Transcript: Episode 0068

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<v SPEAKER_2>Welcome to the Stone Choir Podcast.

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<v SPEAKER_2>I am Corey J.

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<v SPEAKER_2>Mahler.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And I'm still, whoa.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Hello.

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<v SPEAKER_1>On today's Stone Choir, we're going to be discussing tithing.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And inheritance is something that is passed forward to a future generation, or in the case of a dowry, momentarily.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Something like tithing is more or less an ongoing process.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So before we get into the episode proper, just a bit of very brief housekeeping.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Corey just got the physical samples of them.

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<v SPEAKER_1>They look awesome.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We'll also be posting those on social media.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We already linked the images on Telegram a couple days ago for folks who are participating in that daily discussion.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>The regular price for the challenge coins is now $42, and once Corey gets the shipment in, he'll have to process them all.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's probably going to be a month or so before those start going out.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We'll let you know, obviously, when that happens.

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<v SPEAKER_1>If you haven't ordered yet, there are going to be a ton of them.

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<v SPEAKER_1>If you're listening to us a year from now, you should probably still be able to get your hands on one.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Shipping won't be free anymore, sorry.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>The Challenge Coin, as I mentioned in Episode 63, we described what it is.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We have now the pictures of it.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Basically, it's a token of our appreciation and thanks for you for helping to support the show.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Corey and I, you know, take a lot of time to do this and it's completely free.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Like we said in one of the very first episodes about paywall and God, this is a podcast.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Podcasts are free inherently, and this is a completely unmonetizable podcast because no one's ever going to advertise with crazy men like us.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So it really makes a big difference to folks who have been supporting us for the last year or so.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Everyone who's donated anything, everyone who's shared the show has also helped.

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<v SPEAKER_1>But if you would specifically like to contribute to what we're doing here, we really appreciate it.

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<v SPEAKER_1>The Challenge Coin is a way for you to do that and for you to get a really cool token back.

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<v SPEAKER_1>The neat thing about Challenge Coins is they're totally worthless.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It has no monetary value.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It doesn't do anything.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's just really nice to hold and to touch, have in your pocket, have on a desk.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>That might be a way you could bring it up casually.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>But so it goes, that's the world that we're in today, and we're happy warriors.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We should all be happy warriors.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We belong to God and He'll take care of us.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And so we're very appreciative to everyone who is willing to chip in and help us out.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And we're looking forward to you being able to share the excitement with other folks that you meet, who are also listeners.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We have a small audience by most standards now.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's really mind blowing.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So there are kind of three elements to the premise of tithing.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And so that was effectively the tithe.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It was stipulated by God.

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<v SPEAKER_1>But additionally, when you look throughout the Old Testament, it wasn't simply that you have to give 10% and then you're done.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Not grape juice, wine.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Sorry, Baptists.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>No, it's not.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's not salvation.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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?

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<v SPEAKER_1>At some points, like just don't do the thing that's bad for you.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So there are lots of things that are baked into creation, like honoring your father and mother, that are inherently blessed.

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<v SPEAKER_1>If you have a good family relationship intergenerationally, that's a blessing to everyone.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's a blessing to you, to your family, to your community, and God blesses it.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's an active thing where God is active in creation.

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<v SPEAKER_1>That's also the case with tithing, with giving back to God.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's not like God needs our money or our anything, because where did the stuff that we have come from?

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<v SPEAKER_1>God gave it to us.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Whatever you have is already from God.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>He's God Almighty.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's not that He needs your money or whatever.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's that He says, here you go, do this.

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<v SPEAKER_1>That should be a very simple thing for any believer to follow through on.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And, you know, it's not simply money.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And then you work up from there.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>All these things are blessings from God.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And when He withdraws those blessings by degrees, you know, eventually each of us will take our last breath.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We're still blessed with the promises of what is to come for those who are believers.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So God is always pouring out His blessings.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And then when He tells us something specific, we're not saving ourselves, we're not earning our salvation by obeying Him.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We're just like, okay, these are the rules.

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<v SPEAKER_1>These are the table stakes for me being alive and being a believer.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all you produce.

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<v SPEAKER_1>That's the premise that runs throughout all the passages that we have today.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So, I'm not going to bury the lead.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>We're not going to say, here are five places where you must give money.

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<v SPEAKER_1>There's none of that.

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<v SPEAKER_1>This is all matters of wisdom.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>The thing that's right to do today, may be the wrong thing to do in a couple of years.

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<v SPEAKER_1>And it's not that God changed, it's that the circumstances changed.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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?

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<v SPEAKER_1>Even if it's 98% good and 2% completely wicked, what do you do with that?

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<v SPEAKER_1>Think of the context of you as a parent giving a child an allowance.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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?

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<v SPEAKER_1>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?

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's the same thing in our churches.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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?

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<v SPEAKER_1>Is it the right thing to do five years from now?

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<v SPEAKER_1>In some cases, unfortunately, because of the sinful state of the world, those answers may change.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Now, if everything were working perfectly, they wouldn't change.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's not that this is a normal part of the Christian life.

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<v SPEAKER_1>It's not a part of the Christian life when everything's working well.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So we're not going to give any pad answers.

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<v SPEAKER_1>This isn't even an episode with homework.

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<v SPEAKER_1>This is an episode with the burden of, you're going to have to think about this later.

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<v SPEAKER_1>What am I going to do in my life?

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<v SPEAKER_1>And then you're going to have to remember in a few years to think about it again.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Is what I'm doing with my tithe still the right thing to do with it?

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<v SPEAKER_1>You know, maybe you set a schedule, maybe you set a calendar reminder and just take stock once a year, whatever.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Like it's again, there's no rule for it.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_1>So that's going to be the framework for what we discussed today.

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<v SPEAKER_1>Please keep all that in mind because at different times, there are different right approaches and there's no one-hand approach for everyone.

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<v SPEAKER_1>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.

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<v SPEAKER_2>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.

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<v SPEAKER_2>That has been the case in many past episodes, including some of the recent ones, where we've had to carefully define terms.

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<v SPEAKER_2>And so in order that we understand precisely what is meant, in this case, it's actually very straightforward.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It's just something that most people overlook.

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<v SPEAKER_2>The word tithe means tenth.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It is simply an Old English word that morphed into a Middle English word, and then we retained it.

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<v SPEAKER_2>But over time, we've sort of lost an understanding of what it means.

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<v SPEAKER_2>And again, it's very simple.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It means tenth.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It is both the ordinal form of ten in Middle English, actually, because Old English, it's teotha, and then it became tithe.

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<v SPEAKER_2>You can spell it with a Y or an I in Middle English.

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<v SPEAKER_2>In Modern English, we use tenth.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It's the same word.

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<v SPEAKER_2>And of course, this comes from the scriptural understanding of what it means to tithe, which was the giving of a tenth.

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<v SPEAKER_2>Now, as Woe said in his introduction, it isn't necessarily the case that we give a tenth of everything we receive today.

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<v SPEAKER_2>However, that is the general recommendation in scripture.

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<v SPEAKER_2>So perhaps that should be, if not aspirational, at least a guideline for what we do.

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<v SPEAKER_2>There will be those who give less because perhaps they cannot give that much.

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<v SPEAKER_2>And there will be those who have been blessed significantly who give far more than 10%.

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<v SPEAKER_2>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%.

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<v SPEAKER_2>God has given you that wealth in order to benefit others.

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<v SPEAKER_2>He has not given it to you just so that you can amass it.

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<v SPEAKER_2>You are not some sort of Tolkienous dragon.

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<v SPEAKER_2>That's not what you do with wealth.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It is a gift from God.

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<v SPEAKER_2>It is one of those talents in the parable that you are supposed to use.

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<v SPEAKER_2>You are supposed to be productive with it, not simply hoard it.

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<v SPEAKER_2>But to turn to scripture, we actually do not have recorded in scripture the first instance of a tithe.

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<v SPEAKER_2>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.

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<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>So Cain was very angry and his face fell.

00:16:37.872 --> 00:16:42.372
<v SPEAKER_2>The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry and why has your face fallen?

00:16:42.872 --> 00:16:45.172
<v SPEAKER_2>If you do well, will you not be accepted?

00:16:45.592 --> 00:16:48.712
<v SPEAKER_2>And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.

00:16:49.172 --> 00:16:52.732
<v SPEAKER_2>Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.

00:16:54.632 --> 00:16:59.652
<v SPEAKER_2>So this is the first recorded instance of tithing, of an offering to God.

00:16:59.672 --> 00:17:00.672
<v SPEAKER_2>That's what's being done here.

00:17:02.632 --> 00:17:07.212
<v SPEAKER_2>However, they were taught this by Adam and Eve.

00:17:07.792 --> 00:17:13.572
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Why is Abel accepted?

00:17:23.592 --> 00:17:26.552
<v SPEAKER_2>Why is his offering accepted and Cain's is not?

00:17:27.472 --> 00:17:35.052
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Abel gave the first and best to the Lord.

00:17:48.472 --> 00:17:54.552
<v SPEAKER_2>Tithing above and beyond just being ten percent is the first ten percent.

00:17:55.552 --> 00:18:03.012
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Now, there are those who do that.

00:18:12.672 --> 00:18:17.272
<v SPEAKER_2>And really, what they're doing is missing out on God's blessings.

00:18:18.452 --> 00:18:20.132
<v SPEAKER_2>This isn't prosperity gospel.

00:18:20.152 --> 00:18:22.612
<v SPEAKER_2>It isn't, you know, you sow a seed and you'll get something great.

00:18:23.312 --> 00:18:29.452
<v SPEAKER_2>But Scripture does very clearly speak of blessings from God for the cheerful giver.

00:18:30.012 --> 00:18:31.192
<v SPEAKER_2>And of course, that's part of this.

00:18:31.212 --> 00:18:33.912
<v SPEAKER_2>And it's part of what plays into this passage with Cain and Abel.

00:18:34.872 --> 00:18:40.552
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Abel is the joyful giver.

00:18:43.312 --> 00:18:44.312
<v SPEAKER_2>Abel has faith.

00:18:44.752 --> 00:18:45.932
<v SPEAKER_2>He is a Christian.

00:18:46.752 --> 00:18:49.612
<v SPEAKER_2>Cain is not a joyful giver.

00:18:50.172 --> 00:18:57.472
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>It's not that God has regard only for animals and not for produce.

00:19:04.012 --> 00:19:09.432
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Fundamentally, that is what tithing is.

00:19:20.892 --> 00:19:34.032
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>There is the rich young man in Scripture.

00:19:36.172 --> 00:19:40.092
<v SPEAKER_2>If God tells you specifically, sell everything and follow Me, then you do that.

00:19:41.432 --> 00:19:44.352
<v SPEAKER_2>But Jesus is not currently walking around telling us to do that.

00:19:44.932 --> 00:19:48.292
<v SPEAKER_2>So we give a portion in order to give thanks for the whole.

00:19:49.272 --> 00:19:59.632
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>They are all blessings from Him.

00:20:01.852 --> 00:20:05.592
<v SPEAKER_2>And we return that thanks to God via tithing.

00:20:06.652 --> 00:20:15.012
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>But another passage in Genesis that I would like to cover is from Genesis 14.

00:20:22.672 --> 00:20:28.872
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine.

00:20:43.272 --> 00:20:56.332
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

00:21:01.872 --> 00:21:04.372
<v SPEAKER_2>That's Abram tithing to Melchizedek.

00:21:05.612 --> 00:21:11.932
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>But Abram just received a great deal of goods.

00:21:16.732 --> 00:21:26.312
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>He has been blessed by God.

00:21:44.492 --> 00:21:48.072
<v SPEAKER_2>He has gold and silver and slaves and flocks.

00:21:48.552 --> 00:21:49.652
<v SPEAKER_2>He is a wealthy man.

00:21:50.892 --> 00:21:56.412
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>And he is a cheerful giver.

00:21:59.012 --> 00:22:01.212
<v SPEAKER_2>He is not giving this because he is compelled.

00:22:01.512 --> 00:22:03.792
<v SPEAKER_2>He is not giving it because there is compulsion here.

00:22:04.232 --> 00:22:16.212
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>This is similar to how we love God and we react to God.

00:22:21.732 --> 00:22:22.732
<v SPEAKER_2>What does Scripture say?

00:22:22.752 --> 00:22:24.752
<v SPEAKER_2>We love God because he first loved us.

00:22:25.932 --> 00:22:33.572
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>They are yours to use toward good ends.

00:23:25.012 --> 00:23:27.412
<v SPEAKER_2>And so your wife is yours alone, period.

00:23:28.012 --> 00:23:28.892
<v SPEAKER_2>End of discussion.

00:23:29.432 --> 00:23:31.332
<v SPEAKER_2>You are jealous of her and that is right.

00:23:32.552 --> 00:23:52.912
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>And so tithing is part of how you do that.

00:23:57.712 --> 00:24:03.452
<v SPEAKER_2>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
<v SPEAKER_2>Everyone always thinks of tithing as being money.

00:24:07.612 --> 00:24:08.572
<v SPEAKER_2>It's not just money.

00:24:09.252 --> 00:24:14.972
<v SPEAKER_2>You can tithe in other ways, and we used to understand this as a culture, because men used to tithe in other ways.

00:24:16.452 --> 00:24:24.412
<v SPEAKER_2>If you were a pastor of a rural parish, you didn't get your entire salary in money, in cash, in coins.

00:24:25.252 --> 00:24:36.292
<v SPEAKER_2>You received part of your salary in goods, because many of your congregants would have been farmers, and so they would have literally given you out of the flock, out of the harvest.

00:24:36.552 --> 00:24:43.992
<v SPEAKER_2>You would have received a bushel of apples, or a goat, or something like that, because that was how those farmers could tie.

00:24:44.012 --> 00:24:49.872
<v SPEAKER_2>They didn't have money, they didn't have cash, so they tithed out of what God had given them.

00:24:50.572 --> 00:24:51.932
<v SPEAKER_2>And the same is true today.

00:24:53.012 --> 00:25:16.052
<v SPEAKER_2>Now, for some, perhaps quite a few of those listening, you probably don't have livestock, you probably don't have crops, but you do have skills, you do have things that God has given you, and you can tithe of your time, because you can give your time back to the church, to your neighbor, to those who are in need.

00:25:16.472 --> 00:25:29.232
<v SPEAKER_2>And Scripture frequently speaks not just of the church as the recipient of the tithe, but also the neighbor who is in need, the widow, the fatherless, those who actually are again in need.

00:25:30.252 --> 00:25:35.912
<v SPEAKER_2>That is part of what the purpose of the tithe is, to fulfill that need, to do good for the kingdom of God.

00:25:36.772 --> 00:25:39.132
<v SPEAKER_2>And so you can give of the things that God has given you.

00:25:39.152 --> 00:25:43.352
<v SPEAKER_2>They don't have to be actual physical money.

00:25:43.372 --> 00:25:45.112
<v SPEAKER_2>It's not just a matter of writing a check.

00:25:45.272 --> 00:25:49.672
<v SPEAKER_2>There are many ways in which you can give this tithe back to God.

00:25:50.512 --> 00:25:55.672
<v SPEAKER_2>And notably, giving the tithe back to God is similar to good works.

00:25:56.272 --> 00:25:58.752
<v SPEAKER_2>Because good works, God doesn't need them.

00:26:01.012 --> 00:26:03.672
<v SPEAKER_2>God has no use for you building a shed.

00:26:03.972 --> 00:26:05.092
<v SPEAKER_2>God doesn't need a shed.

00:26:05.372 --> 00:26:06.532
<v SPEAKER_2>Your neighbor may need one.

00:26:07.512 --> 00:26:09.712
<v SPEAKER_2>Good works are rendered to your neighbor.

00:26:10.492 --> 00:26:13.072
<v SPEAKER_2>And in so doing, you are praising God.

00:26:13.092 --> 00:26:14.332
<v SPEAKER_2>That is worship of God.

00:26:14.432 --> 00:26:16.092
<v SPEAKER_2>The same thing is true of your tithe.

00:26:17.292 --> 00:26:20.032
<v SPEAKER_2>One, you can't actually give money to God.

00:26:21.352 --> 00:26:22.292
<v SPEAKER_2>There's no way to do that.

00:26:23.052 --> 00:26:24.172
<v SPEAKER_2>Two, God doesn't need it.

00:26:24.752 --> 00:26:27.032
<v SPEAKER_2>God has no use for gold or silver.

00:26:27.052 --> 00:26:28.012
<v SPEAKER_2>He created all of it.

00:26:28.452 --> 00:26:30.772
<v SPEAKER_2>If he wanted some of it, he would make more.

00:26:32.232 --> 00:26:35.792
<v SPEAKER_2>So you don't give the money to God because there's no way to do it.

00:26:36.412 --> 00:26:37.992
<v SPEAKER_2>And second, because he doesn't need it.

00:26:38.772 --> 00:26:43.572
<v SPEAKER_2>The tithe, the things that you are giving back, go to your neighbor.

00:26:44.832 --> 00:26:49.692
<v SPEAKER_2>And the way that we used to do this, of course, was by and large through the church.

00:26:50.572 --> 00:27:13.872
<v SPEAKER_2>Now, as Wo mentioned, if you happen to have the great blessing of having a faithful local congregation, first and foremost, you should be tithing to that local congregation, because then the local congregation can organize the aid to members of the congregation who need it, to your neighbors, to your community, all of this largely local, the way things are supposed to be run.

00:27:15.452 --> 00:27:23.772
<v SPEAKER_2>That doesn't mean that they can't give money to a larger group, because perhaps your church has an overarching authority of some kind.

00:27:25.072 --> 00:27:35.492
<v SPEAKER_2>If you happen to have a church body where the regional body is faithful, there's nothing wrong with transmitting some of that funding to the regional body to then distribute as it is needed.

00:27:36.632 --> 00:27:50.972
<v SPEAKER_2>This is how things ran in Christendom for centuries with some more central organization, because you had godly princes who would actually allocate money to the churches so the churches could then turn around and do good works in the community.

00:27:51.392 --> 00:27:55.372
<v SPEAKER_2>And that was essentially how their version of welfare ran for centuries.

00:27:56.772 --> 00:28:00.852
<v SPEAKER_2>To date, we don't always have faithful larger church bodies.

00:28:01.452 --> 00:28:08.712
<v SPEAKER_2>And so it may be that you need to give your tithe, those resources, the money, whatever it is you're returning to god.

00:28:09.512 --> 00:28:12.472
<v SPEAKER_2>You may need to give that to the local congregation with strings attached.

00:28:13.072 --> 00:28:17.252
<v SPEAKER_2>You may need to say, I am giving this and it is earmarked for X.

00:28:18.672 --> 00:28:20.932
<v SPEAKER_2>It is not to be used for Y.

00:28:22.972 --> 00:28:27.992
<v SPEAKER_2>It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in that situation, but that is the reality on the ground.

00:28:29.832 --> 00:28:42.352
<v SPEAKER_2>And if you cannot trust your local congregation, then you can go ahead and use those funds directly to benefit your neighbor, the needy, some other ministry.

00:28:42.852 --> 00:28:45.552
<v SPEAKER_2>And that is also a point that we need to make.

00:28:46.612 --> 00:28:55.792
<v SPEAKER_2>You can tithe to other Christian ministries, not just your local congregation, because your tithe does not have to go to just a church.

00:28:56.632 --> 00:28:58.832
<v SPEAKER_2>Your tithe goes to the church.

00:28:59.352 --> 00:29:06.572
<v SPEAKER_2>And the distinction between those two that I wish to make is that a church is the local congregation.

00:29:07.272 --> 00:29:09.932
<v SPEAKER_2>The church is all believers.

00:29:11.072 --> 00:29:23.212
<v SPEAKER_2>And so if you are helping your neighbor, and I want to expand this even a little bit, because if you are helping your neighbor, if he's a Christian, you're tithing to the church by helping that neighbor.

00:29:24.272 --> 00:29:30.292
<v SPEAKER_2>Maybe you buy him something he needs, or you donate some of your time, you help in some way that you are able.

00:29:31.952 --> 00:29:34.752
<v SPEAKER_2>That is of course a good work, and that's part of what it means to be a Christian.

00:29:35.792 --> 00:29:44.212
<v SPEAKER_2>But the church, in this case, I want to expand the church beyond just those who are currently Christians.

00:29:45.272 --> 00:29:56.952
<v SPEAKER_2>Yes, your neighbor, your actual physical neighbor, your fellow congregants, those who are closest to you, and of course your family first and foremost, are your primary concern for these things.

00:29:58.172 --> 00:30:05.792
<v SPEAKER_2>However, those who could become part of the church, so your neighbor who is not yet a Christian, you can do good to him.

00:30:05.812 --> 00:30:15.452
<v SPEAKER_2>You can use some of that money, some of those resources that you would be giving to a local congregation if the local congregation is a little wobbly on some things.

00:30:16.392 --> 00:30:18.592
<v SPEAKER_2>You can use that to help that man.

00:30:19.192 --> 00:30:27.932
<v SPEAKER_2>It may be that those good works rendered to that man will be part of how God, part of how the Holy Spirit works in him to bring him into the church.

00:30:29.452 --> 00:30:38.152
<v SPEAKER_2>You are not required to give the 10% or whatever percentage it happens to be in your case to the local congregation alone.

00:30:39.132 --> 00:30:52.172
<v SPEAKER_2>You can use that in service of the church capital C, not just the local congregation, which given the reality on the ground, the things that we face today, is very good news.

00:30:53.232 --> 00:31:08.432
<v SPEAKER_2>Now it does mean that you may need to do a little more work because it is certainly much easier to write a check and be done than it is to actually find those who are in need, to help those who are in need, to do these things that actually require a little more effort on your part.

00:31:09.852 --> 00:31:14.032
<v SPEAKER_2>And perhaps that's good, because writing the check can be a little too easy.

00:31:15.072 --> 00:31:19.912
<v SPEAKER_2>Writing the check seems to be almost performative in some cases.

00:31:19.932 --> 00:31:26.232
<v SPEAKER_2>I won't say it's a bad thing, I'm not going that far, because certainly tithing again is part of your Christian duty.

00:31:27.552 --> 00:31:39.052
<v SPEAKER_2>But if all we do is write that check and then say, you know, I'm done, rub my hands together, but I'm right next to the mic, so it would be too loud, if we say that we're done, we've done our Christian duty, that's good enough.

00:31:40.272 --> 00:31:43.792
<v SPEAKER_2>It really disconnects us from our community, from our neighbor.

00:31:44.352 --> 00:31:56.052
<v SPEAKER_2>Whereas if you actually go over and get your hands dirty helping your neighbor, that's forming a connection that is different from saying, well, I tithe to my congregation and they'll go and help the needy.

00:31:56.512 --> 00:31:57.752
<v SPEAKER_2>I'm done, I've done my part.

00:32:00.052 --> 00:32:09.712
<v SPEAKER_2>We need to be more involved as Christians, not just with our congregations, but also with our neighbors, those around us.

00:32:10.092 --> 00:32:12.452
<v SPEAKER_2>How many of us even know the names of all of our neighbors?

00:32:14.692 --> 00:32:15.912
<v SPEAKER_2>That's rare these days.

00:32:16.432 --> 00:32:17.672
<v SPEAKER_2>Go over and introduce yourself.

00:32:18.472 --> 00:32:19.632
<v SPEAKER_2>Bring them a cake or something.

00:32:21.612 --> 00:32:28.212
<v SPEAKER_2>Part of what it means to be a Christian is building up this community and living in connection with others.

00:32:29.072 --> 00:32:32.032
<v SPEAKER_2>And part of how we do that is this tithe.

00:32:32.792 --> 00:32:41.132
<v SPEAKER_2>Because the tithe is a portion that is set apart explicitly for good works that aid the Church, capital C.

00:32:42.892 --> 00:32:52.432
<v SPEAKER_2>And that is fundamentally one of the ways that we grow the Church, that we bring others into the Church, because we are showing them what it means to live as a Christian.

00:32:53.272 --> 00:32:56.992
<v SPEAKER_2>Not just to claim to be a Christian, but to actually live as a Christian.

00:32:59.132 --> 00:33:09.192
<v SPEAKER_2>Which by and large, giving that sort of testimony is going to be more compelling than simply standing up and saying, I am a Christian.

00:33:10.912 --> 00:33:17.892
<v SPEAKER_2>This is one of those things that sometimes make certain Protestants uncomfortable, because it sounds like works righteousness.

00:33:17.952 --> 00:33:21.952
<v SPEAKER_2>But as Wo mentioned, this is not a matter of salvation.

00:33:23.192 --> 00:33:25.052
<v SPEAKER_2>This is not a matter of justification.

00:33:25.072 --> 00:33:27.172
<v SPEAKER_2>We are not saying you are justified by your works.

00:33:27.632 --> 00:33:33.052
<v SPEAKER_2>We are saying that as a Christian, these things should flow from that living faith.

00:33:33.832 --> 00:33:43.232
<v SPEAKER_2>And one of the things that flows from that living faith is being a cheerful giver, is giving back that portion of what God has given to you.

00:33:44.312 --> 00:33:53.332
<v SPEAKER_2>Part of being a faithful Christian, part of having a living faith from which certain things flow, is tithing.

00:33:55.192 --> 00:34:05.192
<v SPEAKER_1>One of the dangers of the mentality of just writing a check is that it's very easy for that to become effectively outsourcing your good works.

00:34:06.372 --> 00:34:10.272
<v SPEAKER_1>You have worked hard, you've earned, and you're giving freely and generously.

00:34:11.072 --> 00:34:21.532
<v SPEAKER_1>But as Cory was saying, if your participation is limited to signing a check or some sort of credit card transaction or whatever, that's a blessing.

00:34:21.552 --> 00:34:22.732
<v SPEAKER_1>It's a wonderful thing.

00:34:23.432 --> 00:34:24.672
<v SPEAKER_1>But it's also sterile.

00:34:24.832 --> 00:34:26.572
<v SPEAKER_1>It's inherently a sterile thing.

00:34:26.592 --> 00:34:35.272
<v SPEAKER_1>As he said, if you're not getting your hands dirty ever, you're missing out on the blessings that come from doing something hard.

00:34:35.552 --> 00:34:47.032
<v SPEAKER_1>And although it's hard to earn, it's differently hard to work with others, to work with neighbor, to give time and do the things that may be in some ways for you are harder than just writing a check.

00:34:47.752 --> 00:34:51.972
<v SPEAKER_1>And just to reiterate, when we're talking about 10% in tithe, it is not a rule.

00:34:52.452 --> 00:34:55.992
<v SPEAKER_1>This is something that's clear in Deuteronomy 16.

00:34:56.852 --> 00:35:07.732
<v SPEAKER_1>God says, Three times a year, all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, at the feast of the unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of booths.

00:35:08.232 --> 00:35:10.852
<v SPEAKER_1>They shall not appear before the Lord empty handed.

00:35:11.272 --> 00:35:17.052
<v SPEAKER_1>Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.

00:35:18.132 --> 00:35:19.652
<v SPEAKER_1>So again, there's no percentage there.

00:35:19.792 --> 00:35:20.652
<v SPEAKER_1>There's no rule.

00:35:20.672 --> 00:35:22.792
<v SPEAKER_1>It's just, don't show up empty handed.

00:35:23.172 --> 00:35:23.572
<v SPEAKER_1>Why?

00:35:23.972 --> 00:35:26.992
<v SPEAKER_1>According to the blessing the Lord your God has given you.

00:35:27.352 --> 00:35:35.392
<v SPEAKER_1>If God has given you blessings, the first fruits should be foremost in your mind of benefiting neighbor.

00:35:36.052 --> 00:35:40.072
<v SPEAKER_1>As Corey is saying with the example of farm communities, and that still happens to this day.

00:35:40.092 --> 00:35:49.092
<v SPEAKER_1>You know, it's often the case in a lot of our congregations, especially smaller ones, they can't afford maybe to hire like a professional handyman or whatever.

00:35:49.652 --> 00:35:55.932
<v SPEAKER_1>There will be a couple guys in the congregation who do that as a living, you know, or they're just, they're handy.

00:35:55.952 --> 00:35:56.872
<v SPEAKER_1>They're good with their hands.

00:35:57.172 --> 00:35:58.652
<v SPEAKER_1>They're competent to do those things.

00:35:59.052 --> 00:36:02.912
<v SPEAKER_1>Those guys will frequently be, you know, the property managers or something like that.

00:36:03.992 --> 00:36:06.372
<v SPEAKER_1>That is not only stewardship, that is tithing.

00:36:06.632 --> 00:36:12.452
<v SPEAKER_1>That is giving of their time and of their abilities specifically in proportion to what God has given them.

00:36:12.972 --> 00:36:25.412
<v SPEAKER_1>If you're someone who's really good with, you know, electrical or whatever, and there's an electrical problem at church, and it's, you know, licensing-wise, it's fine, and it's the right thing to do, you have done what God would like for you to do.

00:36:25.432 --> 00:36:30.452
<v SPEAKER_1>Like, He put you in that place, and then there's a problem, and you're the ideal guy to be able to fix it.

00:36:31.192 --> 00:36:33.172
<v SPEAKER_1>That is, that's a tithe.

00:36:33.772 --> 00:36:43.392
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not money, it's not a percentage, it's not necessarily time, but when you give back of the abundance of God's blessing, that fulfills this law.

00:36:43.772 --> 00:36:44.532
<v SPEAKER_1>And it is a law.

00:36:44.852 --> 00:36:47.652
<v SPEAKER_1>God expects this of us, and He makes it clear.

00:36:47.672 --> 00:36:55.592
<v SPEAKER_1>One of the other passages from the New Testament that goes even further in a slightly different direction is from Mark 12.

00:36:57.152 --> 00:37:11.752
<v SPEAKER_1>Jesus in His teaching said, Beware of the scribes who walk around in long robes and light greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers.

00:37:12.232 --> 00:37:14.672
<v SPEAKER_1>They will receive the greater condemnation.

00:37:15.412 --> 00:37:27.572
<v SPEAKER_1>As He sat down opposite the treasury and watched people putting their money into the offering box, many rich people put in large sums, and a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

00:37:28.172 --> 00:37:39.932
<v SPEAKER_1>And He called His disciples to Him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who were contributing to the offering box, for they all contributed out of their abundance.

00:37:40.312 --> 00:37:45.432
<v SPEAKER_1>But she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, all that she had to live on.

00:37:47.052 --> 00:37:48.892
<v SPEAKER_1>This is important for a couple of reasons.

00:37:48.912 --> 00:37:53.592
<v SPEAKER_1>One, as Corrie said earlier, you are to give of your abundance.

00:37:53.612 --> 00:37:55.872
<v SPEAKER_1>You're to give because God has given to you.

00:37:56.372 --> 00:37:58.352
<v SPEAKER_1>And she certainly didn't violate that here.

00:37:58.372 --> 00:38:03.812
<v SPEAKER_1>And Jesus praised her specifically because she had given everything that she had to live on.

00:38:04.952 --> 00:38:08.092
<v SPEAKER_1>What sort of a statement of faith is that from the widow?

00:38:08.452 --> 00:38:09.792
<v SPEAKER_1>What was the widow's might?

00:38:10.912 --> 00:38:12.752
<v SPEAKER_1>Was she planning to die the next day?

00:38:12.832 --> 00:38:14.672
<v SPEAKER_1>Was she planning to starve the next day?

00:38:15.252 --> 00:38:15.572
<v SPEAKER_1>No.

00:38:16.892 --> 00:38:21.112
<v SPEAKER_1>Her faith gave her the confidence that God would take care of her tomorrow.

00:38:22.492 --> 00:38:33.452
<v SPEAKER_1>That's one of the key elements of the tithe, is the confession that God, you have given this to me today, I trust that you will continue to bless me in the future.

00:38:33.812 --> 00:38:37.592
<v SPEAKER_1>So I don't need to hold back the first fruits for my own benefit.

00:38:38.032 --> 00:38:40.832
<v SPEAKER_1>I don't need to squirrel this away to protect my future.

00:38:41.212 --> 00:38:43.212
<v SPEAKER_1>I trust that you will take care of my future.

00:38:43.812 --> 00:38:48.212
<v SPEAKER_1>Which, to be explicit, is not at all to condemn savings or anything like that.

00:38:48.952 --> 00:38:52.712
<v SPEAKER_1>Good stewardship often means saving and not spending.

00:38:53.352 --> 00:38:55.232
<v SPEAKER_1>It's a wise and commendable thing.

00:38:55.252 --> 00:38:58.772
<v SPEAKER_1>And if someone's in a position to be able to save, they should do that.

00:38:59.632 --> 00:39:04.032
<v SPEAKER_1>But again, this is all a matter of proportion and of what do you have in mind?

00:39:05.012 --> 00:39:12.152
<v SPEAKER_1>She was compelled by conscience that day to go to the temple and to put in the last two copper taff pennies that she had.

00:39:12.852 --> 00:39:16.572
<v SPEAKER_1>And it was commendable because she gave everything she had to live on.

00:39:17.072 --> 00:39:19.032
<v SPEAKER_1>She trusted that God was going to take care of her.

00:39:19.232 --> 00:39:22.432
<v SPEAKER_1>She trusted that the next day she wasn't going to starve.

00:39:23.192 --> 00:39:29.552
<v SPEAKER_1>Many times we've cited Matthew 6 as an example of that being the sort of faith that we should all carry throughout everything.

00:39:29.972 --> 00:39:35.952
<v SPEAKER_1>We trust in God to take care of our bodily needs because we know how much He loves us.

00:39:36.332 --> 00:39:37.192
<v SPEAKER_1>He loves everyone.

00:39:37.212 --> 00:39:44.492
<v SPEAKER_1>He loves even the people who hate and curse Him enough to give them oxygen and food and warm beds every night.

00:39:46.312 --> 00:39:52.832
<v SPEAKER_1>When God loves us that much that He gives us all these things, we can trust that if He's going to love us tomorrow, He's going to take care of us tomorrow.

00:39:53.572 --> 00:39:58.172
<v SPEAKER_1>So when we pray every day, give us this day our daily bread, that's also a part of it.

00:39:58.712 --> 00:40:10.892
<v SPEAKER_1>Trusting in God, the confession that I know where my meal came from, it came because I worked hard, but it also came because God put all the other people in the supply chain to bring that to my table.

00:40:11.212 --> 00:40:16.912
<v SPEAKER_1>Or maybe you grow your own food, and so you've actually done all of the work to put that on your table.

00:40:16.932 --> 00:40:21.812
<v SPEAKER_1>You know every amount of sweat and time it took to produce that one meal.

00:40:23.132 --> 00:40:26.312
<v SPEAKER_1>You still understand that that blessing is coming from God.

00:40:27.712 --> 00:40:40.032
<v SPEAKER_1>This is one of those cases where it's in the world, we frequently see that those who are poorer, who materially have less, oftentimes will give more of what they do have than those who are wealthier.

00:40:40.572 --> 00:40:46.732
<v SPEAKER_1>It's very common for the people who are closest to the edge, who can see over the edge, to give more generously.

00:40:47.172 --> 00:40:52.692
<v SPEAKER_1>Because they know that today, they're the ones who are giving some donation to whatever, to help a neighbor.

00:40:53.092 --> 00:40:57.912
<v SPEAKER_1>And they know that tomorrow, they may well be the recipient of that sort of charity from someone else.

00:40:58.672 --> 00:41:02.432
<v SPEAKER_1>And today, charity is kind of almost turned into a dirty word, it's not.

00:41:03.052 --> 00:41:05.912
<v SPEAKER_1>It's someone having and giving to someone who needs.

00:41:07.932 --> 00:41:12.132
<v SPEAKER_1>The Deuteronomy 16 passage sounds a little bit like Marxism.

00:41:12.652 --> 00:41:14.812
<v SPEAKER_1>They shall not appear before the Lord empty handed.

00:41:15.132 --> 00:41:17.172
<v SPEAKER_1>Every man shall give as he is able.

00:41:17.832 --> 00:41:18.912
<v SPEAKER_1>That's a means test.

00:41:19.612 --> 00:41:22.792
<v SPEAKER_1>If you have more, you should make sure that you give more.

00:41:23.832 --> 00:41:29.932
<v SPEAKER_1>There's no proportion, there's no rule or law, there's no specific percentage, but it's the principle.

00:41:30.292 --> 00:41:32.212
<v SPEAKER_1>And it's a principle that runs throughout all of us.

00:41:33.092 --> 00:41:36.612
<v SPEAKER_1>When we have, and we're not giving to others, what is it confessing?

00:41:36.932 --> 00:41:45.672
<v SPEAKER_1>It's saying, I'm going to keep it all back, I don't trust God to take care of me tomorrow, I don't want to help my neighbor, I don't like those guys anyway, they're jerks, I hope they starve.

00:41:46.152 --> 00:41:49.512
<v SPEAKER_1>Well, the parable of the Good Samaritan tells us about that.

00:41:49.992 --> 00:41:54.972
<v SPEAKER_1>If you go by someone, see them suffering, and you cross to the other side, you've committed an act of wickedness.

00:41:55.412 --> 00:42:00.792
<v SPEAKER_1>It's when someone is in immediate need that is the most urgent Christian duty for us to help them.

00:42:02.012 --> 00:42:14.512
<v SPEAKER_1>And the concept of tithing and charity, as Corey is saying, it goes hand in hand because the tithe, not only is it not 10%, it's an amount that you are able to give consciously and freely.

00:42:15.012 --> 00:42:20.272
<v SPEAKER_1>And you know, maybe the property steward of your congregation doesn't have much money or whoever it is.

00:42:20.532 --> 00:42:23.292
<v SPEAKER_1>Whatever you are, there's something you can do.

00:42:23.552 --> 00:42:26.412
<v SPEAKER_1>Even if you don't have any money, you can still give some of your time.

00:42:26.432 --> 00:42:27.312
<v SPEAKER_1>You can do something.

00:42:28.472 --> 00:42:29.792
<v SPEAKER_1>God is happy with all of that.

00:42:30.052 --> 00:42:36.732
<v SPEAKER_1>He's not sitting there with a spreadsheet, making sure that we are crossing some minimum threshold.

00:42:37.372 --> 00:42:38.392
<v SPEAKER_1>It's about our hearts.

00:42:39.232 --> 00:42:51.572
<v SPEAKER_1>You know, I think it's important to consider this in a similar context to when Jesus was teaching them about the fifth and sixth commandments, about saying, you've heard it said, you shall not kill.

00:42:52.292 --> 00:42:53.632
<v SPEAKER_1>I say, don't hate.

00:42:54.192 --> 00:42:55.812
<v SPEAKER_1>You've heard it say, don't commit adultery.

00:42:55.832 --> 00:42:57.092
<v SPEAKER_1>I say, don't commit lust.

00:42:57.952 --> 00:43:02.812
<v SPEAKER_1>Jesus was pointing out that the law is a lot harder because it's not a number.

00:43:03.092 --> 00:43:03.992
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not an act.

00:43:04.372 --> 00:43:05.432
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not a checklist.

00:43:05.832 --> 00:43:06.872
<v SPEAKER_1>It begins in the heart.

00:43:07.552 --> 00:43:09.652
<v SPEAKER_1>And this is something that begins in the heart, too.

00:43:10.152 --> 00:43:16.452
<v SPEAKER_1>Trusting in God to provide for you tomorrow, thanks to God for having provided for you today, that's in the heart.

00:43:16.792 --> 00:43:17.772
<v SPEAKER_1>That's not a spreadsheet.

00:43:17.792 --> 00:43:18.552
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not a number.

00:43:18.972 --> 00:43:29.772
<v SPEAKER_1>It's something that we either completely ignore because we have so much material blessing, which is typical for a lot of people, or we do recognize it, hopefully, in obedience to God.

00:43:29.772 --> 00:43:38.352
<v SPEAKER_1>And that's the reason for doing this episode, is that we all periodically need a reminder, hey, don't forget, everything that you have is from God.

00:43:38.592 --> 00:43:39.332
<v SPEAKER_1>It's obvious.

00:43:39.392 --> 00:43:41.052
<v SPEAKER_1>It's a stupid thing to say, even.

00:43:41.432 --> 00:44:03.372
<v SPEAKER_1>But we still need to hear it because in some ways, the harder you work for what you have, the more blood, sweat and tears it takes to do the thing and to earn the money or the whatever, the harder it is to acknowledge that not only did God give you the ability to do all those things, but He gave you the opportunity, He gave you the energy to follow through.

00:44:04.052 --> 00:44:07.972
<v SPEAKER_1>Even all the things where we work really hard on, God is still pouring out His blessings.

00:44:08.392 --> 00:44:12.052
<v SPEAKER_1>And then He pours out the blessings of whatever remuneration we receive.

00:44:12.292 --> 00:44:13.392
<v SPEAKER_1>It's always from God.

00:44:13.912 --> 00:44:19.372
<v SPEAKER_1>It's paramount in all of our thinking about everything, about tithing, about whatever in your life.

00:44:19.652 --> 00:44:21.172
<v SPEAKER_1>It's always first from God.

00:44:21.932 --> 00:44:26.672
<v SPEAKER_1>Our lives, particularly as Christians, need to be lives of response.

00:44:27.132 --> 00:44:30.712
<v SPEAKER_1>Which is why there's a lot of discussion on Stone Choir about doing.

00:44:31.132 --> 00:44:32.552
<v SPEAKER_1>Not because you can save yourself.

00:44:32.572 --> 00:44:34.272
<v SPEAKER_1>That's done.

00:44:34.292 --> 00:44:35.512
<v SPEAKER_1>That's in the rear-view mirror.

00:44:35.812 --> 00:44:42.872
<v SPEAKER_1>And we give thanks every day that God loved us so much, that even when we didn't know any of this stuff, even when we were doing the wrong things, He still loved us.

00:44:43.332 --> 00:44:44.492
<v SPEAKER_1>And He gave us salvation.

00:44:44.512 --> 00:44:47.032
<v SPEAKER_1>He gave us faith to receive that salvation.

00:44:47.392 --> 00:44:48.532
<v SPEAKER_1>And He gave us scripture.

00:44:48.552 --> 00:44:52.972
<v SPEAKER_1>And He gave us teaching to understand what He wants for us.

00:44:53.372 --> 00:44:57.712
<v SPEAKER_1>And then when we're in accord with His will, He pours out His blessings even more.

00:44:58.272 --> 00:45:01.692
<v SPEAKER_1>It's the best deal you could possibly get, but you have to be aware.

00:45:02.532 --> 00:45:08.772
<v SPEAKER_1>If you never think about these things, you're just going to casually do whatever, not realizing that you're missing out.

00:45:09.152 --> 00:45:11.392
<v SPEAKER_1>You're missing out on the good works you could do for your neighbor.

00:45:11.952 --> 00:45:14.152
<v SPEAKER_1>Like we've said, you're not doing your good works for God.

00:45:14.432 --> 00:45:15.232
<v SPEAKER_1>God doesn't need them.

00:45:15.552 --> 00:45:17.172
<v SPEAKER_1>God gave you the good works.

00:45:17.192 --> 00:45:23.372
<v SPEAKER_1>He prepared the good works in advance for you to do them, to benefit your neighbor, and He's going to give you credit for them.

00:45:24.292 --> 00:45:25.772
<v SPEAKER_1>We talked about fairness last week.

00:45:25.792 --> 00:45:26.692
<v SPEAKER_1>None of this is fair.

00:45:27.112 --> 00:45:30.032
<v SPEAKER_1>It's all God pouring out His blessings, but it happens in real time.

00:45:30.332 --> 00:45:31.532
<v SPEAKER_1>It happens in creation.

00:45:31.832 --> 00:45:33.612
<v SPEAKER_1>And it happens often with material.

00:45:34.012 --> 00:45:35.912
<v SPEAKER_1>These aren't just spiritual matters.

00:45:36.252 --> 00:45:37.652
<v SPEAKER_1>These are actual material things.

00:45:38.072 --> 00:45:39.372
<v SPEAKER_1>You need food in your belly.

00:45:39.732 --> 00:45:40.512
<v SPEAKER_1>You need a bed.

00:45:40.752 --> 00:45:42.212
<v SPEAKER_1>You need some place to sleep.

00:45:42.852 --> 00:45:46.752
<v SPEAKER_1>And you never feel that more than when you are lacking it for whatever reason.

00:45:47.472 --> 00:45:56.052
<v SPEAKER_1>Folks who have actually been on the other side of that chasm where they were lacking those things have a sort of appreciation of those for us who have never experienced that, including me.

00:45:56.392 --> 00:45:58.192
<v SPEAKER_1>I have no first-hand understanding.

00:45:58.212 --> 00:46:00.612
<v SPEAKER_1>You know, it's like I can read all of her twist.

00:46:00.632 --> 00:46:02.672
<v SPEAKER_1>It doesn't tell me what it's like to be an orphan.

00:46:02.992 --> 00:46:05.412
<v SPEAKER_1>I have no concept of that kind of suffering.

00:46:06.232 --> 00:46:10.012
<v SPEAKER_1>Those who have experienced it have a special appreciation for God's gifts.

00:46:10.512 --> 00:46:26.032
<v SPEAKER_1>And frequently they are the ones who are the most active in giving out of gratitude, out of knowing how easy it is, no matter how, you know, all your obedience in the world may not actually turn into you having a bed, because that's not necessarily how it works.

00:46:26.332 --> 00:46:33.152
<v SPEAKER_1>You know, these blessings and promises are tied, but we're also promised that, you know, bad things will happen.

00:46:33.932 --> 00:46:39.232
<v SPEAKER_1>And not to everyone, you know, some people leave charmed lives, some people live really rough lives.

00:46:40.272 --> 00:46:41.532
<v SPEAKER_1>God is blessing everyone.

00:46:41.932 --> 00:47:02.872
<v SPEAKER_1>And for someone who's lived a rough life, to know how lucky they are when God gives them anything because a neighbor reaches out in charity, you know, when a church is able to provide something for them because someone gave freely and abundantly, they have the sort of appreciation for God's bounty that I think is deprived of most of us because we have so much.

00:47:03.872 --> 00:47:08.872
<v SPEAKER_1>The mental activity here is really one of the important parts in the heart.

00:47:08.892 --> 00:47:09.932
<v SPEAKER_1>Like, it's not just a mental thing.

00:47:10.072 --> 00:47:17.192
<v SPEAKER_1>It's the awareness that we have opportunities to do these good things, and it's a blessing when we can.

00:47:18.332 --> 00:47:22.152
<v SPEAKER_1>And so don't take this as you must do this to get good things.

00:47:22.472 --> 00:47:24.152
<v SPEAKER_1>Don't take this as here's the number.

00:47:24.552 --> 00:47:29.932
<v SPEAKER_1>Take this as a reminder, just as the Lord's Prayer right in the middle says, give us this day our daily bread.

00:47:30.512 --> 00:47:38.992
<v SPEAKER_1>That's a reminder that every day, just like the manna came down from heaven, we don't have manna raining down today, but most of us are blessed with jobs.

00:47:39.392 --> 00:47:42.812
<v SPEAKER_1>You have some way of receiving the things that you need.

00:47:43.512 --> 00:47:46.972
<v SPEAKER_1>And if you don't have that, you're praying for that to return to you.

00:47:47.592 --> 00:47:50.352
<v SPEAKER_1>And you're thankful for whatever you have in the meantime.

00:47:50.832 --> 00:47:56.372
<v SPEAKER_1>This thanksgiving for everything that we receive is really a crucial part of the Christian life.

00:47:56.652 --> 00:47:57.752
<v SPEAKER_1>It's much more fundamental.

00:47:57.772 --> 00:48:00.992
<v SPEAKER_1>It's even down below the concept of tithing or anything else.

00:48:01.432 --> 00:48:07.032
<v SPEAKER_1>It's the immediate awareness that what I have was given to me for a purpose.

00:48:07.492 --> 00:48:13.612
<v SPEAKER_1>Not because I deserved it, not because I earned it all by myself, because God has given me these things.

00:48:14.072 --> 00:48:18.532
<v SPEAKER_1>And being thankful for them and sharing them with others is truly the least we can do.

00:48:19.132 --> 00:48:22.372
<v SPEAKER_1>But we're blessed when we do it, because it becomes a joy.

00:48:23.392 --> 00:48:29.992
<v SPEAKER_1>When the men went to those feasts, and they gave as they were able, according to the blessing of God, they were blessed by it.

00:48:30.672 --> 00:48:32.412
<v SPEAKER_1>To be reminded is a good thing.

00:48:32.992 --> 00:48:36.632
<v SPEAKER_1>It's when we do episodes like this, it's to remind people, because it's a good thing.

00:48:36.712 --> 00:48:39.192
<v SPEAKER_1>This episode is not intended to be any sort of a burden.

00:48:39.212 --> 00:48:42.372
<v SPEAKER_1>It's like, tsk, tsk, everyone's doing this wrong.

00:48:42.872 --> 00:48:46.052
<v SPEAKER_1>It's remember all the good things that God has given you.

00:48:46.672 --> 00:48:52.812
<v SPEAKER_1>And if you've been forgetting, be thankful that you were reminded, and then do something with it.

00:48:53.472 --> 00:48:54.152
<v SPEAKER_1>Be thankful.

00:48:55.012 --> 00:48:56.712
<v SPEAKER_1>The Christian life is a joyful one.

00:48:56.732 --> 00:49:01.812
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not walking around under a cloud, feeling like, man, I can't keep up with all this.

00:49:01.832 --> 00:49:02.592
<v SPEAKER_1>There's so much to do.

00:49:02.972 --> 00:49:03.232
<v SPEAKER_1>No.

00:49:04.012 --> 00:49:07.052
<v SPEAKER_1>What we can't keep up with is the blessings that God has given us.

00:49:07.272 --> 00:49:12.872
<v SPEAKER_1>And recognizing that in your heart and your mind can make all the difference in your own life.

00:49:13.232 --> 00:49:18.552
<v SPEAKER_1>It can make you have the sort of confidence that the widow had when she gave her two mites.

00:49:19.272 --> 00:49:22.412
<v SPEAKER_1>She gave everything that she had because she knew God was going to take care of her.

00:49:22.972 --> 00:49:24.692
<v SPEAKER_1>She wasn't sad when she did that.

00:49:25.112 --> 00:49:26.112
<v SPEAKER_1>You can be certain of that.

00:49:26.392 --> 00:49:27.292
<v SPEAKER_1>She was joyous.

00:49:27.612 --> 00:49:30.972
<v SPEAKER_1>She knew that she belonged to God and God was going to take care of her.

00:49:31.512 --> 00:49:34.772
<v SPEAKER_1>Everything about that Jesus commended because he knew her heart.

00:49:35.452 --> 00:49:39.812
<v SPEAKER_1>And it's plainly obvious, I think, from just the events themselves.

00:49:40.612 --> 00:49:43.532
<v SPEAKER_1>She gave the last that she had knowing that God would continue to provide.

00:49:43.992 --> 00:49:46.632
<v SPEAKER_1>She was the wealthiest person in that temple that day.

00:49:48.352 --> 00:49:58.512
<v SPEAKER_2>We can, of course, contrast the giving of those two half pennies by the widow with the sort of tithing that the Pharisees did.

00:49:59.092 --> 00:50:11.552
<v SPEAKER_2>Now, before I go over the passages themselves, I do want to point out, even if you are not a particularly cheerful giver, and you should be a cheerful giver, Scripture speaks very clearly on that.

00:50:11.572 --> 00:50:13.392
<v SPEAKER_2>We'll get to that passage in a little bit.

00:50:14.272 --> 00:50:23.472
<v SPEAKER_2>But even if you are not a cheerful giver, it is better to tithe with a little bit of reservation, as it may be, than not to tithe.

00:50:25.192 --> 00:50:35.172
<v SPEAKER_2>To do the good work, even if you cannot muster all of the proper intent, the proper disposition, is still better than not to do the good work.

00:50:36.152 --> 00:50:46.152
<v SPEAKER_2>So the fact that the Pharisees, and I will read the passage in just a few seconds here, the fact that the Pharisees tithe is a good thing, and they are commended for that.

00:50:47.392 --> 00:50:50.112
<v SPEAKER_2>But note for what Christ critiques them.

00:50:52.252 --> 00:50:59.852
<v SPEAKER_2>But woe to you Pharisees, for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God.

00:51:00.592 --> 00:51:03.732
<v SPEAKER_2>These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

00:51:04.352 --> 00:51:09.792
<v SPEAKER_2>Woe to you Pharisees, for you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the market places.

00:51:10.492 --> 00:51:15.752
<v SPEAKER_2>Woe to you, for you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.

00:51:18.392 --> 00:51:22.072
<v SPEAKER_2>The Pharisees are commended for tithing.

00:51:23.852 --> 00:51:27.032
<v SPEAKER_2>These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

00:51:27.692 --> 00:51:31.392
<v SPEAKER_2>So the fact that they do not neglect to tithe is a good thing.

00:51:32.172 --> 00:51:33.872
<v SPEAKER_2>They tithe, they're praised for that.

00:51:35.232 --> 00:51:42.732
<v SPEAKER_2>Christ critiques them because they neglect the other things that are important in the law, the other things that are more important in the law.

00:51:43.652 --> 00:51:51.592
<v SPEAKER_2>Justice and the love of God, and incidentally also love for neighbor being the second of the two greatest commandments.

00:51:52.932 --> 00:52:04.552
<v SPEAKER_2>And so when you tithe, that is a good work, that is a good thing, that is responding properly, it is exercising proper stewardship over what God has given you.

00:52:05.392 --> 00:52:12.252
<v SPEAKER_2>But you are also to do that cheerfully, and you are to do it in a way that shows that love for neighbor and love for God.

00:52:13.212 --> 00:52:21.672
<v SPEAKER_2>And that's why, as we've mentioned a couple of times already, just writing the check is good, and you should do that.

00:52:21.692 --> 00:52:37.272
<v SPEAKER_2>Most certainly, if God has blessed you with material abundance that can be rendered into a check, as it were, or a credit card transaction as is more likely these days, if God has blessed you in that way, then you return thanks for that in an appropriate way.

00:52:38.652 --> 00:52:52.112
<v SPEAKER_2>But just because it is, let's say, more efficient for you to go out and earn an hour's worth of money than it is for you to go and perform an hour's worth of labor doesn't mean that you neglect the latter.

00:52:53.052 --> 00:52:55.792
<v SPEAKER_2>These are fundamentally different things, and they are both important.

00:52:57.252 --> 00:53:01.792
<v SPEAKER_2>To give of the material wealth that God has provided for you is important.

00:53:02.052 --> 00:53:02.912
<v SPEAKER_2>You are to do that.

00:53:02.932 --> 00:53:03.852
<v SPEAKER_2>That's part of tithing.

00:53:05.112 --> 00:53:08.052
<v SPEAKER_2>But you do not form the sort of connection with your neighbor.

00:53:08.432 --> 00:53:09.812
<v SPEAKER_2>You do not form community.

00:53:09.832 --> 00:53:20.552
<v SPEAKER_2>You aren't really living a human life, let alone a Christian life, if you don't physically actually interact with your neighbor, with your congregation, with your community.

00:53:22.532 --> 00:53:26.412
<v SPEAKER_2>And so it may be something like helping him mow the lawn.

00:53:26.992 --> 00:53:35.852
<v SPEAKER_2>If you happen to have a great lawnmower, and you have an elderly neighbor who is no longer really able to get around to those chores, go mow the lawn for him.

00:53:36.932 --> 00:53:42.332
<v SPEAKER_2>It won't take that much of your time, most likely, and it is one of those ways that you can actually serve your neighbor.

00:53:43.712 --> 00:53:50.252
<v SPEAKER_2>It may even be that it would be cheaper, so to speak, for you to pay someone else to do it, but go do it yourself.

00:53:51.372 --> 00:53:57.112
<v SPEAKER_2>That builds a different connection with your neighbor than if you just paid for a service to go do it for him.

00:53:57.932 --> 00:54:10.792
<v SPEAKER_2>Even if, again, even if, it would be more economically efficient for you to earn an hour's worth of income and then pay someone else to do it, because they are different things.

00:54:11.812 --> 00:54:19.272
<v SPEAKER_2>There is that distance and coldness to the relationship if you are simply doing the good works through intermediaries.

00:54:21.272 --> 00:54:26.752
<v SPEAKER_2>It does not mean that you neglect the one in pursuit of the other, but it does mean that both are important.

00:54:27.272 --> 00:54:33.352
<v SPEAKER_2>Just like Christ speaks here of the Pharisees tithing as being good, that's proper.

00:54:33.652 --> 00:54:40.612
<v SPEAKER_2>They are not neglecting that part of the law, but they are neglecting the other parts of the law that are actually more important.

00:54:42.752 --> 00:54:49.272
<v SPEAKER_2>And so, for instance, we see the self-righteousness of the Pharisee later on in Luke, this time chapter 18.

00:54:49.872 --> 00:54:59.892
<v SPEAKER_2>The Pharisee standing by himself prayed thus, God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

00:55:00.132 --> 00:55:01.392
<v SPEAKER_2>I fast twice a week.

00:55:01.812 --> 00:55:03.552
<v SPEAKER_2>I give tithes of all that I get.

00:55:05.192 --> 00:55:06.272
<v SPEAKER_2>Is the tithing good?

00:55:06.832 --> 00:55:07.532
<v SPEAKER_2>Still yes.

00:55:08.432 --> 00:55:10.052
<v SPEAKER_2>Is his disposition good?

00:55:11.052 --> 00:55:12.092
<v SPEAKER_2>Very clearly no.

00:55:13.052 --> 00:55:14.392
<v SPEAKER_2>He is being self-righteous.

00:55:14.412 --> 00:55:15.532
<v SPEAKER_2>He is praising himself.

00:55:15.552 --> 00:55:18.952
<v SPEAKER_2>He thinks that he is holier than others because he is doing this thing.

00:55:21.172 --> 00:55:23.072
<v SPEAKER_2>Is doing a good work a good thing?

00:55:23.292 --> 00:55:24.432
<v SPEAKER_2>Well, obviously yes.

00:55:25.932 --> 00:55:29.612
<v SPEAKER_2>Is doing the good work with the right disposition important?

00:55:30.352 --> 00:55:31.172
<v SPEAKER_2>Absolutely.

00:55:31.832 --> 00:55:35.592
<v SPEAKER_2>Again, it's better to do the good work with an imperfect disposition than not to do it.

00:55:36.532 --> 00:55:38.172
<v SPEAKER_2>But God requires both of us.

00:55:39.172 --> 00:55:51.772
<v SPEAKER_2>That is why we see in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere where Christ is explaining the law, and it's not just a matter of doing or not doing the thing, whether the thing is required or prohibited.

00:55:52.432 --> 00:55:59.112
<v SPEAKER_2>It is also a matter of having the right intent, the right disposition, the right mindset with regard to the thing.

00:56:00.292 --> 00:56:03.012
<v SPEAKER_2>And so it is one thing to murder another man.

00:56:03.932 --> 00:56:04.892
<v SPEAKER_2>That would be a sin.

00:56:05.012 --> 00:56:06.632
<v SPEAKER_2>You are not permitted to do that.

00:56:07.272 --> 00:56:09.832
<v SPEAKER_2>But it is also a sin to desire to kill him.

00:56:10.652 --> 00:56:11.972
<v SPEAKER_2>You should not want that either.

00:56:13.212 --> 00:56:14.912
<v SPEAKER_2>In the case that it is murder, of course.

00:56:15.332 --> 00:56:18.072
<v SPEAKER_2>We are not speaking of a Genesis 9.6 issue.

00:56:19.792 --> 00:56:23.772
<v SPEAKER_2>And so with tithing, God loves a cheerful giver.

00:56:24.792 --> 00:56:34.532
<v SPEAKER_2>Part of this entire matter is having the right disposition, the right mindset with regard to the things that God has given you.

00:56:35.652 --> 00:56:43.832
<v SPEAKER_2>Because if you have that mindset, then you will be a cheerful giver because you will recognize that God is the one who has provided these things for you.

00:56:44.312 --> 00:57:00.972
<v SPEAKER_2>He is the one that is giving you everything you have, whatever wealth you have, whatever property you possess, whether it is real property or personal property, the people in your life, your attributes, your skills, your capacities, everything is from God.

00:57:01.752 --> 00:57:10.612
<v SPEAKER_2>And so when you give, you are cheerfully giving because you are recognizing, you are giving back a portion to God of what he is giving you as thanks.

00:57:12.212 --> 00:57:17.232
<v SPEAKER_2>And the way that you do that, of course, is by giving to your neighbor because, again, God doesn't need your money.

00:57:18.052 --> 00:57:23.972
<v SPEAKER_2>And so I'll read from 2 Corinthians 9, which goes over the issue of the cheerful giver.

00:57:25.592 --> 00:57:26.592
<v SPEAKER_2>The point is this.

00:57:26.932 --> 00:57:32.952
<v SPEAKER_2>Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

00:57:34.052 --> 00:57:41.512
<v SPEAKER_2>Each one must give as he is decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

00:57:42.252 --> 00:57:50.472
<v SPEAKER_2>And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

00:57:51.112 --> 00:57:57.712
<v SPEAKER_2>As it is written, He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.

00:57:59.512 --> 00:58:08.012
<v SPEAKER_2>He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

00:58:08.752 --> 00:58:14.692
<v SPEAKER_2>You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

00:58:15.152 --> 00:58:22.572
<v SPEAKER_2>For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

00:58:23.312 --> 00:58:40.312
<v SPEAKER_2>By their approval of this service, they will glorify God, because of your submission that comes from your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

00:58:40.772 --> 00:58:43.412
<v SPEAKER_2>Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.

00:58:46.392 --> 00:59:02.992
<v SPEAKER_2>In a handful of passages in Scripture, you will notice there's almost a sort of blurring of the line between what we would consider tithing proper, as it were, because in the modern mindset it really does boil down to money.

00:59:03.092 --> 00:59:06.252
<v SPEAKER_2>It shouldn't, as we've gone over already, but it sort of does.

00:59:07.912 --> 00:59:22.592
<v SPEAKER_2>And this issue of good works and faith working out in one's life and seeing a return that isn't a monetary or a physical return, a physical return, as it were, but a return, a harvest of your righteousness.

00:59:24.492 --> 00:59:34.212
<v SPEAKER_2>Because these things are so intimately and intricately linked that they are not necessarily one and the same, but they are inextricable.

00:59:35.272 --> 00:59:37.852
<v SPEAKER_2>They are connected in a way where they cannot be disconnected.

00:59:39.512 --> 00:59:45.952
<v SPEAKER_2>Because the good works that you do, tithing included, is linked to how you share the faith.

00:59:46.692 --> 00:59:54.572
<v SPEAKER_2>Because living your life as a Christian is of paramount importance when it comes to sharing the faith.

00:59:55.372 --> 01:00:04.712
<v SPEAKER_2>If you live as someone who, for all the world, does not appear to be a Christian in any way, shape or form, when you stand up and profess Christ, no one will listen to you.

01:00:05.272 --> 01:00:07.092
<v SPEAKER_2>And quite frankly, they shouldn't listen to you.

01:00:08.372 --> 01:00:13.652
<v SPEAKER_2>Worse than that, you will probably be doing damage to the kingdom because they will think, well, all Christians are just hypocrites.

01:00:13.672 --> 01:00:20.292
<v SPEAKER_2>Look at this man who does all of these wicked deeds according to his religion and then says that he's a Christian.

01:00:22.872 --> 01:00:34.732
<v SPEAKER_2>If you live as a Christian, that is a more powerful testimony of Christ and of the fact that Christ is dwelling in you than if you simply stand up and profess Christ.

01:00:36.032 --> 01:00:39.132
<v SPEAKER_2>You must live as a Christian and also give the confession.

01:00:39.152 --> 01:00:45.732
<v SPEAKER_2>And part of living as a Christian is tithing, is returning this portion to God, is serving your neighbor.

01:00:47.412 --> 01:00:57.932
<v SPEAKER_2>And I know that we've said the word tithing a lot, and we've already mentioned this, but just to make sure we're absolutely clear, tithing does not mean just the giving of 10%.

01:00:58.952 --> 01:01:00.352
<v SPEAKER_2>It is something greater than that.

01:01:00.692 --> 01:01:02.132
<v SPEAKER_2>It is something larger than that.

01:01:02.972 --> 01:01:08.012
<v SPEAKER_2>The tithing in Old Testament Israel in a sense is typological.

01:01:08.912 --> 01:01:25.752
<v SPEAKER_2>It is the lesser version of what we are to do in the Christian life, because the Christian life is to be a life of service to neighbor, is to be a life of good works, filled with good works, because God prepared them beforehand that we should walk in them.

01:01:28.072 --> 01:01:33.912
<v SPEAKER_2>And so the Christian life by and large is a life of constant tithing.

01:01:34.432 --> 01:01:51.232
<v SPEAKER_2>It doesn't mean giving 10% out of your paycheck every week or every two weeks or month, however you happen to be paid, or giving every tenth of your sheep when you count them, as would have been the case in Old Testament Israel and other places.

01:01:52.272 --> 01:01:53.152
<v SPEAKER_2>That's not what it is.

01:01:54.452 --> 01:02:02.992
<v SPEAKER_2>Living the Christian life is fundamentally a life of living good works, of performing good works, because God will place them in front of you.

01:02:03.192 --> 01:02:05.752
<v SPEAKER_2>You will have ample opportunity to engage in them.

01:02:06.392 --> 01:02:11.572
<v SPEAKER_2>And so that's the anti-type of the typology of the Old Testament tithe.

01:02:12.672 --> 01:02:20.352
<v SPEAKER_2>Just as the tithe itself is symbolic, because again it is meant to represent thanks for the whole by giving back part.

01:02:21.852 --> 01:02:32.832
<v SPEAKER_2>Yes, it has the practical aspects of helping to maintain the church, and to aid the poor, the widow, the fatherless, whatever group it happens to be, the needy among you.

01:02:33.952 --> 01:02:44.912
<v SPEAKER_2>In Old Testament Israel, it supported the temple, the priests, the sacrifices, all of the ritual worship that God had commanded for the Israelites.

01:02:45.592 --> 01:02:48.192
<v SPEAKER_2>That was what the tithe by and large supported.

01:02:48.732 --> 01:02:56.352
<v SPEAKER_2>It was still thanks given to God, but it was given specifically to this group in this way at this time, as Will mentioned.

01:02:57.792 --> 01:02:59.252
<v SPEAKER_2>Today we do not have that.

01:03:00.652 --> 01:03:14.652
<v SPEAKER_2>And so the Christian life is actually a greater fullness of that than was the life of the Old Testament Israelite, because God has given us abundant opportunities in order to perform good works.

01:03:16.652 --> 01:03:22.192
<v SPEAKER_2>Giving back to neighbor, to congregation, to community is the Christian life.

01:03:22.472 --> 01:03:25.852
<v SPEAKER_2>That is how you live in this world as a Christian.

01:03:27.272 --> 01:03:31.892
<v SPEAKER_2>And so it's not just that 10%, it's not just the tithe.

01:03:31.912 --> 01:03:39.652
<v SPEAKER_2>Think of the Christian version, the fully Christian version of the tithe as being something greater.

01:03:42.852 --> 01:03:58.952
<v SPEAKER_2>I am very tempted to say that the tithe is the minimum, and in a way it is, but the reason that I don't want to necessarily say that is I don't want to give the wrong impression, because then there will be those who think, well, I can't give 10% and so I can't possibly be Christian because I can't tithe.

01:03:58.972 --> 01:03:59.812
<v SPEAKER_2>That's not the issue.

01:04:02.572 --> 01:04:16.372
<v SPEAKER_2>The 10% is a minimum in the sense of you have to give something back as a Christian, whether it is your time or your money, resources, whatever it happens to be.

01:04:17.472 --> 01:04:38.272
<v SPEAKER_2>And the 10% is meant to be that symbol of I am giving back this first fruit, this portion, this fat portion of what God has given me in order to represent both the thanks for the whole and my recognition that all of it comes from God and it comes with the duty to help others.

01:04:41.012 --> 01:05:06.092
<v SPEAKER_2>To help explain that further and to make sure that I'm abundantly clear on the issue of the poor not being required to give 10% and thus reduce themselves into worse or abject poverty, God speaks frequently of His concern for the poor, for the vulnerable, for those in society who are at risk of falling into abject suffering.

01:05:07.832 --> 01:05:10.692
<v SPEAKER_2>And yes, society has duties with regard to that.

01:05:10.712 --> 01:05:16.172
<v SPEAKER_2>We've spoken of that before and we'll speak of that undoubtedly in greater detail in other episodes.

01:05:17.932 --> 01:05:31.052
<v SPEAKER_2>But God actually makes specific provisions for the poor in Scripture and speaks of the fact that we as Christians are supposed to care for the poor and that the poor are not to be burdened with these things.

01:05:31.452 --> 01:05:33.172
<v SPEAKER_2>The tithe is not meant to be a burden.

01:05:34.532 --> 01:05:38.652
<v SPEAKER_2>The passage I just recently read, God loves a cheerful giver.

01:05:39.172 --> 01:05:41.072
<v SPEAKER_2>You are meant to give cheerfully.

01:05:42.232 --> 01:05:43.692
<v SPEAKER_2>And so I'll read from Leviticus.

01:05:45.052 --> 01:05:54.032
<v SPEAKER_2>But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, then he shall bring as an offering for the sin that he has committed a tenth of an afav fine flour for a sin offering.

01:05:55.172 --> 01:05:57.532
<v SPEAKER_2>And then it goes on from there to give more specifics.

01:05:58.312 --> 01:06:05.592
<v SPEAKER_2>But God provides even with the case of the sin offering for a less expensive version for those who cannot afford it.

01:06:06.032 --> 01:06:08.532
<v SPEAKER_2>God has concern for the poor.

01:06:09.112 --> 01:06:14.672
<v SPEAKER_2>None of this is meant to lay a burden on the poor that they cannot uphold.

01:06:16.492 --> 01:06:22.172
<v SPEAKER_2>We see that, of course, when Christ is rebuking the religious teachers of Old Testament Israel.

01:06:23.272 --> 01:06:27.232
<v SPEAKER_2>He speaks of laying burdens that they themselves do not even bother to bear.

01:06:27.932 --> 01:06:29.252
<v SPEAKER_2>That is not what we are doing.

01:06:29.332 --> 01:06:32.132
<v SPEAKER_2>That is not what any truly Christian teacher will do.

01:06:32.152 --> 01:06:33.312
<v SPEAKER_2>It is not what Scripture does.

01:06:33.332 --> 01:06:34.592
<v SPEAKER_2>It is not what God wants.

01:06:36.032 --> 01:06:48.772
<v SPEAKER_2>And so also in the New Testament from 2 Corinthians, this time from chapter 8 instead of previously chapter 9, we want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.

01:06:49.012 --> 01:06:57.432
<v SPEAKER_2>For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

01:06:58.012 --> 01:07:08.532
<v SPEAKER_2>For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.

01:07:09.112 --> 01:07:16.012
<v SPEAKER_2>And this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then by the will of God to us.

01:07:16.752 --> 01:07:22.812
<v SPEAKER_2>Accordingly, we urge Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.

01:07:23.452 --> 01:07:32.852
<v SPEAKER_2>But as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you, see that you excel in this act of grace also.

01:07:34.772 --> 01:07:40.712
<v SPEAKER_2>I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

01:07:41.152 --> 01:07:50.372
<v SPEAKER_2>For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

01:07:51.012 --> 01:07:53.152
<v SPEAKER_2>And in this matter I give my judgment.

01:07:53.672 --> 01:08:06.992
<v SPEAKER_2>This benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work, but also to desire to do it, so now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

01:08:07.432 --> 01:08:13.672
<v SPEAKER_2>For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

01:08:14.252 --> 01:08:26.652
<v SPEAKER_2>For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness, your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need and there may be fairness.

01:08:27.472 --> 01:08:33.732
<v SPEAKER_2>As it is written, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.

01:08:35.772 --> 01:08:42.552
<v SPEAKER_2>And so here we see, as many other places in Scripture as well, God has a concern for the poor.

01:08:43.432 --> 01:08:48.732
<v SPEAKER_2>And part of the tithe, part of the purpose of the tithe, is to aid the poor, as Woe mentioned.

01:08:49.252 --> 01:08:51.472
<v SPEAKER_2>When you have abundance, you aid others.

01:08:52.172 --> 01:08:55.412
<v SPEAKER_2>When you have poverty, others are supposed to aid you.

01:08:56.892 --> 01:09:01.212
<v SPEAKER_2>Now, we don't just aid others because, well, we may need it in the future.

01:09:01.852 --> 01:09:07.312
<v SPEAKER_2>We, of course, cannot escape thinking that, and it's not entirely wrong, but it's not the reason we do it.

01:09:08.112 --> 01:09:14.512
<v SPEAKER_2>We aid others in thanks for what God has given us, because he has given us the ability to do that.

01:09:15.372 --> 01:09:23.112
<v SPEAKER_2>Yes, in turn, we hope that if we should fall into poverty or some sort of need, we hope that others will help us.

01:09:24.472 --> 01:09:28.532
<v SPEAKER_2>The old saying comes to mind, there but for the grace of God go I.

01:09:29.192 --> 01:09:38.432
<v SPEAKER_2>And of course, flowing from that recognition is supposed to be the desire to help others, to cheerfully give to others, to relieve their need and their suffering as we are able.

01:09:41.572 --> 01:09:45.392
<v SPEAKER_2>But again, this is not meant to be a burden.

01:09:45.412 --> 01:10:03.492
<v SPEAKER_2>It is not meant as something where you destroy your financial stability in order to help others, as it is very clear here in Scripture, so that their abundance may supply your need just as your abundance at the present time should supply their need.

01:10:04.632 --> 01:10:07.452
<v SPEAKER_2>Those who have abundance aid those who have need.

01:10:08.092 --> 01:10:09.712
<v SPEAKER_2>That is how this is supposed to work.

01:10:10.832 --> 01:10:12.692
<v SPEAKER_2>That's how everything is supposed to work.

01:10:13.972 --> 01:10:20.552
<v SPEAKER_2>If you had a truly and fully Christian society, many of these issues would not need to be discussed.

01:10:21.352 --> 01:10:34.952
<v SPEAKER_2>You would not have the abjectly poor because you would have a godly prince who would provide for them, who would raise them up out of poverty, give them gainful employment, housing, shelter, food, all of these things.

01:10:36.252 --> 01:10:43.292
<v SPEAKER_2>In a truly Christian society, these are not issues we would even have to discuss because they would be addressed.

01:10:44.172 --> 01:10:46.952
<v SPEAKER_2>They would simply be a part of the way that we live.

01:10:48.872 --> 01:10:51.072
<v SPEAKER_2>At present, we do not live in such a society.

01:10:52.012 --> 01:10:58.732
<v SPEAKER_2>And so what we need to do is to care for those God has placed into our lives with what God has given us.

01:10:59.732 --> 01:11:04.752
<v SPEAKER_2>And fundamentally, that means understanding those concentric circles of duty.

01:11:05.392 --> 01:11:13.432
<v SPEAKER_2>Your prime duty is to your family, then your extended family, then your tribe, including your neighbors, your nation, expanding outward.

01:11:14.672 --> 01:11:20.892
<v SPEAKER_2>Again, you are not supposed to give in such a way that you and yours become burdened.

01:11:20.912 --> 01:11:41.512
<v SPEAKER_2>For instance, if you were to give away all of your possessions, sell everything, and donate it, that would not be wise stewardship, because you would be reducing your family to poverty, and then you would be reliant on the very charity you were supposedly just exercising.

01:11:42.512 --> 01:11:44.672
<v SPEAKER_2>You haven't necessarily even made matters better.

01:11:45.292 --> 01:11:48.372
<v SPEAKER_2>You've just made another person who needs to be supported.

01:11:49.552 --> 01:11:54.852
<v SPEAKER_2>Part of this, and an inescapable part of this, as Woe mentioned in his introduction, is wisdom.

01:11:55.912 --> 01:11:58.932
<v SPEAKER_2>You cannot escape having to think through these matters.

01:12:00.732 --> 01:12:06.352
<v SPEAKER_2>We cannot just hand you a set of, here are five rules, follow these, and you will always be doing what is right.

01:12:07.092 --> 01:12:08.052
<v SPEAKER_2>It's not that simple.

01:12:09.032 --> 01:12:11.252
<v SPEAKER_2>Because you know what God has given you.

01:12:12.072 --> 01:12:19.052
<v SPEAKER_2>You should know what your neighbor needs, what your congregation needs, what your community needs, what you are able to do.

01:12:19.912 --> 01:12:28.672
<v SPEAKER_2>All of these things are considerations that play into a wise decision as to how you spend the resources that God has given you.

01:12:29.992 --> 01:12:37.852
<v SPEAKER_2>And part of being a Christian, and particularly a Christian man, is thinking through these matters so that you come to a Christian conclusion.

01:12:39.792 --> 01:12:46.872
<v SPEAKER_2>There are matters, many of them, and we've gone over them in previous episodes, where you cannot avoid having to think about it.

01:12:47.972 --> 01:12:52.192
<v SPEAKER_2>There are things left to human wisdom, and this is most certainly one of them.

01:12:54.152 --> 01:12:58.812
<v SPEAKER_1>Cory read two different portions of 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 there.

01:12:58.832 --> 01:13:10.452
<v SPEAKER_1>And I'd like to encourage everyone at some point after you listen to this episode, open up to 2 Corinthians 8 and read all the way through the end of the book, because there's a lot more that's said about this general subject.

01:13:10.932 --> 01:13:14.732
<v SPEAKER_1>And there's also some things that are said in 1 Corinthians as well that are related to it.

01:13:15.232 --> 01:13:21.592
<v SPEAKER_1>And that goes to what is your local congregation doing with your tithe?

01:13:22.272 --> 01:13:27.992
<v SPEAKER_1>Because as we've alluded to early in the episode and in other episodes, that's an important part of this.

01:13:28.632 --> 01:13:34.432
<v SPEAKER_1>You are not simply throwing money over the transom and just assuming that God is going to catch it.

01:13:34.992 --> 01:13:36.312
<v SPEAKER_1>God doesn't have a mailing address.

01:13:36.672 --> 01:13:39.872
<v SPEAKER_1>There's no where, as Corey said, you can't mail God a check.

01:13:40.192 --> 01:13:45.772
<v SPEAKER_1>So it's always going to be men doing things in the world with our material possessions.

01:13:46.112 --> 01:13:46.992
<v SPEAKER_1>That's how it works.

01:13:48.032 --> 01:13:55.532
<v SPEAKER_1>As a result, part of good stewardship is not simply giving, but in making sure that those things are being spent wisely.

01:13:56.412 --> 01:14:10.752
<v SPEAKER_1>Now, this isn't intended to be a source of paranoia or zealously guarding in a negative sense what is being done with every last penny, because there's a right way and a wrong way to do that sort of thing.

01:14:11.172 --> 01:14:12.312
<v SPEAKER_1>We've all seen this.

01:14:12.792 --> 01:14:24.392
<v SPEAKER_1>There's sometimes where somebody, frankly, they will give something just so they can attach strings, and they show up and you almost wish that they would just not participate because they're going to make it harder.

01:14:24.852 --> 01:14:31.552
<v SPEAKER_1>And whatever they've given is less of an upside than the downside of them then insisting how it has to be done.

01:14:32.032 --> 01:14:37.812
<v SPEAKER_1>So when we talk about this next part, I don't want that to be the mentality or the spirit behind it.

01:14:39.032 --> 01:14:55.212
<v SPEAKER_1>As I said at the beginning in my intro, one of the aspects of the wisdom of understanding how and when we are giving these sorts of things is that the current state of things isn't the way it was, certainly 300, 500 years ago.

01:14:55.572 --> 01:14:56.572
<v SPEAKER_1>That's obvious.

01:14:57.192 --> 01:15:00.752
<v SPEAKER_1>What's less obvious is how much things change in 5 years or 10 years.

01:15:01.132 --> 01:15:06.452
<v SPEAKER_1>How much things change maybe in some congregations or in some denominations, even in a year or two.

01:15:06.992 --> 01:15:12.992
<v SPEAKER_1>And so, again, if you were giving in good conscience before, it may have been exactly the right thing to do.

01:15:13.392 --> 01:15:14.272
<v SPEAKER_1>It's possible.

01:15:14.572 --> 01:15:18.472
<v SPEAKER_1>I'm not saying it's happened, but in some cases it has happened, absolutely.

01:15:19.092 --> 01:15:20.052
<v SPEAKER_1>We know of some of them.

01:15:21.232 --> 01:15:22.132
<v SPEAKER_1>It is possible.

01:15:22.332 --> 01:15:34.252
<v SPEAKER_1>The thing that was a good thing for you to do with the money that you have, the blessings you were given to steward, it may well be that you have to change how you interact with them, that you have to give differently.

01:15:34.712 --> 01:15:39.872
<v SPEAKER_1>Perhaps you have to suspend giving to one place for a while and look for somewhere else to give it.

01:15:40.212 --> 01:15:50.332
<v SPEAKER_1>Because, again, in the example of your kid's allowance, if your kid is messing around with something that's harming them and they're using your money to do it, you shut off the spigot.

01:15:51.132 --> 01:15:53.552
<v SPEAKER_1>That's happening in many of our churches today, too.

01:15:54.072 --> 01:15:59.332
<v SPEAKER_1>There's not a single denomination that does not have severe spiritual problems.

01:16:00.292 --> 01:16:03.452
<v SPEAKER_1>I'm not speaking about individual congregations.

01:16:03.832 --> 01:16:06.632
<v SPEAKER_1>Every congregation has some sort of issues because we're all sinners.

01:16:07.072 --> 01:16:09.412
<v SPEAKER_1>When sinners show up, you have sinners' problems.

01:16:10.152 --> 01:16:15.092
<v SPEAKER_1>That's not the same as what we're talking about when we talk about some of the problems at the congregational level.

01:16:15.992 --> 01:16:21.012
<v SPEAKER_1>We did an episode in the end of last year about the church and the three different levels of the church.

01:16:21.032 --> 01:16:24.072
<v SPEAKER_1>There's the capital C church, which is all believers.

01:16:24.332 --> 01:16:26.232
<v SPEAKER_1>That's part of what we've been talking about here today.

01:16:26.652 --> 01:16:29.012
<v SPEAKER_1>And then the third level is the local congregation.

01:16:29.392 --> 01:16:38.172
<v SPEAKER_1>And then the intermediate level, the second level of the church is these meta-organizations, these corporations that gather together for the sake of scale.

01:16:38.212 --> 01:16:42.332
<v SPEAKER_1>And historically, there have been a lot of benefits to that sort of gathering.

01:16:42.712 --> 01:16:45.992
<v SPEAKER_1>They're called denominations before the Reformation.

01:16:46.272 --> 01:16:50.392
<v SPEAKER_1>You basically had Rome in the east and then the various patriarchates in the west.

01:16:50.972 --> 01:16:51.852
<v SPEAKER_1>And that was kind of it.

01:16:52.212 --> 01:16:57.392
<v SPEAKER_1>So there were no divisions inside nations like we have now.

01:16:57.412 --> 01:17:00.952
<v SPEAKER_1>We have multiple competing denominations, really.

01:17:01.992 --> 01:17:08.352
<v SPEAKER_1>In the situation that we have today, those denominations, that second level, they're all in dire straits.

01:17:08.352 --> 01:17:14.472
<v SPEAKER_1>They're all doing things with our money that in many cases is actively evil.

01:17:15.312 --> 01:17:20.272
<v SPEAKER_1>And we've talked about some of those things in the context of the LCMS last year in a couple of episodes.

01:17:21.612 --> 01:17:26.912
<v SPEAKER_1>That evil has gotten worse in the LCMS, and it's also gotten worse in some of the other denominations.

01:17:27.312 --> 01:17:38.952
<v SPEAKER_1>So as Corey mentioned earlier, I don't want to say explicitly one of the things that you can do in your local context, either as an individual parishioner, as someone who's a leader in your congregation.

01:17:39.952 --> 01:18:02.892
<v SPEAKER_1>If you are aware that there are issues upstream, and your congregation is giving money upstream to a district or whatever the equivalent is in your denomination, if they're doing bad things, I think that in most cases, we need to get to the point that we stop just concerning ourselves with politics.

01:18:04.212 --> 01:18:08.452
<v SPEAKER_1>What I mean by that is that there's always a degree of church governance upstream from us.

01:18:08.732 --> 01:18:15.992
<v SPEAKER_1>You should be engaged in your local congregation and then upstream at the higher level, the denominational level, there's also stuff going on.

01:18:16.372 --> 01:18:29.212
<v SPEAKER_1>And most of the time, most of it's not actually trickling down to the local congregation, which is why it's entirely possible for a very good, very Christian congregation to be in a denomination that's kind of a dumpster fire.

01:18:29.572 --> 01:18:30.452
<v SPEAKER_1>It does happen.

01:18:31.052 --> 01:18:37.292
<v SPEAKER_1>What is not sustainable is that that will only be the case as long as that pastor is there with those people.

01:18:37.612 --> 01:18:46.532
<v SPEAKER_1>When the pastor moves on or he retires or he dies, somebody new is going to come from the denomination, from elsewhere, from outside of the congregation in most cases.

01:18:47.672 --> 01:18:51.712
<v SPEAKER_1>And he's going to bring all the baggage with him that has been going on behind the scenes.

01:18:52.192 --> 01:19:10.532
<v SPEAKER_1>So if you become aware that there are problems upstream and you look at your local church budget and you are financing those problems, don't wait a few years for the next convention to try to get other people together to have a sternly worded resolution to condemn the blah, blah, blah.

01:19:11.172 --> 01:19:13.032
<v SPEAKER_1>You don't have to do the political thing.

01:19:14.172 --> 01:19:15.492
<v SPEAKER_1>Maybe that's the appropriate thing.

01:19:15.512 --> 01:19:19.272
<v SPEAKER_1>Maybe as a matter of Christian wisdom, that is the right approach.

01:19:19.972 --> 01:19:32.932
<v SPEAKER_1>It is also in the cards for us as Christians as good stewards of the money we are given to say, I will no longer transmit my money, my tithe to people who are doing things outside of this congregation that are harmful.

01:19:33.672 --> 01:19:38.632
<v SPEAKER_1>And as we've said before, the LCMS is one of the denominations that's in that shape.

01:19:39.192 --> 01:19:43.412
<v SPEAKER_1>At this point, congregations need to be cutting off the funding to the synod.

01:19:43.772 --> 01:19:50.212
<v SPEAKER_1>And that means don't send a dime to district because the things that they are doing are causing real harm.

01:19:51.152 --> 01:19:52.672
<v SPEAKER_1>And they're also doing good work.

01:19:53.012 --> 01:19:58.192
<v SPEAKER_1>That's the problem because you have different programs and some of them are good and some of them are actively evil.

01:19:58.412 --> 01:20:00.612
<v SPEAKER_1>Some of the things they're doing are actually evil.

01:20:00.832 --> 01:20:02.812
<v SPEAKER_1>And they're celebrating some of that wickedness.

01:20:03.092 --> 01:20:11.012
<v SPEAKER_1>And we're not going to get into that today, but the point is if you become aware of that, you don't need to petition for redress of grievances.

01:20:11.812 --> 01:20:13.632
<v SPEAKER_1>You can just cut off the funding.

01:20:14.332 --> 01:20:15.332
<v SPEAKER_1>Stop writing the check.

01:20:15.692 --> 01:20:21.452
<v SPEAKER_1>And as an individual, as Corey said, you can earmark and say, I want my funds to be for local use only.

01:20:21.852 --> 01:20:23.212
<v SPEAKER_1>I don't want it going upstream.

01:20:24.252 --> 01:20:29.092
<v SPEAKER_1>If as a congregation you come to an agreement that that's the best thing spiritually, cut them off.

01:20:30.412 --> 01:20:33.812
<v SPEAKER_1>Don't spend your tithe on wickedness.

01:20:34.352 --> 01:20:35.372
<v SPEAKER_1>That's a key part of this.

01:20:35.432 --> 01:20:43.292
<v SPEAKER_1>See, when we look at the biblical examples, there's always a presumption that the tithe is going to be spent in a godly fashion.

01:20:43.672 --> 01:20:45.232
<v SPEAKER_1>That's no longer the case today.

01:20:45.632 --> 01:20:48.032
<v SPEAKER_1>Whether or not it was in the past, it doesn't matter.

01:20:48.272 --> 01:20:49.392
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not the case today.

01:20:49.632 --> 01:21:00.232
<v SPEAKER_1>There are many cases where when you give freely of an unbounded Christian spirit, it's then taken by men to other places where they do actively evil things with it.

01:21:00.952 --> 01:21:06.752
<v SPEAKER_1>You have an obligation to cut them off, just as you would cut off your kid who was buying drugs with money you were giving them.

01:21:07.232 --> 01:21:14.192
<v SPEAKER_1>To knowingly participate in that is to do something evil, even if it started as a tithe, even if it started as doing a good thing.

01:21:14.552 --> 01:21:21.892
<v SPEAKER_1>When you send money elsewhere and it's used for evil, in whatever your context, that is something you have to be concerned about.

01:21:22.512 --> 01:21:25.032
<v SPEAKER_1>As I said at the beginning, people shouldn't be paranoid about this.

01:21:25.052 --> 01:21:30.672
<v SPEAKER_1>Every day you don't have to be checking whatever newsletter to try to find some reason to cut them off.

01:21:31.052 --> 01:21:32.932
<v SPEAKER_1>That's not the spirit that we're talking about.

01:21:33.532 --> 01:21:39.112
<v SPEAKER_1>When you become aware of things and it violates your conscience, cease to participate.

01:21:40.392 --> 01:21:55.372
<v SPEAKER_1>One of the other things that we're dealing with in current year, as Christians, is that there are many places where churches are slowly dying through attrition, mostly because no one was having kids, and the few kids they did have moved away.

01:21:55.892 --> 01:22:03.532
<v SPEAKER_1>And so it's a sea of gray hair, and there are two or three people left on a Sunday, and then obviously when the pastor goes, there's never going to be another pastor.

01:22:03.552 --> 01:22:04.352
<v SPEAKER_1>They're just going to shudder.

01:22:05.552 --> 01:22:25.572
<v SPEAKER_1>There are discussions for other days about how to prevent things from getting to that state, but it's also important for us to understand that just because the specific circumstances change, where a full-time pastor is no longer possible, it's still necessary for us to figure out something that we can do.

01:22:25.972 --> 01:22:39.632
<v SPEAKER_1>And while we're not going to get into the specifics today, I want to again highlight the general guidance we're trying to provide today is that the wisdom of thinking about these matters is regularly reevaluating what we're still doing.

01:22:40.372 --> 01:23:01.572
<v SPEAKER_1>And the particular context of the local congregation and giving to a pastor for his rightful salary is that although that is what we've been doing for a long time because that is what the Western Church has been able to sustain, if that sort of paradigm ceases to work, that doesn't mean the Church ends.

01:23:01.952 --> 01:23:04.212
<v SPEAKER_1>It doesn't mean the believers gathering together ends.

01:23:05.052 --> 01:23:11.472
<v SPEAKER_1>And so it's not necessarily the most important thing for us to cling to the particular form.

01:23:11.952 --> 01:23:22.972
<v SPEAKER_1>What is important is we continue to participate as active givers and as cheerful participants in whatever is going on in the local gathering of believers.

01:23:24.132 --> 01:23:31.972
<v SPEAKER_1>In 1 Corinthians 9, I want a specific example where it's clearly laid out that it is important for Church workers to be supported financially.

01:23:34.192 --> 01:23:35.992
<v SPEAKER_1>Paul writes, Am I not free?

01:23:36.132 --> 01:23:37.232
<v SPEAKER_1>Am I not an apostle?

01:23:37.412 --> 01:23:39.492
<v SPEAKER_1>Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?

01:23:39.952 --> 01:23:41.952
<v SPEAKER_1>Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

01:23:42.312 --> 01:23:47.652
<v SPEAKER_1>If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

01:23:48.432 --> 01:23:50.532
<v SPEAKER_1>This is my defense to those who would examine me.

01:23:50.832 --> 01:23:52.732
<v SPEAKER_1>Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

01:23:52.912 --> 01:23:59.032
<v SPEAKER_1>Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of our Lord and Cephas?

01:23:59.612 --> 01:24:03.992
<v SPEAKER_1>Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

01:24:04.552 --> 01:24:06.532
<v SPEAKER_1>Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?

01:24:06.812 --> 01:24:09.032
<v SPEAKER_1>Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit?

01:24:09.392 --> 01:24:11.572
<v SPEAKER_1>Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

01:24:12.272 --> 01:24:14.792
<v SPEAKER_1>Do I say these things on human authority?

01:24:15.132 --> 01:24:16.552
<v SPEAKER_1>Does not the law say the same?

01:24:17.012 --> 01:24:21.492
<v SPEAKER_1>For it is written in the Law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.

01:24:21.972 --> 01:24:23.772
<v SPEAKER_1>Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

01:24:24.172 --> 01:24:26.312
<v SPEAKER_1>Does he not certainly speak for our sake?

01:24:26.812 --> 01:24:33.152
<v SPEAKER_1>It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

01:24:34.072 --> 01:24:39.392
<v SPEAKER_1>If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

01:24:39.812 --> 01:24:43.332
<v SPEAKER_1>If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

01:24:45.252 --> 01:24:58.152
<v SPEAKER_1>So what Paul is talking about here is that while many of the other apostles and missionaries who were sent out at the very beginning of the church were full-time workers, he and Barnabas were actually still, they still had side hustles.

01:24:58.572 --> 01:25:02.232
<v SPEAKER_1>They were in some cases funding their own way, at least in part.

01:25:02.832 --> 01:25:13.732
<v SPEAKER_1>And so one of the disputes in Corinth was that there were people saying that he wasn't an apostle because he wasn't getting paid and he hadn't personally talked to Jesus, apart from the road to Damascus.

01:25:14.132 --> 01:25:26.952
<v SPEAKER_1>So part of this passage in 1 Corinthians 9 was him refuting that, but part of it is also laying a claim to the right of someone who is a full-time church worker being able to sustain himself.

01:25:28.332 --> 01:25:34.772
<v SPEAKER_1>And this has been the historical norm in the church, but it's never been universal continuously.

01:25:35.092 --> 01:25:41.872
<v SPEAKER_1>There are many places in the early church where it wasn't possible for believers even to get together without being killed.

01:25:42.172 --> 01:25:45.792
<v SPEAKER_1>And so they didn't have full-time shepherds who were being paid.

01:25:46.572 --> 01:25:48.912
<v SPEAKER_1>They were gathering in catacombs in some cases.

01:25:49.252 --> 01:25:50.052
<v SPEAKER_1>They were hunted.

01:25:50.072 --> 01:25:51.412
<v SPEAKER_1>They were being murdered.

01:25:51.852 --> 01:25:53.472
<v SPEAKER_1>They didn't necessarily have employees.

01:25:53.912 --> 01:25:57.212
<v SPEAKER_1>They weren't 1099-ing anybody on an annual basis.

01:25:58.392 --> 01:26:24.552
<v SPEAKER_1>I highlight this because as we're looking at what the tithe looks like for us in current year, not in the history of the Old Testament or the New Testament or the Church Age, as we look at things today, if we get back into a position where it becomes more and more difficult for us to have the normal things, to have a building, to have a full-time employee, it's still necessary for us to tithe somehow.

01:26:24.872 --> 01:26:26.092
<v SPEAKER_1>Again, it's not a number.

01:26:26.572 --> 01:26:31.192
<v SPEAKER_1>It's giving freely as is needed for whatever the immediate purpose is.

01:26:31.952 --> 01:26:36.192
<v SPEAKER_1>If you're blessed to have a pastor, make sure that you're taking care of him.

01:26:36.732 --> 01:26:37.812
<v SPEAKER_1>I was a pastor's kid.

01:26:38.792 --> 01:26:42.492
<v SPEAKER_1>My dad's salary in 92 when he got his first call was $22,000 a year.

01:26:42.672 --> 01:26:43.452
<v SPEAKER_1>It was nothing.

01:26:43.992 --> 01:26:46.432
<v SPEAKER_1>And it was nothing because the Church was trying to destroy him.

01:26:46.692 --> 01:26:50.872
<v SPEAKER_1>The congregation he had been sent to had already destroyed like the last three pastors.

01:26:51.252 --> 01:26:52.412
<v SPEAKER_1>And they were going to destroy him.

01:26:52.852 --> 01:26:55.932
<v SPEAKER_1>And then, you know, that was basically why they existed.

01:26:56.452 --> 01:27:00.632
<v SPEAKER_1>Sometimes there are really bad situations that occur in the so-called in the Church.

01:27:00.652 --> 01:27:02.692
<v SPEAKER_1>You know, that was certainly at the corporate level.

01:27:02.712 --> 01:27:06.132
<v SPEAKER_1>But while there were Christians there, there were some evil men too.

01:27:07.692 --> 01:27:13.412
<v SPEAKER_1>It was not just for a man with a family of four to be paid $22,000.

01:27:15.372 --> 01:27:16.412
<v SPEAKER_1>That's what he signed up for.

01:27:16.432 --> 01:27:18.432
<v SPEAKER_1>I mean, he signed up to be a church worker.

01:27:18.672 --> 01:27:20.912
<v SPEAKER_1>He didn't sign up to live in that kind of poverty.

01:27:21.732 --> 01:27:31.272
<v SPEAKER_1>So I certainly as a first party to having seen the sacrifices that pastors make in their lives, I'm not going to be one to say, cut these guys off.

01:27:32.112 --> 01:27:35.172
<v SPEAKER_1>If you have a faithful pastor, do whatever you can to take care of them.

01:27:35.692 --> 01:27:42.472
<v SPEAKER_1>If your congregation is no longer in a position where it can even afford a faithful pastor, you're not off the hook.

01:27:42.992 --> 01:27:44.892
<v SPEAKER_1>Even if the church closes, you're not off the hook.

01:27:45.272 --> 01:27:46.952
<v SPEAKER_1>We continue to be Christians.

01:27:46.972 --> 01:27:52.952
<v SPEAKER_1>We continue to be a part of the capital C church, the first level church, even if the other things fall apart.

01:27:53.452 --> 01:28:00.612
<v SPEAKER_1>And so there may be a time in the future where the idea of tithing is no longer even possible to write a check to anybody.

01:28:01.272 --> 01:28:13.332
<v SPEAKER_1>If they bring along the replacement for the dollar with digital currency, which I think is pretty likely, it may well be that they say it's no longer permissible for you to transmit money to Christians or to a Christian institution.

01:28:13.612 --> 01:28:15.052
<v SPEAKER_1>That's entirely possible.

01:28:15.652 --> 01:28:32.232
<v SPEAKER_1>So these are potentially questions in our lifetime where the idea of tithing and giving and being participants in a local congregation ends up looking like and meaning something completely different than it does today or did 10 years ago, let alone 100 or 500 years ago.

01:28:32.712 --> 01:28:44.132
<v SPEAKER_1>That's why I want everyone to keep your head on a swivel and to think about these things as we go on, because even when the current forms, if they pass away, it doesn't change the church.

01:28:44.652 --> 01:28:46.812
<v SPEAKER_1>It may change the form for a while.

01:28:47.392 --> 01:29:00.012
<v SPEAKER_1>It may mean that we end up in a situation where we have less material than we have in the past, which is why I said in Cori Red from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, that congregation was in dire straits financially.

01:29:00.532 --> 01:29:09.972
<v SPEAKER_1>We don't know exactly what the details were, but the men he was talking to were in real trouble materially, and yet they were still giving abundantly and joyfully.

01:29:11.292 --> 01:29:15.652
<v SPEAKER_1>Have that Christian attitude, and whatever happens in the future, you're going to be blessed.

01:29:16.512 --> 01:29:18.392
<v SPEAKER_1>Who knows what it's going to look like in 10 years?

01:29:18.612 --> 01:29:19.472
<v SPEAKER_1>I think it's personal.

01:29:19.492 --> 01:29:21.492
<v SPEAKER_1>I think it's going to look very different than it does today.

01:29:21.892 --> 01:29:29.292
<v SPEAKER_1>I think that a lot of things that are taking form right now are going to be culminated by then.

01:29:30.392 --> 01:29:39.612
<v SPEAKER_1>I think a lot of the ways that we're used to gathering and conducting our Christian lives and our church lives will be very different in some serious ways.

01:29:40.152 --> 01:29:41.052
<v SPEAKER_1>You can make guesses.

01:29:41.072 --> 01:29:42.092
<v SPEAKER_1>You can make predictions.

01:29:42.612 --> 01:29:51.552
<v SPEAKER_1>The point is that when we get to those places, if it happens in our lifetime or someone else's, when we're confronted with those things, we still have to have the principle.

01:29:51.952 --> 01:30:03.692
<v SPEAKER_1>You have to have the principle of tithing, of giving cheerfully, of continuing to sustain not only the proclamation of the Gospel among you, but of the care for the poor, of the needy, of the sick.

01:30:04.332 --> 01:30:11.072
<v SPEAKER_1>Making sure that whatever material blessings you have, you're thankful for them and you're sharing them as best you can with others.

01:30:11.512 --> 01:30:14.472
<v SPEAKER_1>Because that duty isn't tied to a denomination.

01:30:14.492 --> 01:30:16.472
<v SPEAKER_1>It's not tied to your salvation.

01:30:16.712 --> 01:30:17.932
<v SPEAKER_1>It's tied to the Christian life.

01:30:18.332 --> 01:30:22.332
<v SPEAKER_1>You're a Christian 168 hours a day, so act like it.

01:30:23.072 --> 01:30:23.932
<v SPEAKER_1>That's not a burden.

01:30:23.952 --> 01:30:24.732
<v SPEAKER_1>That's a blessing.

01:30:25.252 --> 01:30:27.872
<v SPEAKER_1>There's so many things in life where I don't know what to do.

01:30:28.252 --> 01:30:28.972
<v SPEAKER_1>What's next?

01:30:29.452 --> 01:30:31.112
<v SPEAKER_1>Do I do this or do I do that?

01:30:32.172 --> 01:30:39.152
<v SPEAKER_1>Being a Christian and knowing God's general principles for these things and where God gives us wisdom is such a tremendous blessing.

01:30:39.552 --> 01:30:41.492
<v SPEAKER_1>Because in a lot of cases, it takes out the guesswork.

01:30:42.032 --> 01:30:48.512
<v SPEAKER_1>Even if there's no clear-cut answer, even if it's just, okay, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, but I'm going to pay attention.

01:30:48.972 --> 01:30:54.772
<v SPEAKER_1>And by paying attention, I know that if things change, I'm still going to be able to act with clean conscience because I'm paying attention.

01:30:55.152 --> 01:30:55.992
<v SPEAKER_1>Like sometimes that's it.

01:30:56.272 --> 01:30:57.392
<v SPEAKER_1>You have to change anything.

01:30:57.692 --> 01:31:04.552
<v SPEAKER_1>Just be attentive, be awake, be watchful, be a steward who is managing what you've been given faithfully.

01:31:05.132 --> 01:31:15.332
<v SPEAKER_1>And whatever situations arise in the future, if our churches crumble and fall, if we all get rounded up and we have to have these conversations in prison or whatever, doesn't change anything.

01:31:15.632 --> 01:31:16.492
<v SPEAKER_1>Not as a Christian.

01:31:17.352 --> 01:31:21.452
<v SPEAKER_1>Our lives might change entirely, but it doesn't change the Christian life.

01:31:21.912 --> 01:31:28.512
<v SPEAKER_1>Because the Christian life has the same guidelines, the same principles, because we always have the same God.

01:31:28.712 --> 01:31:30.112
<v SPEAKER_1>And His will doesn't change.

01:31:30.812 --> 01:31:37.152
<v SPEAKER_1>Help, be thankful, be generous, and know that everything is from God.

01:31:37.372 --> 01:31:40.432
<v SPEAKER_1>And whatever we do is God blessing others through us.

01:31:41.032 --> 01:31:41.492
<v SPEAKER_1>That's it.

01:31:42.052 --> 01:31:45.532
<v SPEAKER_1>That general principle will work no matter where you are.

01:31:45.552 --> 01:31:48.112
<v SPEAKER_1>You can be the richest man in the world, the poorest man in the world.

01:31:48.432 --> 01:31:52.432
<v SPEAKER_1>It's still going to work the same way, because that's how God has made everything.

01:31:54.152 --> 01:32:06.492
<v SPEAKER_2>I mentioned something earlier in the episode that I want to expand a little bit, because there are various considerations in play, and I want to be very clear about what we are and are not saying.

01:32:07.412 --> 01:32:15.032
<v SPEAKER_2>I mentioned that you can tithe to those who are not necessarily the congregation, your local congregation itself.

01:32:15.872 --> 01:32:19.232
<v SPEAKER_2>And that does include teachers and other ministries.

01:32:20.412 --> 01:32:28.612
<v SPEAKER_2>So for those who have been giving to whatever it may be, and that includes, quite frankly, I would say this podcast.

01:32:30.512 --> 01:32:44.412
<v SPEAKER_2>I would say that does count as part of your tithe, because we are teaching the faith, and so the words of Scripture about those who teach the faith, living from that proclamation of the Gospel, is in play here.

01:32:44.872 --> 01:32:47.532
<v SPEAKER_2>I'm not burdening your conscience.

01:32:47.892 --> 01:32:51.592
<v SPEAKER_2>I am clarifying, and how I want to clarify that is explicitly this.

01:32:52.352 --> 01:32:56.312
<v SPEAKER_2>If you have given to this podcast, thank you very much for your support.

01:32:57.232 --> 01:33:07.692
<v SPEAKER_2>However, if there are those in your family, in your neighborhood, in your congregation, your local community who are in need, give to them first.

01:33:09.392 --> 01:33:12.492
<v SPEAKER_2>We want to be essentially last on your list.

01:33:14.112 --> 01:33:16.392
<v SPEAKER_2>If you give to us again, we are very thankful for that.

01:33:16.412 --> 01:33:24.512
<v SPEAKER_2>If you buy a challenge coin that supports us, but give to those in your life for whom you have a particular duty first.

01:33:25.552 --> 01:33:28.832
<v SPEAKER_2>You do not have a particular duty to us.

01:33:30.232 --> 01:33:31.332
<v SPEAKER_2>Yes, we're a ministry.

01:33:32.012 --> 01:33:34.632
<v SPEAKER_2>Yes, we are proclaiming the gospel and teaching the faith.

01:33:35.872 --> 01:33:44.792
<v SPEAKER_2>But your duty as a Christian flows to those nearest to you first, as we have emphasized so many times in so many episodes.

01:33:45.392 --> 01:33:54.712
<v SPEAKER_2>Your duty is to your family, to your neighbors, to your clan, to your tribe, to your nation, concentric circles expanding outward.

01:33:55.752 --> 01:34:02.152
<v SPEAKER_2>For some few of you, we may very well be in your local community, relatively speaking.

01:34:02.692 --> 01:34:09.392
<v SPEAKER_2>For most of you, we're part of your nation, but that's a fairly large circle among those concentric circles.

01:34:11.112 --> 01:34:13.972
<v SPEAKER_2>Give to those who are closer first and foremost.

01:34:14.972 --> 01:34:16.412
<v SPEAKER_2>That is your duty as a Christian.

01:34:17.312 --> 01:34:38.792
<v SPEAKER_2>The reason that we highlighted the fact that you can tie to teachers and other ministries is one, because it is true, and two, it is one of the ways under the current set of circumstances in which you can still fulfill that Christian duty to give back, even if you don't have a faithful local congregation.

01:34:40.272 --> 01:34:44.972
<v SPEAKER_2>And unfortunately, there are many men in that situation, and we hear from them all the time.

01:34:46.152 --> 01:34:52.792
<v SPEAKER_2>We wish there were more faithful congregations, so that you could tie to the congregation, so things could function as they are supposed to function.

01:34:53.992 --> 01:35:11.252
<v SPEAKER_2>But if you do not have that opportunity, then at least you still have the Christian opportunity to fulfill that Christian obligation to give back, because there are faithful ministries, there are still faithful teachers, even if they are not necessarily part of your local congregation.

01:35:14.872 --> 01:35:21.112
<v SPEAKER_2>Before we close out this episode with a reading from the Psalter, I would like to read one more passage from Scripture.

01:35:22.392 --> 01:35:30.952
<v SPEAKER_2>And I would hope that some of you have had this passage come to mind already while we have been discussing the issue of tithing in this episode.

01:35:32.132 --> 01:35:34.472
<v SPEAKER_2>And so one more reading from the Book of Malachi.

01:35:35.492 --> 01:35:41.072
<v SPEAKER_2>For I the Lord do not change, therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

01:35:41.552 --> 01:35:46.832
<v SPEAKER_2>From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.

01:35:47.452 --> 01:35:51.752
<v SPEAKER_2>Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

01:35:52.392 --> 01:35:54.752
<v SPEAKER_2>But you say, how shall we return?

01:35:55.012 --> 01:35:56.312
<v SPEAKER_2>Will man rob God?

01:35:56.772 --> 01:35:58.192
<v SPEAKER_2>Yet you are robbing me.

01:35:58.592 --> 01:36:00.952
<v SPEAKER_2>But you say, how have we robbed you?

01:36:01.392 --> 01:36:08.212
<v SPEAKER_2>In your tithes and contributions, you are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

01:36:08.752 --> 01:36:17.372
<v SPEAKER_2>Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts.

01:36:18.092 --> 01:36:29.612
<v SPEAKER_2>If I will not open the windows of heaven for you, and pour down for you a blessing, until there is no more need, I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil.

01:36:30.112 --> 01:36:34.252
<v SPEAKER_2>And your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

01:36:34.992 --> 01:36:40.892
<v SPEAKER_2>Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

01:36:44.732 --> 01:36:50.752
<v SPEAKER_2>God explicitly tells us to put him to the test, with regard to the tithe.

01:36:53.512 --> 01:36:56.732
<v SPEAKER_2>I won't even comment on this passage extensively.

01:36:57.192 --> 01:37:08.032
<v SPEAKER_2>I just want you to think about what it means for God to explicitly invite us to test him on something, and how seriously we should take that.

01:37:08.952 --> 01:37:10.552
<v SPEAKER_2>He does that here with the tithe.

01:37:11.192 --> 01:37:14.792
<v SPEAKER_2>That's not something that Scripture does frequently, to say the least.

01:37:18.312 --> 01:37:24.672
<v SPEAKER_2>And so, to close out this episode, I would like to read Psalm 116.

01:37:27.932 --> 01:37:34.752
<v SPEAKER_2>I love the Lord, because he is heard, my voice and my pleas for mercy, because he inclined his ear to me.

01:37:35.372 --> 01:37:37.992
<v SPEAKER_2>Therefore I will call on him, as long as I live.

01:37:38.872 --> 01:37:43.132
<v SPEAKER_2>The snares of death encompassed me, the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me.

01:37:43.692 --> 01:37:45.552
<v SPEAKER_2>I suffered distress and anguish.

01:37:46.212 --> 01:37:47.992
<v SPEAKER_2>Then I called on the name of the Lord.

01:37:48.372 --> 01:37:50.672
<v SPEAKER_2>O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul.

01:37:51.552 --> 01:37:53.732
<v SPEAKER_2>Gracious is the Lord, and righteous.

01:37:54.312 --> 01:37:55.692
<v SPEAKER_2>Our God is merciful.

01:37:56.212 --> 01:37:57.852
<v SPEAKER_2>The Lord preserves the simple.

01:37:58.192 --> 01:38:00.192
<v SPEAKER_2>When I was brought low, he saved me.

01:38:00.972 --> 01:38:05.412
<v SPEAKER_2>Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

01:38:06.312 --> 01:38:12.152
<v SPEAKER_2>For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

01:38:12.992 --> 01:38:15.912
<v SPEAKER_2>I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

01:38:16.692 --> 01:38:18.832
<v SPEAKER_2>I believed, even when I spoke.

01:38:19.192 --> 01:38:20.492
<v SPEAKER_2>I am greatly afflicted.

01:38:21.132 --> 01:38:24.272
<v SPEAKER_2>I set in my alarm all mankind are liars.

01:38:25.312 --> 01:38:28.932
<v SPEAKER_2>What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?

01:38:28.952 --> 01:38:33.472
<v SPEAKER_2>I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

01:38:34.132 --> 01:38:37.972
<v SPEAKER_2>I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

01:38:39.012 --> 01:38:42.192
<v SPEAKER_2>Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

01:38:42.892 --> 01:38:44.312
<v SPEAKER_2>O Lord, I am your servant.

01:38:44.712 --> 01:38:47.372
<v SPEAKER_2>I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.

01:38:47.752 --> 01:38:49.232
<v SPEAKER_2>You have loosed my bonds.

01:38:50.012 --> 01:38:54.792
<v SPEAKER_2>I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.

01:38:55.332 --> 01:39:04.032
<v SPEAKER_2>I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem.

01:39:04.652 --> 01:39:05.632
<v SPEAKER_2>Praise the Lord.

01:39:07.612 --> 01:39:08.012
<v SPEAKER_2>Amen.