Giving

A Blessing?

     The Apostle Paul’s final instruction to the elders in the church at Ephesus was for them to remember that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), yet many in the church today do not feel that giving financially is a blessing at all. In fact, many view it as an obligation they must fulfill in order to remain on good terms with God or the church, completely missing out on the blessing that comes from participating in the spread of the gospel and the worship involved in giving.

     Many churches will not even teach or preach on the topic of giving for fear of offending their congregants. Others have removed the offense by placing boxes at the back door of their church so its members will not have to experience the discomfort of putting money into an offering plate as it passes by. Instead, congregants can nonchalantly drop their money in as they exit, with no one watching.

     Perhaps no single issue has discouraged and squelched a correct understanding of biblical giving as much as the confusion and apprehension associated with the concept of giving ten percent, otherwise known as “tithing.” Are we required to give ten percent of our income to the church? Is giving to be done in an obligatory way, or should it be done out of the overflow of our heart? Nearly everyone in the church would agree that giving should be done joyfully, but at the same time many cannot articulate how much they should give. It is my hope that this article will alleviate some of the confusion in this area of worship and restore the joy of giving to the church of God.

Historical Practices

     Many would argue that tithing began before the Mosaic Law was instituted however this is not necessarily the case. Fundamentally, it is vital to understand that giving to God took two different forms; the voluntary offering and the required or commanded offering. In the Book of Genesis the “tithing” of Cain and Abel, Abraham and Jacob were actually voluntary gifts. The first use of the word tithe is in Genesis 14:17-20 in the context of Abraham giving an offering to Melchizedek, who was both a king and a priest. As a priest of God most High, Abraham offered him a tenth, however this was not a tenth of all that he owned, nor a tenth of his annual income. He only gave him a tenth of the spoils he had obtained in his battle with Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. In Genesis 28:20-22 Jacob’s tithe was actually an attempt to bribe God; a common occurrence in the local pagan customs of the day. In these cases “tithing” was clearly not mandatory, it was voluntary.

     With the institution of the Mosaic Law came the required tithe of 10 percent, which was essentially a form of taxation to support the needs of the Levites. When Israel was given the land, the Levites did not obtain a property inheritance. Instead they obtained God as their inheritance.

     Under the Mosaic taxation system the Israelites were required to pay essentially three different tithes. The first was 10 percent of their produce and livestock to provide the Levites with support for their physical needs (Numbers 18:25-30). The second tithe provided support for the national worship system of festivals and feasts (Deuteronomy 12:10-11, 17). Additionally there was a third tithe, or tax, which was given every third year to help support the aliens, widows, and orphans (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). This would ensure that there would be no poor among the nation. These three taxes combined, totaled approximately 23 percent of a person’s annual income, and were all obligatory, not voluntary. There were even other forms of tax on top of this which brought the total to an estimated 25 percent of a person’s annual income (Leviticus 19:9-10).

     Voluntary giving was done in addition to these tithes/taxes (Numbers 18:12; Proverbs 3:9-10). Voluntary giving was to be generous, given by faith, and from the very best of the resources that a person possessed. In voluntary giving God was concerned about the heart attitude of the giver (Exodus 35:21-22).

Helpful Perspective

     The requirements of giving in the New Testament era continue in the same pattern. There is still the mandate for voluntary giving as well as the requirement to pay taxes. Our Lord Jesus Himself instructed His followers to pay their required taxes to the ruling government of the day (Matthew 17:24-27), and we should do likewise (1 Peter 2:13). Tithing has always been a form of taxation and believers are to pay their taxes to their local and federal government agencies as an act of submission.

     There are only two instances of the word tithe appearing in the Gospels (Matthew 23:23; Luke 18:12). In both of these cases it is used in reference to taxation or required giving. The only other place the word appears is in the Book of Hebrews in reference to Old Testament figures paying tithes (Hebrews 7:8-9). There are no commands in the New Testament which require believers of today to give 10 percent of their income to the church.  

     Believers have nonbinding examples of giving that they may emulate, however giving to the church should be a voluntary act springing from the overflow of a converted heart. In fact, giving is actually a spiritual gift for some in the body of Christ and should be pursued with liberality (Romans 12:8). Any amounts given are to be personally and prayerfully determined by the giver.

     The Bible indicates the following guidelines for giving:

·         Giving should be done by all (1 Corinthians 16:2).

·         Giving should be characterized by joy and a right heart attitude (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

·         Giving should be generous and sacrificial (Mark 12:41-44; Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35).

·         Giving should be done out of a concern for the poor and needy (Galatians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Acts 11:29-30).

·         Giving should be planned for as a financial priority (1 Corinthians 16:1-4).

·         Giving should be done with liberality according to their gift (Romans 12:8)

     In conclusion, there really is no dollar amount or proportion that is correct when it comes to giving. Instead, in voluntary giving to the church, believers are free to give with joy as God prospers them. In doing so, they can enjoy His pleasure as they give with hearts of faith to the ongoing work of the ministry of the gospel, and to the needs of the saints.

Church Discipline

The Premise of Discipline

    

     The writer of the Book of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that God disciplines His children on the basis of His own fatherly love for them (Hebrews 12:4-13). As the church wrestles with the important questions related to the discipline of its members it must consider the truth that love and discipline are inextricably linked together (Revelation 3:19). God disciplines His children because of His infinite love for them. When a believer is experiencing divine discipline it is because their heavenly Father is treating them as “sons.” It is the evidence of a true relationship with God.

     Historically, certain confessions of the church have posited three characteristics which identify a church as a true church. These characteristics include the preaching of pure doctrine, the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the exercise of church discipline.¹ Unfortunately, the church at large has either given itself over to libertine doctrines or legalism, and in doing so, have either abandoned the third mark by foregoing church discipline altogether or they have gone completely overboard, disciplining their members unnecessarily. Disciplining for the wrong reasons has led one writer to charge, “The church is the only army that shoots its wounded.”²

     The process and purpose of discipline must necessarily be defined lest the church be torn apart in its dealings with the sins of its people. With the ever increasing problem of lawsuits and litigation it is incumbent upon the church to understand clearly what her role is in this area. Why should we discipline? What offenses should we discipline for? How far should we go in the process?

The Purpose of Discipline

    

          Both Jesus (Matthew 18:15-17) and the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 5:1-13) commanded the discipline of sinning members within the church, because foremost in their minds was the purity of the church of God which is the very bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).

     In his writings, the great figure of the protestant reformation, John Calvin, referred to church discipline as the “sinews of the body of Christ,”³ without which the body would not hold together. In other words, without the chords of discipline holding the churches together, its cohesiveness and its purity could not be ensured. Ironically, the Reformed church of which Calvin was a part has difficulty enforcing this truth because one’s profession of faith is not part of being a member.

     Within the church, discipline is designed to restore to the community of believers one who has fallen into heresy, gross immorality, or a habitual pattern of sin in their life. The word “restore” in the Greek language contains the idea of “mending,” as one would do to a fishing net in order to return it to its functional use (Cf. Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19). Church discipline was never intended to drive a sinning saint away or to execute judgment on fallen saints. Instead, inherent within its purpose, is the idea of restoring such individuals to the body of Christ in a spirit of gentleness, through repentance and forgiveness, thereby mending the relationships that have been torn within the community of believers. The apostle Paul made this purpose clearly evident when he said to the churches of Galatia,

            “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

     In this very letter Paul, through divine inspiration, included a list of sins which can be divided into sub-categories (Galatians 5:19-20). A summary may provide clarity in understanding which types of sins require intervention from individuals or the church. These include, but are not limited to, sexual sins (v. 19), false doctrine and worship (20a), sins of anger and related acts (20b), factiousness (20b-21a), and sins related to self-control (21a). These categories are not exhaustive as indicated by the phrase which follows, “and things like these” (21b).⁴

The Process of Discipline

     Our Lord left little ambiguity as to the process which He desired the church to follow in restoring a lost sheep to the fold (Matthew 18:12-18). The first step in the process of discipline should involve a private reproof of the offender from an individual (15a). If the offender continues in the sin then the second step should involve a private conference with two or three witnesses (16). This second step mirrors the Old Testament requirement for multiple witnesses for the conviction of a crime (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). At this point the sinning saint should recognize the seriousness of their offense. If, after this step, repentance is not demonstrated by the offender, then the third step requires that a public announcement be made to inform the church (17). The church body is then to pursue that individual, attempting to convince them to turn from their sin. The church in this context is best understood to mean the local assembly. Finally, if the offender even refuses to listen to the church, the next step is to treat them as a Gentile and a tax collector, placing them outside the circle of God’s people (17). This fourth step involves removal from the membership roster of the church, and discontinuation of fellowship and communion celebrations. Communication with the wayward sheep should only occur in attempts to call the individual to repentance. Ex-communication may seem harsh and severe on the surface however, the ultimate goal of the process is to bring about such a sense of loss in the sinning individual that they are brought to their senses and led to a desire to walk in fellowship again. The church’s leadership must pray earnestly for the wisdom to know how long to wait in between these four steps as there is no defined protocol. Adequate time should be allowed for repentance and change, knowing that the Lord Himself is slow to anger and patient, abounding in lovingkindess (Exodus 34:6; Numbers14:18). If at any point in the process the offender repents the Scripture says, “You have won him,” and the process should be discontinued (15b).

     In summary, the premise of church discipline is founded upon the eternal love of God for His children and His desire that they share in His holiness. The purpose for corrective discipline is the restoration of individuals who have strayed from following Christ and have fallen into such sins as those listed in Galatians 5:19-20. The ultimate goal in corrective discipline is always the restoration of the individual who is entangled in sin, both to God and the church, thereby mending the body of Christ. The process of discipline which the church should follow involves the four steps which our Lord Himself outlined in (Matthew 18:12-18).

     These are indeed sobering and serious matters and these waters should not be entered into lightly. However, for the purity of the church and the good of the sinning saint, if the situation calls for it, discipline should be administered without reservation.

  

END NOTES:

1.)      Laney, J. Carl, A Guide to Church Discipline, Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1985, 11.

2.)      Laney, J. Carl, “The Biblical Practice of Church Discipline,” BSac 143:572 (1986), 355-364.

3.)      Johnson, Stephen M. “The Sinews of the Body of Christ: Calvin’s Concept of Church Discipline,” WTJ 59:1 (Spring 1997), 87-100.

4.)      Kitchens, Ted G. “Perimeters of Corrective Church Discipline,” BSac 148:590 (April 1991), 201-213