The Lord's Tenth | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 19, 1873

The Lord's Tenth.

THERE is a common opinion existing in the minds of Christians, that though their expenditures for the support of their families should be suitably proportioned to their incomes, that which is devoted to the Lord's service may well be left to accident, or the convenience or impulse of the moment when a call for benevolence is made.

Although it is true that, in the New Testament, we have no definite amount for God's treasury demanded, yet we are enjoined to give according to our income. “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.” Here the duty of a definite appropriation is demanded. It does not, it is true, say whether a tenth or fifth or a hundredth is required; but let us look for a moment at a few of the records of those early days, and see if any light may be gathered from them. Zaccheus gave “one-half his goods to the poor.” The poor widow, whom Christ commended, gave in all her living to the treasury of the temple. We find the poor and afflicted church of Macedonia “abounding in riches of liberality” to those still poorer; giving even “beyond their power,” and entreating that the gift might be accepted. A whole church sold their houses and lands and gave away the proceeds.

Although we are not commanded to perform the same acts, yet the whole spirit of the gospel teaches us to make self-denials for the advancement of Christ's cause, and points toward a much larger liberality than was required in the old Jewish church.

And what was the proportion required then for the Lord's service? From the highest to the humblest, every one was required by God to give one-tenth of his increase to the tribe of Levi. Another tenth was required for the support of regular feasts; still another every three years for the poor, besides journeys to the temple, trespass offerings, and numerous other requirements, making in all not less than a fourth of their income.

How can any Christian, with the light of God's word illuminating his path of duty, be willing or even dare to give less than one-tenth of all he receives to the Lord? “Shall a man rob God?” Yet how many are daily robbing him by withholding the tithes, the mere interest money on the sum he has loaned them! Ah! a breath of his power can scatter the ill-gotten possessions which are secured by such robberies. “The blessing of the Lord maketh rich.” He who fails to honor God with the first-fruits of his increase, will find his gold corrupted, and its rust shall eat his flesh as it were fire.

The resolution of Jacob should be written on the door-post of every Christian's heart: “Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give a tenth to thee.” Many have adopted and strictly followed this resolution; and one who has had a large acquaintance with the business, as well as religious, world, said he never knew an instance of one who did so, failing in business, however great the commercial pressure. “There is that scattereth and yet increaseth.” God never fails to give back “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,” for all that is given to his cause. Dr. Harris has truly said that “the most marked interpositions and signal blessings of even earthly prosperity have attended the practice of Christian liberality in all ages.” Said Baxter, who was noted for his charities, “The little I now possess was nearly all acquired at the time when I gave away most.”

Let any one try the experiment, and watch the providences of God, and I doubt not that he will find his promises of prosperity to those who honor him with their substance fulfilled far beyond his largest expectations.—Christian Treasury.