tithe

The Pen of Inspiration – Tithes and Offerings

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I have been shown that many are robbing the Lord in tithes, and as the result His work is being hindered.

God’s Forebearance

How can the beneficent Father continue to make us His stewards, if we grasp all that is placed in our care, selfishly claiming it as our own? All that we have comes from God. He gives to us, that we may be His helping hand to bless others. He requires that we return to Him the tithe. He says it is holy unto the Lord.

God will bear long. He will test and prove all; but the curse will surely follow the selfish transgressor. God knows the heart. Every thought and every purpose is open to His eye. He says, “Them that honor Me I will honor.” [1 Samuel 2:30.] He knows whom to bless, and who deserves the curse. He makes no mistakes. Angels are keeping a record of all our works. When we rob God of the tithe, we also rob ourselves: for we lose the heavenly treasure. We deprive ourselves of the blessing of God, which is promised to those who deal honestly with Him. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” [Proverbs 11:24.] God’s ministers should not fail to warn the people, showing from the Bible the result of withholding the tithe.

When men realize that they are not their own, that they are bought with a price, and are therefore the Lord’s property, and all they have is simply intrusted to them as His stewards, they will, with cheerful heart, render to God the things that are His, and there will be no occasion to urge or beg for the tithe. All will realize that they are not proprietors, but stewards, and will know that they must give an account of their Lord’s money. . . .

Enduring Principle

The tithe should be consecrated to God. His requirements come first. We are not doing His will if we consecrate to Him what is left after all our wants have been supplied. Before any part of our income is consumed, we should take out and present to Him that portion which He claims as His. When this is done, the remainder will be sanctified and blessed to our own use. But when we withhold that which He says is His, the curse rests upon the whole, and we are recorded in the books of heaven as guilty of robbery. God gives man nine-tenths, but the one-tenth He claims for sacred purposes,—as He has given man six days for his own work, and has reserved the seventh day to Himself.

The tithing system was founded upon a principle which is as enduring as the law of God. It will be a blessing to those who will carry it out to the end of time. Our heavenly Father did not originate the system to enrich Himself, but to be a great blessing to man.

The simplicity of the plan shows the wisdom of God in its arrangement. Everything bearing the divine stamp unites simplicity with utility. Those who return to the Lord the tenth, will find it true that the nine-tenths are worth more to them than the ten-tenths. . . .

If all the tithes were brought into the storehouse, God’s treasury would not be empty. [Malachi 3:10 quoted.] When man does his part, God never fails to fulfil His promises.

Offerings

God asks not only the tithe, but says we are to come to Him with tithes and offerings. Some will say that this was one of the rigorous laws binding upon the Hebrews: But it was not a burden to the willing heart that loved God. It is only when the selfish nature is made stronger by withholding that which God has given us that we might bless others, that we value earthly treasures above souls, above the blessings that are for the unselfish.

There are even more urgent necessities upon the Israel of God in these last days than were upon ancient Israel, for there is a great and important work to be accomplished in a very short time. God designed that the spirit of sacrifice should broaden and deepen for the closing work.

As followers of Christ we do not realize our true position. We do not have correct views of our responsibilities. We are stewards of our Lord, and the interests and prosperity of His cause should receive our first and best attention. In the balances of the sanctuary our gifts are not estimated according to the amount given, but according to the self-denial, prompted by love for Christ, that the gift has cost. . . .

Ensured Blessing

An all-wise God knew what was best when He gave to His people the plan of systematic offerings. They found that when they tried to increase their possessions, by withholding from God their tithes and offerings, the effort was sure to be a failure.

When we humbly use what God has given us for the honor of the Giver, we may feel at all times the peace and assurance that God’s hand is over us for good; for the treasure which is used to advance the cause of God, and which is given to the needy in Christ’s name, is given to Christ, and He lays it up for us in heaven. Then we grow rich. There is no danger of loss nor poverty when one has everlasting riches in heaven’s bank. Covetousness is idolatry; and it was to aid us in keeping the commandments that God originated the plan for tithes and offerings.

Free-will offerings of self-denial, made in faith and love to the Redeemer, will bring back blessings. Every act of liberality on the part of His saints is recorded in the books of heaven. We are to become like God. He gave all to save us.

Copartnership

In God’s system of offerings He would impress upon the minds of His people that the Lord is the great Proprietor. He must have the first place in their minds. He would have them know their dependence on Him. . . . Would that those of this day who rejoice in a Saviour’s love, could realize that their silver and gold, their time and strength, are the Lord’s and should be used to promote His glory, not grudgingly retained to gratify self.

God knows, and all who have had the experience know, that there is an elevated and permanent happiness in giving willingly and freely to bless others, which those who spend all on self-gratification, or hoard for greed of gain, can never experience. It is to bless us, to make us happy and rich, that God asks us to adopt His plan of giving. The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. Selfishness is the spirit of Satan. . . .

God in His wise plan has made the advancement of His cause dependent upon the personal efforts and free-will offerings of the people. By giving man the opportunity of becoming a copartner in the great plan of redemption, the Lord has placed a signal honor upon him, greater than has been conferred upon the angels. They would gladly do the work that God, in His love, has made it possible for man to do.

Gospel Mission

Some say: “We are tired of giving. It is the old cry, ‘Give, give.’ ” If we are tired of giving, we should be tired of receiving; for this is why God gives to us, that we may be channels through which His gifts may reach others, and we have the reward. As soon as we wish in our hearts that there would be no more calls to give, we virtually desire that the cause of God shall make no further progress, and that the gospel of the kingdom shall not be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, that the end may come.

As we near the end, the gospel will go with greater and yet greater rapidity. And opportunities will be given us to give more and more of the means of which the Lord had made us His stewards. In this God would have us act as His colaborers. What a blessing, to be a worker and an heir with the world’s Redeemer! If we suffer with Him, the promise is, we shall also reign with Him. As we hear the calls and demands being more and more urgently made for means to enter the many doors that are opening, we may know that the Lord’s coming is nearing. Who would delay it by withholding for selfish gratification the means God has placed in our hands for this very work?

Pacific Union Recorder, October 10, 1901; October 24, 1901.

Rendering to God His Own, Part III

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“Never was there a more important time in the history of our work than the present. The message of the third chapter of Malachi comes to us, holding up before us the need of honesty in our relations to the Lord and His work. My brethren, the money that you use to buy and sell and get gain will be a curse to you if you withhold from the Lord that which is His.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 53.

“Wherever there is life, there is increase and growth; in God’s kingdom there is a constant interchange,—taking in, and giving out; receiving, and returning to the Lord His own. God works with every true believer, and the light and blessings received are given out again in the work which the believer does. Thus the capacity for receiving is increased. As one imparts of the heavenly gifts, he makes room for fresh currents of grace and truth to flow into the soul from the living fountain. Greater light, increased knowledge and blessings, are his. In this work, which devolves upon every church member, is the life and growth of the church. He whose life consists in ever receiving and never giving, soon loses the blessing. If the truth does not flow forth from him to others, he loses his capacity to receive.” “The man who will rob God is cultivating traits of character that will cut him off from admittance into the family of God above.” Ibid., vol. 6, 448, 391.

We as a people have always believed and taught that the message from God to the Laodicean church recorded in Revelation 3:14, finds its application in the denomination which is delivering to the world the warning message of Revelation 14:6 [see also verses 7–12]; in other words, the Seventh-day Adventists. We have looked on the Laodicean message as a sifting process that will remove from the ranks the wrong-doers, while preparing the true in heart for participation in the message of the loud cry.

For many years we have looked forward to the reformation that will be wrought by this message, but time and again we have been told by the Spirit of prophecy that the message was not yet doing its work. In 1873, the servant of the Lord stated plainly the preparation that must be made before the result presented in that message can be realized: “The people of God must see their wrongs and arouse to zealous repentance and a putting away of those sins which have brought them into such a deplorable condition of poverty, blindness, wretchedness, and fearful deception. I was shown that the pointed testimony must live in the church. This alone will answer to the message to the Laodiceans. Wrongs must be reproved, sin must be called sin, and iniquity must be met promptly and decidedly, and put away from us as a people.”

“I saw that many who profess to be keeping the commandments of God are appropriating to their own use the means which the Lord has entrusted to them and which should come into His treasury. They rob God in tithes and in offerings. They dissemble and withhold from Him to their own hurt. They bring leanness and poverty upon themselves and darkness upon the church because of their covetousness, their dissembling, and their robbing God in tithes and in offerings.

“I saw that many souls will sink in darkness because of their covetousness. The plain, straight testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body, responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them. If the leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible for those sins.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 260, 269.

These statements lose nothing of their force because of the years that have passed since they were made. Their application and necessity are more evident now than they were forty-three years ago. That the revival of the straight testimony will do its work and prepare a people to give the warning to Babylon, is clearly shown in the description of a vision given to Sister White. In this vision a great reformatory movement passed before her. The people of God were aroused from their lethargy, and were hastening in every direction, engaged in various lines of missionary labor. They were so spiritually minded that the sick were healed at their solicitation, and miracles witnessed to the genuineness of their work, while the covetous, refusing to be converted, were sifted out. See Testimonies, vol. 9, 126.

From this it is evident that this reformatory movement will be the result of the application of the Laodicean message, and according to the Testimony just referred to, it will be accomplished by the revival of the pointed and straight testimonies. A careful study of the Testimonies will show that one of the main reasons, if not the principal one, for unfaithfulness in the payment of tithe, lies in the lack of systematic methods for its collection.

God holds the church officers responsible for the collection of tithe. . . . The elders and church officers are expected to visit and labor with the delinquents. Briefly presented, the instruction is as follows: “Ministers have neglected to enforce gospel beneficence. The subject of tithes and offerings has not been dwelt upon as it should have been.” Ibid., vol. 5, 382. . . .

In an article published in the Church Officers’ Gazette for January 1915, Elder G. B. Thompson quotes from the Supplement to the Review and Herald of December 1, 1896, the following from the servant of the Lord: “Let the church appoint pastors or elders who are devoted to the Lord Jesus, and let these men see that officers are chosen who will attend faithfully to the work of gathering in the tithe. If the pastors show that they are not fitted for their charge, if they fail to set before the church the importance of returning to God his own, if they do not see to it that the officers under them are faithful, and that the tithe is brought in, they are in peril. They are neglecting a matter which involves a blessing or a curse to the church. They should be relieved of their responsibility, and other men should be tested and tried.”

Elder Thompson then comments as follows: “I hope this instruction from the servant of the Lord will not fall on stony ground, but bear fruit. If all the officers in our churches will take up this burden, many thousands of dollars of tithe will be gathered for the work of God. This means greater blessing to those who are faithful, more laborers sent into the fields, and more souls saved. Shall not this long-neglected matter receive attention without further delay?” No one, however, can be compelled to obey God, neither can any be questioned as to the amount of income or increase to be tithed. The individual is to be left free to tithe his income, but God requires a tenth to be turned in to the treasury. If he makes a false statement, it will appear in the judgment against him; it is a personal matter between God and the individual.

“Men are not naturally inclined to be benevolent, but to be sordid and avaricious, and to live for self. And Satan is ever ready to present the advantages to be gained by using all their means for selfish, worldly purposes; he is glad when he can influence them to shirk duty, and rob God in tithes and offerings. But not one is excused in this matter.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 382.

“Systematic benevolence should not be made systematic compulsion. It is freewill offerings that are acceptable to God.” “As to the amount required, God has specified one tenth of the increase. This is left to the conscience and benevolence of men, whose judgment in this tithing system should have free play. And while it is left free to the conscience, a plan has been laid out definite enough for all. No compulsion is required.” Ibid., vol. 3, 396, 394.

“Voluntary offerings and the tithe constitute the revenue of the gospel. Of the means which are entrusted to man, God claims a certain portion—a tithe; but He leaves all free to say how much the tithe is, and whether or not they will give more than this. They are to give as they purpose in their hearts.” Ibid., vol. 5, 149.

“The first Christian church had not the privileges and opportunities we have. They were a poor people, but they felt the power of the truth. The object before them was sufficient to lead them to invest all. They felt that the salvation or the loss of a world depended upon their instrumentality. They cast in their all; and held themselves in readiness to go or come at the Lord’s bidding.

“We profess to be governed by the same principles, to be influenced by the same spirit. But instead of giving all for Christ many have taken the golden wedge and a goodly Babylonish garment and hid them in the camp. If the presence of one Achan was sufficient to weaken the whole camp of Israel, can we be surprised at the little success which attends our efforts when every church and almost every family has its Achan?” Ibid., 156, 157.

“As a people professing to be reformers, treasuring the most solemn, purifying truths of God’s word, we must elevate the standard far higher than it is at the present time. Sin and sinners in the church must be promptly dealt with, that others may not be contaminated. Truth and purity require that we make more thorough work to cleanse the camp from Achans. Let those in responsible positions not suffer sin in a brother. Show him that he must either put away his sins or be separated from the church.” Ibid., 147.

In a Testimony concerning the guilt of Achan, and its effect on the camp of Israel, the following statements are made: “I have been shown that God here illustrates how He regards sin among those who profess to be His commandment-keeping people. Those whom He has specially honored with witnessing the remarkable exhibitions of His power, as did ancient Israel, and who will even then venture to disregard His express directions, will be subjects of His wrath. He would teach His people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to Him and are not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins. In His dealings with His people in the past the Lord shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs. One sinner may diffuse darkness that will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation.” Ibid., vol. 3, 265.

Reprinted from The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald,Vol. 93, No. 24, May 11, 1916, 8–10; No. 25, May 18, 1916, 7, 8; No. 26, May 25, 1916, 9, 10; No. 27, June 1, 1916, 9, 10.

Rendering to God His Own, Part II

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It has ever been the effort of Satan to have the system of tithing made to appear in the light of a burden. He has striven to limit the investigation of the purposes of the system to its obligation as a commanded duty. To the unconverted heart a demand for a stipulated amount to be contributed regularly to the cause appears as an arbitrary and unnecessary exercise of power.

“Some will pronounce this one of the rigorous laws binding upon the Hebrews. But this was not a burden to the willing heart that loved God. It was only when their selfish natures were strengthened by withholding that men lost sight of eternal considerations and valued their earthly treasures above souls. There are even more urgent necessities upon the Israel of God in these last days than were upon ancient Israel. There is a great and important work to be accomplished in a very short time. God never designed that the law of the tithing system should be of no account among His people; but, instead of this, He designed that the spirit of sacrifice should widen and deepen for the closing work.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 396.

“The moral law enjoined the observance of the Sabbath, which was not a burden except when that law was transgressed and they were bound by the penalties involved in breaking it. The tithing system was no burden to those who did not depart from the plan. The system enjoined upon the Hebrews has not been repealed or relaxed by the One who originated it. Instead of being of no force now, it was to be more fully carried out and more extended, as salvation through Christ alone should be more fully brought to light in the Christian age. . . . The gospel, extending and widening, required greater provisions to sustain the warfare after the death of Christ, and this made the law of almsgiving a more urgent necessity than under the Hebrew government. Now God requires, not less, but greater gifts than at any other period of the world.” Ibid., 392.

Giving Proportionate to Blessings

And because of this the Lord has laid down a principle that is to govern in all decisions concerning tithing. “The principle laid down by Christ is that the gifts and offerings should be in proportion to the light and blessings enjoyed. He has said: ‘For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.’ ” Ibid.

“It is the spirit of covetousness which leads men to keep for gratification of self means that rightfully belong to God, and this spirit is as abhorrent to Him now as when through His prophet He sternly rebuked His people, saying, ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me.’ [Malachi 3:8.] . . . The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. This spirit finds its highest manifestation in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. In our behalf the Father gave his only-begotten Son; and Christ, having given up all that He had, then gave Himself, that man might be saved. The cross of Calvary should appeal to the benevolence of every follower of the Saviour. The principle there illustrated is to give, give. . . . On the other hand, the spirit of selfishness is the spirit of Satan. The principle illustrated in the lives of worldlings is to get, get. Thus they hope to secure happiness and ease, but the fruit of their sowing is misery and death.

“Not until God ceases to bless His children will they cease to be under bonds to return to Him the portion that He claims. Not only should they render the Lord the portion that belongs to Him, but they should bring also to His treasury, as a gratitude offering, a liberal tribute. With joyful hearts they should dedicate to the Creator the first fruits of their bounties—their choicest possessions, their best and holiest service. Thus they will gain rich blessings. God Himself will make their souls like a watered garden whose waters fail not. And when the last great harvest is gathered in, the sheaves that they are enabled to bring to the Master will be the recompense of their unselfish use of the talents lent them.” The Acts of the Apostles, 339, 340.

Unlimited Effort Demanded

If the true purpose of God was understood, then the hearts of the people would be drawn to God in gratitude for his considerate care and the tender love shown in his provision for their safety and salvation. Through his servant God reasons with His people in this way: “It should not be a lamented fact that there are increasing calls to give. God in his providence is calling His people out from their limited sphere of action, to enter upon greater enterprises. Unlimited effort is demanded at this time when moral darkness is covering the world. Many of God’s people are in danger of being ensnared by worldliness and covetousness. They should understand that it is His mercy that multiplies the demands for their means. Objects that call benevolence into action must be placed before them, or they cannot pattern after the character of the great Exemplar.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 254, 255.

“Our Redeemer, who knew man’s danger in regard to covetousness, has provided a safeguard against this dreadful evil. He has arranged the plan of salvation so that it begins and ends in benevolence. Christ offered Himself, an infinite sacrifice. This, in and of itself, bears directly against covetousness and exalts benevolence.

“Constant, self-denying benevolence is God’s remedy for the cankering sins of selfishness and covetousness. God has arranged systematic benevolence to sustain His cause and relieve the necessities of the suffering and needy. He has ordained that giving should become a habit, that it may counteract the dangerous and deceitful sin of covetousness. Continual giving starves covetousness to death. Systematic benevolence is designed in the order of God to tear away treasures from the covetous as fast as they are gained and to consecrate them to the Lord, to whom they belong. . . .

“If riches increase, men, even those professing godliness, set their hearts upon them; and the more they have, the less they give to the treasury of the Lord. Thus riches make men selfish, and hoarding feeds covetousness; and these evils strengthen by active exercise. God knows our danger and has hedged us about with means to prevent our own ruin. He requires the constant exercise of benevolence, that the force of habit in good works may break the force of habit in an opposite direction.” Ibid., vol. 3, 548.

Character Revealed

“It is in a crisis that character is revealed. When the earnest voice proclaimed at midnight, ‘Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,’ and the sleeping virgins were roused from their slumbers, it was seen who had made preparation for the event. Both parties were taken unawares; but one was prepared for the emergency, and the other was found without preparation. . . .

“The ten virgins are watching in the evening of this earth’s history. All claim to be Christians. All have a call, a name, a lamp, and all profess to be doing God’s service. All apparently wait for Christ’s appearing. But five are unready. Five will be found surprised, dismayed, outside the banquet hall.

“At the final day, many will claim admission to Christ’s kingdom, saying, ‘We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.’ ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ But the answer is, ‘I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me.’ Luke 13:26, 27; Matthew 7:22. In this life they have not entered into fellowship with Christ; therefore they know not the language of heaven, they are strangers to its joy. . . .

“Saddest of all words that ever fell on mortal ear are those words of doom, ‘I know you not.’ The fellowship of the Spirit, which you have slighted, could alone make you one with the joyous throng at the marriage feast. In that scene you cannot participate. Its light would fall on blinded eyes, its melody upon deaf ears. Its love and joy could awake no chord of gladness in the world-benumbed heart. You are shut out from heaven by your own unfitness for its companionship.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 412, 413.

Yield Obedience

It is vital that man shall yield obedience to the law of tithing, and for this reason Satan has sought to impress upon his evil angels the necessity of so influencing commandment keepers as to weaken their faith in the promises of God, and to develop the natural tendency to selfishness common to fallen man. He is represented by the servant of the Lord as thus instructing his angels:—“Go, make the possessors of lands and money drunk with cares. If you can make them place their affections upon these things, we shall have them yet. They may profess what they please, only make them care more for money than for the success of Christ’s kingdom or the spread of the truths we hate. Present the world before them in the most attractive light, that they may love and idolize it. . . . Present every plausible excuse to those who have means, lest they hand it out. Control the money matters if you can, and drive their ministers to want and distress. This will weaken their courage and zeal. . . . Make covetousness and love of earthly treasures the ruling traits of their character. As long as these traits rule, salvation and grace stand back.” Early Writings, 266, 267.

“As Satan sees that his time is short, he leads men on to be more and more selfish and covetous, and then exults as he sees them wrapped up in themselves, close, penurious, and selfish. If the eyes of such could be opened, they would see Satan in hellish triumph, exulting over them and laughing at the folly of those who accept his suggestions and enter his snares. . . . Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth’s gain. All such will be sifted out from God’s people.” Ibid., 268, 269.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the promise is that the Lord will raise up a standard against him. So, to counteract the effort of Satan to develop selfishness, God presents the principles embodied in the parable of the talents, these to be worked out in the life, thus developing a character that cannot be molded along evil lines. In the parable of the talents man is presented as a steward, a coworker, with God: “The idea of stewardship should have a practical bearing upon all the people of God. The parable of the talents, rightly understood, will bar out covetousness, which God calls idolatry. Practical benevolence will give spiritual life to thousands of nominal professors of the truth who now mourn over their darkness. It will transform them from selfish, covetous worshipers of mammon to earnest, faithful co-workers with Christ in the salvation of sinners.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 387.

Servants of the Master

One servant, in the parable, confessed that he had hid the talent entrusted to him, and his counterpart is seen all through the ranks of Sabbath keepers today. “This unprofitable servant was not ignorant of God’s plans, but he set himself firmly to thwart the purpose of God, charging Him with unfairness in requiring improvement upon the talents entrusted to him. This very complaint and murmuring is made by a large class of wealthy men professing to believe the truth. Like the unfaithful servant they are afraid that the increase of the talent that God has lent them will be called for to advance the spread of truth; therefore they tie it up by investing it in earthly treasures and burying it in the world, thus making it so fast that they have nothing, or next to nothing, to invest in the cause of God. They have buried it, fearing that God would call for some of the principal or increase. When, at the demand of their Lord, they bring the amount given them, they come with ungrateful excuses for not having put the means lent them by God out to the exchangers, by investing it in His cause to carry on His work.

“He who embezzles his Lord’s goods not only loses the talent lent him of God, but loses eternal life.” Ibid., 386, 387.

“Christians forget that they are servants of the Master; that they themselves, their time, and all that they have belong to Him. Many are tempted, and the majority are overcome, by the delusive inducements which Satan presents to invest their money where it will yield them the greatest profit in dollars and cents. There are but few who consider the binding claims that God has upon them to make it their first business to meet the necessities of His cause and let their own desires be served last. There are but few who invest in God’s cause in proportion to their means. Many have fastened their money in property which they must sell before they can invest it in the cause of God and thus put it to a practical use. They make this an excuse for doing but little in their Redeemer’s cause. They have as effectually buried their money in the earth as had the man in the parable. They rob God of the tenth, which He claims as His own, and in robbing Him they rob themselves of the heavenly treasure.” Ibid., 398.

To such professed Christians the servant of the Lord speaks in decisive tones: “I have been shown that many of our people are robbing the Lord in tithes and in offerings, and as the result His work is greatly hindered. The curse of God will rest upon those who are living upon God’s bounties and yet close their hearts and do nothing or next to nothing to advance His cause.” “The only means which God has ordained to advance His cause is to bless men with property. . . . Well, says one, the calls keep coming to give to the cause; I am weary of giving. Are you? Then let me ask: Are you weary of receiving from God’s beneficent hand? Not until He ceases to bless you will you cease to be under bonds to return to Him the portion He claims. He blesses you that it may be in your power to bless others. When you are weary of receiving, then you may say: I am weary of so many calls to give. God reserves to Himself a portion of all that we receive. When this is returned to Him, the remaining portion is blessed; but when it is withheld, the whole is sooner or later cursed.” Ibid., vol. 5, 151, 150.

To be concluded . . .

Rendering to God His Own, Part I

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The study of nature demonstrates the existence of a God who is a Creator, but gives no insight into His purposes in creating the earth or in placing man upon it, or of His plan for the salvation of man. For this information we must go to the Bible. Why? Because it is the only source of revelation of that God and Creator, declaring His purposes in creation and presenting His plan of salvation. Anciently God spoke to certain men, prophets and apostles, making known His purposes and plans through them. These revelations have, in part, been gathered by divine direction, and now constitute what is known as the Scriptures, or Sacred Writings.

If men would study these writings and live out their teachings, they would find them a source of knowledge that would thoroughly furnish them “unto all good works.” [11 Timothy 3: 17.] But this they fail to do, hence God has given us instruction through the testimonies of His Spirit. But these testimonies were not given to take the place of the Bible. “God has seen fit in this manner to bring the minds of His people to His Word, to give them a clearer understanding of it.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 663.

“The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed.” Ibid., 665.

A Study of Tithing

With these two sources of light and knowledge, let us study more deeply, possibly, than we yet have done, the otherwise familiar subject of tithing; study the purpose of God in planning it; study it until we reach the foundation principle, love, the beginning of every purpose, every plan, of God. And as the light comes, and the beauty and charm of it all is revealed, let us turn our wayward feet back again into the dear old path, and tell the Lord that, won by his love, we are “coming home, never more to roam.” [William J. Kirkpatrick, “I’ve Wandered Far Away From God,” The Church Hymnal, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Takoma Park, Washington, D.C., 1941, 560.]

For an amplification of the truth of the biblical statements concerning tithing, we will place the Testimonies beside the Bible. Beginning, then, with volume 3, we shall obtain a clear explanation of God’s purpose in presenting the tithing system to man. From page 388 we will quote, commenting as we proceed: “The great work which Jesus announced that He came to do was entrusted to His followers upon the earth. Christ, as our head, leads out in the great work of salvation and bids us follow His example. He has given us a world-wide message.”

From this we gather that Christ opened up the work, illustrating how it should be accomplished, but that the work itself was to be and will be accomplished through human agents. Now what was this work, as defined by himself? “He announced in the synagogue of Nazareth: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’ ” And this statement is followed by the further one. “He has given us a world-wide message. This truth must be extended to all nations, tongues, and people.”

Completing the Work

Did you ever have an important piece of work on hand which you were extremely anxious to see finished, yet so many annoyances and interruptions distracted your attention and consumed your time as almost to discourage you in your efforts to accomplish your undertaking? Well, there you have a picture of the predicament and perplexities of the missionary for Christ. Still that is not all or the worst side of the picture. The most discouraging and the most appallingly disheartening obstacle the missionary has to meet and allow for is unfaithfulness in support from the home center. It takes money to carry on war. How cruel to send gospel soldiers out into the field to meet the enemy, then rob the home treasury so that an adequate amount cannot be forwarded to meet the soldier’s needs and necessities!

The Lord’s servant has said, “An extensive war was to be maintained against the powers of darkness. And in order to do this work successfully, means were required. God does not propose to send means direct from heaven, but He gives into the hands of His followers talents of means to use for the very purpose of sustaining this warfare. He has given his people a plan for raising sums sufficient to make the enterprise self-sustaining. . . . The treasury will be full if all adopt this system, and the contributors will not be left the poorer. Through every investment made they will become more wedded to the cause of present truth. They will be ‘laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ ” Ibid., 388, 389.

When an individual enters the church through baptism, the act is a tacit pledge to “walk in newness of life,” which means not only to believe but to live out all the principles of truth. [Romans 6:4.] “Every person, upon becoming a member of the church, pledges himself to be a representative of Christ by living out the truth he professes. The followers of Christ should carry forward the work which He left for them to do when He ascended into heaven.” Ibid., vol. 4, 464. When you accepted present truth and became a member of the church, you agreed to cooperate with Christ in the giving of the message, in person and in time, and to contribute of your means, . . . to carry on the warfare to be waged against Satan. This is what it means to be a co-laborer with Christ, and in return the assurance is given that persistence in this cooperation will insure a change of character which will admit the faithful one to the heavenly courts. In God’s plan there is no other way in which a character can be perfected.

Self-denial

The plan of salvation is founded upon [Jesus Christ, and it, by His example and command, includes] self-denial. The cultivation of that spirit is, therefore, a necessity as a fundamental principle of truth. God has made this absolutely obligatory. “Whatever necessity there is for our agency in the advancement of the cause of God, He has purposely arranged for our good. He has honored us by making us co-workers with Him. He has ordained that there should be a necessity for the co-operation of men, that they may keep in exercise their benevolence. . . . Christians are required by the Scriptures to enter upon a plan of active benevolence which will keep in constant exercise an interest in the salvation of their fellow men.” Ibid., vol. 3, 391, 392. “This is God’s means of exalting man. It is just the work which he needs, for it will stir the deepest sympathies of his heart and call into exercise the highest capabilities of the mind.” Ibid., vol. 4, 472.

“God is not dependent upon man for the support of His cause. He could have sent means direct from heaven to supply His treasury, if His providence had seen that this was best for man. He might have devised means whereby angels would have been sent to publish the truth to the world without the agency of men. He might have written the truth upon the heavens, and let that declare to the world His requirements in living characters.” Ibid., vol. 3, 390.

“But the all-wise God did not choose any of these ways. He knew that man must have something to do in order that life might be a blessing to him. The gold and the silver are the Lord’s, and He could rain them from heaven if He chose; but instead of this He has made man His steward, entrusting him with means, not to be hoarded, but to be used in benefiting others. He thus makes man the medium through which to distribute His blessings on earth. God planned the system of beneficence in order that man might become, like his Creator, benevolent and unselfish in character, and finally be a partaker with Him of the eternal, glorious reward.” Ibid., vol. 4, 473.

To Give or To Get

The primary object, then, in presenting the tithing system is the salvation of man through cooperation with God in his plan of salvation, the support of his cause being supplemental, as one of the incidents connected with the plan. The spirit of heaven is to give. Christ first gave himself, and then gave all that he had, for the redemption of man. The angels put aside the quiet life of absolute bliss, and gladly took their places as ministers to fallen man. The plan of salvation began with a sacrifice, and will end with one. All heaven has been emptied by a loving, sacrificial offering for souls. The man who would cooperate with God and with the angels in such a work must have a heart and mind like theirs, or the work would fail of attraction to him.

The natural desire of the human heart is to retain, to get. This nature must be changed until it learns to delight in giving, loves to labor for others. Selfishness is a fundamental sin, is the natural condition of fallen natures; the tithing system is intended to eliminate this deformity, and replace it with the love of God. As a man faithfully tithes his income, the blessing of the Master tenders his heart. He becomes interested in the work into which his money goes, and as time passes, he learns to love others as himself, and obtains a burden for their salvation. He learns to think God’s thoughts after him, and gradually develops a character like God’s. Then he is ready for admission into heaven, and for association with God and the holy angels. This is God’s purpose in presenting the tithing system to man—to insure the eradication of self and the development of character, so that man can be accepted as an heir of God, and admitted to companionship with his holy family.

“Christ saw that in the prosecution of business the love of riches would be the greatest cause of rooting true godliness out of the heart. He saw that the love of money would freeze deep and hard into men’s souls, stopping the flow of generous impulses and closing their senses to the wants of the suffering and the afflicted.” “The system of benevolence was arranged to prevent that great evil, covetousness.” Ibid., vol. 3, 547.

“God in His wise plans has made the advancement of His cause dependent upon the personal efforts of His people and upon their freewill offerings. . . . As the work enlarges, means will be needed to carry it forward in all its branches. Those who have been converted to the truth and been made partakers of His grace may become co-workers with Christ by making voluntary sacrifices and freewill offerings to Him.” Ibid., vol. 4, 464.

“Whenever God’s people, in any period of the world, have cheerfully and willingly carried out His plan in systematic benevolence and in gifts and offerings, they have realized the standing promise that prosperity should attend all their labors just in proportion as they obeyed His requirements. When they acknowledged the claims of God and complied with His requirements, honoring Him with their substance, their barns were filled with plenty. But when they robbed God in tithes and in offerings they were made to realize that they were not only robbing Him but themselves, for He limited His blessings to them just in proportion as they limited their offerings to Him.” Ibid., vol. 3, 395.

—To be continued . . .

God’s Sacred Treasure

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In 1 Kings 17, an enlightening story is recorded from the life of Elijah. The story took place during the time when the land of Israel was under the curse of God and was not receiving any rain or dew because of their rebellion against the God of heaven.

At the beginning of this three- and-a-half-year period, when it did not rain, the Lord sent Elijah to hide by the Brook Cherith to escape the grasp of King Ahab who was seeking for him all over the land. However, eventually, the brook dried up, and God gave Elijah further instructions. Notice: “And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which [belongs] to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.’ ” 1 Kings 17:7–9.

Elijah was sent out of the land of Israel to one of the most wicked areas of the world. There, in Zarephath, Elijah met a widow who was out gathering sticks to make a final meal for herself and her son. Despite her desperate situation, this widow shared what little she had with the prophet, and, as a result, wonderful things happened. The Bible records: “So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for [many] days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:15, 16.

This was not the only blessing she received from the Lord because she willingly gave her all. The story is later told of the death of her only son. In her great distress, she went to the prophet Elijah, and he cried to the Lord, saying, “ ‘O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?’ . . . Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives!’ Then the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now by this I know that you [are] a man of God, [and] that the word of the Lord in your mouth [is] the truth.’ ” 1 Kings 17:20, 22–24.

God sent His prophet to a woman who was very poor, so poor that she was at the point of starvation. When she granted Elijah’s request for a meal, she showed confidence in the man of God that had come and asked a favor of her. Before she received a favor from God, she had to demonstrate her faith.

It is interesting that God chose to send His servant to such a poor household to be sustained during this difficult time. I am sure there were plenty of rich people close by who had houses and servants and silver and gold, but God ordained that His servant should be sustained by a poor widow woman. It is an amazing thing, but over and over again I have seen the Lord’s work sustained by the widows and the orphans. Why is this? Is it because God needs the resources of the widows and orphans? No. The money is not important to the Lord. It is the motive of the giver that is important in His eyes.

Ellen White wrote about this in Testimonies, vol. 3, 382: “God could have reached His object in saving sinners without the aid of man; but He knew that man could not be happy without acting a part in the great work in which he would be cultivating self-denial and benevolence. That man might not lose the blessed results of benevolence, our Redeemer formed the plan of enlisting him as His co-worker.” God could finish His work without any of our help, but it is His desire that we learn the lesson of benevolence and self-denial, so He gives us the blessing of assisting with His work.

“Every good thing of earth was placed here by the bountiful hand of God as an expression of His love to man. The poor are His, and the cause of religion is His. He has placed means in the hands of men, that His divine gifts may flow through human channels in doing the work appointed us in saving our fellow men. Everyone has his appointed work in the great field; and yet none should receive the idea that God is dependent upon man. He could speak the word, and every son of poverty would be made rich. In a moment of time He could heal the human race of all their diseases. He might dispense with ministers altogether and make angels the ambassadors of His truth. He might have written the truth upon the firmament, or imprinted it upon the leaves of the trees and upon the flowers of the field; or He might with an audible voice have proclaimed it from heaven. But the all-wise God did not choose any of these ways. He knew that man must have something to do in order that life might be a blessing to him. The gold and silver are the Lord’s, and He could rain them from heaven if He chose; but instead of this He has made man His steward, entrusting him with means, not to be hoarded, but to be used in benefiting others. He thus makes man the medium through which to distribute His blessings on earth. God planned the system of beneficence in order that man might become, like his Creator, benevolent and unselfish in character, and finally be a partaker with Him of the eternal, glorious reward.” Ibid., 472, 473.

In all of God’s dealings with His creatures, His purpose is our sanctification, the development of our characters that we might become like Him in character—unselfish and benevolent. It is His desire that our constant impulse will be to do something to bless someone else. And if we follow His instructions, with humble faith and obedience, the result will be the perfection of our characters. The problem is that so often we are haphazard or lackadaisical and do not follow God’s instructions exactly. Then we do not reap the benefits that He desires to bestow upon us.

The Tithing Plan

God has given implicit instructions throughout the Old and New Testaments in regard to our stewardship of both time and money. The fourth commandment deals with time. The tithing plan gives us instruction about our money.

Tithe is first mentioned in regard to Abraham in Genesis 14. Here the Bible records that Abraham “gave him [Melchizedek] a tithe of all.” Verse 20. So it is clear that Abraham understood the tithing plan.

In Genesis 28, we read, concerning the experience of Jacob: “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.’ ” Verses 20–22. Jacob also understood the tithing plan.

The Lord gave Moses very explicit instructions about the use of the tithe. He said, “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.” Numbers 18:21.

Because the Levites were faithful to God during the golden-calf apostasy, the Lord gave them a special blessing—the responsibility of the care of the sanctuary. Instead of giving them an inheritance of property in the Promised Land, the Lord instructed that they should be sustained by the tithe.

Paul wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14: “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat [of the things] of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of [the offerings of] the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”

The apostle taught that just as the Levites, in the Old Covenant, received the tithes for the work that they did in the sanctuary, those who preach the gospel, in the New Covenant, are to live of the gospel (from the tithe). The Bible clearly tells us how and for what purposes the tithe is to be spent. Through God’s special messenger for the last days, the Lord sent even more explicit instructions about where the tithe is and is not to be used. We will look at several important passages.

“The Lord has specified: the tenth of all your possessions is mine; your gifts and offerings are to be brought into the treasury, to be used to advance my cause, to send the living preacher to open the Scriptures to those who sit in darkness.” The Youth’s Instructor, August 26, 1897.

“And He says to us, ‘A portion of the money I have enabled you to gain is mine. Put it into the treasury in tithes, in gifts and offerings, that there may be meat in mine house,—that there may be something to sustain those who carry the gospel of my grace to the world.’ ” Review and Herald, May 9, 1893.

“Instruction has been given me that there is a withholding of the tithe that should be faithfully brought into the Lord’s Treasury, for the support of the ministers and missionaries who are opening the Scriptures to the people, and working from house to house.” Ibid., April 20, 1905.

“The people today are to remember that the house of worship is God’s property and that it is to be scrupulously cared for. But the funds for this work are not to come from the tithe. The tithe is to be used for one purpose—to sustain the ministers whom the Lord has appointed to do His work.” Echoes from the Field, June 21, 1905.

Ellen White made it clear that these ministers, or workers, could be men or women. When there were some who insisted that ministers’ wives should not be paid, even though they were working just as effectively as their husbands, she gave this strong rebuke: “There are ministers’ wives . . . who have been devoted, earnest, whole soul workers, giving Bible readings and praying with families, helping along by personal efforts just as successfully as their husbands. These women give their whole time, and are told that they receive nothing for their labors because their husbands receive their wages. I tell them to go forward and all such decisions shall be reversed.

“The Word says, ‘The laborer is worthy of his hire.’ When any such decision as this is made, I will, in the name of the Lord, protest. I will feel it my duty to create a fund from my tithe money to pay these women who are accomplishing just as essential work as the ministers are doing, and this tithe I will reserve for work in the same line as that of the ministers, hunting for souls, fishing for souls. I know that the faithful women should be paid wages as is considered proportionate to the pay received by ministers. They carry the burden of souls and should not be treated unjustly. These sisters are giving their time to educating those newly come to the faith, and hire their own work done and pay those who work for them. All these things must be adjusted and set in order and justice be done to all.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 360.

Why We Lack Ministers

Ellen White warned that a great mistake is made when the tithe is withdrawn from the object for which it is to be used, and she described the results that have followed. “There is a lack of ministers because ministers have not been encouraged. Some ministers who have been sent to foreign lands, to enter fields never before worked, have been given the instruction, ‘You must sustain yourselves. We have not the means with which to support you.’ This ought not to be if the tithe, with gifts and offerings, was brought into the treasury. When a man enters the ministry, he is to be paid from the tithe enough to sustain his family. He is not to feel that he is a beggar. . . . The tithe is sacred, reserved by God for Himself. It is to be brought into His treasury to be used to sustain the gospel laborers in their work.

“The tithe is to be used for the support of the ministry. The opening of new fields requires more ministerial efficiency than we now have and there must be means in the treasury.” Echoes from the Field, June 21, 1905.

We are living in strange times. Now, probably more than in any previous time in Adventism, this plain instruction is being overlooked, and people are spending their tithe for all sorts of projects. The result is that people who are trained to do Bible work cannot engage in the work full time, because they do not receive enough to support their families. Many times I have seen qualified gospel workers spending their days working as computer technicians, nurses, or carpenters, in order to feed and clothe their families, and then trying to work for the Lord in the time that remains. At the same time, we receive calls from people all over the country who are seeking for historic Seventh-day Adventist ministers and Bible workers to serve in their churches. The truth is that there are almost no historic Seventh-day Adventist ministers, and the reason can be summarized as follows:

The leaders in the revival and reformation movement in Adventism have often refused to organize home churches. And when home churches were organized, they were not organized into sisterhoods of churches that could help each other. As a result, only those churches large enough to support a pastor of their own could have pastors at all.

Now, if congregational church government is all you have—and that is all that Seventh-day Advent-ists had at one time—that, of course, is better than total disorganization, but we have never taught congregational church government. We have always believed in full New Testament church organization where the local churches work together for the common good of the cause of God. We must face the facts squarely. The work of revival and reformation in Adventism is years behind of where it could be if all historic Seventh-day Adventist believers would cease the rebellion against New Testament church organization and learn how to work together to plan more organized outreach and distribution of tithe in harmony with inspired counsel. We have to recognize the sad fact that God’s work is lame because of a lack of New Testament church organization.

Of course, the Lord is able to finish His work whether the work is lame or not. We read, in Micah 4:6, 7, “ ‘In that day,’ says the Lord, ‘I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; so the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.’ ”

The Lord is able to gather those that are lame, those that are outcasts and have been disfellowshiped from their local churches, into a mighty army to finish His work. The Lord is not dependent on you or me to finish His work. His work will go forward. But the problem is, if we do not follow divine instruction, we will not reap the blessings that God wants us to have. The Lord does not want us to work in a haphazard way. The Lord wants us to come into working order.

The Need for Human Workers

We can spend millions of dollars for all kinds of good projects—radio, television, literature—and I believe in all of these projects, but we will never finish the work with those means alone. The work can only be finished by human workers. That is the way God has ordained it. All of these other methods only plant the seeds, and then human reapers are necessary to gather in the harvest.

A farmer would never spend thousands of dollars to plant a crop, which he had no way to harvest. Yet that is what is done in God’s work all the time. People spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to plant seeds when there is no provision to send workers to reap the harvest, and then people wonder why there is so little harvest. One of the reasons is because the tithe is not being used to train and hire reapers to go out and reap the harvest.

Ellen White wrote, “The tithe is the Lord’s and those who meddle with it will be punished with the loss of their heavenly treasure unless they repent. Let the work no longer be hedged up because the tithe has been diverted into various channels other than the one to which the Lord said it should go. . . . The opening of new fields requires more ministerial efficiency than we now have and there must be means in the treasury.” Echoes from the Field, June 21, 1905.

“The light which the Lord has given me on this subject, is that the means in the treasury for the support of the ministers in the different fields is not to be used for any other purpose.” Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 10, 18. (See also Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 193.)

A Blessing or a Curse

God is able to bless His people when they obey Him, but when they disobey, they are under His curse. In the Old Testament, the Lord told His people that they were under a curse because they were not returning the tithe. Notice what it says in the third chapter of Malachi: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.” Verses 8–10.

God has a specific purpose for the tithe. Hundreds and thousands of laborers are needed, and God has provided for their support, if men will simply listen to the divine instructions. “The Lord regards the tithe as His own, to be used for a certain purpose. . . . [It] should be used only to sustain the ministers in new fields as well as in other places.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 193.

“Let none feel at liberty to retain their tithe, to use according to their own judgment. They are not to use it for themselves in any emergency, nor to apply it as they see fit, even in what they may regard as the Lord’s work.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 247.

We are not to use the tithe haphazardly or just decide we are going to use it on some missionary project that we see fit. We are to look and see what the divine instruction is, and follow it.

We must be careful that we do not use the tithe simply for things such as the church expense. Ellen White gave much counsel regarding this. She wrote, “The writers supposed that they were authorized to use the tithe-money in meeting the expenses of the church, as these expenses were quite heavy. From that which has been shown me, the tithe is not to be withdrawn from the treasury. Every penny of this money is the Lord’s own sacred treasure to be appropriated for a special use.” Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 10, 16.

“I have been shown case after case where men are working in the ministry, who are just as deserving of their wages as those who are employed in the publishing houses, are left without sufficient means to support their families. . . . Let not those to whom are entrusted responsibilities, allow the treasury that God has appointed to sustain the ministers in the field, to be robbed to supply the expenses incurred in keeping in order and making comfortable the house of God.” Special Testimony to the Oakland and Battle Creek Churches, 11.

A Solemn Warning

In another place, this startling warning is given: “When the Lord’s portion, which He has reserved as His own in tithes and offerings, is used for common purposes while the church is displaying a love of self-indulgence and selfish gratification, the Lord will not, cannot bless churches and will withdraw His spirit from all who serve themselves and dishonor God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 185.

This is one of the most frightful statements in the Spirit of Prophecy concerning the tithe question. If we take the tithe and we misappropriate it, God will not and cannot bless our churches, and He will withdraw His spirit from them.

Is there any use in even having a church if you do not have God’s spirit there? Of course not, “for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.” The Upward Look, 315. Do you realize, then, just how important it is that tithe be used for its divinely intended purpose?

“Those who have used the tithe money to supply the common necessities of the house of God, have taken the money that should go to sustain ministers in doing His work, in preparing the way for Christ’s second appearing. Just as surely as you do this work, you misapply the resources which God has told you to retain in His treasure house, that it may be full, to be used in His service. This work is something of which all who have taken a part in should be ashamed. They have used their influence to withdraw from God’s treasury a fund that is consecrated to a sacred purpose. From those who do this, the blessing of the Lord will be removed.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 183. This is a serious matter. Tithe is sacred, and we are not to take it and appropriate it to whatever project we deem best. Tithe is to be used to support the gospel ministry.

There is a desperate need among historic Seventh-day Adventists today for the churches to work together so that the tithe is used to enable gospel laborers to go forward in God’s work. Because of a lack of New Testament organization, people do not know where to send their tithes, so they send it to this ministry or that ministry, or it goes to this or that good project, but it is not distributed to the gospel workers in the field, as we are told, in the Spirit of Prophecy, that it should be. A reform must be made before the end of time. We cannot go into the kingdom the way we are right now, because we are not in harmony with divine counsel in regard to tithes and offerings.

There is going to be a people who will follow God’s instruction. Maybe they will be just the poor people, such as the widow of Zarephath. But there is going to be a people who will listen to what God says and determine to follow it exactly, and they will receive a priceless blessing from the Lord. God is not going to use people to finish His work who are taking His tithe and using it to sue the brethren or for all kinds of projects that He has not ordained. It is time for a reform. The question is, How is it going to be with you when the world closes up? Will you be under God’s blessing or under His curse? Part of that depends on how you spend your money and what you do with God’s tithe.

Reprinted from LandMarks, July 1999.

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Sinful Independence, part 4

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The 1888 Problem

 

In the papal church, one central power decided who was called and who was not called, what should be preached and what should not be preached, what people could read and what they could not read, and what meetings could be held and what could not be held. The church was a controlling element, and it was being controlled by human wisdom, with “the eyes of a man.” Daniel 7:8. That was the same type of controlling element that ruled the church in Jesus’day. The people came to worship the system as their lord and master, rather than Jesus.

This false gospel of system worship, where the organization became the master rather than the servant, was what Ellen White recognized as the main problem of the General Conference of 1888. In talking about the problems of the church, she related the cause of these problems in the following letter: “This is largely due to the feeling of Elder Butler [the General Conference President] that position gave unlimited authority . . . God designs that men shall use their minds and consciences for themselves. He never designed that one man should become the shadow of another, and utter only another’s sentiments. But this error has been coming in among us, that a very few are to be mind, conscience, and judgment for all God’s workers. The foundation of Christianity is ‘Christ our Righteousness.’ Men are individually responsible to God and must act as God acts upon them, not as another human mind acts upon their mind; for if this method of indirect influence is kept up, souls cannot be impressed and directed by the great I AM. They will, on the other hand, have their experience blended with another, and will be kept under a moral restraint, which allows no freedom of action or of choice . . . If we would be wise, and use diligently, prayerfully, and thankfully the means whereby light and blessings are to come to his people, then no voice nor power upon earth would have authority over us to say, ‘This shall not be.’ ” 1888 Materials, 110–113.

In a letter to Elder Butler, Ellen White related what was shown her in vision: “My guide . . .stretched out his arms toward Dr. Waggoner, and to you, Elder Butler, and said in substance as follows: ‘Neither have all the light upon the law; neither position is perfect.’ ” 1888 Materials, 93.

The question was not simply theology—Elder Waggoner and Elder Jones’ positions were not perfect, but God had given them a message, even though still imperfect, to give to the church. But the leadership thought that every message should have to go through them for their approval. These young men from the West—Jones and Waggoner—had no right to work without the permission of the General Conference officers.

“Never, never feel the slightest disturbance because the Lord is raising up youth to lift and carry the heavier burdens, and proclaim the message of truth. It has been at this point that Elder Butler has failed, and he is a deceived man . . . I hope there will never be the slightest encouragement given to our people to put such wonderful confidence in finite, erring man as has been placed in Elder Butler, for ministers are not as God, and too much reliance has been placed upon Elder Butler in the past. Even the messages and testimonies were made of none effect through the influence of the words and ideas of Elder Butler. This sin has not been repented of by some of our people, and they will have to go over the ground again and again unless they cease from man, and put their whole trust in the living God.” 1888 Materials, 975.

There is a place for counsel, and even for warnings against false teachings, to be given by the leadership. But all such counsel and warnings are to be based upon sound, Biblical principle, not upon hierarchical authority. People are thus to be taught to depend upon the counsels and warnings of the Word, rather than that of man. We are to teach people to respect leaders, but not to depend upon human wisdom and leadership. “When our people in the different places have their special convocations, teach them, for Christ’s sake and for their own soul’s sake, not to make flesh their arm . . . To place men where God should be placed does not honor or glorify God. Is the president of the General Conference to be the god of the people? Are the men at Battle Creek to be regarded as infinite in wisdom? When the Lord shall work upon human hearts and human intellects, principles and practices different from this will be set before the people. ‘Cease ye from man.’ Isaiah 2:22.” Testimonies to Ministers, 375, 376.

As one reads through the over 1,800 pages of The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials and the book Testimonies to Ministers, he cannot help but be impressed with both the seriousness and the present prevalence of corporate independence. This was the chief problem in 1888, and it seems that it was never corrected. Supposedly a correction came in 1901, but two years later Ellen White commented: “The result of the last General Conference [1901] has been the greatest, the most terrible sorrow of my life. No change was made. The spirit that should have been brought into the whole work as the result of that meeting was not brought in because men did not receive the testimonies of the Spirit of God.” Manuscript Release, vol. 13, 122. It was in 1901 itself that she said, “We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel.” Evangelism, 696.

 

Two Kind of Kings

 

Kings are independent. That is why the messenger of the Lord associated independence with kingly power. In 1901, Ellen White warned our leaders against independence, insubordination and rebellion. At the same time she told how this had come into the church—through the exercise of “kingly power,” so that God’s rulership was replaced by human kingship. In her opening address to the delegates of the 1901 General Conference, Ellen White repeatedly stated that we were being governed by “kingly power.” (See Ellen White’s speech in Spalding and Magan, 162–174.)

But there are two kinds of kings, both of which lead to independence from the Lord. First, there are those kings who have enough charisma and influence to get followers. We call them the successful kings. There are also those kings that cannot get anyone to follow them, but they are, nevertheless, going to do whatever they want to anyway, as a king without any subjects, independent of the Lord.

Some individuals might wrongly suppose that because there are bad leaders, that gives them the right to become independent and do whatever they want to do. If they do this, they are no better off than the “bad” leaders they are critical of. God has not called anyone to be independent or to act independently. God has called us all to be servants of one another and to draw together in true unity and love. God is not calling for separationism, but for a purifying of the church, where all can work together in true harmony for the finishing of the gospel. It is true that truth must be paramount, but wherever truth and the salvation of souls are not at stake, we are to do everything we can to live peaceably with all men and to work together in unity and harmony. We are to consider others first and self last. The true following of the principles of God will not lead to disunity, but to the true unity that was manifested at Pentecost, where all “were with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:1.

God has a church, and it is the Seventh-day Adventist church. This is the church of prophecy and providence, and only God can start a church—it is to be built upon Him, not upon any human founder. (See Ephesians 2:20.) True, God’s remnant church is described as “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” in the Laodicean message of Revelation 3, but it is still God’s church. Leaders and members may not always exemplify God’s character, and for this reason we are still on earth. Whole congregations, institutions, or even conferences may apostatize —the organization itself may become so independent of God that He cannot use them any more, just as happened with Israel—nevertheless, God will always have true and faithful Seventh-day Adventist people, registered on the books of Heaven (Hebrews 12:22, 23), who will constitute His church and who will go through victorious to the end. God wants every conference, institution, and congregation to triumph with them, if they will be purified of every sin. Although we should strive to live peaceably with all men, nevertheless, when God sends His message to purify the church of sin and selfishness, it will cause a reaction. “Just as long as God has a church, He will have those who will cry aloud and spare not, who will be his instruments to reprove selfishness and sins, and will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear. I saw that individuals would rise up against the plain testimonies. It does not suit their natural feelings. They would choose to have smooth things spoken unto them, and have peace cried in their ears . . .The shaking must soon take place to purify the church.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 284.

The Lord is calling for individuals today to do the work of Elijah and John the Baptist, in all humility. But there are many who rise up to give a message on their own charge, without a commission from the Lord. There are many who would seek to steady the ark of God, as Uzzah did, with their own human wisdom and might. How can a person know whether he has been called of God or is simply motivated by feelings of importance?

Those who are truly called of God must be faithful, humble servants, not seeking for notice or first place. Moreover, whenever God calls for an individual to be His instrument, He always lays the burden upon more than that one. Even when Jesus began His ministry, though He was not recognized or acknowledged by the church leadership, He was, nevertheless, acknowledged by John the Baptist and by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. David was anointed by Samuel. The disciples were called by Jesus. Paul received a vision and was set aside by the church at Antioch. Timothy was called by Paul. Daniel and Joseph were set apart by a series of circumstances and providence called forth by the Lord—but both had been faithful in the little things of life before being called to positions of prominence.

 

A Day and Age of Independence

 

As never before, a spirit of independence from the Lord afflicts many, just as it did the Jewish church in the days of Korah and again in the days of John the Baptist. (See Selected Messages, vol. 1, 406.) We are living in a day and age of independence. When I was pastoring, I was talking to a conference president about the local Adventist hospital. It had become so large that it was only able to fill a small percentage of its job openings with Adventist help, yet they were building it still larger. In conversation one day, I kindly pointed out that the Spirit of Prophecy counsels against building large hospitals and staffing them with those not of our faith. His response was that those counsels do not apply today. In our educational work, our administrative work and our medical work, it seems that self-rule and independence has become the rule of the day. God’s counsels, they reason, do not apply any more. “Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 211.

I was talking to a Union president once. He brought up the subject of tithing, and accused another ministry, that we at Steps to Life work with and support, of being a “thief” because they accept tithe. “Why,” I asked, “are they a thief? Who have they stolen from?”

The response was that all the tithe should go through the organization because it is the storehouse. I then asked, “What about Quiet Hour, Voice of Prophecy, and Amazing Facts, all of which accept tithe and always have. Are they thieves also?”

This was indeed hard to answer. He would not suggest that other ministries were stealing, but he still maintained that the ministry he was opposed to was stealing the tithe, even though this particular ministry was doing nothing different than most of the accepted ministries always have! The problem was that the ministry he was opposed to was preaching the straight testimony and that was what he was really opposed to—the tithe was only a smoke screen. Nevertheless, I pursued the issue.

“What about Ellen White’s example and counsel?” I asked. She paid her tithe directly to various ministers and women Bible workers who were not being paid by the conference. Moreover, she accepted other people’s tithe who gave it to her and who did not want it to go to the conference. “Was she a thief?”

“Well,” he wanted to know, “do you base your beliefs on the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy?””I thought they were the same,” I replied. But he then informed me that Ellen White did not understand tithing. So I asked him whether he understood the Biblical principles of tithing better than Ellen White did.

He responded, “Yes I do. I understand tithing better than Ellen White.” I thought I had misunderstood, so I asked him again just to make sure I had heard right, and I received the same assurance that he understood this principle better than Ellen White. I asked him for his Biblical references for his understanding, but he could produce none!

It is interesting that in 1905 when the Colorado Conference president tried to set up his will as the governing rule, stating that all tithe should come into the conference treasury rather than being sent directly to people who were not on the conference payroll, Ellen White warned him that if he agitated this question she would have to make known to others what she did with her tithe. In referring to disagreements with the management of the tithe by the conference, she said that we should make our complaints known but that we should not withhold our tithe. (See Testimonies, vol. 9, 249.) However, in the case of apostasy and false teaching by the ministry, and in the case of the conference neglecting or refusing to support those whom the Lord had called and chosen, Ellen White made it crystal clear that it was not only the privilege but the duty of herself and others to send their tithe directly to where they thought it would do the most good. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 261, 262; vol. 2, 552; Spalding and Magan, 117, 215.) Moreover, she stated that those who simply trusted the conference to expend their means, without taking responsibility themselves as to the out-come of the money God had made them stewards of, would not be held “guiltless” before the Lord for their stewardship. (See 1888 Materials, 1443, 1444.) Some have formed such strong opinions and policies that they think they know more than the Spirit of Prophecy in these and other kindred areas.

Today, prideful independence from the Lord and His counsels has become the rule of the day.

 

Two Kinds of Independent Ministries

 

As there have always been, so today there are two kinds of independent ministries. We read about Jesus: “From childhood He acted independently of the rabbinical laws.” Desire of Ages, 84. John the Baptist had a ministry independent from the Sanhedrin. (See Desire of Ages, 132.) Elijah and Paul had independent ministries. Madison Sanitarium and school was ordained by the Lord with direct counsel from the messenger of the Lord that they were to become an institution independent from the General Conference. God has always had independent ministries.

Many of these ministries have not been appreciated. When Elder A.T. Jones was not allowed to speak in Battle Creek in 1891, Ellen White said, “We will secure a hall in the city and the words God has given Bro. Jones to speak, the people shall have them.” 1888 Materials, 847, 848. Jesus spoke by the seashore, Wesley in the fields, and William Miller in tents.

And so there is a healthy, God-ordained place for independent ministries. God has never tied His hands to any set counsel of men, but has always had the privilege of choosing whom and how He desires. God has always used independent ministries.

There is sinful independence today also, as there always has been. Any independence that puts human wisdom and authority above God’s wisdom and authority, making man independent of God, is sinful independence. This was what Eve was tempted to do. Whenever a Christian hospital rejects, either openly or in practice, the counsels of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry. Whenever a church school, union college or university accepts the standards of the world in the place of the standards of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry. Whenever a conference or a church receives counsel from psychologists and philosophers or from religious institutions that do not keep the Sabbath, as Ahaziah did when he sought the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2), and rejects the plain counsel of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry [A new organization]. Whenever a ministry, that is designated as independent because they are not under the conference structure, departs from the teachings and practices of the Lord, it has become independent in the wrong way. May the Lord save us from sinful independence.

 

A Reformation Needed

 

It is time to humble our hearts before the Lord so that He can send upon us the true revival and reformation that was displayed at Pentecost. It was there that unity was achieved through believing the truth, through humility toward self and love toward one another. There the full gospel was preached in all its purity and power; and there the principles of the government of heaven were followed, with Christ as the true head of the church and all its members were fellow servants.

Kingly power in the hands of religious rulers will never save or exalt the church. Unity through centralization will never exalt Christ. Blindly following religious teachers will not save a single soul. But humble cooperation, where every member is a fellow worker with Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9) and organized together in a body according to the call of God, and where dependence is placed first and foremost upon the revealed will of God, will bring the long sought-for blessings of the latter rain and the soon return of Jesus Christ. This is that primitive godliness that will be revealed among God’s people before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth. (Great Controversy, 464).

 

The End of Series

 

Appendix

 

“You who are finite, erring, and unsanctified, have supposed that God’s children were put under your jurisdiction, for you to plan for them, and bring them to your terms. The policy you have labored so hard to establish in your connection with the work is an offense to God. He has never justified any arrangement, through organization, discipline, or laws, whereby men who have evidenced that they are not susceptible to the Holy Spirit’s moving, shall use their power to sustain others in a like disregard of the Spirit’s work. But such has been the arrangement that has prevailed. You have made it hard for those whom you do not especially like, while others who are self serving have been favored and exalted. Partiality and hypocrisy have excluded the Spirit of God from many hearts, and left them as destitute of his grace as the hills of Gilboa were destitute of dew or rain.” Paulson Collection, 408.

“There are ministers’ wives, Sisters Starr, Haskell, Wilson and Robinson, who have been devoted, earnest, whole-souled workers, giving Bible readings and praying with families, helping along by personal efforts just as successfully as their husbands. These women give their whole time, and are told that they receive nothing for their labors because their husbands receive their wages. I tell them to go forward and all such decisions shall be reversed. The Word says, ‘The laborer is worthy of his hire.’ When any such decision as this is made, I will in the name of the Lord, protest. I will feel it in my duty to create a fund from my tithe money, to pay these women who are accomplishing just as essential work as the ministers are doing, and this tithe I will reserve for work in the same line as that of the ministers, hunting for souls, fishing for souls. I know that the faithful women should be paid wages proportionate to the pay received by ministers. They carry the burden of souls, and should not be treated unjustly. These sisters are giving their time to educating those newly come to the faith, and hire their own work done, and pay those who work for them. “All these things must be adjusted and set in order, and justice be done to all. Proofreaders in the office receive their wages, two dollars and a half and three dollars a week. This I have had to pay, and others have to pay. But ministers’ wives, who carry a tremendous responsibility, devoting their entire time, have nothing for their labor. This will give you an idea of how matters are in this conference. There are seventy-five souls organized into a church, who are paying their tithe into the conference, and as a saving plan it has been deemed essential to let these poor souls labor for nothing! But this does not trouble me, for I will not allow it to go thus.” Spaulding and Magan, 117.

The Use of the Tithe

Mountain View, Calif., Jan. 22, 1905.

Elder Watson:

“My brother, I wish to say to you, Be careful how you move. You are not moving wisely. The least you have to speak about the tithe that has been appropriated to the most needy and the most discouraging field in the world, the more sensible you will be.

“It had been presented to me for years that my tithe was to be appropriated by myself to aid the white and colored ministers who were neglected and did not receive sufficient properly to support their families. When my attention was called to aged ministers, white or black, it was my special duty to investigate into their necessities and supply their needs. This was to be my special work,

and I have done this in a number of cases. No man should give notoriety to the fact that in special cases the tithe is used in that way.

“In regard to the colored work in the South, that field has been and is still being robbed of the means that should come to the workers of that field. If there has been cases where our sisters have appropriated their tithe to the support of the ministers working for the colored people in the

South, let every man, if he is wise, hold his peace.

“I have myself appropriated my tithe to the most needy cases brought to my notice. I have been instructed to do this; and as the money is not withheld from the Lord’s treasury, it is not a matter that should be commented upon; for it will necessitate my making known these matters, which I do not desire to do, because it is not best.

“Some cases have been kept before me for years, and I have supplied their needs from the tithe, as God has instructed me to do. And if any person shall say to me, Sister White, will you appropriate my tithe where you know it is most needed, I shall say, Yes, I will; and I have done so. I commend those sisters who have placed their tithe where it is most needed to help to do a work that is being left undone; and if this matter is given publicity, it will create knowledge which would better be left as it is. I do not care to give publicity to this work which the Lord has appointed me to do, and others to do.

“I send this matter to you so that you shall not make a mistake. Circumstances alter cases. I would not advise that any should make a practice of gathering up tithe money. But for years there have now and then been persons who have lost confidence in the appropriation of the tithe who have placed their tithe in my hands, and said that if I did not take it they would themselves appropriate it to the families of the most needy minister they could find. I have taken the money, given a receipt for it, and told them how it was appropriated.

“I write this to you so that you shall keep cool and not become stirred up and give publicity to this matter, lest many more shall follow their example.”

 

(Signed) Ellen G. White.

Spaulding and Magan, 215, 216.

 

What Brings Success

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Everyone desires to be successful, whether it is in marriage, in business, or in family relationships, i.e., between parents and their children, siblings, or other relatives. We want successful relationships with our friends and success to come our way when we face trials, disasters or crises. No one enjoys being down-and-out for long. For some, above all is to be financially successful.

The reality is that God created every human being to be happy and successful in all the pursuits of life.

Jesus, our example, was successful in everything He did. We may not measure some of the things He did in the context of what we understand success to be, but everything He pursued was perfect. We understand from the word of God that it is also possible for us today to be as He was in all things.

The question rings out, “What brings success?” The key and basis to success is to please God. This can be proven through the Scriptures as in the case of Naaman, who wanted to be healed of leprosy. He was told what to do in order to be healed. Because of his high position, he was offended at the simplicity of the requirement and refused to believe (II Kings 5:1–12). I hope you are not as Naaman but that your heart and mind are open to recognize that God works with simplicity, and even though it may sound too simple, it works.

Another example is found in the story of Esther. The incident involved Esther, Mordecai and a very cruel man, Haman, who hated the Jews with a passion. There is a phrase repeated in the book of Esther, which explains how Esther was enabled to be successful in all of her dealings with the king.

“Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces.” Esther 8:4, 5.

You will see the word please in these verses, and a careful study of the book of Esther reveals how many times she keeps repeating the need to please the king or to do that which was pleasing in his eyes. Every time she did so, she received what she wanted. This lesson, I believe, is in the Bible to teach us a particular science, a science that works with God as much as it works with man.

Regarding ancient Israel, the Bible states, “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” I Corinthians 10:5, 6. Verse 5 tells us the reason why the children of Israel, over a 40-year period in the wilderness, were destroyed. Over and over again you will see in the Scriptures that whenever Israel pleased God, they obtained whatever they wanted. Whenever they displeased God, they did not get what they wanted; actually they received what they deserved in the form of punishment. Pleasing men is one thing, but pleasing God is a whole different story. When Balaam sought to curse Israel, he knew that in order to bring Israel’s downfall he would need to cause the people to displease God by falling into sin. As long as they pleased God they had a shield, and the continued blessings of God were upon them (Numbers 22–24, 31:8, 16).

The way in which God dealt with Israel in times past is the same way He will deal with His people today. We have to learn what it is to please God in the same way we please people. Often we go out of our way to please men, but there is much more value in pleasing God above all else. The Bible says that God has created us for His pleasure. Not until He can get a people who will seek to please Him will God in turn bestow upon them every blessing that He has available.

It is not too difficult to be successful in this life, but we often lose faith in God’s way and try to pursue success on our own and in the way of the world. Too often we try to please our friends, even to the extent of disregarding God and His ways, yielding to peer pressure, just to please people versus pleasing God. Consequently, the success is limited.

Concerning the pleasing of Christ, the Bible says, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:6–9.

We can say, “I am a son of God” or “I am a daughter of God” as much as we like, but if we are not seeking to please Him, the Spirit of God is not going to stay with us. He cannot dwell in those of the flesh, because those who are in the flesh do not make it their earnest effort to please Him. Relationships ought to be carefully chosen. To hang out constantly with the worldly-minded that tend to pull us down to the level of the carnal mind is very dangerous.

All good things come from God, whether it is in the context of material, physical, or spiritual blessings, and all of these gifts bring success. Even the wicked man depends upon the mercy of God to gain a blessing. Everything he has is only by God’s grace. Look at Nebuchadnezzar, the world ruler—king of Babylon; he lost everything because he did not recognize the source of his power. Because he took it upon himself to exalt himself as being the god and lord of the whole world instead of giving glory to the true God, he became like an animal. The Bible says he was out in the pasture for seven years eating grass, and his nails and hair grew long (Daniel 4:30–33). He failed to please God and did not acknowledge the true source of all his blessings.

What would we be and what could we attain if we decided to do only that which we know would be pleasing in God’s sight? A parent, especially a Christian parent, will usually do almost anything for a child who lives to please him. This same thing applies in the context of God’s people, not just in the context of our relation with family or friend. Until we are doing our best to please God instead of ourselves or other individuals, we will lose out on the blessings that God wants to bestow upon us.

The apostle declared, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10. Is this the attitude we have when we come up against situations that involve pleasing friends or pleasing others? Do we, like the apostle, recognize that if we fail to please God in our efforts to please others, we are not going to be considered His servants?

God is looking for a people on whom He can bestow all of His blessings. This world is lacking a true representation of God on this planet, with so many professed Christians not resembling Christ. Christian means follower of Christ, and we need to understand how Christ conducted himself, how the apostles and the patriarchs and prophets acted. They lived their lives seeking to please God, even if they turned everybody else against themselves. God, in turn, was always ready to give them whatever they needed.

In the context of marriage, Paul says, “He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.” I Corinthians 7:32, 33. This is the only big challenge that is cited regarding marriage. Marriage involves becoming one. That means forsaking father, mother and all others to become fully aligned with your mate. Even though the Bible says that marriage is highly exalted and honorable, it leaves this warning for us. Whether married or unmarried, be aware of the greatest danger in such an experience; a married person is generally inclined to seek to please the person with whom they are married. Actually, that is a good thing, because love is self-sacrificing. Love is a principle that makes itself manifest in seeking the best interest and happiness of others at the expense of oneself. Nothing is wrong with seeking to please the other. But there is a danger, and that is placing a spouse before God, and by so doing, the need to first consider God’s happiness is forgotten. We are warned, because many times we compromise even in marriage, though we know our spouse to be in the wrong and we know that God is not pleased. Be careful! The most important thing in life is the need to establish ahead of time that your boyfriend/girlfriend knows that God comes first with you. If he/she makes objection, then it does not make sense to pursue the relationship further. God must come first in our pursuit of genuine happiness, and true friendship is based upon whether we will live to please God.

Every so often, if we are not looking to please somebody else, we look to please ourselves instead of God. We think that rubbing shoulders against a person, who is powerful, wealthy and knowledgeable in everything, will ensure getting what is needed to be successful. To that end, some grovel, bend over backwards and become total puppets just to please people and get the necessary help to climb the ladder of success they desire, never realizing the true source—God. Man knows that pleasing people helps people to like them, so they will at times compromise their own morals to please people to get certain positions in life. In their heart they know they are not being true; they lie. They know they are just using those people, but they know they must profess to please in order to be benefitted.

Use this same principle in the context of God. If we seek to please God, He, in turn, will show approbation and bestow His blessing upon us. We will not have to grovel at the feet of mankind because our Source is more powerful and more capable than any human being in supplying all of our needs.

Most churches today want to be culturally relevant. They will tell you that if you want to keep the young people in church you must worship the way they enjoy it. What then is going to happen to the church? What is going to happen to the principles of righteousness? What is going to happen to exalting the truth, if that truth is watered down in order to keep the members? Whom are we thinking to please? We want to be successful, but we do not want to do it God’s way.

We need to realize this most important step towards success. Putting God first does not in any way eliminate love for one another and treating one another right. How would God be pleased if we were to betray the brethren? What God wants from us is to live and speak in harmony with that which He is willing to hear and willing to see. When we can please God, we can then please our fellow man. Sometimes they may not like it, but the truth of the matter is, God must come first.

In regard to the church, when God allocates a responsibility, it needs to be taken seriously. This is not done to please the pastor or an elder, but it is done to please God. We would not grumble if asked to do a task for an employer because we know that it would affect our job, but some think we can grumble with God and it is okay—no, it is not okay!

Our attitude in returning God’s tithe reveals how much we are living for self, versus living for God. Some even hold God ransom in the way His church is held ransom by saying, “They did not do what I wanted, so I will teach them a lesson and hold back my tithe from them.” God gives each of us an opportunity to prove whether we love Him or not, whether we believe His word or not, whether we will please Him or please ourselves. Every action performed that is contrary to God’s principle of righteousness is recorded. Are we taking time to faithfully record and calculate our tithe in the way that we should to make sure that we do not rob God? If God makes a command known to us, it is a command, a requirement, and we will be judged based upon our faithfulness to that knowledge. This principle applies not only to tithing but also to all of His commands.

It is not just a matter of whether or not we keep the Sabbath holy. We allow Satan to fool us into thinking that because we keep the Sabbath while we disregard the other commandments God will still be pleased with us.

In regard to success even in finances, most people are accustomed to reading the familiar passage where the Lord promises that if we believe, He will open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing, which we will not be able to receive (Malachi 3:7–10). Most of the time we do not believe that God means what He says, and when we don’t see the blessing pouring out upon us, we tell ourselves that we cannot really believe the Bible. How can God turn around and bless those who do not consistently comply with His will? God sees the end from the beginning, and He can tell if we are going to keep on doing the right thing or not. Why then should He bestow a blessing upon us when He knows that in two weeks or two months we are going to stop?

“Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.” Haggai 1:2–6.

This was a lesson the Lord was trying to teach through the experience of Israel. His brethren had disregarded the house of God. The church was not as important to them as their own homes, forgetting that the key to success was to first please God. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” They did not believe that principle, so they were putting all of their earnings into bags with holes. Malachi 3:10, 11 says, “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 hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” God’s concern is that there is meat in due season for the saving of souls. God says, “Bring ye all.” Either we obey or disobey. The Lord says, “I will take care of you but you must please Me first.”

The secret to be truly successful in life is to live to please God first and believe He will provide for all other needs. Nothing else will bring happiness into our lives or into our families or homes.

Truth often hurts, and in times past, prophets were stoned to death because they said things that the people did not want to hear. They did not live to please the people and neither should we be afraid to speak and live the truth. Today, stoning takes on a new guise than in times past. Those who are hid in Christ and doing the will of the Father will not be hurt by the stones, but the one who does the throwing will be.

It is time to make changes. God is in need of genuine Christians—not fakes, hypocrites, or jokers. We are growing closer and closer to the end of time and need the Lord to be near. Living a selfish life pleasing either ourselves or other people is what has brought this planet to where it is today. Instead of looking to please God, her Creator, Eve decided to please the serpent, believing his lies. Then Adam, deciding to please his wife, went ahead and ate the forbidden fruit, knowing it was wrong and not pleasing to God.

We do the same, not realizing that the closest and most beneficial relationship possible is one with God. “The tithe is sacred, reserved by God for Himself. It is to be brought into His treasury to be used to sustain the gospel laborers in their work. For a long time the Lord has been robbed because there are those who do not realize that the tithe is God’s reserved portion.” Counsels on Stewardship, 93.

Paul said, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9, 10.

These brethren understood that they needed to live a righteous life. We need a relationship with the Lord like we have never seen or had before to understand the secret of their success. We are being prepared for a time of trouble such as never was, and we need to have an experience such as never was. We need the success of those who went ahead of us. They knew that God was pleased when they were seeking for His knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. If we cannot find the time to make earnest efforts to study but still find time to watch TV, play games, hang out with our friends and do other things that we enjoy, how can we be pleasing in His sight? We can always seem to make time for the things we consider important. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. It is impossible to please God without faith and impossible to have faith without knowing Him. God always tells us the truth; He never lies, and He is hurt when we do not believe and trust Him. To doubt God is nothing less than calling Him a liar.

“In our work for God there is danger of relying too largely upon what man with his talents and ability can do. Thus we lose sight of the one Master Worker. Too often the worker for Christ fails to realize his personal responsibility. He is in danger of shifting his burden upon organizations, instead of relying upon Him who is the source of all strength. It is a great mistake to trust in human wisdom or numbers in the work of God.” The Desire of Ages, 370.

God wants a people who are searching for truth, for only truth can sanctify and transform lives. “Successful work for Christ depends not so much on numbers or talent as upon pureness of purpose, the true simplicity of earnest, dependent faith. Personal responsibilities must be borne, personal duties must be taken up, personal efforts must be made for those who do not know Christ. In the place of shifting your responsibility upon someone whom you think more richly endowed than you are, work according to your ability.” Ibid.

It is essential that each member of the church see that he/she has a personal responsibility in the success of that church. No matter how many relinquish their responsibilities, we have to say to ourselves, “I will do it.” We are not here to please ourselves but to please God. We were created for His pleasure.

“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:20. Here we see that to please God is to obey. “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7. No one wants their family or their neighbors to be their enemies. At times they may not like us, but they will avoid having confrontation because of the connection we have with Somebody mightier than they, just as ancient Israel’s enemies were afraid because they knew that the Israelites were the friends of a God whom they did not know. There are many examples where the heathen tried to make peace with them and stay out of their way.

The wise man said, “I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.” Ecclesiastes 7:25, 26. There is a time of trouble coming, and we need God’s protection and blessings.

Pleasing God brings success. Jesus’ success came from His Father. He declared, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” John 8:29. Jesus pleased His Father by always doing His will. He had the assurance of His Father’s presence continually. That same experience is available to all who diligently seek after Him with all of their heart and obey His word.

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” I John 3:22.

Pastor Patrick Herbert is the pastor of Tucker-Norcross Free Seventh-day Adventist Church, located in the state of Georgia. He also pastors several sister churches in North Carolina, Michigan, and elsewhere. He is the director of The Gilead Institute of America, an outreach and medical missionary evangelistic training institute started in 1990, and is presently the chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Free Seventh-day Adventists, a worldwide network of historic self-supporting churches and ministries. Pastor Herbert holds a doctorate in religion and has written a number of books and articles on religious and health topics. He also travels throughout the United States and internationally to promote present truth. He has a monthly sermon CD and newsletter with topics covering end-time events and practical Christian living. He may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.

Bible Study Guides – The Church in Our Home

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August 7, 2011 – August 13, 2011

Key Text

“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.” II John 1:4.

Study Help: Child Guidance, 293–311.

Introduction

“The greatest evidence of the power of Christianity that can be presented to the world is a well-ordered, well-disciplined family. This will recommend the truth as nothing else can, for it is a living witness of its practical power upon the heart.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 304.

1 PROPERLY TRAINED

  • What must we consider in determining our suitableness as parents? Deuteronomy 6:5–8.

Note: “How startling is the proverb, ‘As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.’ This is to be applied to the training of our children. Parents, will you remember that the education of your children from their earliest years is committed to you as a sacred trust? … Home education is not by any means to be neglected.” Child Guidance, 18.

  • What does the Lord desire to see in our homes? Colossians 3:12–14; II John 4.

Note: “God commanded the Hebrews to teach their children His requirements, and to make them acquainted with all His dealings with their people. The home and the school were one. In the place of stranger lips, the loving hearts of the father and mother were to give instruction to their children.” Child Guidance, 18, 19.

“Every family is a church, over which the parents preside. The first consideration of the parents should be to work for the salvation of their children. When the father and mother as priest and teacher of the family take their position fully on the side of Christ, a good influence will be exerted in the home.” Ibid., 549.

2 WHAT SHALL WE TEACH?

  • What is included in the mandate to “train up a child”? Exodus 24:12; Deuteronomy 4:1, 9, 10; 20:18.

Note: “There is a time for training children and a time for educating youth, and it is essential that in school both of these be combined in a great degree. Children may be trained for the service of sin or for the service of righteousness. The early education of youth shapes their characters both in their secular and in their religious life. Solomon says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it’ [Proverbs 22:6]. This language is positive. The training which Solomon enjoins is to direct, educate, and develop.

“In order for parents and teachers to do this work, they must themselves understand ‘the way’ the child should go. This embraces more than merely having a knowledge of books. It takes in everything that is good, virtuous, righteous, and holy. It comprehends the practice of temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to God and to one another. In order to attain this object, the physical, mental, moral, and religious education of children must have attention.” Child Guidance, 297.

  • What parable gives us lessons in child training? Mark 4:28.

Note: “The gradual development of the plant from the seed is an object lesson in child training. There is ‘first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear’ [Mark 4:27]. …

“The work of parents and teachers is here suggested. They should aim so to cultivate the tendencies of the youth that at each stage of their life they may represent the natural beauty appropriate to that period, unfolding naturally, as do the plants in the garden. …

“The little ones should be educated in childlike simplicity. They should be trained to be content with the small, helpful duties and the pleasures and experiences natural to their years. … The children should not be forced into a precocious maturity but should retain as long as possible the freshness and grace of their early years.

“The little children may be Christians, having an experience in accordance with their years. This is all that God expects of them. They need to be educated in spiritual things; and parents should give them every advantage that they may form characters after the similitude of the character of Christ.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 82–84.

3 TRUE OR FALSE EDUCATION?

  • What is the purpose of true education? Colossians 1:9, 10.

Note: “True education means more than taking a certain course of study. It is broad. It includes the harmonious development of all the physical powers and the mental faculties. It teaches the love and fear of God and is a preparation for the faithful discharge of life’s duties.

“Proper education includes not only mental discipline, but that training which will secure sound morals and correct deportment.

“The first great lesson in all education is to know and understand the will of God. We should bring into every day of life the effort to gain this knowledge.” Child Guidance, 293.

  • What should be our textbook and the foundation of all our education? II Timothy 3:15.

Note: “The Bible should be the child’s first textbook. From this book, parents are to give wise instruction. The Word of God is to be made this rule of the life.” Child Guidance, 41.

“God designed the Bible to be a lessonbook to all mankind, in childhood, youth, and manhood, and to be studied through all time. He gave His word to men as a revelation of Himself. … The study of the Scriptures is the means divinely ordained to bring men into closer connection with their Creator and to give them a clearer knowledge of His will. It is the medium of communication between God and man.” The Great Controversy, 69.

  • What fundamental truths must we be aware of in seeking to educate our children? I Corinthians 3:18–20; Colossians 2:8.

Note: “There are two classes of educators in the world. One class is those whom God makes channels of light, and the other class is those whom Satan uses as his agents, who are wise to do evil. …

“In planning for the education of their children outside the home, parents should realize that it is no longer safe to send them to the public school, and should endeavor to send them to schools where they will obtain an education based on a Scriptural foundation.” Child Guidance, 303, 304.

4 LIFESTYLE

  • What else is necessary for our own well-being and that of our families? Titus 2:12; Mark 6:31.

Note: “An intensity such as never before was seen is taking possession of the world. In amusement, in money-making, in the contest for power, in the very struggle for existence, there is a terrible force that engrosses body and mind and soul. In the midst of this maddening rush, God is speaking. He bids us come apart and commune with Him. ‘Be still and know that I am God’ [Psalm 46:10]. …

“Not a pause for a moment in His presence, but personal contact with Christ, to sit down in companionship with Him—this is our need.” Education, 260, 261.

“The more quiet and simple the life of the child—the more free from artificial excitement, and the more in harmony with nature—the more favorable is it to physical and mental vigor and to spiritual strength.” The Desire of Ages, 74.

  • How can we simplify our lives so that we can make time for being still? I Timothy 6:8.

Note: “We must turn away from a thousand topics that invite attention. There are matters that consume time and arouse inquiry, but end in nothing.” The Ministry of Healing, 456.

“A great work was before them [the disciples], and first of all they must learn that their strength was not in self, but in God. Like Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, like David among the hills of Judea, or Elijah by the brook Cherith, the disciples needed to come apart from the scenes of their busy activity, to commune with Christ, with nature, and with their own hearts.” The Desire of Ages, 360.

“I was shown that Sabbathkeepers as a people labor too hard without allowing themselves change or periods of rest. Recreation is needful to those who are engaged in physical labor and is still more essential for those whose labor is principally mental. It is not essential to our salvation, nor for the glory of God, to keep the mind laboring constantly and excessively, even upon religious themes. …

“Recreation in the open air, the contemplation of the works of God in nature, will be of the highest benefit.” The Adventist Home, 494, 496.

5 KEEPING THE FOCUS

  • What warnings has our Saviour given to us? Matthew 6:20; I Timothy 6:10.

Note: “Money is not ours; houses and grounds, pictures and furniture, garments and luxuries, do not belong to us. We are pilgrims, we are strangers. We have only a grant of those things that are necessary for health and life. … Our temporal blessings are given us in trust, to prove whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches.” The Adventist Home, 367.

“God’s requirements come first. We are not doing His will if we consecrate to Him what is left of our income after all our imaginary wants have been supplied.” Ibid., 369.

“If we represent the character of Christ, every particle of selfishness must be expelled from the soul. In carrying forward the work He gave to our hands, it will be necessary for us to give every jot and tittle of our means that we can spare. …

“That which is spent for the gratification of pride in dress, in buildings, in furniture, and in decorations would relieve the distress of many wretched, suffering families. God’s stewards are to minister to the needy.” Ibid., 370.

“It is not necessary to specify here how economy may be practiced in every particular. Those whose hearts are fully surrendered to God, and who take His word as their guide, will know how to conduct themselves in all the duties of life. They will learn of Jesus, who is meek and lowly of heart; and in cultivating the meekness of Christ, they will close the door against innumerable temptations.” Ibid., 380.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What should be the fundamental purpose of the home and the church?

2 List some of the things that should be taught to our children.

3 What three areas of your life will be affected by true education?

4 Describe what your priorities in life should be.

5 What guidelines are helpful in family financing?

Copyright © 2002 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Children’s Story – Before the Fact

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Mrs. Lois A. Calkins knew what the historian meant when he said, “The history of the world is the record of man in quest for his daily bread and butter.” When she was growing up in Southern Minnesota with her father very old and feeble, her mother’s health was also poor, and two younger brothers who were not old enough to do much in the way of farm work, their “quest” was quite difficult. Especially with what happened one early autumn.

Clouds of grasshoppers swept down on the entire area and deposited their eggs. A reward was offered for the carcasses of these insects, and many bushels of the grasshoppers were destroyed. But the battle seemed useless. The prospects for the Calkins to have food for the coming year were very, very dark.

“Our family had not been Christians too long before this first real test of faith came to us. We knew that when those eggs were hatched in the spring there wasn’t a chance for any garden to grow. And since we were solely dependent on that little garden for our own food and for some income from the sale of vegetables, we were quite concerned.

“We studied the Bible the best we could. We prayed a great deal about the Lord helping us like He did the people of Bible times. We felt that there was no reason why He wouldn’t help us as much today as He did then. So, in our own feeble way, we tried to claim His promises.”

That spring found every inch of ground crawling with the newly hatched insects. Every farmer within a hundred miles’ radius was infested with myriads and myriads of the destructive pests. All hopes for gardens were given up. Some were planning to move off and give up farming.

“My father hired one of the neighbors to come over with his plow and turn over our garden ground. The neighbor thought we were the most foolish people on the face of the earth.

“ ‘You’re throwing your hard-earned money away,’ he repeated over and over again as he plowed our land.”

The following day the three children, under the supervision of the father, went out into the garden to plant seeds.

“We had to push away the insects that had come right back to the newly plowed ground as we planted the seeds. I must say that almost every time I pushed some seeds into the dirt, I prayed for the Lord to make them grow.

“The grasshoppers were so strange. When they were fully-grown they hopped way up into the air and flapped their wings; it sounded just like hail falling all around us. Then when they were quiet, they would lay in big heaps everywhere, five or six deep.

“All of the farmers around had not planted much. Some none. But those who did plant anything had it immediately chewed to pieces as it first burst out of the ground. An occasional stalk of corn could be seen sticking up here and there, but never more than seven or eight inches tall.

“One day our garden seemed to have turned green overnight. Buds had burst the sod all through the area. I ran out and looked at the growing vegetation. Everything everywhere else was eaten almost as fast as it came out of the ground. But our garden seemed like holy ground!”

The Calkins family spent even more time in prayer after the garden started growing than before. Their prayers were a mixture of petition and thanksgiving. Only the grace and mercy of God would allow these crucially needed plants to grow in the midst of devouring insects. And that is exactly what happened!

“It was so weird. All the leaves on the trees in our yard had been consumed. It was spring and they looked like they were in the midst of deep winter, so bare and lifeless. Yet, the garden was so beautifully green and prosperous. Neighbors and folks from miles and miles away started coming by to look at this strange paradise.”

The Calkins’ farm had a bumper crop that year. Though it does not seem like a gigantic amount in comparison with crops being produced through mechanical assistance, it was overwhelming to them.

“We harvested fifty bushels of beets from a very small patch. There were eighty-three very large squashes that came from just three vines! Everything we planted came up in abnormally large quantities and of the highest quality. The crop was large and excellent.”

The Calkins filled their cellar with the finest vegetables they had ever seen. Neighbors who had been able to set aside some money came to the Calkins to buy produce. They gave a large amount to friends and neighbors who, like themselves, had not been able to save any money for any type of crisis.

“When folks came to our place to get their produce, they would all say that Someone was surely looking after us. Others went so far as to say that it was definitely a miracle. But, one particular neighbor put his finger right on the reason and cause.

“ ‘Calkins,’ he said to my dad, ‘I heard a minister once say that God would “rebuke the devourer” for believing folks. Most of the church folks ’round about these parts feel that this is what has happened. I guess you folks are paying God the tithe.’ ”

“My dad stood to his feet and looked the friend right in the eye.

“ ‘Do you know where the Bible says that if a person pays the tithe God’ll do that … “rebuke the devourer” … like you said?’

“ ‘I think it’s in Malachi, but I’m not sure,’ he said as he made his way to the door, picking up a basket of vegetables on the way, ‘Yeah, I’m sure it’s in Malachi.’

“Needless to say, it wasn’t long after the farmer had left the house that my dad was thumbing through his Bible for the book of Malachi.”

“ ‘I’ve found it! Come here and listen to this,’ he said as he waved us all together around the kitchen table. ‘It’s Malachi 3:10–12. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse … and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts … I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground. … And all nations shall call you blessed.” ’

“We had another prayer meeting, right then and there. We thanked God for His promise that we had just read. ‘And just think,’ Dad said, ‘He did all this even before we knew that He had already promised to do it!’ ”

W.A. Spicer and Helen Spicer Menkel, The Hand That Still Intervenes, Concerned Publications, Inc., Clermont, Florida, 1982, 37–41.

The Case of Miss Clancy

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Do You have faith in God? That was a question Jesus used to ask. It is one thing to say, “Yes, I have faith in God,” when everything is going well; you have money in your checkbook, your physical exam showed you were healthy, you are current on your house payment, none of your children are sick, and you are not having a major crisis at your work. It is another thing to say, “Yes, I trust in God,” when things are not going so well; you have been diagnosed with a very serious disease, or maybe your job is not as certain as you thought it was and you might get laid off, there is not enough money to pay bills, somebody is sick, and one wrong thing piles up on another. Do you trust in God? Do you really trust Him now—or is your trust in something else?

The Bible says a rich man’s wealth is his strong city. His confidence and trust are in his wealth. That is very common. In Matthew 19:23, 24, Jesus, speaking about rich men, says, ” ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ ” Do we realize that in comparison to people in many other countries, most people in the United States are rich? Solomon said when a person is rich, he trusts his riches. If you have your trust in riches or anything other than Jesus Christ, you cannot be saved. It is impossible.

The Lord had to teach some lessons of trust to the children of Israel. For this purpose, He put them through a rigorous forty-year training course during which time they had no way to get food. Have you ever been without food? It is bad to be without food when there is a grocery store nearby, but it is worse to be without food in the desert. For a while they did not know where the food was going to come from. So Moses told them, “Now the Lord is going to provide for you.” The Lord let them go in the desert a few days until they ran out of food, before He started providing manna. Have you ever been in a situation where you were looking for a job and you said, ” Lord, are you going to let me spend my last dollar before I find a job?”

When the Lord sent the manna, He did not send enough for a week—He only sent enough for one day. They were never more than one day away from being out of food. The next day the Lord sent a little more. If they kept it for more than a day, it spoiled. The only exception was on Friday, then the Lord sent a two days supply so that on Sabbath they did not have to gather food. The Lord taught them to put their trust in Him. We are also going to have to learn to trust in God alone. God has given us principles of living to help us learn to trust in Him.

To the tent meetings

Miss Clancy was an elderly Irish Protestant lady. She will be surprised when she gets to heaven because people have heard about her in many places. They will come to her from all over and say, “I learned to have faith in God from you.”

Her story began in 1919, when a Seventh-day Adventist minister by the name of Carlisle B. Haynes was having evangelistic meetings in a canvas tent in New York City on 95th Street and Broadway. Miss Clancy came to these tent-meetings, sat down, and started listening.
Whenever Carlisle B. Haynes would preach something from the Bible she would look it up, take notes, and check to see if that was really what the Bible said. If that was what the Bible said, she believed it and would do it. She soon started getting ready for baptism. She accepted everything the Bible taught until, Elder Haynes preached on tithing. He noticed after that, Miss Clancy was not so happy anymore. She became sad, gloomy and upset and he wondered what had happened.

Miss Clancy finally requested a personal interview with Elder Haynes. When she came to see him, she had her notes. Together, they reviewed the notes of his sermon. There are seven points she had enumerated. Here they are:

Notes on Tithing

1. The tithing plan explained. Leviticus 27:30-32. The word tithe means a tenth or ten percent. It says, “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 belongs to the Lord. “It is holy to the Lord. If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.” The tithe or the tenth is holy. It does not belong to us, it belongs to the Lord.

2. Tithe anciently was used for the support of those who ministered about holy things. Numbers 18:20-24 says, “Then the Lord said to Aaron: `You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they [that is the Levites] shall have no inheritance.’ ” Anciently, the tithe was used for those who worked in holy service.

3. The New Testament teaches that this tithing plan has been ordained for the support of the gospel ministry. In 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14, Paul refers to the passage in Numbers 18 and says, “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” The New Testament says that the tithing plan has been ordained for the support of the gospel ministry.

4. Jesus endorsed the tithing plan. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the other undone.”

5. God promises to bless the faithful payment of tithe. Malachi 3:10-12 says, ” ‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this.’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,’ says the Lord of hosts; ‘And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Wealthy men like John D. Rockefeller and Colgate paid tithe.)

6. Those who do not do as God commands will not prosper. Haggai 1:5-11. “Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.’ Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified.’ says the Lord. ‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.’”

7. God’s curse is upon men, money and property when God is not honored and obeyed. Malachi 3:8, 9 says, “Will a man rob God? Yes you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.”

As Elder Haynes listened to her, he thought to himself, “Well now, what is she going to say? What is she going to object to?” Miss Clancy said, “Now, do I have to do this?” Elder Haynes replied, “Why would there be an exception for you? I’m not the one who told you this, this is what God’s Word says.”

Six Dollars

To this reply, Miss Clancy stated, “Well, you don’t understand my circumstances. Now, I don’t enjoy telling you this, but I must tell you because you need to understand why I don’t see how I can do this. First of all,” she said, “I am not employed. I don’t have a job. I really don’t have any means of support. But,” she explained, “I have a son-in-law and he sends me $6.00 a week.”

Elder Haynes was listening—$6.00 a week, even in 1919, was not much money. Miss Clancy continued, “I’m renting a little kitchenette apartment. I’ve been there ten years and the rents have gone up with the other apartments all around, but, the Lord has been good to me. My landlord has not increased my rent.”

“How much is your rent?” inquired Elder Haynes.

“My rent is $4.50 a week.”

Miss Clancy receives $6.00 a week from her son-in-law to live on. Her rent is $4.50 a week, leaving $1.50 for all other expenses including food. Elder Haynes was aghast. “That’s impossible! You can’t live on that!”

“I know. I know you can’t live on that, but the Lord’s been good to me and has helped me to live on that. I have been living on that for many years. But now you’re telling me that I need to pay a tithe which is 60¢ on $6.00 and then my rent is still going to be the same. So you are telling me that instead of living on $1.50 a week, now I’m to live on 90¢ a week.”

What would you do if you were the preacher? Would you say, “Well sister, I recognize that you’re in a very difficult situation and God doesn’t expect you to pay tithe.” Elder Haynes felt so bad. Now he knew why she was going through a trial. When all you have to live on is $1.50 a week and now you are only going to have 90¢ a week, what are you going to eat? Does God make an exception for the poor? There are no exceptions in the Bible. And he had to say to her, “I’m not the one who made the rules. God said that He would open the windows of heaven and that He will bless you. If you will do what He says to do, He will take care of you. I don’t know how He’s going to do it. All I know is that God will not fail you.” She thought it over and said, “Well, God’s taken care of me before and I’ll do it.”

Six Dimes

The next week she came to church and she handed Elder Haynes 60¢ tithe. In writing about it later, he said that was the hardest 60¢ he ever had anybody put in his hand to accept. He did not want to take it, but God had commanded it and he took it. And every Sabbath from then on she would come to church, go up to him and hand him 60¢. And in his mind, he would just have a sinking feeling, “What is happening to this lady? Is she going hungry?” Once he bent down and whispered in her ear, “Miss Clancy, how are you getting along? Are you all right?”

“Praise the Lord! I am,” was all she replied. The preacher wondered what was happening.

Finally, the third time, he again inquired, “Miss Clancy, are you sure, everything is all right?”

“Pastor, something strange has been happening,” She beamed, “I never knew before that the neighbors could be so kind and thoughtful. I’ve never had this happen before. They never did the things before that they’re doing for me now.”

“Well what things are they doing?”

“They bring me little presents—a loaf of bread, a pound of butter. A neighbor will come over and give me some flour and another will give me some cereal and another will give me a quart of milk and another will give me some fruit. They even come over and give me cake.” She continued, “I’m living better now on 90¢ a week than I used to live on $1.50.”

“Do you think somebody has been putting them up to this?”

“Yes I do. I think somebody has put the neighbors up to this.”

“Who do you think it is?”

“Do you need to ask me that, Pastor? If you had not counseled me to pay tithe like you did, I would have been robbed of God’s blessing.”

“Miss Clancy, I have reached the conclusion that you are the ablest financier in New York City and I have long wanted to ask you how you could possibly make 90¢ a week cover your weekly needs.”

“Ah Pastor, I’ve told you the neighbors help it to stretch, but aside from that my needs are simple. I have learned to live on porridge and oatmeal and these are cheap. To me, now, it seems that I’m getting along better than I was before.”

Every week she came and put in 60¢. This went on for three or four months, but one day there was a knock on the door of his study. Elder Haynes opened the door and there stood Miss Clancy with a playful smile on her face.

“Pastor, now you are going to have to give me some respect. Because now I am a woman of means.”

“Well, what has happened?”

Ten dimes plus offering

“My son-in-law wrote a letter the other day and told me that he had been feeling for some time that he really should send me more money. It was just too difficult to live on just $6.00 a week. He said that from now on he was going to send me $10.00 a week. Pastor, do you know what that means? My tithe on $10.00 will be $1.00, my rent will be $4.50 a week, so that will give me $4.50 left. My income has just gone up from 90¢ a week to $4.50 a week. My disposable income has gone up five times. I don’t know what I’m going to do with all that money. I guess I’m going to have large offerings to help the gospel go to the mission field.”

Someday if you are faithful, you will get to meet Miss Clancy. Maybe you will have a story to tell her about how God helped you, how God opened the windows of heaven for you. Do you know, friends, God is somebody that you can trust. Do you believe that? Miss Clancy found out that when you do what God says, He opens up the windows of heaven. Nobody knew how God was going to open up the windows of heaven, but as soon as she started paying tithe, something changed and she started getting along better than she had before. The same thing will happen to you. When you are faithful to return to God His own, God opens the windows of heaven and takes charge of your life.

Look what Jesus said about this in Matthew 6:30-33, “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and these things shall be added to you.”

When you make God first in your life and choose to follow Him, God takes responsibility for you. God is going to see to it that you have food and clothing and will take care of you. Would you like to see God open the windows of heaven in your life? Would you like to be blessed? The Lord says, “Return the tithes and offerings into the storehouse and try Me out. And I will open the windows of heaven to you and all people will call you blessed.”

There is nothing in this world that is as good or as wonderful as being blessed by God.

The End