How Is the Work of the Church Supported?

Today God's truth continues to go out free of charge to those who request it. Let's look at the biblical example for financing the work of preaching and publishing the good newsThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament ..

Jesus Christ assigned His Church the work of proclaiming the gospel to the world and of making disciples and caring for those God calls (Matthew 24:14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
See All...; 28:19-20). This is a massive undertaking. Yet, at any one time, God calls only a "little flock" of people into the Church to accomplish this immense task (Luke 12:32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
See All...).

Jesus instructed His disciples, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
See All...). God's whole way of life is a way of giving and serving. So it comes as no surprise that Jesus told His disciples to share the gospel without charge. Today God's truth continues to go out free of charge to those who request it. Let's look at the biblical example for financing the work of preaching and publishing the good newsThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament ..

The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. introduces God's financial support system through the example of the patriarch Abraham. But, before we examine Abraham's example, we need to consider the significance of God's role as the Creator of heaven and earth. He created everything, including all the physical resources He allows us to use during our lifetimes. He tells us that everything still belongs to Him (Psalm 24:1(A Psalm of DavidKing of Israel, killed the giant Goliath with a sling and stones, a man after God's own heart, only turned from God in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5), had an affair with Bathsheba, Messiah would come from line of David, main author of Psalms and highly musical..) The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
See All...; Haggai 2:8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
See All...). Therefore He reserves the right to tell us how to use what He has created.

God revealed His way of life to Abraham. He says of him, "Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
See All...). Abraham also knew that all physical blessings are a gift from God. As "the father of all those who believe" (Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
See All...), Abraham set us the example of tithing—giving one tenth of the blessings He received from God to God's priest (Genesis 14:17-20 [17] And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
[19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
[20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

See All...; Hebrews 7:1-4 [1] For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
[2] 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;
[3] Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
[4] Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

See All...)—as part of his partnership with God.

Abraham passed this practice on to his descendants. His grandson Jacob vowed, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God ... and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You " (Genesis 28:20-22 [20] And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
[21] So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
[22] And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

See All..., emphasis added throughout).

When some of Abraham's descendants became the nation of ancient Israel, after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage God gave His tithe to the tribe of Levi as payment for the Levites' services to Him. "Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting ... For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance'" (Numbers 18:21And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
See All..., 24).

This support provided the means for Israel to worship God and be taught according to His will. The book of Hebrews describes a change in administration because the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. Church—the spiritual temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
See All...; Ephesians 2:19-22 [19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
[20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
[21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

See All...)—replaced the physical temple in importance. The responsibility for teaching God's truth now falls on the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. Church. In the first century the followers of the gospel message gave monetary and other aid to Jesus, to His disciples and, later, to other laborers in the Church to support them in doing the work Christ had given His Church to do. Examples of such giving, and principles relating to it, are found in New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. passages such as Luke 8:3And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
See All...; 10:7-8; 2 Corinthians 11:7-9 [7] Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
[8] I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
[9] And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

See All...; and Philippians 4:14-18.

Did Jesus uphold the biblical practice of tithing? He did indeed! Notice His comments to the scribes and Pharisees: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone" (Matthew 23:23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
See All...).

The Pharisees were careful to accurately tithe even the smallest of spices, but they often neglected other "weightier" principles of the law. Jesus told them they should have done both. Neither tithing nor such weightier matters as "justice and mercy and faith" should be neglected.

Jesus and His apostles taught that a giving attitude should be a major part of the Christian way of life. "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
See All...).

Neglecting to tithe is compared to robbery—robbing God (Malachi 3:8-12 [8] Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
[9] Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
[10] Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be 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.
[11] And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
[12] And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

See All...). We can rest assured that He has promised to supply the needs of those who sincerely seek first His Kingdom and become willing and enthusiastic partners with Him in the work of preaching the gospel (Matthew 6:31-34 [31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
[32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
[33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
[34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

See All...; 2 Corinthians 9:8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
See All...).

Christ has commissioned His Church to carry on the work He started. God's tithe funds that effort. As Christians, we are called to be coworkers with Christ.

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building" (1 Corinthians 3:9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
See All...). "Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth" (3 John 1:5-8 [5] Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
[6] Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
[7] Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
[8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

See All...).

What an awesome gift and responsibility, to be a fellow worker, a coworker with God in preaching the gospel around the world! (To better understand the scriptural instruction about tithing, request your free copy of What Does the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. Teach About Tithing? )