“But this I say, he that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.                                                                                                                                     (2 Corinthians 9)

 

We have played a game with our children that was a cause of laughter.  I would say something like, “Crazy person say, what” but i would say it in a whisper of in a manner that was undistiguishable, and the child would say, “what?”  This game is the origin of our third title, “Scrooge say, What.”  If I were to say “Scrooge say, What,”  would you respond by saying, “What?” and declare yourself a cheap and greedy Scrooge who holds back money from God, thereby robbing Him of what is His,?  “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed [M]e. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed [T]hee? In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”  (Malachi 3)

Do you, Reader, know the difference between burglary, stealing, thieving, and robbery?  Robbery is robbery because it is purpatrated with a gun or weapon, making it a crime of violence.  God considers, withholding offerings from Him as robbery!!! a violent and aggressive act against God.  My reader, this is a most seroius subject.
Let me remark with the prerequisite preface,  I am not seeking any money from anyone.  That is not the purpose of this article.  If you know this writer, you probably know that money, mammon, lucre hold zero (0) interest or attraction to me.  I thank God for my wife who is a hawk when it comes to spending…she is a sound steward of God’s money,  did I just say God’s money?

We did say God’s money because every thing under the sun belongs to him.  He owns everything and this includes all the money.. all your money, and everything else. How do I know this? Because money has wings and it flies away.  God can bankrupt anyone, any corporation, any company, and non-profit company, any foundation, and family, and person He is please to abase and humble.

The second (2nd) title, “Does you right hand know Nin-jit-su?”  is inspired… not Inspired..inspired, but just inspired from our Lord’s, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth…” (Matthew 6).  The Ninja was a japanese warrior that was covert and performed his tasks from the shadows in relative silence.  The ninja (plural form) was an enemy to the Samurai.  The Samurai had a code of honour called the Bushido code, but the ninja was thought to be more of a mercenary without codes or honour.  Since the ninja performed in secret and from the shadows, I used that metaphor or analogy to demonstrate the Lord’s meaning in His, “Let not the left hand know what the right hand doeth.”  It seems our Lord, Who gave all, would have a person give without counting the money.  In other words, I think He was saying we should not hold the money, tightly, in our left hand and count the money with the right hand. This is what the Pharisees did with their tithes and Christ condemned this behaviour, attitude, practice, habit, or greed.
I think it is safe to say that our Lord was using hyperbole when He used the left hand/right hand statement.  Scripture is clear on our management of God’s money and part of that management is knowing how much one has.  Christ’s point was, however, that when one gives one should give cheerfully, happily, with zeal, with freedom as one knows God will provide all that one needs and money should not be a constant source of concern…

He discusses God’s provisions in His sermon from the mount….He shows us that God provides for the sparrows, and the plant life. He then, with logic, declares that we are greater and more important to God than the birds and the plants. Therefore we need not be overly concerned with that is is needed and necessary as God has obligated Himself to provide for His people….Christ then points us to the Kingdom of God and tells us to ssek that first…..we should seek God’s will, God’s purpose, God’s pleasure, as He promises to know what’s happening with us and to provide for our needs…even before we know them ourselves…He does this as we are “seek[ing]… first the Kingdom of God…”

As to the doctrine of tithe.  I take the position that the tithe is an Old Testament precept.  In the New Testament, we read of offerings and not tithes.  The only mention of the tithe is when Christ condemns the Pharisees concerning their greed when it comes to tithes.  Other than that there is no mention of the tithe in the New Testament.  However, that does not relieve the Christ-ian of cheerful giving.  The tithe was ten percent (10%) of money or crops. The Christ-ian concept of giving is giving freely and happily knowing God will be well pleased and other believers will be helped and the Gospel shall grow. God’s purpose in offerings is the support and financing of those that serve in the Gospel.  God says they that serve in the Gospel should be provided for by the Gospel….that is to say, you and me, who have benefited so much by the Gospel.

Tithes limit the giving of a Christ-ian as cheerful giving frees the Christ-ian to give with faith, an and hope.  In the O.T. everything was precise, specific,particular, and peculiar. The “blue print” for Tabernacle, for example was specific that God had to “Download” the ability and understanding in to His servant, Bezaleel.  The Ark  and the Arc are specific and particular, likewise.  However, in the New Testament their is liberty in the formation of the Church.  This principle should extend to the givings and offerings of God’s people.  Nothing specific, nothing particular or precise.  We should give freely.., Paul decides what one can give, decide upon it, and give.  God doesn’t want us or the watching world to think His Gospel is dependent upon the money of a man…No sharing of His Glory, remember?

Both Christ and His Apostle teach that those who give to God will be provided for as God is in no man’s debt.  The cheerful giving benefits far more than it does God… for our Lord say, “it is better to give than to receive.”

One final suggestion, giving should not be limited to your local church.  There are many opportunities to cheerfully give in this world.  Any giving in the Name of Christ, will be honoured by God…this I know.