Robbing God by John Nevins Andrews

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 27, 1882

Robbing God.

By John Nevins Andrews

(From Les Signes des Temps.)

MANY persons rob God during all their lives, without ever being troubled by a sense of their guilt. They would be shocked at the idea of robbing their neighbors, but they have not the least idea that it is any sin to rob God; or, perhaps it would be more correct to say, that they have never thought that there is such a thing as robbing the Almighty. They think that whatever they possess belongs to themselves. Their health, their strength, their good judgment, their power to plan and to execute, all belong to themselves, and they have no idea that any of these things are the gift of God. If they use their strength, it is simply to advance their own interest; and, if they accumulate money, they think it all belongs to themselves. If they are blessed with bountiful crops in the cultivation of the earth, they never think that it is to God that they are indebted for this; that it is he who makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall, and that gives fertility to the earth. Or, if they think of this, they never for a moment suppose that they are under any obligation to God for the blessings of his providence. They forget that in him they live and move and have their being; but God notices all these things. He said to his ancient people, by the prophet Malachi, that they were cursed with a curse because they had robbed him; and when they inquired wherein they had done this, he said that it was in withholding tithes and offerings. Mal. 3:8–10.

In all ages God has claimed the tenth part of our income as his. This is the least which he will accept, and he has made it our privilege to do much more than this, if we have the disposition to do it. But some will say that they cannot give the tenth to God, because they have not been prospered in their business; so they propose to rob God of the tenth which belongs to him, in order to make up for their lack of prosperity. Such persons are guilty of dishonesty toward God, and they will bring their curse upon themselves.

The prophet Malachi speaks of others who offered that to God which was worthless to themselves. Mal. 1:7, 8. God sees what we do. If we rob him by keeping to ourselves that part which he has claimed as his, or by giving to him that which is worthless, we shall most assuredly bring his curse upon ourselves. But there is a more excellent way than this. God says: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:10.

J. N. A.