TITHING: AN OBEDIENT RESPONSE TO A GRACIOUS GOD 64 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
Who doesn t want to be healthy? It s your annual physical. At the conclusion of the examination and tests, the doctor says you ll be in great health if you ll do two things: 1. Reduce your calorie consumption by ten percent. 2. Increase the amount of walking you do by ten percent. Most of us would be relieved. On average, that means cutting back 250 calories or taking only 500 more steps. That s easy! Ten percent doesn t seem like much in most cases, but when it comes to our money, it feels huge. We know we should give to support the ministries of our church and the work of God s kingdom, but one survey showed that in 2011, Christians gave only 2.3 percent to the church and one-third to one-half of church members don t give anything at all. God has been abundantly gracious to us, and He calls us to be like Him and give abundantly and graciously. In this study from the Book of Malachi, we will be challenged to see what our attitude about money says about our attitude toward God. We will also discover the joy and benefits of giving back to the One who has given so much to us. John Bryan John is the State Missionary with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board in the areas of stewardship and missions, having led mission teams across America and throughout the world. His radio ministry is broadcast daily through one-minute messages. He married his high school sweetheart, Clare, and they have three sons. 65
SPECIAL FOCUS TITHING: AN OBEDIENT RESPONSE TO A GRACIOUS GOD
When did you first learn the joy of giving? QUESTION #1 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 67
THE POINT Respond to God s goodness through a tithe of your income. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE As kids, we couldn t wait for Christmas morning and the thrill of opening our gifts. As adults, I m sure we still enjoy getting presents, but most of us discovered something perhaps even more enjoyable: giving gifts! It s fun to watch the excitement in children s eyes as they open gifts. Even when adults exchange gifts, we ll see as much joy or more on the face of the one giving the gift. She wants to tell how she hunted for the perfect gift. He is eager to mention all the steps he went through in making the gift. That joy of giving is not limited to Christmas or birthdays or any other special days of the year. God invites His people to know that joy year round. The prophet Malachi challenged the Jews, who were missing out on this joy because they were failing to give. We are commanded to give, but as we see in Malachi s words, that command comes with great blessing. We find joy in our obedience and in our giving. 68 SPECIAL FOCUS
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Malachi 3:7-10a 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, How shall we return? 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10a Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. We are desperate for a return to God. This need to return to God is nothing new. Malachi, one of the last Old Testament prophets, declared on God s behalf, Return to me. The Jews had turned away from the Lord and quit following His laws. They had become lukewarm in their faith and disobedient in their practices. Thankfully, this call also came with a gracious promise: Return to me, and I will return to you. They had left God, yet He was pursuing them with a promise to be with them if they would return to Him. A factor for returning to God and restoring their relationship with Him was to stop robbing Him! The word tithe means a tenth. Giving ten percent is such a small amount when considering that one hundred percent of all we have is a gift from God. We may believe we have earned our wages, but who of us has earned the gift of life, our health, our minds, our bodies, or the promise of eternity? It is more proper to understand that we don t give a tenth; we return it to the Lord who has shared with us all we have. So when we don t return the tenth of what we have, we are keeping from God what is His. What have you been taught about tithing? QUESTION #2 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 69
THE POINT Respond to God s goodness through a tithe of your income. Throughout the Old Testament, tithing was God s plan. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest, as recognition of God s ownership (see Gen. 14:18-20) and this was before any law about tithing was given. Jacob pledged a tenth of his possessions as an expression of gratitude for God s guidance and provision (see 28:20-22) and again, this was before the law was given. The tribe of Levi served as priests; their needs were to be met through the tithes given by other tribes. (See Deut. 14:28-29.) Giving is our obedient response to God s gracious work in our lives the tenth is a starting point for our giving. In addressing the matter of giving, Paul said that as we excel in this act of grace, we show our love for the One who gave so much for us (2 Cor. 8:7). What happens if we don t give? A lack of gracious giving reflects a selfish, stingy, and sinful mind-set. We re ineffective as long as we are self-focused and not Christ-centered. To state that in the harshest terms as Malachi did, You are cursed with a curse. What happens if we do give? 1. We support the ministry and needs of others. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Malachi was referring to a storehouse of food that was used for ministry purposes. When the tithe flowed in, God s people could minister and encourage the disheartened and downtrodden. Why is obedience in the area of giving so challenging? QUESTION #3 2. We demonstrate our love and gratitude to God. Christian zeal in giving is motivated by thanksgiving to God who gave us His Son to give us purpose and meaning in life. In Christ, God gave us the gift of everlasting life. And when we practice the spiritual discipline of giving, it multiplies the joy we have in serving Christ and benefiting others. 70 SPECIAL FOCUS
Malachi 3:10b-12 10b And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. God challenged us to put me to the test. This is an invitation from the Almighty to reap the benefits of obedience. When we take God up on this test and give obediently, He does two things for us: God provides. God promised He will open the windows of heaven. As we bless others through giving our tithe, God blesses us; He provides for us. God protects. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear. Physical drought can be devastating to a farmer. Likewise, spiritual drought can be deadly to a believer in Christ. God protects us. The Jews hearing Malachi s words knew God desired to bless and protect them. Years earlier, when the people were in exile in Babylon, God promised to protect them and bring them back to a prosperous place. Why is giving such an important discipline for spiritual growth? QUESTION #4 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 71
THE POINT Respond to God s goodness through a tithe of your income. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11). His protection was tied to their trust in Him. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes (vv. 13-14). When we trust God, He works on our behalf and in His timing timing that is always perfect. Have you ever bitten into a piece of fruit that was not yet ripe? You cringe or spit it out! Yet God s timing is perfect. He promises fruit in our lives that is just right. God s promise of protection has not changed. Our generous giving is a reflection of our trust in Christ, and as we trust Him, He is with us and protects us. For the Christ-follower, nothing can separate us from God s love and presence. (See Rom. 8:31-39.) When we give, God responds and others notice God s work in our lives. Malachi gave a strong motivation to the Israelites to return to tithing. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight (Mal. 3:12). The blessing of God is contagious; it touches those closest to us and others who are desperate for relief to see it and want to respond to God s leadership too. Obedience always brings blessing. My family raises and trains Labrador Retrievers. When a potential new owner comes to check out the pups, the first question is usually, Which one behaves the best? Obedience is learned through experience and many times through the consequence of disobedience. When the dogs follow the commands of Sit, Stay, Come or Fetch, they receive a reward: a pat on the head, a dog biscuit, and always a supportive word of encouragement. The more experienced dogs know that if they respond well to their master s voice, their reward comes quickly. We re not to act like dogs, merely obeying because of an anticipated reward. No, we are to give as a loving response to what God has already done for us! Yet as we give Him our full attention and follow His instruction, we continue to reap benefits and blessings from the gracious hand of our loving God. What are the benefits of Christian giving in the life of the church? QUESTION #5 72 SPECIAL FOCUS
MORE THAN JUST A PIECE OF THE PIE Use the first pie chart to indicate how you typically manage the money God has provided. On the second chart, indicate what God desires. Note: Be sure to account for expenses such as housing, groceries, gasoline, insurance, entertainment, debt, savings, and other categories, in addition to your giving. Mark percentages and label them on each pie chart. Write a brief prayer thanking the Lord for His provision and committing yourself to follow Him in this important area of your life. My Prayer: BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 73
THE POINT Respond to God s goodness through a tithe of your income. LIVE IT OUT Our response to God through giving a tithe of our income requires systematic discipline that provides great benefits to others and blessings for ourselves. Consider the following actions this week: Start. Begin now to return a full ten percent of your income to God s work and experience the blessings that come from obedience to God s Word. Trust Jesus with this decision. Stick. If you are already a tither, determine to stay the course and dedicate your obedience to God s continued blessing. Share your conviction with others and encourage them to begin tithing. Strengthen. Pray about giving beyond a tithe, increasing your generosity to others and for the work of the kingdom of God. A greater offering provides a greater blessing for others. Take the challenge. While we respond to God s goodness by being loving stewards of all He has given us to manage, it is also good and right to remember that we can t outgive God! My thoughts 74 SPECIAL FOCUS
GOD OWNS IT ALL BY MARY CLAIRE BENNETT Karen Guess is a mother, a financial advisor, and an author. This year, she wrote and published Never Enough?: 3 Keys to Financial Contentment with her father, Ron Blue, of Ronald Blue and Company. The book is a narrative instructional guide to financial peace, and Karen has expanded upon the contents of the book to share her story and offer financial guidance and encouragement for parents and children. For parents and children, finances are an incredibly stressful aspect of college, and numbers can be intimidating and impersonal. In their book, Karen and Ron make finances less intimidating and BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 75
more personal by introducing the concept of a numbers story. Karen defines the term as the unique economic, social, and spiritual experiences of any individual. As it says in Never Enough?, we all have a numbers story, and Karen is no exception. Tool. Test. Testimony. Karen s numbers story is founded in her heritage, for which she says she s grateful. The foundation is: God owns it all. This perspective is the tool, and it extends throughout life s many tests. What does a numbers story look like for parents as their children move closer to their college years? Some parents of young children may have considered this already, and Never Enough? offers examples of tools, tests, and testimonies to help families narrate their numbers stories. Based upon the principles and practices outlined in her book, Karen offers advice for families to live a numbers story that reflects the principle that God owns all. Karen suggests communication, integration, and experimentation. First, parents shouldn t be afraid to talk about money with their children. They can integrate finances into family life by having open discussions about money, by explaining the various needs for and uses of money, and by giving children a chance to handle money on their own. Karen emphasizes the importance of giving children freedom to make decisions. This freedom will inevitably lead to instances of failure, but it can build children s confidence in their decision-making abilities. As children approach their college years, parents and children will inevitably need to have more and more specific financial conversations. Karen emphasizes saving early and planning realistically, since Money is about competing priority. If parents and children view college as a monetary priority, they may think of education as an investment, but Karen explains it may be more realistic to think of college as a goal. Viewing college as a goal can alleviate some of the stress we feel about the finances of college. In fact, financial planning is all about perspective, and a biblicallywise perspective is stewardship. According to Karen, acknowledging God owns it all can guide parents as they prepare for the expense 76
of their child s college. What does it look like for parents to acknowledge God owns it all? Karen says it boils down to believing in God and trusting in His purpose and plans. When parents acknowledge God owns it all, they adopt a perspective of stewardship, and stewardship is the first step to biblical financial wisdom. For parents who may not feel they re wise in the area of biblical financial wisdom, Karen explains it in terms of perspectives and practices. Biblical financial wisdom is framed by perspectives of faith, stewardship, and contentment; it s practiced in word, prayer, and counsel. Biblical Contentment Discussion and debate are central to financial planning, and conversation is key. Parents can feel confident in their financial wisdom by integrating finances into their family lives, and they can feel reassured by God s wisdom that overrides their financial journeys. But what happens when parents finally send their children off to college? How can college students confidently practice stewardship and biblical financial wisdom? Karen urges students to view financial constraints as a chance to be independent and realistic. College can be an incredibly challenging time for students, but there are biblical reminders of God s provisions. Karen views the financial journey as an opportunity to experience new things and to seek wisdom, like an adventure with God. She reminds us to recognize that all money is God s, and He provides. We must accept God s presence and participation in our lives in order to let go of monetary dependence. Contentment is unattainable in a culture ruled by money, but it s found in God. Karen reminds us of the biblical contentment mentioned in Philippians 4:12-13: I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. When parents acknowledge God owns it all, they adopt a perspective of stewardship, and stewardship is the first step to biblical financial wisdom. Mary Claire Bennett is a Nashville native who is earning a degree in multimedia journalism. She is grateful to her parents for walking with her through every step of the college journey. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 77