This past week, in our Pastor's Class, we've been dealing with the Disciplines of the Christian Life. Among them is the discipline of finances called tithing. Bringing the "tithe into the storehouse" (Malachi 3:10) is what happens at offering time. It's not a matter of responding to an emotional appeal or a stirring motivational speech. Tithing is when we systematically set aside, for the Lord, the tenth of our income in order to provide for a continuation of the Lord's work.
But there are many who unwilling to "go there". So let me give you these:
Top Ten Reasons Why Some Christians Don't Tithe
10 - The church is just like every other segment of our society, they want your money, and tell you God wants you to give it to them as a method of manipulation. Unfortunately, at times, the church does act just like every other segment of society. Too often I've heard it said, "the church is a business", or, "you have to have money to run the church." To ward this off, every effort should be made to keep the church's distinctive identity as a group of people united by a common allegience to the Head, Jesus Christ. There is no manipulation here. What is given as the tithe is given out of love for Jesus. 9 - I'm already supporting other worth-while causes. While there are many such causes, the faithful preaching of the Gospel is the only enterprise in the world which will promises an eternal home for the future, and the possibility of full joy, peace and love in the present. 8 - I don't agree with decisions made by my church leaders, so I don't want them to handle my money. There is a lot of confusion in the church as to how monetary decisions are made. On one hand, we understand that such decisions must be made in a spiritual manner, by leaders chosen to seek and find God's will in the use of money entrusted to the church. On the other hand, we live in a quazi-democratic culture which says everyone should have a say in the decisions which affect their lives. "The voice of the people is the voice of God." However, you may have noticed that in Moses time, the gifts for the tabernacle were brought to Moses. Numbers 7:1-6 - When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings. He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils. Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted, made offerings. They brought as their gifts before the LORD six covered carts and twelve oxen--an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle. The LORD said to Moses, "Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the Tent of Meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man's work requires." So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. In the New Testament, money was brought and laid at the feet of the Apostles. (Acts 4:34-37) Within the church, are people with many different kinds of gifts, gifts for prophecy, teaching, exhortation, helps, mercy and many others. Among the gifts are also gifts of administration. (I Corinthians 12:28) Let's allow those who have been so gifted, whose gifts have been confirmed by the members of the Body - let's allow them to function according to their gifts. 7 - My budget is already worked out, and there is no money left with wich to pay tithes. The tithe is always, in the Bible, considered to be "first fruits". ("Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God." - Exodus 23:19) It is not honoring to God when we merely give Him our left overs. Think about it. Let's say that for dinner today you are going to invite to your home someone whom you highly respect. Would you give them the cold pizza left over from last Monday Night's football game? You are to be commended if you have your budget all worked out - I haven't met many people who have. If you really want to honor the Lord, this is what you would do. Find in your budget, to start with, a portion of the tithe, and make a commitment to God that each month you will revisit the budget believing that God will supply, and next month you may be able to raise the Lord's portion by a bit more, then more. You will be amazed to find out that honoring the Lord will result in your needs being met, and still reach your God-given goal of providing the tenth to the Lord's work. 6 - I simply can't afford to pay tithes. We live in an environment which promotes luxury as a normal way of life. Decisions have already been made by us and others which place us in a situation where we have few choices left - there's little discretionary spending. While we will not listen to the prosperity preachers who promise that for every dollar we give to God we will get $100 back, we nonetheless do say, "you can't afford not to give", and "you can't out-give God.". There is indeed a rich blessing, not always measurable at the bank, for those who follow the Lord's plan for financial responsibility. Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 ) Giving the tithe sends a clear message that we really do value the kingdom of heaven. 5 - I'm living on a fixed income. This is often spoken by seniors, some of whom are trully living on the edge. But let's not forget the story of Jesus in the temple. "And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing." (Mark 12:42) (A mite is worth one fifth of one cent!) And what did Jesus say of this woman? "This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43,44) 4 - The Old Testament law provided for needy people; now government taxes provide the welfare program for that purpose, so we don't have to give it through the church.It would appear that actually the reason we're where we are now is because the church failed in its task of ministering to the needy. At the beginning, that was a major part of its role, but it has changed so that government has taken over. Let's take this part of the ministry back! 3 - I tried it once, and it didn't work for me.Remember, this is not about you, or what you will get back from God by being faithful in your giving the tithe. God should not be seen as a kind of heavenly pin-ball machine! (Put in a quarter, shake it up a bit and out comes a basketful of blessing.) Yes, Jesus did say, "Give and it shall be given unto you." (Luke 6:38) But the Bible also says, "Thou shalt not covet." Let's make sure our giving isn't coveteousness thinly disguised. 2 - Tithing is legalisim, but we are under Grace, not Law.The truth is, Abraham and Jacob (probably Isaac too) tithed long before the Law of Moses was instituted. According to the clear teaching of the Apostle Paul, Abraham was justified by faith, not by tithing. But nonetheless, Abraham did pay tithes to Melchizedek, who the writer of Hebrews sees as a type of Christ. When we give the tithe, we do not give, as Paul said ". . . reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (I Corinthians 9:7)It is not a matter of law, but of devotion to Christ. 1 - It hurts.Understand, this is not just an injury to the pocket book. (One man was known to put his tithe in the offering bag, then with a tear in his eye, wave goodby as it disappeared down the aisle of the church!) The hurt is actually the damage done to the ego. We want to be in control, and tithing is a statement that we're not - God is. So in part, when we tithe, we are saying it again, "I am crucified with Christ." (Galatians 2:20) Then, let me give you: Top Ten Reasons Why Christians Do Tithe10 - Jesus said we ought to do it.p>9 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 8 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 7 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 5 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 6 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 4 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 3 - Jesus said we ought to do it. 2 - Jesus said we ought to do it. And the number 1 reason Christians tithe is, Jesus said we ought to do it. This may surprise some, but read what Jesus spoke in Matthew 23:23: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." Actually, the call of Jesus is for us to be faithful with the tithe, but we must go beyond the tithe. It's the same message Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20) To tithe is to worship the Lord with the financial resources he has entrusted to us. But then we must go on to "justice, mercy and faithfulness." Justice is to be fair in our dealings with others, "mercy" is to be forgiving toward those who are not fair with us, and "faithfulness" is to keep God at the center of everything we do or say. Let's go "Beyond the Tithe."
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