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New Testament Giving The early church did not practice tithing. According to church historians, the first four hundred years were spiritually the richest in the life of the church, and dur ing the entire period there is no evidence that giving by tithe was practiced. A clergy paid by contracted allow ance did not appear Until the fourth century. A paid ecclesiastical body ever has been the curse of the church, arid has been responsible for leading the church into so- called "modernism.” Every heresy within the church has been propagated by a paid clergy. In view of the foregoing comments, it is clear that tithing has no legal claim upon the believer. However, this is no suggestion that it is wrong. God blesses tithers, and if God leads you to give a tenth, it would not be right for you to disobey. But tithing is not a system to be clamped down upon the church universal as the only Scriptural method of giving. Such an arrangement would refute the grace of God and disrupt the work of the Holy Spirit. The question then arises: “What is New Testament giving?” An adequate answer will be found in 2 Corinthi- ans 8:9: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” ■Our Lord gave Himself for us. There can be no New Testament giving on our part until first we give ourselves to God. Then we may offer temporal gifts to His work. What is a contribution to the church? Romans 15:26 explains: "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.” In present day English, we would say: “The saints of Macedonia and Achaia took up an offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem.” In 1 Corinthians 10:16 we read: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? . . . For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” Paul is referring to the communion, and he is stating that the Lord’s Supper speaks of Christ, the cup representing His shed blood and the bread His broken body. How ever, the apostle used the same word for communion (Greek koinonia) that he used for contribution. It really means "fellowship,” and is so used in Philippians 1:5. In Acts 2:42 we read: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Here are described the four essential elements of w o r s h i p in the early Christian church: The apostles’ doctrine; fellowship (the contribution); breaking of bread (the Lord’s Supper); and prayers. In order that believers of that day might be able to distinguish between the two words, contribution and com munion, a new word for the communion was originated, translated, "the breaking of bread.” The fellowship of giving, then, is as important in worship as the Lord’s Supper, being described in Scripture by the same word. As an act of worship, it must have freedom, zest, spontaneity, and emotion. We hear the expression, “ Give until it hurts,” but such painful giving could not be worship. Those who give from a sense of duty give very reluctantly, and they do not please God. The Measure of Love Let us again look at 1 Thessalonians 1:3. “Remem bering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.” It is this expression, “labour of love,” that we want to emphasize. Love produces labor. Labor is to love what the fruit is to the tree. The young wife in the kitchen, busily preparing a meal for the
Our Writers For This Month Rev. J. Vernon McGee is pastor of the Lincoln Avenue Pres byterian Church of Pasadena, Calif. Pvt. Rodney W. Leonardos attached to the United States In fantry, and is now on furlough at his home in Orange, Calif. Rev. Hubert Mitchellis a former missionary to Sumatra, and is now Director of the Saturday Night Jubilee in Los Angeles, Calif. Rev. Torrey M. Johnson is pastor of the Midwest Bible Church in Chicago, Director of Chicagoland Youth For Christ-, and Chair man of Youth For Christ International. Rev. Charles A. Roberts is Superintendent of the Hunan Bi ble Institute, China division of the Bible Institute of Los Ange les, Calif. Rev. Henry Owen is Acting District Secretary for the Pa cific Southwest for the China Inland Mission. Rev. Coy Maret is pastor of Emmanuel Faith Church of Es condido, Calif. Coming In Future Issues You will not wish to miss articles by well-known Bible teach ers and authors, among whom are Dr. Wilbur M. Smith, Dr. J. Oliver Buswell, Dr. William M. Pettingi1 and many others. one she loves, is not selling her services for wages; she is performing a “labour of love.“ You could not interest her in merely giving one tenth of her time and talent to her husband. Love does not weigh her gifts on the scales nor pour her service from a measuring cup. Love gives all. Here is a mother with an infant in her arms. She does not attend that child just eight hours a day as a hired nurse would do, but she cares for him all the time, day and night. If love were not the motive, the mother’s task would be the most irksome in this world. But she is actually enjoying it, because that baby is hers, and she loves.him with all her. heart. Would she give him a tithe of her affection? Giving rests upon our love for Christ, and for this rea son it is called a fellowship. Our labor languishes when our love grows lukewarm. The relationship of many of us to Christ might be expressed in the exaggerated, lan guage of the schoolboy who wrote his girl something like this: “I will swim the deepest river for you; I will cross the widest sea for you; I will cross the burning desert sands for you; I will scale the highest mountain for you.” Then he added this postscript, “If it doesn’t rain Wednes day evening, I will be over to see you.” We speak about our love for Christ; the only eviderice of it is what we give to Him and what we do for Him. Paul did not consider Christ as a great historical personage to claim his admiration. He spoke of mysti cal union with Him. He did not call Him thé One who had been crucified, but the One who “is the Crucified One.” Paul gave all to Him. Christ says to us, “If ye love me, keep my command ments.” Loving Christ, Christians need not be urged to give. On the contrary, they have to be restrained in their giving. When a real Scriptural offering has been made, always there has been a surplus. You will recall that Moses had to request the children of Israel not to bring more gifts for the tabernacle. When our Lord fed the multitudes, there were basketfuls of food left over. It is legitimate for a church or a worthy cause to present their need, but it is never right for them to beg God’s people for money. Giving is a labor of love. We are not to give in order to support certain causes, but we are to give as an act of worship of our living Lord. Giving is a privilege reserved for believers. Its extent is gauged by our love for Christ. Let us love and give as He has loved and given Himself for us. * .
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