There is only one right plan of church finance and that is the plan of tithes and freewill offerings as laid down in the Scriptures.
1SW Deut 8:18. We are to remember God in both earning and spending our money, for we are able to earn our money only as God gives us strength, breath, and life to work from day to day.
2SW Lev. 27:30,32. All the tithe is the Lord's, and it is holy unto the Lord. Verse 32 says that this tithe is the tenth part, which is holy unto the Lord. (Compare also Gen. 14:20 with Heb. 7:2). This means that one tenth of all the money we earn is the Lord's tithe. This one tenth is not ours, it is the Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord. This one tenth is God's holy portion of our money income, just as the seventh day of each week is the Lord's holy portion of our time. In order to obey His commandments, we are to render this tenth of our money to the Lord as tithe for the support of His work, just as we are to render to Him the seventh day of each week as the Lord's day.
3SW Ps. 24:1. Everything in this world belongs to God. All the gold and silver is the Lord's. Haggai 2:8. All the cattle are His. Ps. 50:10. Each one of us, with all that we are and have, is the Lord's. 1 Cor. 6:19,20. When one lives in a house or on a farm that belongs to another person, he pays him rent for the use of his house or farm. In the same way, the one tenth, or tithe, is due the Lord as His rent money. All that we have and are, or ever shall have or be, is the Lord's. One tenth, therefore, is due Him for the use of His goods, for the breath, strength, and life that He gives us that we may earn our money from day to day.
4SW Num 18:20,21. God has decreed that this one tenth or tithe is to be used as a living or support for His ministers. No one has any right to use the tithe for helping the poor or the sick, etc. We should help them out of our nine tenths after the Lord's tithe has been taken out. The tithe is the Lord's, and He is the only one who has the right to say how that tenth shall be used. In Num. 18:21 God has decreed once for all how this holy tithe is to be used, and that is for the support of His ministers.
5SW 1 Cor 9:13,14. God has ordained that they who preach His Word shall be supported by the tithes or tenth of the income of those who accept His Word, in the same way as the Levites under the Mosaic system were supported.
6SW Matt. 23:23. The Pharisees were very strict in tithing, even to giving a tenth of the little herbs that grew in their gardens, such as mint and anise. But they failed to obey the weightier matters, such as justice, mercy, and faith. Jesus said that they ought to pay their tithe even on these small items, but not to leave undone those other more important duties. So this means that Jesus Christ endorsed tithe paying or the giving of the tenth, as a part of the duty of every person.
7SW Deut. 16:17. In addition to rendering to God the tenth as His special holy part of our income, we should give freewill offerings from the nine tenths, as we are able.
8SW Prov. 3:9,10. The one tenth, God's part of our income should be taken out first. Note in verse 10 how those will be blessed who will thus put God first.
9SW Mal. 3:8. Those who do not render the tenth of their income to the Lord, and offerings as they are able, are guilty of robbing God, and transgressing the eight commandment, which says, "Thou shalt not steal." no thief or robber who persists in stealing will ever get to heaven. 1 Cor. 6:9,10.
10SW Mal. 3:9,10. Nine tenths with God's blessing is better than ten tenths without it.
11SW Gen. 28:20,22. If God gives us only bread to eat and clothing to put on, we should faithfully render to Him the one tenth of all He gives us.
12SW Luke 16:10-12. If we are faithful in rendering to God His part of our goods in this world, He will give us true and everlasting riches in His better world, in the future.
Click here for a related topic: Miss Clancey and the Dimes.
