Carpenters House Baptist Church

LESSON No. 1
ABRAHAM THE GIVER
Memory Verse: Luke 6:38 ( Prov. 11:24) Lesson: Gen. 14:17-15:1

We should not expect the world to finance the Lord's work, whether through chili
suppers, snack bar at the fair, car washes, cake walks, raffles, paper drives, funds
drives, cookie sales, or any other means.
I. THE ONE WHO GAVE - ABRAM THE BELIEVER.
A. Abram was the typical Old Testament believer.
1. He was the father of all believers the pattern. Rom. 4:1-12
2. We are to walk in the steps of Abraham. Rom. 4:12
3. Abraham believed God and so should we. Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3, For what saith the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4. This was before circumcision. Rom. 4:12, And the father of circumcision to them
who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of
our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
5. We are saved as he was saved, we are to walk as he walked.
B. We Should Remember The Law Of First Mention.
1. When a doctrine is first mentioned in the Bible, particularly in Genesis, a pattern
is set that will carry all the way through the Bible.
2. For instance SIN is first mentioned in Genesis 3. That sin required a sacrifice, to
satisfy the holiness of God. That sacrifice had to be a blood sacrifice. That truth
prevails throughout the Bible.
3. Tithing is first mentioned in Genesis 14, and the pattern set there prevails through
all the Bible.
II. ABRAHAM GAVE TITHES - HE DID NOT PAY TITHES!
A. There Is A Difference In Paying And Giving.

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1. Abraham GAVE tithes. Heb. 7:2a, To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of
all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of
Salem, which is, King of peace.
2. Levi PAID tithes. Heb. 7:9-10, And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth
tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when
Melchisedec met him.
3. This was 430 years before the law. Gal. 3:17, And this I say, that the covenant,
that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and
thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
B. The Law Does Not Change The Pattern For Us.
1. The Law - Our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Gal.3:24, Wherefore the law
was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
2. We are the children of Abraham and heirs of God. Gal. 3:7, Know ye therefore
that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Gal. 3:29, And if
ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
3. We do not pay the tithe but we give it.
III. TO WHOM DID HE GIVE THE TITHE? To Melchizedek a type of Christ.
Read Heb. 7:1-21 carefully.
A. Giving Is The Highest Type Of Worship.
1. Abel's offering was a gift. Heb. 11:4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous,
God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
2. Giving and calling on the name of the Lord was the only method of worship for
2,500 years.
3. The first song is not mentioned until Exodus 15.
B. His Motive Was Gratitude. Gen . 14:18-22
1. It was not to pay the expenses of the soldiers etc.
2. We give unto HIM. Ex. 35:4-5, And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing
heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass. Lev.

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1:2,3,9,13,17; Heb. 13:15-16, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to
God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do
good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Phil. 4:18, But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the
things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable,
well pleasing to God.
C. The Amount He Gave, "Tithes Of All".
1. Tithe means 1/10 or 10%, or one out of ten!!
2. The tithe represented ALL! -- God's portion. In tithing and in all Scriptural giving,
God puts the rich and the poor on the same level of equality. II Cor. 8:12-14, For if
there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not
according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye
burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply
for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there
may be equality.
IV. THE REWARD FOR GIVING THE TITHE. Gen . 15:1
A. God Made Certain Promises To Abraham.
1. God promised to be his shield of protection. v. la. This was much better than the
protection of the king of Sodom.
2. God was Himself Abraham's reward. v. lb. This was much better than the reward
offered by the king of Sodom. See Gen. 14:21-24
B. God Has Made Certain Promises To Us.
1. According to Phil. 4:14-18, the Church that has given rightly, may claim the
promise of Phil. 4:19, Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate
with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the
gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as
concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once
and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may
abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of
Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a
sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2. Notice these other Bible promises. 11 Cor. 9:6, But this I say, He which soweth
sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully. Mal. 3:10, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be

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meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will
not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall
not be room enough to receive it. Prov. 3:9-10, Honour the LORD with thy
substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled
with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Babbs, in the 'Law of the Tithe' (p. 24) quotes Monacutius as writing, "Instances are
mentioned in history of some nations which did not offer sacrifices, but in the annals
of all times, NONE ARE FOUND WHO DID NOT PAY TITHES".
Of course we stand on the Scriptures and not tradition, but it is interesting to know
that tithing was common in all the ancient nations.
Do your giving while you're living;
Then you'll be knowing where its going!!