CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP by W. F. Martin

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 3, 1905

CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP.

By W. F. Martin

God’s Ownership.

WEBSTER defines a steward as “a man employed in a large family, or on a large estate, to manage the domestic concerns,” etc. In what way can we apply this meaning to the subject we are considering? God, the Father, is the great householder. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder.” Matt. 20:1. Next, we ask, Who is the steward? “The kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” Matt. 25:14; also 21:33, 34.

Now we inquire, What is the estate? “I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds. For 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 fulness thereof.” Ps. 50:9-12. “Whatsoever is under the whole heavens is Mine.” Job 41:11. “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Hag. 2:8.

At the creation, man was entrusted, under God, with the rulership of the world. Gen. 1:26; Ps. 115:16. Man being created free, with the right of choice, there was the possibility of a wrong choice. By constantly guarding against this, he would develop a character, beautiful and symmetrical. By failing, he would prove disloyal, and forfeit his standing with his Creator. Turning again to Genesis, we find that man was first tested on the right of property. See chapter 2:16, 17. By withholding the fruit of one tree, and still entrusting it to his care, God would test man’s honesty as a steward. It would thus be seen whether he would be honest with his Lord’s goods. The outcome was that man appropriated that which belonged to God, and as a result, lost his standing with his Creator, and had to give up his home in Eden.

After the Fall, there was still a test for man on the ownership of property. Humanity has always been disposed to selfishness and covetousness. To offset this, and that man might ever keep in mind God’s ownership, the Lord has reserved to Himself a part of man’s income. By returning this to the Creator, man not only acknowledges God’s ownership, but he also manifests his faithfulness as a steward. How much does the Lord require of those to whom He has entrusted His goods? “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, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” Lev. 27:30-32.

A Law of the Ages.

Some may argue that this was merely a law of the Jews, instituted for them as a nation, and ceasing to exist when Israel as a nation ceased. To show that this is not so, we have only to refer to the account of the capture of Lot, and his rescue by Abram. On the return of the rescuing party, Melchizedek, king of Salem, met Abram and blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth.” And the record further says, “Abram paid him tithes of all.”

Here, God is especially referred to as “possessor of heaven and earth.” The tithe was given as a recognition of this fact. This was before the organization of the Jewish nation, and under the Melchizedek priesthood. Evidently, even this was not the origin of the tithing system, but simply an incidental record of acting on a well-known principle.

Some years after this, we find Jacob vowing to give the Lord the tenth, recognizing Him as the great Provider. See Gen. 28:20-22. God, in His wisdom, saw fit to have the system incorporated in the laws of the Israelites. The moral law was treated similarly, but the passing away of Israel affected neither, as will be seen by reference to a few passages of scripture.

“Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Matt. 23:23. In these words the Saviour sanctioned this system of rendering back to God His due; recognizing His ownership and our stewardship. “These ought ye to have done,” showing that in this we have a moral obligation.

Let us now consider a scripture which not only teaches the duty of tithe-paying, but its purpose. “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?” 1 Cor. 9:13, 14. What were the “things of the temple,” on which the priests lived? This is answered in Num. 18:21: “And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Returning to Corinthians 9, we read, “Even so [that is, this way, after the same manner, by the tithe] hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.” If plain English can express a fact, it is certainly taught in these verses that God’s plan of supporting His Gospel workers is by the tithe.

A Reckoning Day.

In the parable of the talents, it is said, “After a long time, the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them.” We will then be called upon to give an account of our stewardship. If we are not found faithful, of what will we be accused? We find an answer to this in Mal. 3:8-12: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee?” The answer is given in such plain language that there is no mistaking it: “In tithes and offerings.” This gives us a view of how the Lord looks upon those who withhold from Him their tithe.

The result of this course is then brought to view: “Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” Verse 9. Now notice particularly the following verse: “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.” We do not hesitate to state, on the authority of this text, that if all God’s people should faithfully bring in the tithe, the church of God would have to enlarge the place of their tent, lengthen their cords, and strengthen their stakes. If every Christian should pay to the cause one-tenth of his income, how many millions would flow into the Lord’s treasury!

But this is not all. Notice the following promise: “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” There can be no doubt that the Lord stands ready to fulfil this promise. Speaking from experience, we know that as a class, the tithe-payers among God’s people are the most prosperous.

Planning for God Means Prosperity.

There is more than one reason for this. First, in order to know what is the exact tithe, one must keep a strict account. A man who does this, is more apt to succeed than one who is careless. As an illustration, I will cite one case. A man was converted under my teaching. He was a poor man, didn’t even have a cow. I taught him the tithing system, and he adopted it. When he paid his first tithe, he said, “I’ve learned a lesson; that is, if I can save money to pay tithe, I can save money to buy a cow.” A few years later I saw this man installed on a small farm, well stocked, and free from debt. There can be no doubt that when the Lord sees a disposition to pay tithe, He opens a way whereby it shall increase.

The tithing system is just. The man who makes one hundred dollars is as able to pay ten dollars, as the man who makes ten dollars is to pay one dollar. The man who says it takes all he can make to support him, and uses that as an excuse for appropriating the Lord’s portion, could, with the same degree of logic, say, if a renter, that it took all the crop raised to support him, and he could not pay the landlord. Would the landlord rent to him another year?

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” 1 Cor. 4:2. So if we have not been faithful with our Lord’s goods, will He receive us into everlasting habitations? Let the Saviour answer: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?” Luke 16:10-12.

Can the Lord entrust us with the gold of heaven if we have not used aright the gold of earth? Do we still fear that such a course will impoverish us? “Fear not, little flock;” God can make nine dollars, with His blessing, go farther than man can make ten dollars go with His curse.

“Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens. . . . For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:33, 34. We brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out. But, thank the Lord, we can send our treasure on before.

Happy the lot of him, who at the last day shall hear said to him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matt. 25:21.