accountable. We did what we are required to do...that's the important part.
This issue is not only a recent one - it existed early in Adventist history too. Here is an extract of a longer Ellen White manuscript compilation (which is best read fully for those who are interested: see Manuscript Release, Vol 2, page 100 - "Items relating to tithing") that some might find of interest:
Ellen White's position appeared to be that tithe is ideally designed to be given to the 'church' for proper and responsible distribution - but where this is not the case then unfortunately an alternative approach is necessary. However, doing so is not a matter to be taken lightly and is to be done discretely - it is to be done with much prayer and asking God for guidance and without drawing public attention to it.
“Tithe belongs to the Lord and therefore is holy. It does not become holy through a vow or a consecration act. It is simply holy by its very nature; it belongs to the Lord. No one except God has a right to it. No one can consecrate it to the Lord, because tithe is never part of a person’s property.”
Tithe is dedicated to God for a specific task. Holding it for any other designation is dishonest. The practice of returning a holy tithe is never to be broken.
The tithe belongs only to God , and should be given back to Him. What it is used for after that is up to God , and prayers for the user who receives it , will use it for God's works .
When I was in the Bible class, I learnt that there are three things which are holy to God. That it is, tithe, Sabbath and marriage.
My question is .... is marriage holy?
The original language meanings behind the word 'holy' are "set apart" or "distinct from". So, set apart from what? Distinct from what? There are only 2 options for life - the ways of the Kingdom of God and the ways of the Kingdom of Darkness (also termed the ways of this world).
So 'holy' means to be in accordance with the ways of the Kingdom of God and distinct from the ways of this world.
So, is marriage holy? Only a marriage that is in harmony with the ways of the Kingdom of God (ie, self-sacrificing love) will work as it was intended to work. The divorce, abuse and affair rates illustrate well that marriages that are on any other basis (ie self-seeking 'love') do not work and are unfortunately instead often destructive.
No one has a right to demand from God what He has already instructed His children to do. All the Tithe of any increase is the LORD'S. He said A. Murry"Bring Ye all the tithes into my storehouse-(His church), He pours out the blessings, not man.
I always wonder if I can give my tithe to a needy person
The tithe is God's, but we are free to do with our offerings as God leads us to do.
Hebrews 7:3 is very clear: Abraham gave his tithe to king Melchizedek who was and is king Jesus, who was and is God. That is why the reinstitution of the tithe was not necessary in the new testament church or in the end time church either.
Malachi talks about tithes and offflerings. How many tithes are we suppose to return to God
Godfrey, I will repeat a text that I mentioned before. 2Corinthians 9:7. Some may apply this specifically, however the subtitle for the middle of chapter 9, is the Cheerful Giver. If you choose Malachi 3:10 it is more convenient. The point regarding your question, whether identified as tithes, gifts, or both, are what your conscience tells you. Others are not responsible for your conscience. The helper that we are promised is the Holy Spirit. The choice is ours.
Paul you are right about giving being according to our own conscience. Returning tithes and offerings is not the same as paying membership dues to belong to a club. But if people are led by the Holy Spirit regarding tithe, the Holy Spirit won't lead anyone to give differently than the 10% tithe the Bible says.
I believe that if the bible instruct us to give it back to the storehouse (The Church) then we should do so and let God deal with the leaders of The Church if they mismanage the tithe or Gods holy money then God will deal with them accordingly.
I also believe that tithe should be given I church as the Bible says and if the people who are assigned to take care of it mismanage it, God will deal with them accordingly
Part of the notion of good stewarship is that we, as church members, should take an interest in how our tithe is dispersed and used. It is poor stewardship to allow church administrators to abuse their position. We have business meetings where concerns should be raised, and if those concerns are proven they should be addressed. Often our concerns are simply a matter of poor communication, but that too needs to be addressed in the interest of transparency and accountability.
Unfortunately, i have attended several seminars where facilitators, even Pastors feel that no body should question where tithe goes and how it is used since it is 'God's money'! There is usually a very passive answer that is given to people who ask this question ! Some people even go as far as giving example on how the Priest sons of Eli behaved, that no Israelite had guts to ask any questions and so, it should be with us today....
That is probably true. But I think that notion of accountability of church administrations has come to the fore in recent times. I cannot speak for other countries but here is Australia the Royal commission into institutional sexual abuse has highlighted that church administrations need to be much more accountable for their administrative actions. While the commission was focussed on the handling of sexual abuse, it soon became pretty clear that church administrations were often more concerned about image rather than accountability.
We as Seventh-day Adventists need to take notice and apply the advice to ourselves. In many cases I believe this is already happening. Processes that were once left to administration are now being made more transparent. It highlights the need for church members to take an interest in the business of church to ensure that transparency is maintained.
We have a strongly hierarchical church structure, but we also have the undergirding principal of the priesthood of all believers. While we often apply that to our theology, we should also apply it to our operational business. It is our church and it is our participation that enables the Holy Spirit to work in and through the church. If we abdicate our responsibility as members, and the church administration fails in its accountability, then we have to take responsibility for that failure. Standing on the sidelines and criticising the church is of little use if we do not participate.
My personal experience:
Long time ago, one Friday morning I went to the ATM to withdraw my tithe and offering from my 13th month pay put it in a white envelop. From there, I went to 5 different places to buy food and other needs for it's a preparation day. Until, when I was about to go home, the white envelop that I was holding was not there, I didn't have a hand bag at that time. I was looking around the market place wishing to find my white envelop but to no avail. Then I went back to the supermarket where I bought milk to ask the lady at the check out if they found white envelop. She told me to see the store lady guard. This time I was shaking. The lady guard asked me how much was in there because it has no name and they cannot ask me for my ID card. When I told the amount, they gave it to me straight away. I went to a small corner, cried out to the Lord "Lord, your tithe is holy".
Jesus commended a widow for giving all that she had to God (Luke 21:1-4). The widow made her contribution to an organization that was religious, yet was instrumental in his cruel crucifixion death. The commendation was for the gift to God, not for gifting the organization.
Jesus defined the gospel obligation of the believer as “the laborer is worthy of his hire.” (Luke 10:7 in the context of Luke 10:1-9.) The apostle Paul expanded on this principle in his letter to the Corinthians: “The Lord ordained those announcing the gospel to live from the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:14 in the context of 1 Corinthians 9:4-14.)
For the Christian, these principles make the gospel responsibility of stewardship to the Lord Jesus Christ (and to religious organizations) very clear.
Ellen White addressed this issue here (see especially p. 30 - 33).
http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/Tithe-H&U.html#Ellen
Were not tithes used outside of the "church" as indicated here? Le 27:30; Dt 14:28; Dt 26:12; Dt 26:13
It is my understanding that we have done very little to seriously understand the tithing situation in both mosaic times and the latter Old testament times. The Leviticus and Deuteronomy references make interesting reading. As does the Mishnah. I suspect that we get rather more legalistic than is good for us and forget that "God loves a cheerful giver!"
The topic of where to give tithe isn't always simple and straightforward. Just about any denominational employee will recite the official position--through the local church to the denomination. At the other extreme, there are several independent ministries that willingly take tithe money to support their operation. As has been mentioned, the official position tends to be heavily weighted with Ellen White quotes rather than the Bible. All of this is interesting for several reasons:
1. The independent ministries that accept tithe tend to be strong believers in Ellen White, even to the extent of mis-using her to buttress their perspective on things, yet ignore the advice she gives in this area that doesn't fit their desires.
2. The official position is compromised by the fact that Ellen White at times found ministries she felt the denomination was not adequately supporting and re-directed her own tithe to them. This is public knowledge, well known, but ignored by those backing up the official position.
3. Israel was a theocracy set in place by God and he gave specific instructions for the conducting of religious services and for the support of that. The Adventist church is not in the same position. The denomination is not God, and saying returning the title to God equals giving it to the denomination is simply not a statement of equality.
4. My experience with the independent ministries that accept tithe money is that they are often judgemental and critical of the denomination and other Adventists. They often have an air of superiority and holiness. This is all divisive, and Satan, not God is the author of divisiveness, no matter how sincere these people may be. So I have a hard time condoning giving, especially tithe, to them. This should serve as a caution that we, individually aren't always in a position to evaluate the appropriateness of such decisions.
5. It is widely believed that the organization is too top heavy, that often the best decisions are made at the local level, and money spent to win souls is generally best spent at the local level. Maurice is fortunate to be in a part of the world where leaders have become keenly aware of this and are doing their best to re-balance it towards the local church. I have heard about this directly from some of the leaders there, and am excited for them. Unfortunately, few leaders in other areas are similarly enlightened.
6. As has already been mentioned, our denomination's policy levels the playing field for workers by distributing money based on need rather than wealthiness of the congregation. That is a very good practice. It also distributes funds based on the judgement of a group of experienced individuals, rather than the feelings of an individual, or the myopic view that I might have.
For the above reasons (and more) I believe in returning tithe through my local church as a general policy. For starters, a significant portion of it is used to pay the pastoral staff of my own church. On the other hand, I believe God has given each of us some discretion in the matter. One way I chose to express that is by supplementing my tithe with offerings that emphasize things needing more support and not things already over-supported by tithe.
Each of us needs to prayerfully consider the issues. It is not a way to get even with some administrator or entity we dislike or feel has done something wrong. There are other channels (both human and divine) for that. But I think we do need to exercise discretion and good judgement. I recently had a small "windfall" amount I felt should be tithed, but I chose to "invest" it in a more local need, rather than through the normal channels I would normally give tithe.
If we simply obey the Lord, what can go wrong, even if men fail to be faithful in their individual duty? God can take care of His own without our working to "fix" the wrongs among HIS people. Our commission is "go...!", not "fix!".
However, there is responsibility to one another, and the church is to discipline those who openly err, in order to restore them that they might "be sound in the faith". (Titus 1:13) So if wrong-doing persists in the church, who's fault is it?