First Baptist Church

The final book in the Old Testament canon, Malachi, is a stinging rebuke of the nation of Israel in several specific areas of “stewardship” or “management.” These rebukes include repudiating God’s love (1:2-5), refusing God the honor due Him (1:6-2:9), rejecting God’s faithfulness (2:10-16), redefining God’s righteousness (2:17-3:5), robbing God’s riches (3:6-12), and reviling God’s grace (3:13-15). In the bigger picture, Malachi’s prophecy is a scathing rebuke on two levels. First, on an external level. The people’s actions were far away from what God required. They were outwardly and overtly breaking God’s covenant. Second, their hearts were far from God. There was a whole list of things they were more concerned about than God. All of these “things” at issue could be summed up by saying “they were more concerned with themselves than with simple obedience to God.”

Everyone has to come to terms with whether or not he/she will be obedience in the key areas which God demands our obedience. One must ask and answer, “Will I be obedient in spending time in God’s word?” “Will I be obedient in my prayer life?” “Will I follow the Biblical mandate to be a witness for the Lord?” Will I be obedient in giving the required amount of my finances to help support His work?” “Will I be willing to give freely of my time and abilities in His service?”

Trying to take all the things Christians are expected to do and try and list them in order of priority is a losing proposition. Each separate area is inexplicably intertwined. As we set here today, we may tend to think of missing church as one of the most minor of offenses, but the Puritans, for instance, saw it as among the worst of offenses because they believed that a person staying away from church was hiding various forms of grievous sin in their lives. It is true that when we are living in disobedience the last place we want to be is at church, where the Holy Spirit has a way of bringing unmistakable conviction and guilt feelings upon us. Sin, of any sort, is disobedience toward God. To break God’s commandments is breakage of His law. James wrote in 2:10 of his epistle, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point he is guilty of all.” There is no such thing as making up for one sin or shortcoming by working twice as hard on something else. I was once riding in a truck with my Uncle Dean on a back-woods gravel road back in an area with overgrown tree limbs. He did not see a stop sign until it was far too late to stop. He laughingly commented, “Well, I’ll stop twice at the next one!” Of course he was joking. It was obvious that it would do no good to do so! And neither does it excuse us to neglect one area (such as tithing) by exalting what we perceive as our hard work and effort, perhaps even sacrifice, in another area.

The reason that “failure” in the area of financial stewardship is so serious is because it is symptomatic of deeper spiritual issues going on in a person’s life. According to Mal. 3:8-10, the 5th accusation made by God, the people were guilty of willful sin. It was not called neglect, nor oversight, nor an indiscretion – God Himself called it robbery! Sometimes people moan when a preacher preaches on tithing/stewardship, etc. but I’ve never yet preached or heard preached anything as sharp and pointed as what God Himself has to say on the matter!

“Tithes” or “10 percent” was what God required. The “tithe” supported the priests and Levites, and also widows, orphans, and foreigners (Deut. 14:28-29). The priestly tribe (Levi) did not receive an allotment of land, according to the Book of Joshua, but it is instead stated to them that “God shall be your inheritance.” The priests were to be supported by this “tithe.” Also the destitute (widows, orphans, foreigners, etc.) were to be supported through this tithe. Today, there may be a broader use of the money collected through tithes and offerings but the principle remains constant – God expects a certain portion of our resources to be given back to Him for the purpose of accomplishing His work.

Some claim that “tithing” is merely a principle tied to the Old Testament Law, and now we live in the age of grace rather than law. It is true that the law did specify the tithe, however the tithe predates the law. Hebrews 7 refers to Abraham meeting Melchizekek, King of Salem, Priest of the Most High God, in Genesis 14, and it says he gave him a “tenth” of all. Tithing then is much more of a universal concept than merely a part of the law. Especially when we consider that the theme of the entire book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is superior to the Old Testament priesthood. Ironically it is in this very book that we learn that tithing was ultimately outside the framework of the law and is clearly a more durable and lasting principle.

What a person does or does not do with their money is one of the most key indicators of the condition of their hearts. When money is at issue, people have been known to say and do some crazy things. People have tried to hide money or income from the government to avoid paying taxes, they have used trickery and deceit to ensure a good outcome for themselves at the reading of the will of a deceased relative, they have embezzled money, they have falsified records, timesheets, and expenses, they have lied, misled, and utterly “robbed” others. Should it then be any shock that the same people would rob God? All this does is goes to show that money really is not ever the issue. The issue is the condition of a person’s heart. 2 Cor. 9:7 is clear that we give in accordance with the purposes and intents of our hearts. The pattern of our giving, or lack of giving to the Lord is, in large measure, a window into our hearts.

The question remains, “will a man rob God?” Sadly the answer is yes. Lives are far less than they could be. The rich young ruler left the presence of Jesus sad, because he was not willing to submit to the Lord in the particular area of financial stewardship. In all likelihood this young man missed Heaven, not because of money, but because of his hardened heart. Clinching his fist and holding on to his riches was merely a symptom. All too often we stunt our growth as believers because we tell God what we will and will not do. “Partial obedience” is “disobedience.” God deserves a lot better than that my friends!

In Christ,

Pastor Allen Raynor