THE TITHE IS THE LORD’S.
By Walter L. Black
WALTER L. BLACK. (Solomonville, Ariz.) It is true that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the religion of all true Protestants. God’s word is to them an end of all strife and argument. It is the supreme law of life in this world as well as in the world to come; and obedience to all its teaching is the passport to life eternal; for Jesus says: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48. The words of the Old Testament as well as those of the New are the revelation of the Spirit of Christ, testifying through the prophets. Peter says: “The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. And in 1 Peter 1:10, 11, he carries this thought further by saying that it was the Spirit of Christ that testified through the prophets. “Of which salvation the prophets, . . . searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” So those who study the Old Testament are not strangers to the teachings of the Spirit and truth of Christ. “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4. Yes; the blessed teachings of the Spirit of Christ, written aforetime (or in old time), are to have something to do with the Christian’s hope; for “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Why?—“That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. Surely, those who will be perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works, will not reject the teaching of Christ in the Old Testament any more than they will the teaching of Christ in the New. The subject of tithing is one with which many of God’s children are unacquainted, although it is found in both the Old and the New Testament; and because of this lack of acquaintance, many have never enjoyed the blessings connected with this truth. There is not an earthly possession of any kind that does not come directly from the maker and upholder of all things. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17. Have you life, health, strength, and even riches, and all the blessings that life can afford? They come from the Fountain of all blessings. “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8. “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.” Ps. 50:10–12. Indeed, the Lord is rich in every blessing, and to him every man, whether rich or poor, wicked or righteous, is indebted for the benefits of life. How sad that man is so selfish that he scarcely looks to the Giver of all blessings. Thus he makes self the first object of love and adoration; and to correct this natural tendency, the Lord demands that we “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” Matt. 6:33. In a Christian’s life God’s truth and plans are heeded first. This is to be so not only in our devotions, but in our daily labor and business affairs. The Lord calls upon us to honor him with our substance, and with the first fruits of all our increase (Prov. 3:9), and also with the first fruits of our labor. Ex. 23:16. To honor is to reverence or venerate; and thus in a Christian’s life God is worshiped in all that he does. Since man does not really own his earthly possessions, the only capacity in which he holds property is as a steward, or servant. To this truth Jesus bore testimony when he said, “The kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” Indeed, we are indebted to our great Benefactor for all we possess. For all these blessings and privileges, the Lord claims only a tenth of our income. “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy unto the Lord. . . . And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, . . . the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” Lev. 27:30–32. A steward is one who has charge of another’s property, and must give an account of all his dealings concerning these possessions. So we, as servants of the Lord, are to give an account of all our dealings with the property he has submitted to our care. The tenth, which the Lord requires, is a very small pittance compared with the many blessings received; and in these things God is testing his children. What a close relation the subject of tithing establishes between God and his servants! By it Christ is brought into all our dealings with our fellow men. When we labor, or buy, or sell, we have a settlement to make with the great Jehovah. In many truths, Christ is brought very near the Christian; but there are none that bring him so near us in our business relations as does tithing. Who can afford to reject such a relation?—Surely, no Christian! “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,” is the blessed injunction. How many professed Christians are acknowledging Christ in their business life? How many think of Jesus when they buy or sell? It seems as if God has hedged the Christian in on every side; for he tells us how to have Christ all the way, even in every circumstance and act of life.