A Cheerful Motive For Cheerful Giving
No where do I find, in the New Testament,
that Christian men are commanded to tithe. Such a commandment would be contrary
to the gospel of grace, and the spirit of the New Covenant. Legal commandments
are good enough for children of bondage, like Ishmael. But the children of
promise are motivated from a better principle. For them, it Is enough to say,
"Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." We do not divide out
our tenth, like religious misers. We give ourselves and all that we have to
Christ. Cheerfully, we give all that we can for the cause of Christ and the
support of the gospel ministry. Why? Because we know his grace.
"Though He Was
Rich, Yet For Your Sakes He Became Poor." Brethren, the wealth of God; the treasures
of the infinite, the riches of eternity, are the possession of our blessed
Savior. From the highest throne of glory to the lowest pit in hell, Jesus owns
it all. It is true Christ is the lowly man of Nazareth. He is more. He is the
eternal God, possessing all the riches of divine wisdom, power and glory.
Yet, he became poor (Phil. 2:5-8). --
The eternal Son of God took manhood into union with himself. The God of glory
robed himself in human flesh. Behold the depths of his poverty at Calvary! He
was betrayed, mocked, and beaten. He was crucified. God made his Son to be sin
for us! There he was robbed of all the joy of heaven and the comfort of his
Father's presence. His dying bed was a malefactor's cross. His resting place
was a borrowed tomb. What was the reason for such humiliation?
"That Ye
Through His Poverty Might Be Rich." What riches are ours through the
mediation of Christ! In him we have all and abound. The riches of grace and
redemption, time and eternity are ours. Do men who know such grace need the
threat of the law to make them tithe? No! The love of Christ constrains us. And
in everything grace produces more than the law. Let us then give cheerfully and
bountifully.
Don Fortner