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WORLDWIDE MAILING ADDRESSES
©1999 United Church of God,
an International Association
All Rights Reserved Printed in U.S.A.Scriptures in this booklet are quoted from the New King James Version(©1988 Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers) unless otherwise noted.
Authors:
Bill Bradford, Roger Foster, Tom Kirkpatrick, David Treybig
Editorial reviewers:
Scott Ashley, John Bald, Jim Franks, Bruce Gore, Roy Holladay,John Jewell, Paul Kieffer, Graemme Marshall, Burk McNair, John Ross Schroeder,Richard Thompson, Leon Walker, Donald Ward, Lyle Welty, Dean WilsonCover photograph © 1999 PhotoDisc, Inc.
United States:
United Church of God,
an International Association
P.O. Box 541027Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027Phone: (513) 576-9796Fax: (513) 576-9795Web site address: www.ucg.org
Australia:
United Church of God–AustraliaGPO Box 535Brisbane, Qld. 4001, AustraliaPhone: 07 55 202 111Free call: 1800 356 202Fax: 07 55 202 122Web site address:www.ucg-aus.org.auE-mail: ucg@b022.aone.net.au
Bahamas:
United Church of GodP.O. Box N8873, Nassau, BahamasPhone: (242) 324-3169Fax: (242) 364-5566
British Isles:
United Church of GodP.O. Box 4052,Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK13 7ZF, EnglandPhone: 0181-386-8467Fax: 01257-453978Web site address: www.goodnews.org.uk
Canada:
United Church of God–CanadaBox 144, Station DEtobicoke, ON M9A 4X1, CanadaPhone: (416) 231-9379, (800) 338-7779Fax: (416) 231-8238Web site address: www.ucg.ca
Fiji:
United Church of GodP.O. Box 10-577, Fiji Phone: 723-678
French-speaking areas:
Église de Dieu Unie – FranceB.P. 5125445002 Orléans Cedex 1France
Germany:
Vereinte Kirche Gottes/Gute NachrichtenPostfach 30 15 09D-53195 Bonn, GermanyPhone: 0228-9454636Fax: 0228-9454637
Italy:
La Buona Notizia, Chiesa di Dio UnitaCasella Postale 187, 24100 Bergamo, Italy.Phone: 0039-035583474Fax: 0039-035582140Web site address:www.labuonanotizia.org
New Zealand:
United Church of GodP.O. Box 22, Auckland 1015, New ZealandPhone: Toll free 0508-463-763
South Africa:
United Church of God, Southern AfricaP. O. Box 2209Beacon BayEast London 5205Phone and fax: 043 748-1694
Spanish-speaking areas:
United Church of GodP.O. Box 458, Big Sandy, TX 75755, U.S.A.Phone: (903) 636-4928
THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT TO BE SOLD.
It is a free educational service in thepublic interest, published by the United Church of God,
an International Association.
oday we live in a world that criesout for answers to deep-seated andoften intractable problems. Ours isa selfish and materialistic age thatdesperately needs spiritual direction.Most people,however,earmark nearly all of their physical resources for acquiringmaterial goods and services to make life better forthemselves and their offspring.Yet God asks for a different approach fromthose He is calling. He asks us to recognize theimportance of
spiritual
needs and values as wellas physical needs. God wants us to communicatepriceless spiritual knowledge to a darkened anddeceived world.
The purpose of the Church today
God is working out His marvelous plan inwhich all humanity will be given the opportunityto receive eternal life beyond the grave. Only theteachings and spiritual values of God can fill theaching spiritual and emotional void that plagueshumankind today.Jesus Christ commissioned His servants to takethe gospel to the whole world,to reach everynation with the wonderful truths He has revealedand to instruct those God calls in His way of life(Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20). Therefore His Churchstill has an enormous work to do.Throughout the 20th century the informationmedia—publications,radio and television—haveplayed important roles in enabling the Church topursue its mission of preaching the gospel. TheChurch has been faced with the question of howGod wants His work to be financed. By carefullyand conscientiously examining the Bible as awhole,we find ample evidence that a consistentfinancial method is addressed in the pages of HolyScripture. That method is tithing.What is tithing? The word
tithe
comes froman Old English word meaning “tenth.”Tithing,then,means merely the practice of “tenthing,”or simply giving back to God 10 percent of one’sincrease (see Leviticus 27:32). Tithing is simplya form of giving,which is a godly practice(Matthew 19:21).Let’s address some important questions:Shouldyou as an individual tithe? What is the scripturalbasis for the practice? And,perhaps most impor-tant,in what spirit and attitude should you tithe?Let’s now examine some key scriptures.Tithing is a form of worship in which we showGod respect:“Honor the L
ORD
with your posses-sions,and with the firstfruits of your increase; soyour barns will be filled with plenty,and your vatswill overflow with new wine”(Proverbs 3:9-10).We need to understand this important facet of our relationship with God. We need to ask our-selves whether our actions reflect the attitude,“I will give Him my heart,I will give Him mypraise,I will give Him thanksgiving,but I willnot give Him financial support for His work.”
Tithing in biblical history
Before the Israelites entered the land Godpromised to give them,He told them:“All thetithe of the land,whether of the seed of the landor the fruit of the tree,is the L
ORD
’s.
It is holyto the L
ORD
”
(Leviticus 27:30,emphasis addedthroughout).What gave God the right to claim 10 percent of everything they produced from the land? His claimwas and still is based on a simple and an often-overlooked truth:He owns everything!This fundamental premise is repeated in theBible. “The earth is the L
ORD
’s and all its fullness,the world and those who dwell therein”(Psalm24:1; compare Exodus 19:5; Job 41:11). The titheis simply the divinely ordained
degree
to whichHe expects us to honor Him and to acknowledgethat He gives
everything
to us by giving a 10thback to Him.The first account in the Bible of this ancientpractice of giving is found in Genesis 14:18-22.Abraham,after his defeat of four kings,tithed onthe spoils of the war to Melchizedek,the priest of God Most High. Abraham obviously understoodthat tithing was an appropriate way of honoringGod with one’s physical possessions.This example shows several important princi-ples we can apply today. Abraham,whose exem-plary life of service and obedience to God causedGod to describe him as the father of the faithful(Romans 4:11),was not compelled to tithe. He
What Does the Bible Teach About Tithing?
3
Why Tithein Today’s World?
Does tithing teach timeless principles and lessons even in today’s modern world? You need to understand God’s perspective on this vital issue.
Jesus Christ com-missioned His ser-vants to take the gospel to the wholeworld, to reachevery nation withthe wonderfultruths He hasrevealed and toinstruct those Godcalls in His way of life. ThereforeHis Church stillhas an enormouswork to do.
T
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