Giving
of Tithes and Offerings
Our
Giving to the Lord... according to Scripture.
References: 1. I Cor.
16:1-3 2. I Cor. 9:7-23 3. Matt.
10: 41-42 4. I Cor. 4:1,2 5. I
Cor. 4:7 6. I Cor. 4:3-14
I Cor. 16:1-3
1.
Biblically, our giving is to His Church, not
to our local body of believers.
Our giving to the Lord
- is to the Lord. We give to Him. Our giving may be tithes,
or it may be offerings, firstfruits - whatever - it is all
our giving to the Lord. It does not belong to the local
church. Our giving may be given through our local church, or through some
other work of His Church (commonly misnomered as "para-church" ministry) - but
it is all the Lord's.
Paul said to collect
"on the first day of every week" ...so that when he arrived, he would carry
those gifts to another place, Jerusalem. No mention is made here
(I Cor. 16:1-3) of keeping any part
of those gifts for the local church! And the implication made is that each
person was to give as the Lord had prospered him/her, and save it for the
collection prior to Paul´s arrival.
I Cor. 9:7-23
2.
Those who serve the Lord in ministry are deserving of
receiving support from His Church.
Paul taught that
ministry workers should "get their living from the gospel"
(also: I Timothy 5:17, 18).
Jesus said, "The worker is worthy of his support"
(Matt. 10:10). It is as natural as as for the soldier, the vineyard
worker, the shepherd, or the ox - as these illustrations show, which Paul gives
us (I Cor. 9:7-9):
Pastors are referred
to as "elders" here by Paul. Indeed, we could refer to missionaries as
"elders", "those who work hard at preaching and teaching", and Paul said these
elders "are worthy of double honor"... worthy of his wages"
(I Timothy 5:17, 18, 21). How well
are we supporting our missionaries? With "double honor"? Or with
greatly inferior wages? Is there, in our local church, what Paul warned against,
a "a spirit of partiality" ...towards denominational missionaries, with neglect
of "para-church" workers?
Matt. 10: 41-42 (Mark 9:41; Matt.
25:34-46; Luke 10:7)
3.
God rewards those who give to support His workers in ministry.
Jesus Himself said
that the one who provides for or gives to a prophet or a disciple "shall not
loose his reward". Givers "shall receive a righteous man´s reward".
Those who give of
their tithes and offerings, to support God´s Kingdom work - be it the local
church, so-called "para-church" workers, or other workers in missions of the
Kingdom ...will be rewarded by God.
I Cor. 4:1,2
4.
We are servants of Christ, stewards of what he entrusts into our hands.
Our wealth makes us
all the more obligated to be good stewards for God. The more we have, the
more we have been entrusted with - and God is expecting us to wisely manage it
all. It is not our own to keep, but remains His - under our management.
We, though rich by worldly standards, are yet but servants... servants to Christ
who bought us with His blood, bound for hell except for His grace.
Arrogant!? On what basis!?
I Cor. 4:7
5.
Guard against feelings of superiority over those who have received less in this
world.
All we have ...we
received. How can one be boastful of having been the recipient of
something?! Smarts, looks, size, stature, strength,
athleticism, personality, business acumen, wealth, power.... "What do you have
that you did not receive?"
"...Learn not to
exceed that which is written..." We should examine ourselves regularly to
make sure an attitude has not sneaked-in.
Our wealth and the
richness of our possessions do not lend us any superiority whatsoever over those
who have not received as much as we have.
Our wealth actually
increases our indebtedness to God - and makes us all the more under obligation
to be good stewards of what has been given us. "To whom much is given, much will
be required." What are we doing extra - because of "much" being
required? Are we going beyond the ordinary requirements of stewardship,
because we have much, or are we just toeing the line, so to speak?
"Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(I Cor. 1:31)
I Cor. 4:3-14
6.
Guard against judging others in how they live their life before their Lord, our
ultimate Judge.
Our perspective of
others cannot see the hidden motives of their heart. God can and He will,
but only in his appointed time of judgment. We should not condemn when we
cannot see that which is "hidden in the darkness"(I
Cor. 4:5).
Judging leads to
arrogance (I Cor. 4:6).
Judging means to condemn someone. How they manage their life or what they
do with their wealth - is not for us to condemn. Leave that to God.
