I do not know of any of the Apostles who were wealthy, not that there is anything wrong with being wealthy, if you serve God with it. The well educated Paul may have been quite well off before he was saved but later depended on the offerings of the churches and tent making for an income (Acts 18:3). He also seemed quite healthy but had a doctor, "Luke the beloved physician" traveling with him. All the Apostles were seemingly healthy but even if healthy, they suffered stonings, beatings, and were otherwise persecuted, and most were finally martyred (murdered)... which is quite detrimental to your health. Even though they were exemplary Christians and no doubt tithed and gave generously, the Lord did not deliver them from normal weariness, thirst, hunger, sore feet and other physical distractions, and I assume they all had normal human illnesses from time to time.... they all died of something.
The Christian churches, the Apostle Paul founded, obviously supported him financially. But sometimes their support lagged for some reason and he went without, but, little or much, he was content "in whatsoever state" God saw fit to put him. He was thankful for whatever God provided..."But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Phil.4:10-12.
By Paul's experience we see that it is not always God's will for all Christians to always be healthy and wealthy, but it is God's will to fulfill His word as concerning these things. Monetary wealth, beyond what is necessary to supply the needs of a Christian, is primarily given by God to His stewards to be used to support His church ministries, help others and invest for additional income ... for the same purposes. However, stewardship is not about money.
Stewardship includes one's time, talent, testimony, truth, witnessing, possessions and treasure (money). In fact, stewardship includes just about everything in our possession, under our control. It is all about our responsibilities and God given assignments and the good use of our possessions. It is not about money but it does not exclude money. In fact, most of the references to stewardship in the Bible have to do with the faithful use of material wealth. The primary reference to Stewardship, spoken by Jesus, in Luke 16:1-8, is all about using our masters wealth wisely and giving an account to Him for the use of it. Similarly, Jesus' teaching about the distribution of wealth to stewards by their master, in Matt.25:15-28, also had to do with material wealth in "talents". A talent, during Jesus' time on earth, was equal to 3000 shekels ... money. These two references used words like "gain", "loss", "debtor", and money .... "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury (interest)." Mt.25;27. In other words, "If you weren't going to invest the money I put into your hands, you should have at least loaned it out for interest." Even though both of these lessons of Jesus had to do with material wealth, the broader meaning undoubtedly includes all of our personal responsibilities, thoughts, words, actions and material wealth used wisely for the purposes and glory of God, which includes paying your bills.
The verse, "Give, 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" Luke 6:38, has to do, primarily with material things which can be measured, pressed down, shaken together and running over .... and that, given into the bosom of the giver by "men". So what do "men" have to give us? That has to be physical, material things. This verse has to do, primarily with receiving not giving. The first word is "Give" but all the rest of the verse is receiving. Preaching this promise from the lips of Jesus, is not preaching a health and wealth gospel, it is preaching the promises of Christ for the blessing of the giver not the deacons, treasurer or pastor who are charged with spending it. You cannot call that verse a health and wealth gospel or you pervert the scripture. It means exactly what it says.
The bottom line of "giving and receiving" stewardship is the all inclusive verse ... "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal.6:7. This verse says it all about it all. It includes every thought, word, and action of every sort. Sow wheat, reap wheat; Sow good, reap good; Sow bad reap bad; Sow hate, reap hate; Sow mercy, reap mercy; Sow forgiveness, reap forgiveness; Sow whatsoever, reap whatsoever... and that includes one other little thing ..... $.... It was my experience, as a pastor, that 80% of Christian giving, to our church ministries, was done by 20% of the members. I don't know how healthy or wealthy those supporting believers are today, but I do know their giving built some great and lasting ministries, and they have eternal rewards awaiting them in heaven.
I am an 83 year old former pastor. I am no longer a pastor, evangelist or church staff member. If what I write motivates my readers to increase or decrease their giving to some church or other ministry, it will benefit me not in the least. I do not accept tithes, offerings or contributions to this blog ministry in any way. The introductory paragraph at the top of this blog page says ....This is a "life" investment site. I will never ask anything of you. God does not need anything you have and neither do I....I mean exactly that. God doesn't need anything we have but we need to obey him in our giving. It is for our own good not His. I would send it back if you sent money to me. Neither do I accept pay for preaching in churches, weddings or funerals. Neither am I looking for a place to preach. I therefore have no other reason to write about giving to the cause of Christ, than this ... It's in the Bible. If that offends you, it is your problem. If you have misgivings about your misgivings, then stop missing giving. RB
I am adding the following observation after the fact of the above post. Today is 2-27-2014.
The very first and only mention of tithing, before God gave the Law to Moses, was under a previous and different dispensation when Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek. That tithe was a voluntary reaction of Abraham motivated by his great appreciation to God for giving him victory in battle and recovery of stolen treasure. The very next mention of tithing was it's incorporation into the Law God gave Moses as an obligation of all God's people, in Lev.27:20 ... "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD." Tithing is never again mentioned as a matter of choice. It is God's for carrying on the work of His Churches.
I have just done a study of Old and New Testaments concerning the approximately 1600 mentions of the words give, gave and given. Out of those 1600 references, other than the pre-Law one mentioned above, just one was used in reference to tithing. That one reference was in the prayer of the self righteous hypocrite, who boasted, as he "prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Lk.18:11-12. Every other mention of the tithe was preceded by some such verb as "bring", "brought", "receive", "pay" or "take" tithes. The phrase, "All the tithe ... is the LORD's" is also found several times. I have never heard this fact of "giving" before in all my years as a pastor, either by myself or by anyone else. Tithing is not "giving" to the Lord. It was and is already His. "Giving" is only giving if it is above the 10%. There are a number of mentions of God's people "giving" or who "gave" offerings.
For an earlier post, last year, on New Testament Tithing, click of the following link .... It may surprise you. RB
http://rayburnblair.blogspot.com/2013/07/did-tithing-cease-with-old-testament-law.html
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