INTRODUCTION:   This message is part one of two messages on giving. This first message deals with general principles dealing with money and giving in the Old Testament. The second message addressing what God says about giving in the New Testament. A part from the Gospel message of salvation...I wholeheartedly believe this is one of the most important truths in God's word.

           Pastors are sometime criticized for preaching on money and giving. Probably, there are some preachers preach on giving too much and even for the wrong reasons....however, I do not. Some "ride the hobby horse" and preach on giving all the time. Conversely, pastors are to teach the whole counsel of God which includes biblical giving, but they should not constantly grill their congregations about giving. Giving is a matter between a Christian and God. What should be taught is biblical giving....not tithing. Some see tithing and giving as the same thing, but they are not. The New Testament teaches that believers should give to the Lord through their local church, but does not teach christians are to tithe, which was an Old Testament law given to Israel.(See 2 Cor. 6:9-15) Christians are absolutely to give to the Lord, and do so willingly out of a heart that loves the Lord, but not according to Old Testament laws on tithing. These two messages will explain giving in the Old and New Testaments.

           I was talking with a man just last night who said that one of the greatest joys he has as a Christian is giving to the Lord. He said when he learned the principle of giving it changed his life. I know personally what he was talking about, and over the years have heard the same testimony about giving from many others. My desire is to preach God's biblical truths on giving because I have a responsibility to teach the whole counsel of God. That includes the very important doctrine of giving.

           I challenge each of us here this morning to study the Old and New Testament principles about giving. We need to see how that giving an offering to the Lord was a vital and necessary for offering acceptable worship to the Lord. I would hope that each of us would listen with an open and obedient heart and follow in your Bible what God wants us to know.

1. Many misquote (1 Timothy 6:10) and say money is the root of all evil, but Bible actually says is the "love" of money is the root. It refers to the sin of covetousness, which is lust. It means to covet something that belongs to someone else. Each of 10 commandments can be broken because of money. Some look for pleasure in money and material things but instead find sorrow and pain.

2. How Christians give and think about money can be like a thermometer to indicate their spiritual condition much they are obedient to or love their Lord.

Regularly people ask - "What does the Bible say. How much is a tithe? Are Christians required to tithe? Does one give on the gross or net?" Years ago shortly after I began to preach, I generally accepted what I was taught, but did not really research the matter in the scriptures! Later, I spent a great deal of time in God's word researching the matter.

4. I have found that many Christians are not well rounded spiritually because of they are not handling money as God instructs us. Many do not understand the purpose of giving and of course some are misled by teaching that is incorrect.

a. Some know how to give and are disobedient.
b. Some do not know honesty what Bible says about giving.
c. Some give a tithe and think that is what the Bible says they should do.

5. Satan can really work in peoples lives and defeat them because of a misunderstanding or a Christian's opposition to biblical giving. As we shall see God wants His children to give to support His work through the local church. God never asks us to do something that He does not provide the means for us to accomplish. So every believer can biblical give and be a channel God uses to carry on His work. Further the believer is rewarded for being a faithful servant and channel of God's blessings.

           I believe if a person does not come to grips with the issue of money they will never grow and mature in Christ. They will spiritually remain weak and a baby Christian. Babyhood is OK for a while new born infants, but after a few years is embarrassing to still have to have a bottle and wear diapers. Babyfood is good for infants, but it is not pleasing to mature adults. So much better is meat and potatoes!

6. Questions dealing with money for the Christian:
HOW DO WE:
EARN IT.
FEEL ABOUT IT
SPEND IT
GIVE IT
DETERMINE THE AMOUNT.

           First this message will deal with the principles of giving in the Bible in general. Next it will deal with giving in the Old Testament under the law and examining how the tithing and giving is presented. In the following message, which is part two for next Sunday, we will study giving in the New Testament and what God says about it to Christians. Please listen and study both messages to be able to correctly understand what God says about giving.

I. How should a Christian feel about money?

A. Christians should not to love it. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10)

B. Christians should not trust it. vs17

1. To trust money more than God is idolatry!

2. Our trust is in God's power alone. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24) You can't serve God and mammon or money.

C. Christians should not to seek to be rich. "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1 Timothy 6:9)

           They who seek to be rich fall into temptation! Money can be a snare - many foolish & hurtful lusts. On the radio yesterday I heard that 4 out of 5 couples who win a lottery will soon divorce. It does not mean that Christians are to try and be poor. God does bless some believers with a great deal of money and there is no sin in that. It is how one thinks about it and uses it that can be sinful.

ILLUS: CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The world's first glimpse of Jack Whittaker, winner of the richest undivided lottery jackpot in US history, was of a boisterous, happy-go-lucky guy in a big cowboy hat who loved his family, work, and God, and promised to share his good fortune with the church and the poor. He took his winnings in a lump sum of $113 million after taxes, and at a news conference in which he came across as a jolly saint, he promised to donate one-tenth to his church and contribute to other causes. Within a year, he was arrested twice for DWI. He was also arrested for assaulting a bar owner and ordered to attend AA meetings. He had a half-million dollars stolen from his SUV while parked at outside strip joint, and police said he had become a high-stakes gambler. This was just the beginning. He life is miserable.

D. We are to seek the Lord. "Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33)

A. Not steal it. Let him who stole...steal no more as Ephesians 4:28 says.
1. It is stealing to get it by borrowing and not paying back. Psalm 37:21 It is wicked to borrow and do not pay back.

2. It also is stealing not to pay your debts.

B. Not to Defraud anyone. James 5:4 Taking advantage of someone you hire!
1. Overcharge or don't pay interest you owe.

2. Believers should not gamble. No clear Scripture that says "don't do it", but really no scripture is necessary because the principle that gambling is wrong is clearly presented in scripture. Gambling, is an appeal to chance is in incomparable with the sovereignty of God. It is taking from others without earning it. God's principle is that we earn what we receive. "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephesians 4:28)

A. Work for it (This is a good way).
1. Six days shall thy work on the seventh rest. "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work" (Exodus 20:9)

2. Let him not steal - but Labor! 2 Thess. 3:10 1 Thess. 4:11

B. Make wise investments. Parable states the wise servants invested the talents and made more. See Matthew 25:27

C. Receive gifts..."brought" in New Testament is the word "propimpo" means financial support.

A. Provide for your family!
1. 1 Timothy 5:8... God says that if a man not provide for his family he's worse than an infidel!

2. Provide for needs of those around you. 1 John. 3:17 "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"

3. Neighbor is those you know and meet, especially the family of God.

B. Pay your debts!
1. Now! There was a widowed woman in the Old Testament who helped Elisha. The prophet told her to go and borrow pots and fill them from the one pot she had. God preformed a miracle and from the one pot, she filled all the other pots she had. Elisha then instructed her in 2 Kings 4:7.. To go see what you have and pay her debts, after that she lived on the rest. The principle is that you pay your debts first.

2. Romans 13.8, ". . . Owe no man anything but love." It does not mean you are not to borrow - it means we are to pay what we owe.

C. Save it!
1. Proverbs 21:20 "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." The wise save...the foolish spend all they get and never have anything.

2. Proverbs 30:25 "The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer"

A. Every dollar the Lord gives you is an opportunity to glorify him.
1. Remember message on Thanksgiving?
2. It glorifies God to thank him for what you receive.
3. In fact you cannot properly worship God without an attitude of thanksgiving!
4. A proper attitude of being thankful to the Lord is accompanied by a desire to show one's gratitude. That gratitude is in returning to the Lord a portion of what He gives us. It shows our appreciation to give to Him in supporting His work.

The opposite is also truth. To not return a portion to God is to display ingratitude.

B. Opportunity to honor Him in Giving back a portion of it to Him.
1. Prov. 3:9...honor the Lord with the first fruits. Clearly, God is telling us not to give from what we have left, but to give to Him from the first.

2. On the first day of the week bring our offering to the Lord...(Sunday)

C. God gives us the opportunity to receive a reward when you give it to support the work of the Lord. He blesses those who allow themselves to be used to do God's work.
1. This is the real issue.

2. However, if you don't give...you can receive no blessing.

3. Our physical and spiritual well fare is affected by how we give. It's tied together. God says in Hebrews 11:6 that we cannot please God apart from faith. Romans 1:17 says the just shall live by faith. Therefore, giving involves trusting the Lord for our physical and material needs. He has promised to provide for us...we then in faith believe Him and take Him at His word.

4. Psalm 37:25 ....righteous man's children will not be begging bread.

A. Today is the day of "Hard Sell" in many churches, and it is the rule on for the TV evangelists.
1. Our mails are full everyday with appeals for money.

2. Pictures of child with swelled out belly.

ILLUS: In Vietnam...I cannot remember how I got involved with it...But went to a Vietnamese orphanage. I took pictures of babies at death's door, starving to death. My mother and her church sent food and supplies.
3. These appeals are to compassion. Some give you something in return. Giving to a radio ministry, because he sends you a book. Note I'm not saying its wrong for them to give literature. Many radio, TV ministries, use the crisis method to raise money. If you do not send today, this ministry will end, and you will be responsible. Our reason for giving should be better than that.

4 No church would have to have a special fund drive if the people were giving according to God's word and how they are blessed.

5. How should the church get its money?

B. Is tithing the answer?

ILLUS: Survey on giving comes to the conclusion: "If everyone in church in American were reduced to welfare income the church and made to tithe 10% the church would suffer a 35% increase in income."

1 Corinthians 9:6-15
1. New Testament giving is not of coercion or trickery.

2. It is to be done freely...not of necessity...cheerfully.

3. The word "Asar" 25 times used in the Old Testament. It simply means to give a tenth part of something.

C. The example in the Old Testament is that the tenth was both a freewill offering and a required offering. Let us look at some examples.

1. The tithe is first mentioned in Genesis 14:20. This was a freewill offering of Abraham and was not required.

2. In Leviticus 27:30-32 the offering was TAXES. They appraised what each man was worth and taxed him on the "ESTIMATION" money was given to priests for up keep of government. This was civil taxation.

Deuteronomy 12:6, 11, 17. This taxation or tithing was for the up keep of temple and Levities (Important! The Temple should not be compared to a church!) "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Deuteronomy 12: 17. A distinction is made between tithes, freewill offerings or heave offerings 14:23,28. This is vital to understand God's instruction on giving.

This was for the upkeep of Levities and temple. Levities were full time spiritual and governmental leaders.

Deuteronomy 26:12...Same reasons give for the upkeep of Levities

2 Chronicles 31:5,6,12. Verse 4....was for the upkeep of the Levities

Nehemiah 10:37,38. This for was for rebuilding the temple. Nehemiah called for the taxes or tithes to keep up Levities and temple.

Nehemiah 12:44 and 13:5, 12 was for upkeep of the priests

Amos 4:4...This was a warning against giving tithes to the up keep of false worship centers of Gilgal and Bethel.

Malachi 3:8,10. Note distinction is made between tithes and offerings (freewill).

Hebrews 7: 4,8,9. This passage is establishing the priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek!

Matthew 23:23. Jesus said the Jews paid Temple tithes, but ignored special things.

Luke 11:42. Refers to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.

Luke 18:12 Pharisee gave tithes and prayed to be seen of men. "God, I am glad I'm not like that old publican."

           Giving tithes does not make one spiritual. It is the reason and attitude behind the giving that is important to God. A true child of God gives from a heart of gratitude. A truly spiritual person gives because he is already spiritual.

A. Two kinds of giving in the Bible.
1. Required
2. Free will
3. They are always side by side.

B. First tithe in Old Testament Gen. 14:20 Freewill gifts.
1. Many use this as a base for New Testament giving. They conclude that because Abraham gave before the Law, then the tenth was required before and after the Law. Note the circumstances.
a. It was before the law. b. Giving to Melchizedek as priest and King of Salem later Jerusalem not to God.
c. Gave a 10% of spoils of his conquest.
d. Giving the tenth was also practiced by pagans who gave 10% to their gods. e. No command to give any amount!
f. Abraham gave willingly as a act of respect, and honor. He did not have to give.
g. The New Testament says we are not under the Law.

Galatians 5:18, "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." If the law demanded tithing and believers in this the Church Age are not under the law....then we are not commanded to tithe. That does not mean however we are not to give to the Lord. It means we are not given a command to give a specific among.

2. Genesis 4: Cain and Able...sacrificed unto God. One gave fruit the other gave animals.
a. Genesis 4:4 Abel brought a firstling lamb - That principle is always present that it was the first born and the best.

b. No indication here of a tenth!

3. Genesis 8. Noah was not required to give, but he gave a sacrifice, but it is not stated he gave a tenth! "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (Genesis 8:20)

4. Genesis 12. Abraham made an free will thanksgiving offering to God. No amount, or is a percentage is stated .

5. Genesis 13. Abraham gave a tenth (Hebrew 7:2)

a. No record he ever gave a tenth again.

b. He gave a free will offering of one tenth, out of gratitude. He was not commanded to give a tenth.

6. Jacob in Genesis 28:22...Promises to give a 10%
a. This was not a good offering! Jacob tried to bribe God. Note verse 20, which reveals Jacob's scheme. "If God will do for me I'll give a tenth."
c. It was a volunteered amount and offering, but with a sinful purpose!
d. There was no requirement.

7. The Pre-Mosaic Period. (Before Moses and Mt. Sinai) Before the giving of the Law there was no stated requirement for giving.

1. Joseph, as instructed by God, as the ruler in Egypt instructed the Egyptians to give a fifth of all they raised. (This was not a requirement or law given by God.
First Federal income tax required a fifth to guard against famine.

a. Fifth was 20%
b. This was a requirement of God to Pharaoh.
c. Note: God told Pharaoh to tax the people! The author of taxes was God!
d. Required giving was God's plan to fund a civil government.

2. Old Testament Post Mosiac giving. God gives two types of giving in scriptures.
a. There is required giving mandated by the Law.
b. There were instructions on giving a freewill offerings but no requirement to do so.