GOD'S GUIDANCE FOR GIVING

A Study of Principles Drawn from the Old Testament's Law of the Tithe

STUDY FIVE:  THE PRINCIPLE OF EFFECT

            We have considered the Principle of Freedom, the Principle of God's Ownership, the Principle of Worship or Priority, and the Principle of Covenanting.  They have said to us that, as we acknowledge God's ownership as our Creator and Redeemer, we are free in Christ to give him priority in all of life and to worship him also through Christian Giving – and to covenant with him regarding our giving so it will be prayerfully planned and appropriately carried out.

            Today we consider THE PRINCIPLE OF EFFECT.  Just as not applying the principles of God's Word to our Christian lives will result in reduced spiritual vitality, so our applying its principles will bless us with growth in our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.  This  Principle of Effect relates also to our Christian Giving.  That this is true is self-evident, for it was built into God's own giving plan for his Old Testament people.       

            Malachi was God's prophet to the people of Judah after they had returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.  But as time went on they had continued to be just a small vassal state in the backwaters of the Persian Empire – and many were disillusioned and discouraged.  Malachi addressed the religious malaise that characterized his day, urging renewal of true faith and its expression.  Through Malachi the Lord called attention also to the fact that the Tithe, by which his people honored the Lord and provided for his worship, was being neglected.  His strong words provide the basic Scripture that describes The Principle of Effect.  (See Malachi 3:6-12)

            Malachi pointed to two effects of bringing the full tithe to the Lord:  1.  There would be food in God's house.  2.  God would throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing.

            Scholars tells us that primitive societies thought of the gods as having need for sustenance just as they did – so they brought sacrifices of food to satisfy the gods' hunger.  The Jews surely did not see Yahweh as having such material needs.  They knew him as the God of creation, the One through whom all things exist, the living God.  But in the tabernacle and the temple there was a table that held the showbread – twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, that were placed before the Lord each Sabbath.  So the term "food in my house" had a literal meaning.  The loaves, of course, were not there for Yahweh to "eat" but to acknowledge him as the Source of the earth's fruitfulness and of Israel's sustenance.  Each week the old loaves were eaten by the priests.

            Malachi's "food for God's house" had a much larger application than the showbread loaves.  The tithes brought by Israel supplied the Levites, who worked in the tabernacle and temple, with their living.  They, in turn, were to give a tithe of what they received to the priests for sacrifices and to provide for the priests.  (See Numbers 18:20-32)  The tithe, then, had the practical effect of providing for the daily worship of the Lord in his temple and for those whom he had designated to be his workers in the temple.  Every third year the "food for God's house" was to be stored up to help also others.  (See Deuteronomy 14:28-29)  How do you think the recipients of this "social ministry" aspect of the tithe reacted to its supplying their needs?

            This Principle of Effect carried over into the New Testament.  The offerings of God's people underwrite the Gospel ministry and supply the needs of the Gospel ministers.

            Luke 10:1-12 – What was Jesus teaching the apostles by sending them out dependent on what the people would give them?

            Romans 10:12-15 – Who does the sending of people out to preach?  How does this apply to our support of missionaries today?

            1 Corinthians 9:1-18 – What right did Paul affirm in writing these words?  Why did he not assert that right in his own case? 

            Philippians 4:15-18 – What kind of aid did the Philippians send Paul?  Why did he accept their gifts when it was his principle to be self-supporting and offer the Gospel free of charge?

            Give some examples of how our Christian Giving provides this kind of "food for God's house" in the life of the church today.

             The second aspect of The Principle of Effect is the blessing it brings to the giver.  Through Malachi the Lord challenged the Jews to challenge him – to see if he would live up to his promise of blessing.  (See Malachi 3:10-12)  What form would the blessing promised through Malachi take?  How did this relate to the tithe they were to bring?  What does this say in general about the way God's floodgates of blessing work in his people's lives?

            The Principle of Effect says that our giving stimulates God to be generous in his gifts to us..

            Proverbs 19:17 – Who "co-signs" for "debts" the poor incur in their need of gifts of charity?  Are you ready to "invest" on this basis?

            Philippians 4:19 – Who did Paul say would repay the Philippian Christians for their unsolicited financial support of his work?

            2 Corinthians 9:6-11 – Can you afford not to take advantage of this kind of investment opportunity?

            The most important aspect of The Principle of Effect is what happens to the giver and to those blessed by their gifts. 

            Psalm 51:19 – In most burnt offerings the better parts of the meat were kept for the Levites and priests, but some were "whole burnt offerings."  Did whole burnt offerings do anyone any good?

            Matthew 6:19-21 – Is this backwards?  Does the treasure go where the heart is – or will the heart follow the investment of treasure?

            2 Corinthians 8:1-5 – With what attitude did the Macedonians approach the opportunity to "share in this service to the saints"?  What had they done that cultivated this attitude in them?

            Luke 18:9-14 – The Pharisee tithed conscientiously.  Why was he not "justified" or blessed in his giving?

            2 Corinthians 9:12-14 – What would be the result of the offering to supply the needs of God's people in the lives of the recipients?

            Dr. Carl Berner says, "The miracle of stewardship is progressive. The more one gives, the more one receives – not always in kind, but God's gifts are always better.  This may not make sense in our logic,  but it is the kind of sense God puts into his stewardship mystery."

 

GOD’S GUIDANCE FOR GIVING

A Study of Principles Drawn from the Old Testament's Law of the Tithe

THOUGHTS FOR THE LEADER

STUDY FIVE:  THE PRINCIPLE OF EFFECT

            The first paragraphs tie this study to those we have already considered and introduce The Principle of Effect.  Succeeding paragraphs provide some background about Malachi and his times and about his terminology as he encouraged the people to bring God his tithe.  Read them thoughtfully for your group, using the suggested Scripture references, add comments as you desire, invite their comments and questions, and move on to explore Scripture together on the second page. / Those whose lives were nourished through this "social ministry," no doubt praised the Lord, who commanded this tithe, and were grateful for their neighbors who thus contributed to their needs.

            Luke 10 – In their being dependent on the people who would hear their message they were being dependent on Jesus and the effectiveness of his Word, for it was his message that they were proclaiming.  This training exercise also said to them that what they were sent to do was valuable and should be acknowledged as such by those who heard them.

            Romans 10 – Essentially, it is Jesus who sends out preachers of the Good News, but he does so through the instrumentality of the Church.  This is his Great Commission to the Church.   /   Our financial support is needed if missionaries are going to be sent and allowed to devote themselves full-time to their proclamation.

            1 Corinthians 9 – Paul quoted Old Testament Scripture about laws that governed the harvest to affirm the right of church workers to expect to receive their living from those they serve.  In our present day, it surely means that congregations should salary their pastors and other professional workers appropriately, so they will be free of undue financial stress in working among them.   /   Paul didn't assert this right because he was Jesus' missionary to the Gentile world; he wanted to proclaim a free salvation in Christ and didn't want anyone to feel that he was just doing this "to make a living off them."

            Philippians 4 – They no doubt sent money so Paul would not have to spend so much of his time and energy working to support himself.   /   He accepted their gifts because they were voluntarily sent and because the Philippians were outside the scene where he was working.  As they became his partners in the Gospel, it did not compromise his determination not to "charge" for the Gospel.

            Your group will be able to suggest many practical examples.  Be ready to contribute some more unusual ones yourself.

            Through Malachi God promised to bless their agricultural efforts and prevent devastation by pests.   /   This related directly to their tithe because they brought their tithe in the form of produce of field and flock.  As their fields and flocks grew in abundance, also the Lord's tithe would grow.    /   Generally God's "floodgates of blessing" are his blessing of what we ourselves are doing to provide for our needs.  Luther said this approach "gives God a disguise" as he showers his blessings on us.  As we look around us we surely can see that people can "get rich" without God and his blessing.  Sometimes his allowing this may even be part of his judgment of those who ignore him.  It may actually lead them farther from God as their riches become more and more their god..  But Christians know we are really rich only when we are living under God's blessing, are aware of it, and are giving him credit and thanks.

            Proverbs 19 – God says he himself is the co-signer, and will see to the repayment of the "debt."  The KJV has:  "He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him."   /   The second question may be asked and just left for individuals to ponder over and answer for themselves.

            Philippians 4 – God would bless and repay the Philippians.

            2 Corinthians 9 – This text is one of the classic stewardship encouragements in the Bible.  Paul's words are clear.  The question on the study guide is another one that has to be left to the individual for personal consideration.

            Psalm 51 – Most burnt offerings had their practical side as well as their worship side, but whole burnt offerings were totally worship. The only ones to get some good out of them were the Lord and the giver, as the offering reflected the faith-love relationship between them.

            Matthew 6 – Jesus' words do sound backwards.  It might make more sense if it were "Where your heart is, there you will invest your treasure."  Jesus would agree with that, too.  But he was making a point of the importance of consciously and deliberately determining the direction of life.  /   In the world of finance, interest follows investment.  Invest in the Kingdom, "laying up treasures in heaven," and your interest in the things of the Kingdom will grow.

            2 Corinthians 8 – They considered it a privilege to be able to contribute to helping poor Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, which is what the offering was for.  It's true for us, too.  God could do it all himself, but he gives us the privilege of making contributions to the advancement of his Kingdom.   /   Their secret:  they first gave themselves to the Lord.

            Luke 18 – The Pharisee tithed conscientiously, but it was all a part of his self-glorifying approach.  He is the classic example of the fact that the Lord doesn't just look at our gifts, but at the heart out of which the gifts are given.  (See 1 Corinthians 4:5)

            2. Corinthians 9 – The offering from the Greek churches was to help Jewish Christians in Palestine through a time of drought and famine.  Paul wrote that they would be prompted to thank and praise God and lovingly remember the givers in their prayers.

             Dr. Berner's words will help you wrap up your study of The Principle of Effect.  If you have time, before you end with his words, ask your group to analyze these statements on the basis of the principles we have been considering:

            "I want to do my share in supporting the work of the church as long as others are ready to do their share."  This does not take individual differences into consideration.  We don't just give our share to meet a need; we give from what we receive because we need to give.

            "I would like to give more, but it costs so much just to live these days."  Generous giving requires a balanced life.  Sometimes we have to say NO to ourselves in order to be able to say YES to God.

            "I really can't afford to tithe because so much of my income is going into my planning for retirement."  We do need to plan for later needs, but we also need to trust the Lord in them.  Balance is needed.

            "I have found that my giving doesn't cause a hardship as long as I am careful in managing the rest of my income."  A true principle. Giving generously out of a base of careless management may just compound problems.  Careful Christian stewardship involves management of all the income God gives us and all our expenditures.

            "I have found that since I am giving a generous first percentage of my income to the Lord I am more interested in what's happening at church."  Interest always follows investment.  Give substantially to church or charity and you will be interested in what happens to your money.