Giving to God

(Message delivered by the Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo at True Life Church on Dec 9, 07)

 

Christmas is a time when we remember God’s precious gift to mankind—God’s gift of His beloved and uniquely begotten Son—the Lord Jesus Christ—who came to save us from our sins (John 3:16). As we remember God’s infinite Gift to us, how can we forget to return thanks to Him for all the wonderful things we have received from Him? We owe to our God a debt that can never be repaid. Nonetheless the Lord requires of us to worship Him with our tithes and our offerings, not just during the Christmas season but throughout the year even till the end of our days.

What is a tithe? A tithe is a tenth of what we owe to God for all that He has given to us. The tithe is first mentioned in Genesis 14:20 when Abraham gave tithes to the Most High God for granting him victory over his enemies. God later required the Israelites to give a tenth of all their earnings in worship of Him their Provider (Lev 27:30-32; Num 8:24-28; Deut 14:22).

Besides the tithe, there is also the offering. The offerings are voluntary gifts or freewill offerings (Exod 25:2-3; 35:5, 21-29; Lev 7:16; 23:38; Num 7:2-88) in thanksgiving to God for answered prayers, or for special purposes like the building of God’s house (Exod 35:21; 36:3; Lev 7:12; 22:29).

A Command

So why should we tithe? We tithe to God because (1) He commanded us to do so, and (2) the tenth is holy and belongs to Him. Leviticus 27:30, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD.”

Jesus told the people, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matt 22:17). The things that belong to Caesar, the money that he requires in the form of taxes, give to him. Likewise, we ought to render unto God the tithe that is His. When a man does not tithe, he is said to have robbed God. God is angry at those who steal from Him: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (Mal 3:8-9). Each time we get our paycheque, let us not forget to put one-tenth of it into the offering bag.

Obedience

Although God has commanded His people to tithe and offer to Him their 2nd Gethsemane Missionary Conference in Cebu, Philippines, Nov 27-Dec 1, 07 material goods, yet nothing delights Him more than obedience. Samuel said, “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam 15:22). How then should we offer our tithes and offerings? The offering of anything to the Lord must be preceded by a godly and sanctified life, or else our gifts would mean nothing to Him at all.

Love and Gratitude

We tithe and offer to God our possessions not only because it is commanded of us to do so, but also because we love Him and are grateful to Him for all that He has given to us. Everything we have and own comes from the Lord. “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27). In Him “we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). If God does not provide for us a job, give us good health and strength to work, grant us good opportunities and success, we will not be able to earn and get gain. Therefore, we ought to show how thankful and grateful we are to the Lord by our heartfelt offerings. David expresses such a spirit well when he prayed, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chron 29:14).

Sincerity and Truth

When we give to the Lord, it must be done out of a sincere and truthful heart. The Apostle Paul said, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). We must not be like Ananias and Sapphira who gave out of an insincere and deceitful heart. Peter rebuked Ananias, “Ananias, why hast Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:4). When we give to the Lord, it must be done with a pure heart of love for the Lord, thinking only of Him and not of self. This is wonderfully  demonstrated by the poor widow who only had two mites, but gave them all to the Lord which earned the Lord’s commendation, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:43-44).

Worship

When we present our tithes and offerings to God, we must do so worshipfully “Give unto the LORD the glory due to his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chron 16:29). When entering into the presence of the Lord, we are told not to appear before Him empty (Exod 23:15; 34:20). We are to honour the Lord with our substance and with the first receipts of our profits (Prov 3:9).

Privilege

It is a privilege to give our tithes and offering to the Lord. We give to the Lord not because He needs our money or goods, but because He desires our worship of Him sincerely expressed in tangible ways. The Lord is a debtor to no man. When we give to Him, He gives back to us even more, not just materially, but even more so, spiritually. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of host, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal 3:10). Above all, know this: “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Cor 9:8).

Consider the following testimonies of how God keeps His promises to those who obey His command to tithe and to give:

Quaker Oats

Henry P Crowell was a sickly man. He contracted tuberculosis when a boy and could not go to school. So being poor in health and uneducated, he did not think he could be a preacher. But after hearing a sermon by Dwight L Moody, the young Crowell prayed, “I can’t be a preacher, but I can be a good businessman. God, if You will let me make money, I will use it in Your service.”

Under the doctor’s advice, Crowell worked outdoors for seven years and regained his health. He then bought the little run-down Quaker Mill at Ravanna, Ohio. Within 10 years Quaker Oats was a household word to millions. Crowell also operated the huge Perfection Stove Company. For over 40 years Crowell faithfully gave 60-70% of his income to God’s causes, having advanced from an initial 10%. He became affectionately known as “The autocrat of the breakfast table.”

Colgate

At 16 years of age William Colgate left home to seek his fortune. All his possessions consisted of only a tiny bundle, tied in a napkin and carried in his hand. He met an old canal-boat captain, and told him his father was too poor to keep him and the only trade he knew was soap and candle making.

The old captain then knelt and prayed earnestly for the boy and advised, “Someone will soon be the leading soap-maker in New York. It can be you as well as someone else. Be a good man, give your heart to Christ, pay the Lord all that belongs to Him, make an honest soap; give a full pound, and I’m certain you’ll be a prosperous and rich man.”

Into the city, he remembered the captain’s words, and though poor and lonesome, he united with a church. The first dollar earned, he gave 1/10 to God. Ten cents of every dollar were sacred to the Lord. Having regular employment, he soon became a partner and later sole owner of the business. He made an honest soap, gave a full pound and instructed his bookkeeper to open an account with the Lord of 1/10 of all income. The business grew, so he gave 2/10, 3/10. 4/10. 5/10 and finally he gave all his income. By the time the Lord took him home, William Colgate had given millions to the Lord’s work.

Laidlaw

Robert A Laidlaw, the New Zealand businessman who wrote the famous booklet The Reason Why started tithing his $3 weekly salary at age 18. Two years later, he covenanted with God to give 10% of his salary—up to a predetermined amount. Above that amount and up to a larger amount—15%. Above this amount and up to a still larger amount—20%. All above a still larger amount—25%.

At the age of 25, Laidlaw decided to change the above graduated scale and give God 50% of all his earnings. Forty-five years later, he testified: “In spiritual communion and in material things. God has blessed me 100-fold, and has graciously entrusted to me a stewardship far beyond my expectations when, as a lad of 18, I started to give God a definite portion of my wages.”

Tithing Surprises

The Christian who tithe will be surprised:
(1) At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s work.
(2) At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying the tithe.
(3) At the ease in meeting his own obligation with the nine-tenths.
(4) At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger percentage.
(5) At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining.
(6) At himself for not adopting the plan sooner!

Christmas Greetings from Japan

To True Life B-P Church:
Thank you for your weekly. They are so precious to me. By your prayers I could hand out tracts this year also. I had the freedom to hand out tracts in many schools. God bless you richly next year also.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. May His abiding love fill your heart with peace and joy always.

In the Lord,
Setsuko Takashima
Kobe, Japan
Dec 6, 2007