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What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER FORTY

FINANCING THE LORD'S CHURCH
I CORINTHIANS 16:1-2

We believe that God's spiritual work is to be done by His church and His church is to be financed by the tithes and offerings of its members.

I. The tithe is God's basic way of financing His work:

A. A tithe is defined in the dictionary as being one tenth; and God expects a man to place one tenth of all his increases into the Lord's treasury:

1. The Bible specifically commands us to do that:

a. Listen to Lev. 27:30-32, "All the tithe of the land . . . is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord. . .the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord."

b. Deut. 14:22 says, "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase..."

2. The tithe was not limited to just the children of Israel under, Moses' Law:

a. The tithe was instituted and practiced before Moses was ever born:

(1) In Gen. 28:22 Jacob said to God, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."
(2) As early as Gen. 14:20 the Lord says that Abraham paid tithes unto the Lord's priest.
(3) And, Heb. 7:5-6, 8-9 makes it very clear that God was well pleased with the tithes of Abraham.
(4) So, don't think that tithing was something begun only when God gave the Law.

b. The tithe was practiced by those under the Law:

(1) I've already cited Lev. 27:30-32 which says the tithe is the Lord's.
(2) The Israelites were tithing in Num. 18:28, II Chron. 31:5, 6, 12 and Neh. 10:37-38.
(3) God's command to tithe is restated several times. Deut. 12:6, 11; Deut. 14:22, 23, 28; Deut. 26:12, Mal. 3:10.

c. And, the tithe is to be practiced after the Law:

(1) In Mt. 23:23 and Lk. 11:42 Jesus told the Pharisees they ought not to leave off tithing.
(2) I Cor. 16:2 The type of giving being taught here was definitely a proportionate giving, which could only be carried out by use of a percentage.

3. So, the Lord has and does expect a man to tithe. He said in Prov. 3:9, "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase."

B. If God's people do not tithe, generally the work of God can not be carried on:

1. Nehemiah points out that when Israel failed to bring in the tithe in Neh. 13:10, the Lord's work had virtually come to a halt:

a. Such is the case today by those who give on a "hiram-scarim" basis. . The Lord's work is what suffers.

b. Today generally only a small percentage of the Lord's people support His work with their tithes. Undoubtedly God's work would be far stronger with far greater outreach, if only all of God's people tithed.

2. Such points as they that preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, can only be carried out when God's people practice God's method of finance. I Cor. 9:13-14.

C. And, God's anger is quickly aroused whenever His people don't tithe and His work thus suffers:

1. Remember that Lev. 27:30 said that the tithe is "holy" unto the Lord. Prov. 20:25 then says, "It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy."

2. Mal. 3:8-9 calls it robbery in the grossest sense.

3. Tithing is the fairest, most equitable way of giving ever devised and when a man disregards it, he is disregarding God and God will hold him accountable for it.

II. God's word not only teaches tithing: it also teaches us how to do it:

A. It is to be placed into the Lord's central treasury:

1. Abraham paid it to the Lord's priest, Gen. 14:19-20.

2. Israel brought it to God's house, II Chron. 31:5-10.

3. God told Israel to bring it to the "storehouse" Mal. 3:10.

4. In I Cor. 16:2 Paul said, "lay by. . in store."

5. in Acts 5:1-10 they were giving to the church at Jerusalem.

6. The church has the charge today of carrying on God's spiritual work (Mt. 28:19-20), and God wants the glory that would come to Him to come through his saints (Eph. 3:21).

7. Since today the church is the only institution God has on earth for carrying on His spiritual work, then His treasury or storehouse today must of necessity be His church:

a. His treasury is not your bank account or a radio preacher.

b. The tithe is to be placed in His church.

B. Tithing is to be done regularly:

1. I Cor. 16:2 says the time to tithe is "The first day of the week."

2. The tithe is due on "all the increase" (Deut. 14:22) or "as God has prospered" a man (I Cor. 16:2)

3. Thus, the tithe would be due in the Lord's house upon the next first day of the week after the man has received the increase.

4. It should be set aside first; not paid after all else is paid:

a. Prov. 3:9 says we should give God "the firstfruits of all the increase."

b. Lev. 23:15-17 teaches giving of our first fruits unto God.

C. Tithing is to be done by all of God's people:

1. I Cor. 16:2 says "Let every one of you lay by him in store..."

2. God's intention never was that only a few carry on His work while all the others enjoyed the benefits. All should share.

3. According to this plan, if you have not been "prospered" or "increased", then you don't give any and you haven't broken God's command.

D. The tithe is to be given cheerfully; never grudgingly:

1. II. Cor. 9:7 says never do it of duty or necessity.

2. And, II Cor. 9:6 and Prov. 11:24-25 teach liberality in giving.

3. If a man gives stingily and grudgingly to the Lord, his giving will profit him nothing.

4. When a man gives, it should be with joy and enthusiasm.

Thus, it is our firm conviction that tithing should be practiced by every believer. He should do it with joy that God's work might continue and increase.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"