" .. the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" - Matthew 13: 44 to 46.

Here we have two stories with one application, each explaining the cost of the Kingdom. Put in a modern context the first tells of a man with a detector searching for gold when he stumbles across a nugget bigger than his wildest dreams. BUT the field belongs to someone else, so he buries his discovery and calculates his assets. Just enough to buy the field, providing he liquidates all that he owns. Willingly and with joy he sells everything, buys the field and so owns the treasure.

The second story simply reinforces the first - only differences being a merchant not a gold seeker, and a pearl of great price not a treasure in a field. The end result is the same. The discoverer, with eagerness and joy, sells everything he owns to buy the pearl. Jesus said, "That's like the kingdom of heaven."

Now please note, it's not the treasure or the pearl that the kingdom of heaven is like, but the discovered treasure & pearl that is bought with the gross product of the sale of a person's total possessions.

This provides a view of the kingdom both from God's perspective & from ours. The Son of God traded everything - His glory, position, power and His own life - to gain the kingdom, which includes His Church ie you and me. Similarly, when the preciousness of Christ, who is the centre and substance of the kingdom of God, is revealed to us, we must be willing to trade all to gain HIM - c/f Luke 14: 25 - 33.

This is the great paradox of the Gospel. As one man so aptly put it, "Salvation is free but it costs you everything" - a cost that impacts every part of us, including our pockets and that's where this whole question of money and giving to God and/or the Church comes in.

TITHING & GOD'S KINGDOM

The teaching of tithing is founded upon the idea that one tenth of our earnings belong to God. It derives from the old English word "tithe" meaning a `tenth" & is based totally on the Old Testament. For example of the more than 40 uses of the word tithe only 9 are from the New Testament and not one of these indicates that tithing was taught or practiced in the Church. In fact the strong evidence is that it wasn't!

The NT teaching is that 100% not just 10% belongs to God. The word Lord means owner.
So if the Lord Jesus Christ owns us then He owns all that we own!
In contrast to the teaching of tithing the NT teaches STEWARDSHIP. More of that later!

THE O.T. LAW OF TITHING

There were 3 tithes in the OT. One was used to support the Levites (Nu. 18:21-28), who were forbidden to own property. This provision freed them for civil & religious leadership. Essentially this tithe supported the government of ancient Israel. A tenth of it went to support the high priest (c/f v. 28). The next was a tithe of the produce of the land and the first fruits (Deut. 12:5-18), which formed the worship offering given to God on religious festival days.

Lastly, every third year an additional tithe was gathered to support the state welfare system (Dt. 14:22-27). This went to the fatherless, widows, & strangers in the land & was kept in a "storehouse" for distribution. It was neglect in this area that Malachi called "robbing God" - c/f Prov 19:17; 22:22; 28:27 - citing it as the reason for God's curse upon the nation - c/f Malachi 3:8-10.

Thus tithing in the OT represented about 23.33% of the average annual income, and is seen by some as corresponding to our modern tax system, which in its ideal use is for the support of the government for the good of the people.

This is the context in which Christ spoke about tithing in Matt 23:23 & Luke 11:42. Much like Paul's exhortation to "be subject to the governing authorities" (Rom 13:1) our Lord was simply endorsing lawful practice, while at the same time condemning hypocrisy. These statements have no bearing on the practice of tithing within the Church. At best they relate to religious activity within Jewry.

TITHING & THE PATRIARCHS

Gen 14:20 is the first reference to tithing & pre-dates the Mosaic Law. It was an exceptional incident and relates to a special person. The NT cross references significantly focus on the High Priestly position and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom Melchisedek was a type - c/f Heb 7:2, 4, 5-9. The only point in mentioning Abraham's tithing in Heb 7 is to stress the greatness of Christ, not to perpetuate the practice or transfer obligation to the Church.

In Gen 28:22 Jacob promised tithes to God, but seeing there was, at that time, no practicing priesthood or human government, it is impossible to perceive any practical outworking of his vow other than in the context of burnt offerings. Christ, not tithing, is the fulfilment of all burnt-offerings.

STEWARDSHIP NOT TITHING

The accumulated teaching of Jesus and the Apostles, not OT shadows, provides the true doctrine about giving. In the story of the two mites (Mk 12:41-44 c/f Lk 21:1-4) & of the two men (Lk 18:9-14) Jesus taught that the critical issues are our attitude & what is left after we have given. In 1 Cor 9 Paul outlines the rights of true ministers of the Gospel to receive payment for their ministry but refuses it himself, while in chpt 16 & 2 Cor 9 he explains how money should be given and received - as God has prospered, collectively, willingly, generously, bountifully, liberally, thankfully - "for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Cor 9:7.

Nowhere is there any sense of obligation or a legally imposed per-centage. Having said that we have no objection to the tithing principle as a fair means of distribution. Some see it as a minimal requirement and there is some merit in that view with this proviso: The prevailing emphasis of the NT is that we are stewards of all that the Lord allows us to possess ie we are directly responsible for where we give our money and how much and will, one day be called to account.

In these days of great deception it is wrong to pay into a Church or ministry which teaches error. In so doing you become partakers of their heresies. If Christians prayerfully decide where & how to give, worth-while causes will be able to maintain & extend their ministry, and those who teach error will lose support.

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Appeared in Volume 2.4 September / October 1996