Bible Study Course

Money

Part 1

A. Tithes were practiced before the Old Testament Law.

    1. According to Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek was not only the king of Salem, but was also “the ____________ of the most high God.”

    2. Concerning Melchizedek, Abraham “gave him ____________ of all.” (Genesis 14:20)

Note: A tithe is “one-tenth” of an amount. For every $1, it would require a dime; for every $10, it would be $1; for every $100, the tithe would be $10, etc.  Abraham paid tithes to this priest (Melchizedek). So tithing was practiced by believers long before the giving of the Law to Moses.

    3. That was not a lone incident, because in Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob vowed a vow, and part of it was, “and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the __________ unto thee.”

It is clear that tithing was not just a once-in-a-while

gave the Law commanding His people to do it.

A. Tithes were practiced before the Old Testament Law.

B. Tithes were commanded under the Old Testament Law.

    1. Deuteronomy 14:22 says, “Thou shalt truly __________ all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.”

    2. Malachi 3:8 tells what the Lord said about those who did not tithe. “Will a man ______ God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ____________ and offerings.”

    3. Verse 10 of that same chapter says, “Bring ye all the ____________ into the storehouse.”

God promised a blessing to those who would tithe (Malachi 3:10),

C. Tithes are expected during the Church Age.

    1. I Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the ________ and doctrine.”

    2. The “double honour” is defined by referring to an Old Testament command in the next verse about not muzzling the ox as he treads out the corn, and it then relates that principle to the man of God who brings forth the Word of God and says, “The labourer is worthy of his _____________.”

It would be mean to make an ox labor hard to tread

out the corn, and then not let him eat any of the food.

The Bible uses that as an illustration to show that it is

not right to have a man of God labor for the Lord,

and then not be supported from that work.

   3. In I Corinthians 9:1-14, Paul explained that he and Barnabas willingly chose to also work other jobs (other than preaching and teaching), but he makes it clear that they had the right to live of the offerings of the church, if they so chose. He then referred back to the Old Testament again about the ox that labors, and states the reason for that law (verses 6-10), “Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear ______________? Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the ______ the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For ______ sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.”

   4. The Bible goes on to say in I Corinthians 9:13,14, “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things ________ of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are __________________ with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should ________ of the gospel.”

This passage is saying that New Testament ministers

of the gospel should be supported the same way — from

the tithes of God’s people that they bring to the Lord.

    5. The time that the tithes and offerings are to be brought in to the church is made clear in I Corinthians 16:1, 2, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the __________ day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

According to the above Scriptures, tithing was

practiced in the New Testament, just like it was

in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament,

the tithes supported the priests; and in the New

Testament, the tithes are to support those

who labor in the Word—the pastor(s).

C. Tithes are expected during the Church Age.

D. Tithes and offerings are expected from a willing heart.

    1. II Corinthians 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not ____________________, or of necessity: for God loveth a ________________ giver.”

Note: Whether a person is giving his tithe, or an offering above the tithe, God wants His people to give with a pure, willing heart.

    2. In Genesis 4:3-7, we see some offerings brought unto the Lord.

        a. Cain “brought of the fruit of the ____________ an offering unto the Lord.” (vs. 3)

        b. Abel “brought of the firstlings of his __________.” (vs. 4)

        c. “The Lord had ______________ unto Abel and his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering he had ______ respect.” (vss. 4, 5)

Note: Why did God have respect unto Abel’s offering, but not unto Cain’s? One reason is that Abel’s offering contained blood, but Cain’s did not. Cain’s was a bloodless sacrifice.

        d. Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with __________; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

Note: Our gifts or money do not mean anything to God, if we do not bring them with a right heart. And a person’s heart is not right, without the precious blood of Christ applied first. Money cannot buy a person’s way into heaven, nor bring favor with God.

       e. Psalm 49:6-8 says, “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means ____________ his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)”

        g. I Peter 1:18, 19 states, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious ____________ of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Besides having a clean heart, we also need to

have a willing heart, when we give to the Lord.

      h. When God wanted the Tabernacle made, He told Moses, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it ________________ with his heart ye shall take my offering.” (Exodus 25:2).

It should not be hard for the Christian to tithe or

giving shows where our hearts really are.

      m. Matthew 6:19 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon __________, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:”

        n. The next verse tells a better place to store your treasure: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in ____________, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

       o. And verse 21 brings it all down to home, “For where your treasure is, there will your __________ be also.”

When it comes right down to it, people find a way

to get money to spend on what they really want.

Note: There may be something that comes to your mind right now, that you have been wanting for some time. But does the Lord have any place in your financial future? Do you desire to have a financial part in His work, that will bring you eternal rewards? Matthew 6:20 tells us to lay up treasures in heaven. How can we do that?

        p. One way is giving to help missionaries. Philippians 4:15 says, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning ____________ and receiving, but ye only.”

Notice that missionaries were supported

through the local church.

       q. Verse 16 says, “For even in Thessalonica ye sent ________ and __________ unto my necessity.”

        u. Jesus then said in verse 43, “And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast ________ in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:”

       v. He then tells why, in verse 44, “For all they did cast in of their __________________; but she of her want did cast in ______ that she had, even ______ her living.”

Note: Part of our worship to the Lord is bringing an offering to Him.

        w. Deuteronomy 16:16, 17 says, “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD __________: Every man shall give as he is ________, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.”

To be Scriptural, churches should give people the

opportunity to give every time they meet, for it is a part of

our worship to the Lord. The example given is that people were

never to appear before the Lord empty. There is no

set amount that people must give (we have already

covered the matter of the tithe, which God does

command). People were just to give with a

willing heart, and to give as they were able.

Question: Are you tithing faithfully to a good, Bible-preaching local church? God’s work would never suffer lack, if God’s people would truly tithe from all of their income.

On the other hand, are you a member of a liberal church that does not preach the gospel in truth, and preaches false doctrine? Are you tithing to it? Then by being a member there, and tithing to that church, you are supporting false doctrine by your tithes and offerings.

Be a member of a good, Bible-preaching church, and faithfully support it with your tithes and offerings.

 

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Chapter 1,  2,  3, 4,   Final Test   Liberty Bible Course Directory