Transcript: Episode 0068
This transcript:
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- Has not been checked for errors.
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WEBVTT 00:00:37.292 --> 00:00:39.472Welcome to the Stone Choir Podcast. 00:00:39.772 --> 00:00:40.752 I am Corey J. 00:00:40.772 --> 00:00:41.112 Mahler. 00:00:41.792 --> 00:00:42.932 And I'm still, whoa. 00:00:42.952 --> 00:00:42.972 Hello. 00:00:52.412 --> 00:00:55.332 On today's Stone Choir, we're going to be discussing tithing. 00:00:55.452 --> 00:01:05.212 We thought that this would be an interesting, mild continuation of the last couple episodes where we dealt with jealousy and zealousness, which involved possession. 00:01:05.692 --> 00:01:17.252 And in last week's episode, which dealt with inheritance, passing on things which are owned by one generation to the next, which includes obviously both material things and spiritual things and others. 00:01:18.452 --> 00:01:26.152 This week, as we talk about tithing, we're going to be talking about one of the obligations in the Christian life to give as you live. 00:01:26.732 --> 00:01:32.432 And inheritance is something that is passed forward to a future generation, or in the case of a dowry, momentarily. 00:01:32.952 --> 00:01:36.292 Something like tithing is more or less an ongoing process. 00:01:36.312 --> 00:01:47.872 So today we're going to talk about what is in scripture in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and then what should it look like today, especially as we're dealing with the church in its current state. 00:01:48.872 --> 00:01:52.612 So before we get into the episode proper, just a bit of very brief housekeeping. 00:01:52.972 --> 00:01:59.872 If you go back to listen to episode 63 on Repentance, we introduced that we are going to be shipping some challenge coins very soon. 00:02:00.332 --> 00:02:02.412 Corey just got the physical samples of them. 00:02:02.632 --> 00:02:03.572 They look awesome. 00:02:04.892 --> 00:02:14.652 In the show notes, we will have the actual pictures of both sides of the coin, and we will be linking again where you can find the shop link in the show notes. 00:02:15.092 --> 00:02:17.192 We'll also be posting those on social media. 00:02:17.552 --> 00:02:23.052 We already linked the images on Telegram a couple days ago for folks who are participating in that daily discussion. 00:02:24.652 --> 00:02:32.672 Through next Monday morning, so next Sunday night, we will still have free shipping, and after that shipping is only two bucks, so it's not a big deal. 00:02:33.172 --> 00:02:40.792 The regular price for the challenge coins is now $42, and once Corey gets the shipment in, he'll have to process them all. 00:02:41.292 --> 00:02:48.292 I wish I could share in that burden, but it's kind of a one-man job, and it's going to him, so that's how some of these things go. 00:02:49.352 --> 00:02:51.792 It's probably going to be a month or so before those start going out. 00:02:51.812 --> 00:02:53.732 We'll let you know, obviously, when that happens. 00:02:54.492 --> 00:02:56.712 If you haven't ordered yet, there are going to be a ton of them. 00:02:56.732 --> 00:03:00.252 If you're listening to us a year from now, you should probably still be able to get your hands on one. 00:03:00.952 --> 00:03:02.452 Shipping won't be free anymore, sorry. 00:03:02.852 --> 00:03:11.472 But if you're a listener regularly, you want to get free shipping, you didn't order one yet, you can use a coupon code that will be in the show notes that's shipped for free with a numeral. 00:03:12.692 --> 00:03:16.392 The Challenge Coin, as I mentioned in Episode 63, we described what it is. 00:03:16.672 --> 00:03:18.032 We have now the pictures of it. 00:03:18.672 --> 00:03:23.812 Basically, it's a token of our appreciation and thanks for you for helping to support the show. 00:03:24.432 --> 00:03:27.652 Corey and I, you know, take a lot of time to do this and it's completely free. 00:03:27.692 --> 00:03:32.492 Like we said in one of the very first episodes about paywall and God, this is a podcast. 00:03:32.492 --> 00:03:39.492 Podcasts are free inherently, and this is a completely unmonetizable podcast because no one's ever going to advertise with crazy men like us. 00:03:39.512 --> 00:03:45.472 So it really makes a big difference to folks who have been supporting us for the last year or so. 00:03:46.092 --> 00:03:50.192 Everyone who's donated anything, everyone who's shared the show has also helped. 00:03:50.492 --> 00:03:54.772 But if you would specifically like to contribute to what we're doing here, we really appreciate it. 00:03:55.292 --> 00:04:00.872 The Challenge Coin is a way for you to do that and for you to get a really cool token back. 00:04:00.892 --> 00:04:03.532 The neat thing about Challenge Coins is they're totally worthless. 00:04:03.592 --> 00:04:05.292 It has no monetary value. 00:04:05.512 --> 00:04:06.432 It doesn't do anything. 00:04:06.652 --> 00:04:10.132 It's just really nice to hold and to touch, have in your pocket, have on a desk. 00:04:10.552 --> 00:04:19.232 It could potentially be a great conversation starter if you think there's somebody who might potentially be an interesting person to listen and to introduce to Stone Choir. 00:04:19.652 --> 00:04:21.832 That might be a way you could bring it up casually. 00:04:22.872 --> 00:04:31.732 And I think down the road, it's also probably be a little bit of a necklace for quite a few of us, where you're not necessarily gonna say anything, but if someone happens to see it, they'll think it's cool. 00:04:32.292 --> 00:04:39.712 Or it's an identify friend or foe sort of thing, because there are certainly folks who wanna find out who's listening and not for good reasons. 00:04:39.732 --> 00:04:44.032 But so it goes, that's the world that we're in today, and we're happy warriors. 00:04:44.292 --> 00:04:45.632 We should all be happy warriors. 00:04:45.712 --> 00:04:47.552 We belong to God and He'll take care of us. 00:04:48.212 --> 00:04:53.752 And so we're very appreciative to everyone who is willing to chip in and help us out. 00:04:53.892 --> 00:04:59.792 And we're looking forward to you being able to share the excitement with other folks that you meet, who are also listeners. 00:05:00.132 --> 00:05:08.952 That a ton of people recently saying that folks they've run into in real life also listen to the show, which is wildly improbable, because it's still really small. 00:05:08.972 --> 00:05:12.392 We have a small audience by most standards now. 00:05:13.052 --> 00:05:20.332 So the fact that random people are running into each other in the real world who also listen without having told each other is amazing. 00:05:20.332 --> 00:05:21.332 It's really mind blowing. 00:05:21.392 --> 00:05:30.112 So if you both have challenge coins, you'll be excited and you can compare who has the lower number and the other guy's got to buy you a beer or coffee or whatever. 00:05:32.152 --> 00:05:41.032 On the subject of tithing today, as I mentioned, it's a Christian obligation, but we're going to talk about how the obligation has changed over time. 00:05:41.652 --> 00:05:45.432 So there are kind of three elements to the premise of tithing. 00:05:46.292 --> 00:05:59.752 The first is the Levitical law during the Old Testament, during the Jewish period of the Old Testament, when there was a specific requirement for that specific people to give a specific amount to a specific place. 00:06:00.212 --> 00:06:01.592 And so that was effectively the tithe. 00:06:01.592 --> 00:06:02.992 It was stipulated by God. 00:06:04.192 --> 00:06:11.652 But additionally, when you look throughout the Old Testament, it wasn't simply that you have to give 10% and then you're done. 00:06:12.412 --> 00:06:26.252 There were other elements where it was reiterated, including in Proverbs 3, where God says, honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce, that your barns may be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. 00:06:26.272 --> 00:06:28.072 Not grape juice, wine. 00:06:28.452 --> 00:06:29.192 Sorry, Baptists. 00:06:30.572 --> 00:06:47.972 This is one of those many promises that God gives where there's a command and a promise tied together, just as in the fourth commandment, where God says, honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth as a command to do something and a promise that God will bless those who do it. 00:06:48.832 --> 00:07:01.572 And we've said before, unfortunately, Protestants are so allergic to works righteousness that when God says, obey me and it will go well, we just plug our ears like, no, no, no, that sounds like works righteousness, that's salvation. 00:07:01.792 --> 00:07:02.332 No, it's not. 00:07:02.692 --> 00:07:03.652 It's not salvation. 00:07:04.172 --> 00:07:11.692 It's like, if I tell you, don't eat something that's gonna hurt your stomach, and then you eat it and it hurts your stomach, is that wrath from God? 00:07:11.712 --> 00:07:14.572 At some points, like just don't do the thing that's bad for you. 00:07:14.952 --> 00:07:20.952 So there are lots of things that are baked into creation, like honoring your father and mother, that are inherently blessed. 00:07:21.252 --> 00:07:26.412 If you have a good family relationship intergenerationally, that's a blessing to everyone. 00:07:26.432 --> 00:07:29.932 It's a blessing to you, to your family, to your community, and God blesses it. 00:07:30.312 --> 00:07:32.952 It's an active thing where God is active in creation. 00:07:33.272 --> 00:07:37.052 That's also the case with tithing, with giving back to God. 00:07:37.852 --> 00:07:46.232 And as we'll go through a number of these verses today, the underlying premise is something we've also talked about many times, which is that everything is from God. 00:07:46.892 --> 00:07:53.092 It's not like God needs our money or our anything, because where did the stuff that we have come from? 00:07:53.452 --> 00:07:54.632 God gave it to us. 00:07:55.032 --> 00:07:57.512 Whatever you have is already from God. 00:07:57.992 --> 00:08:06.412 So if He gives you something and then say, you should do, and He tells us you should do this with it, well, you just do it, because He gave it to you, and He's the Creator. 00:08:06.432 --> 00:08:07.412 He's God Almighty. 00:08:07.952 --> 00:08:10.552 It's not that He needs your money or whatever. 00:08:10.892 --> 00:08:13.332 It's that He says, here you go, do this. 00:08:13.992 --> 00:08:17.532 That should be a very simple thing for any believer to follow through on. 00:08:18.672 --> 00:08:20.872 And, you know, it's not simply money. 00:08:20.892 --> 00:08:27.152 I've said before, the air in your lungs, the fact that there's oxygen that's keeping you alive is a blessing from God. 00:08:27.452 --> 00:08:28.632 And then you work up from there. 00:08:29.172 --> 00:08:37.872 Every night that you go to bed and you have a bed and your stomach is full, you're not hungry and you're not cold, that's a blessing from God. 00:08:37.872 --> 00:08:39.612 All these things are blessings from God. 00:08:40.232 --> 00:08:45.452 And when He withdraws those blessings by degrees, you know, eventually each of us will take our last breath. 00:08:46.272 --> 00:08:50.612 We're still blessed with the promises of what is to come for those who are believers. 00:08:51.312 --> 00:08:54.032 So God is always pouring out His blessings. 00:08:54.332 --> 00:09:00.412 And then when He tells us something specific, we're not saving ourselves, we're not earning our salvation by obeying Him. 00:09:00.432 --> 00:09:02.272 We're just like, okay, these are the rules. 00:09:02.292 --> 00:09:05.432 These are the table stakes for me being alive and being a believer. 00:09:05.752 --> 00:09:17.332 And one of them is the notion of the tithe, not the mechanical specific rules of the Old Testament, but the notion that God has given, we will give some back to Him. 00:09:18.292 --> 00:09:21.992 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all you produce. 00:09:23.972 --> 00:09:26.832 That's the premise that runs throughout all the passages that we have today. 00:09:28.332 --> 00:09:53.632 The third thing that I want to mention is that this is also a matter of wisdom, because when we're looking at the current state of the church today, we're looking at our congregations, our denominations, maybe our pastors, or the absence of a pastor, whatever situation you have in your local Christian context, the tithe no longer has a specific meaning or a specific rote set of rules. 00:09:53.772 --> 00:09:55.952 So, I'm not going to bury the lead. 00:09:56.172 --> 00:10:01.292 At the very end of this, we're not going to have a checklist of here's exactly how much you give and here's to whom you give it. 00:10:01.632 --> 00:10:03.912 We're not going to say, here are five places where you must give money. 00:10:04.112 --> 00:10:04.872 There's none of that. 00:10:05.032 --> 00:10:06.332 This is all matters of wisdom. 00:10:06.932 --> 00:10:28.792 And I want to specifically highlight that upfront, because when you're looking at the premise of tithing, of giving back to God those things which he has given to us for the benefit of the church and for the benefit of all, it's important to understand that we have our own personal context, we have our family context, we have our church context and those change over time. 00:10:29.452 --> 00:10:36.932 So one of the reasons that it's crucial for us not to get hung up on, I need a Bible verse that says that I give this much to this place. 00:10:37.992 --> 00:10:43.932 If you have that mindset, you're just going to get locked into something that it may not work next year, may not work in five years. 00:10:44.212 --> 00:10:49.192 The thing that's right to do today, may be the wrong thing to do in a couple of years. 00:10:49.812 --> 00:10:53.032 And it's not that God changed, it's that the circumstances changed. 00:10:53.052 --> 00:11:09.252 You know, the specific example we have in mind, obviously, is if you're giving to a church or a church body that you believe is faithful, and then they become unfaithful, do you continue giving them God's things when initially you're giving them for good purposes, and then they're using them for evil purposes? 00:11:09.652 --> 00:11:15.252 Even if it's 98% good and 2% completely wicked, what do you do with that? 00:11:15.692 --> 00:11:20.292 Think of the context of you as a parent giving a child an allowance. 00:11:20.932 --> 00:11:30.932 If you find out one day that your kid is spending their allowance money from you on drugs, would you reduce their allowance money by whatever portion they were spending on drugs? 00:11:31.292 --> 00:11:41.972 Or do you cut them off entirely and deal with that situation, and make sure that they don't get any surplus like that that could be abused to their detriment until you solve the spiritual problem? 00:11:42.532 --> 00:11:43.732 It's the same thing in our churches. 00:11:43.752 --> 00:11:55.552 So when we're doing something, I would have very different comments two years ago than I have today because circumstances have changed in a number of our churches, and our knowledge of them has changed. 00:11:55.932 --> 00:12:06.772 So as a matter of wisdom, not only is there not a specific formula in a specific checklist, but it's necessary for us to think about this stuff and to keep thinking about it over time. 00:12:07.012 --> 00:12:20.532 To just take stock periodically as a Christian who's trying to be a faithful steward of God's gifts and make sure that the thing that was the right thing to do five years ago or last year or last week, is it still the right thing to do today? 00:12:20.852 --> 00:12:22.932 Is it the right thing to do five years from now? 00:12:23.372 --> 00:12:28.272 In some cases, unfortunately, because of the sinful state of the world, those answers may change. 00:12:28.552 --> 00:12:30.672 Now, if everything were working perfectly, they wouldn't change. 00:12:30.972 --> 00:12:33.912 It's not that this is a normal part of the Christian life. 00:12:34.212 --> 00:12:36.732 It's not a part of the Christian life when everything's working well. 00:12:37.052 --> 00:12:45.092 It's a part of the Christian life because we live in a fallen world where things in particular today are going off the rails in some ways that we haven't seen in a long time. 00:12:45.692 --> 00:12:47.572 So we're not going to give any pad answers. 00:12:48.012 --> 00:12:49.612 This isn't even an episode with homework. 00:12:49.632 --> 00:12:54.432 This is an episode with the burden of, you're going to have to think about this later. 00:12:54.732 --> 00:12:56.592 What am I going to do in my life? 00:12:56.952 --> 00:13:00.132 And then you're going to have to remember in a few years to think about it again. 00:13:00.632 --> 00:13:04.232 Is what I'm doing with my tithe still the right thing to do with it? 00:13:04.252 --> 00:13:09.872 You know, maybe you set a schedule, maybe you set a calendar reminder and just take stock once a year, whatever. 00:13:09.892 --> 00:13:11.692 Like it's again, there's no rule for it. 00:13:11.712 --> 00:13:21.032 It's just you as a steward of God's gifts to you have to make sure they're being spent wisely, both on your end and on the end of the recipients. 00:13:21.812 --> 00:13:24.652 So that's going to be the framework for what we discussed today. 00:13:24.672 --> 00:13:31.732 Please keep all that in mind because at different times, there are different right approaches and there's no one-hand approach for everyone. 00:13:32.172 --> 00:13:40.972 But the overarching principle that everything that we have is from God and that we are to be faithful stewards of it guides everything that we're going to talk about here today. 00:13:42.432 --> 00:13:52.272 As is so often the case, one of the first things we need to go over and properly understand for this topic is just the meaning of the word itself. 00:13:53.072 --> 00:13:59.192 That has been the case in many past episodes, including some of the recent ones, where we've had to carefully define terms. 00:13:59.212 --> 00:14:06.012 And so in order that we understand precisely what is meant, in this case, it's actually very straightforward. 00:14:06.072 --> 00:14:09.112 It's just something that most people overlook. 00:14:10.152 --> 00:14:12.852 The word tithe means tenth. 00:14:14.332 --> 00:14:20.952 It is simply an Old English word that morphed into a Middle English word, and then we retained it. 00:14:21.712 --> 00:14:25.292 But over time, we've sort of lost an understanding of what it means. 00:14:25.312 --> 00:14:26.372 And again, it's very simple. 00:14:26.912 --> 00:14:28.112 It means tenth. 00:14:28.532 --> 00:14:36.652 It is both the ordinal form of ten in Middle English, actually, because Old English, it's teotha, and then it became tithe. 00:14:37.012 --> 00:14:39.992 You can spell it with a Y or an I in Middle English. 00:14:41.092 --> 00:14:42.592 In Modern English, we use tenth. 00:14:43.252 --> 00:14:44.212 It's the same word. 00:14:45.272 --> 00:14:52.172 And of course, this comes from the scriptural understanding of what it means to tithe, which was the giving of a tenth. 00:14:53.032 --> 00:15:00.212 Now, as Woe said in his introduction, it isn't necessarily the case that we give a tenth of everything we receive today. 00:15:01.012 --> 00:15:05.572 However, that is the general recommendation in scripture. 00:15:05.592 --> 00:15:13.032 So perhaps that should be, if not aspirational, at least a guideline for what we do. 00:15:14.192 --> 00:15:17.832 There will be those who give less because perhaps they cannot give that much. 00:15:17.972 --> 00:15:23.052 And there will be those who have been blessed significantly who give far more than 10%. 00:15:23.692 --> 00:15:34.292 If God has blessed you with hundreds of millions of dollars, you're making some obscene amount of money every year, you should probably be giving more than 10%. 00:15:34.992 --> 00:15:38.512 God has given you that wealth in order to benefit others. 00:15:39.032 --> 00:15:41.772 He has not given it to you just so that you can amass it. 00:15:41.792 --> 00:15:44.352 You are not some sort of Tolkienous dragon. 00:15:44.452 --> 00:15:46.072 That's not what you do with wealth. 00:15:46.092 --> 00:15:47.252 It is a gift from God. 00:15:47.812 --> 00:15:52.932 It is one of those talents in the parable that you are supposed to use. 00:15:53.652 --> 00:15:56.612 You are supposed to be productive with it, not simply hoard it. 00:15:58.192 --> 00:16:05.732 But to turn to scripture, we actually do not have recorded in scripture the first instance of a tithe. 00:16:06.792 --> 00:16:18.312 And the reason that I feel confident saying that is that we see the first instance in Genesis 4, the first recorded instance, and that of course is Cain and Abel, so I'll go ahead and read that. 00:16:19.292 --> 00:16:28.292 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the first born of his flock and of their fat portions. 00:16:28.852 --> 00:16:34.012 And the Lord had regard for Abel in his offering, but for Cain in his offering he had no regard. 00:16:34.532 --> 00:16:37.152 So Cain was very angry and his face fell. 00:16:37.872 --> 00:16:42.372 The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry and why has your face fallen? 00:16:42.872 --> 00:16:45.172 If you do well, will you not be accepted? 00:16:45.592 --> 00:16:48.712 And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. 00:16:49.172 --> 00:16:52.732 Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. 00:16:54.632 --> 00:16:59.652 So this is the first recorded instance of tithing, of an offering to God. 00:16:59.672 --> 00:17:00.672 That's what's being done here. 00:17:02.632 --> 00:17:07.212 However, they were taught this by Adam and Eve. 00:17:07.792 --> 00:17:13.572 And so undoubtedly we have some sort of tithing happening with Adam and Eve that is simply not recorded. 00:17:15.132 --> 00:17:20.532 But let's look at what is happening specifically here in this passage with Cain and Abel. 00:17:22.032 --> 00:17:23.572 Why is Abel accepted? 00:17:23.592 --> 00:17:26.552 Why is his offering accepted and Cain's is not? 00:17:27.472 --> 00:17:35.052 The passage itself, the wording in the passage, actually gives us some of the necessary information, hints at it very strongly. 00:17:36.272 --> 00:17:43.152 With the word choice, Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. 00:17:44.452 --> 00:17:46.812 Abel gave the first and best to the Lord. 00:17:48.472 --> 00:17:54.552 Tithing above and beyond just being ten percent is the first ten percent. 00:17:55.552 --> 00:18:03.012 It is that portion of what God has given you that you give back to God, and you give that to God off the top. 00:18:03.032 --> 00:18:09.172 It's not after all these other things are done, then whatever is left over, I'll give God some little portion of that. 00:18:10.172 --> 00:18:11.572 Now, there are those who do that. 00:18:12.672 --> 00:18:17.272 And really, what they're doing is missing out on God's blessings. 00:18:18.452 --> 00:18:20.132 This isn't prosperity gospel. 00:18:20.152 --> 00:18:22.612 It isn't, you know, you sow a seed and you'll get something great. 00:18:23.312 --> 00:18:29.452 But Scripture does very clearly speak of blessings from God for the cheerful giver. 00:18:30.012 --> 00:18:31.192 And of course, that's part of this. 00:18:31.212 --> 00:18:33.912 And it's part of what plays into this passage with Cain and Abel. 00:18:34.872 --> 00:18:40.552 You have to look at this in light of the disposition of the heart of Cain and Abel. 00:18:41.352 --> 00:18:42.712 Abel is the joyful giver. 00:18:43.312 --> 00:18:44.312 Abel has faith. 00:18:44.752 --> 00:18:45.932 He is a Christian. 00:18:46.752 --> 00:18:49.612 Cain is not a joyful giver. 00:18:50.172 --> 00:18:57.472 Cain is not giving of the first born or the fat portions, which you can do with fruit of the ground as well, which just means produce. 00:18:59.232 --> 00:19:03.392 It's not that God has regard only for animals and not for produce. 00:19:04.012 --> 00:19:09.432 So if you are an apple farmer, that doesn't mean that you have to go out and get sheep or else God's not happy with you. 00:19:10.532 --> 00:19:17.692 The issue is giving that first portion, giving what is best to God, because that is giving thanks for the whole. 00:19:17.972 --> 00:19:20.332 Fundamentally, that is what tithing is. 00:19:20.892 --> 00:19:34.032 You are giving a portion back to God to give thanks for the whole of what He has given you, because you aren't called to give everything you have to God, unless, of course, God gives you that specific command. 00:19:34.052 --> 00:19:35.772 There is the rich young man in Scripture. 00:19:36.172 --> 00:19:40.092 If God tells you specifically, sell everything and follow Me, then you do that. 00:19:41.432 --> 00:19:44.352 But Jesus is not currently walking around telling us to do that. 00:19:44.932 --> 00:19:48.292 So we give a portion in order to give thanks for the whole. 00:19:49.272 --> 00:19:59.632 Because all of the things that we have, whether it is resources or goods or money, whatever it happens to be, all of those things are from God. 00:20:00.012 --> 00:20:01.552 They are all blessings from Him. 00:20:01.852 --> 00:20:05.592 And we return that thanks to God via tithing. 00:20:06.652 --> 00:20:15.012 And we will look more into the passages that deal with what God says about tithing and why we are to tithe. 00:20:16.752 --> 00:20:22.652 But another passage in Genesis that I would like to cover is from Genesis 14. 00:20:22.672 --> 00:20:28.872 This is another one of the explicit instances of tithing, perhaps one of the most explicit in Scripture. 00:20:30.032 --> 00:20:39.092 After his return from the defeat of Kedilamer, and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh, that is, the king's valley. 00:20:39.612 --> 00:20:42.832 And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. 00:20:43.272 --> 00:20:56.332 He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram, by God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. 00:20:57.172 --> 00:20:59.312 And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 00:21:01.872 --> 00:21:04.372 That's Abram tithing to Melchizedek. 00:21:05.612 --> 00:21:11.932 He is giving it to the church, as it were, in this case, and we'll go over that in more detail later in the episode as well. 00:21:13.172 --> 00:21:16.532 But Abram just received a great deal of goods. 00:21:16.732 --> 00:21:26.312 Now, he doesn't keep all the goods, incidentally, but that's a matter for another time, if we're doing an episode perhaps on Genesis, or if I pick up that study again. 00:21:27.132 --> 00:21:34.312 The important focus for the sake of this episode is the simple fact that Abram gives a tenth of everything. 00:21:35.612 --> 00:21:43.152 He tithes all of the goods that he has been given, and he has a great deal of them at this point. 00:21:43.172 --> 00:21:44.492 He has been blessed by God. 00:21:44.492 --> 00:21:48.072 He has gold and silver and slaves and flocks. 00:21:48.552 --> 00:21:49.652 He is a wealthy man. 00:21:50.892 --> 00:21:56.412 He gives a tenth of that to God, because he is giving thanks to God for what God has given him. 00:21:57.092 --> 00:21:58.352 And he is a cheerful giver. 00:21:59.012 --> 00:22:01.212 He is not giving this because he is compelled. 00:22:01.512 --> 00:22:03.792 He is not giving it because there is compulsion here. 00:22:04.232 --> 00:22:16.212 He is giving it because he recognizes this is one, his duty, and two, his privilege, because he is giving back to God joyfully in response to all the things that God has given him. 00:22:17.152 --> 00:22:21.712 This is similar to how we love God and we react to God. 00:22:21.732 --> 00:22:22.732 What does Scripture say? 00:22:22.752 --> 00:22:24.752 We love God because he first loved us. 00:22:25.932 --> 00:22:33.572 This is similar in that God has given all these things to us first and then we give them back to God in thanks for what he has done. 00:22:35.832 --> 00:22:49.952 That is a fundamentally important part of the mindset for this, because if we have this thought that all of these things are ours by right, and we hold them and it's mine, no one else has a claim on it, it is mine alone. 00:22:51.872 --> 00:23:09.052 You have to balance the proper jealousy of which we spoke in the previous episode entitled jealousy and what it means to be, one could say greedy or self-centered, is having the wrong disposition with regard to those things. 00:23:10.212 --> 00:23:21.392 You are jealous and the sole owner of certain things, but other parts of your wealth, other parts of your blessings are yours as a steward. 00:23:21.972 --> 00:23:24.312 They are yours to use toward good ends. 00:23:25.012 --> 00:23:27.412 And so your wife is yours alone, period. 00:23:28.012 --> 00:23:28.892 End of discussion. 00:23:29.432 --> 00:23:31.332 You are jealous of her and that is right. 00:23:32.552 --> 00:23:52.912 Your wealth, you are jealous of it in so far as it is yours because God has given it to you as a blessing, but you are to turn around and use that wealth for the good of the church, for the good of your neighbor, for the good of others, not just to hoard it again, that you are not a dragon, that's not what you are supposed to do. 00:23:53.872 --> 00:23:56.652 And so tithing is part of how you do that. 00:23:57.712 --> 00:24:03.452 It's part because if you have been blessed above and beyond, then you do more than tithing. 00:24:04.332 --> 00:24:06.972 Everyone always thinks of tithing as being money. 00:24:07.612 --> 00:24:08.572 It's not just money. 00:24:09.252 --> 00:24:14.972