Q. Is 3 John 1:2 teaching health and wealth? “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
A. In spite of the fact that many Christians have either health or money problems and some have both, I believe the Bible teaches that we should be healthy and financially secure. For example, Jesus said He came so that we could have an abundant life (John 10:10) and Paul wrote that we would be made rich in every way so we could be generous on every occasion (2 Cor. 9:11) .
I think our failure to achieve these goals is partly due to our lack of Scriptural knowledge and the faith to believe what it says, and partly due to a lifestyle that’s often detrimental to our health and financial well being. As two examples among many, Paul said we would be made rich in every way so we could be generous to others on every occasion, not so we could live a self-indulgent life of excess while ignoring the needs of people around us. And the average person’s daily diet consists of more things that will ruin our health than anything else. Whose fault is that?
Finally, James 4:8 tells us to “come near to God and He’ll come near to us.” As we align our lives with God’s will for us, and live healthier and simpler lives, John’s wish will begin to come true for us.
Does God Want Us To Be Poor Or Wealthy?
Q. Does God want his servants to be poor or wealthy when he says if you want to be his disciple, deny yourself and take a cross daily and follow me and also by saying we must store up riches in heaven not on earth where they will perish.
A. When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24) He was telling us to put our own desires for our life to death and give our life to Him. This same thought is expressed in Romans 12:1-2. In Matt. 6:33 He promised if we do this He will take care of all our needs. In John 10:10 He said He came so we could have life and have it abundantly.
Storing up treasure on Earth is an indication of greed. What He wants is for us to be generous with what He’s given us. In that way we store up treasure in Heaven. He loves a generous giver (2 Cor. 9:7)and will use our generosity toward others to determine His generosity toward us (Luke 6:38). If we give sparingly we’ll be blessed sparingly, but if we give generously we’ll be blessed generously (2 Cor. 9:6). He said we will be made rich in every way so we can be generous on every occasion (2 Cor. 9:11).
The whole idea is that He has an unlimited supply of blessings available. When we pass along a portion of the blessing we’ve received He sends us more, and the more we pass along the more He will send us. In this way we’ll have an abundant life here and we’ll be storing up treasure in Heaven at the same time.
Was Jesus Wealthy?
Q. I was having a conversation with a sister and I asked what Joseph and Mary did with all the gold and precious spices the wise men gave to them when they came to worship the Lord. This sister told me that Jesus was not a poor man, that He wouldn’t have called up His disciples to leave their families poor and unfed, and that He wore the clothes of a rich man otherwise why else would the soldiers gamble for His clothing.
This goes against everything I’ve known. I don’t think it’s a correct view. I think He survived on donations, and I have read that Mary Magdalene was an independent woman of means who was one of the key monetary contributors. What say you? I am very confused by this. How could Jesus be touting the forsaking of money and possessions, yet be a rich man? That would have made Him a hypocrite, and that’s impossible.
A. Your friend is mistaken, and has probably been influenced by the so-called prosperity Gospel teachers. Tradition has it that the gifts brought by the Magi were used to support the Lord’s family during the 2 years they spent in Egypt hiding from Herod.
Jesus never owned a home or any other possessions. He learned a trade, lived with his brothers and mother until he began his ministry, and after that wandered through Israel and the surrounding area with His disciples, sleeping under the stars. They were supported by contributions, and although they always had enough, were not wealthy. The soldiers did cast lots for his robe, a seamless garment of linen usually worn by royalty, but it was likely the only clothing he had. The Bible doesn’t say how He got it.
Of course at any moment Jesus could have conjured up enough wealth to buy anything he needed any time He wanted to. He could have had a fancy chariot and horses, caravans of camels and servants, stayed in all the best hotels, and eaten at 5 star restaurants. But that was not His mission. He was to live an ordinary life, just like any one else, humbling Himself even to the point of living like a servant (Phil. 2:5-8).
None of this is meant to imply that Jesus was opposed to wealth. He just doesn’t like the way money often causes a person to be too focused on the things of this world, and not focused enough on things of the kingdom. That’s why He told us not to worry about money, but to trust that God would make sure that we always have what we need (Matt. 6:31-33). I think He practiced what He preached.
I Can Earn More. Should I?
Q. I can make 2-3 times the money I’m making, but feel like I’m not supposed to be thinking of money or work, but just preparing for the rapture. I have serious health issues, but through God’s grace I get by, having the bare bone basics of food, rent, and shelter. When God said he wanted us to have an abundant life did he mean spiritually or materially?
A. I believe the Lord’s claim that He came so we could have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10) should be taken to include both the physical and spiritual realms of our life. Paul removed all doubt about this when he wrote, “You will be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11). He also said that those who won’t work should not be supported by others (2 Thes. 3:10). Therefore I don’t see any Biblical support for declining work when we have the ability to work and work is available.
For most of us work is the source of money. Money gives us the ability to be generous (2 Cor. 9:11), and generosity is the key to an abundant life (Luke 6:38-39). As a bonus, we’ll be storing up treasure in Heaven as well (Matt. 6:19-21) which is the absolute best way to prepare for the rapture.
Are We Supposed To Just Get By?
Q. By your understanding of God’s Word, is just getting by the way God wants you to live? By that standard then, God’s blessing of Job with more material things after his ordeal was not a blessing but a curse. Same with Abraham and Jacob and Boaz and David et., etc. And Gods word to Aaron that he was free to loot his victims of their gold and silver in a number of cases, why would He encourage taking these items? And is it not wise to have savings for an emergency? If so, how much or how little is the correct amount?
A. You’re missing the point. Remember, the Lord promised you an abundant life (John 10:10). Giving away your excess shows you believe Him. The more generous you are with others the more generous He will be with you (Luke 6:38). You don’t have to store up any excess because you know he will send you more. Like Job, you’ll have more at the end than you did in the beginning.
These biblical men you mention were doing God’s bidding and He if used His enemies’ money to compensate them, that’s His prerogative. After all the money is really His not theirs and He can give it to any one He wants to.
And why do you need to store up money for an emergency when He knows what you need before you need it and has promised to supply all your needs (Phil 4:19)? You still have man’s perspective on these things. Ask the Lord to give you His perspective.
How Much Are We Supposed To Tithe?
Q. Does the Bible offer any insight (other than mentioning 10% in the Old Testament) of how much we as Christians are to tithe, under the new covenant?
A. The Old Testament is a “have to” book with hundreds of specific laws governing almost every aspect of life including giving. It focused on actions. I think of the New Testament as a “want to” book that focuses more on the thoughts and attitudes behind our actions.
Take the commandment against murder for example. Exodus 20:13 says, “You shall not murder.” From that, people thought that as long as they didn’t deliberately and with premeditation take another person’s life they had not broken the commandment. But when Jesus explained the intent of the commandment in Matt. 5:21-22 He was saying that even being angry with another person is a violation of the commandment whether we take action or not. Through out the New Testament we can find other examples that show this to be true of all the commandments.
It’s the same with tithing. Other than His statement that the law has not been abolished (Matt. 5:17), you won’t find a specific percentage in the New Testament because the emphasis is on giving cheerfully and generously out of gratitude for what the Lord has given us. When the Lord sees these motives behind our giving, He rewards them with blessings which include increasing our ability to give so we can be even more generous. Luke 6:38 and 2 Cor 9:6-11 are good passages to study concerning this matter.
By the way, the 10% tithe was not the extent of Old Testament giving. Other mandatory and voluntary gifts and offerings could more than double that amount.
New Testament Tithing, Follow Up
Q. If, as you say, tithing is a minimum standard, where in the NT does it say that the minimum standard is 10%?
The purpose of biblical tithing in the OT was to support the Levites, who were not allowed possess any property on which they could raise any stock or crops. Tithing, in essence, was food for the Levites. What is the purpose of NT tithing, since there is no temple and no Levitical priesthood to receive the tithe?
A. Your insistence that I provide a New Testament commandment to tithe seems to indicate you believe it was part of the Law, to which New Testament believers are not obligated. But in truth the concept of giving to the Lord 10% of our increase predates the giving of the Law by nearly 1000 years. Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20), and Jacob adopted the practice as well (Genesis 28:22). At the time there was no Temple, no priesthood, and no Law. They didn’t do this out of obedience to the Law but out of gratitude for the blessings they received. This is where the 10% standard originated, not at Mt. Sinai. The principle of tithing was was confirmed in the Law but did not originate there.
As you already know, there is no New Testament commandment to tithe, but this is beside the point as well. I try to demonstrate in my teaching that tithing out of a feeling of obligation to the Law is not Biblical and never has been. Unless we feel a genuine gratitude for what the Lord has done for us, our tithing is for naught. But when we tithe out of gratitude, we’re blessed beyond all measure, and according to Matt. 6:19-21 those blessings are not just for this world but follow us into the next one as well. It’s a way we store up treasure in Heaven.
As to where you tithe, pick a place. There are countless opportunities to pitch in and help with the work of the Kingdom. You don’t need to give to a church or even a para-church ministry. If you prefer, you can distribute your gifts directly to those in need. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you (Matt. 6:4)
What puzzles me most about all this is why you and others argue so passionately against something the Lord designed to be one of His greatest blessings, perhaps second only to our salvation.
To learn more about the Biblical basis for tithing and how the Church changed it, click here
Want To vs. Have To: Discovering the Joy of Giving
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley
Because we’re adults, we think we’re pretty responsible. We have ourselves convinced that by and large we do the “right thing.” But sub-consciously we’re still governed by what I call the “want to vs. have to” principle.
What’s that supposed to mean?
Given the option, we try to order our lives so as to do more of those things that make us feel good, and less of the things that make us feel bad. In conversation we say, “I want to” about the good things and, “I have to” about the bad. When we say “I want to,” we’re really anticipating the desirable results of our action whereas, “I have to” anticipates action where results are either undesirable or unclear. (Example: “I want to play golf, but I have to do my taxes.”)
Our happiness is affected by the proportion of want to’s to have to’s in our life. More want to’s equals greater happiness and vice versa. Funny how when we lose sight of the desired result, or when it has lost it’s meaning for us, even those want to’s we formerly enjoyed doing will become have to’s.
I’m glad Someone Understands
The Lord understood this principle (naturally) when He established the law of tithing. In three passages from Deuteronomy, He explained this law, commanding the people to put aside one tenth of their production for Him. (Deut. 8:6-18, 12:4-7, 14:22-29)
They were to take the Lord’s tenth (tithe) to Jerusalem each fall after the harvest and use it for a big feast to celebrate the Lord’s blessings upon them.
The reason He commanded them to separate the tithe was that He wanted to remind them it was His. Also if He hadn’t required them to do so, most wouldn’t have set anything aside for the feast. It would all have been absorbed into their living costs and they would have missed out on the celebration.
What about the Starving Kids in India?
Every third year, instead of celebrating they gave the tithe to the priests in their city to help the poor and indigent, first within the community and then from among their visitors. There was always enough to last until the next contribution three years later.
What’s the Big Idea?
Obviously, the Lord didn’t need their money. He only wanted them to remember Who had blessed them. By celebrating, they were reminded. Further, He commanded that the celebration be at His house, not theirs, so they wouldn’t start thinking they had created their own blessings.
The Origin of Thanksgiving
Each fall in Jerusalem the Lord hosted a national celebration with His people coming from all over. The aroma of delicious foods cooking over open fires permeated the whole city. For seven days where ever you went there was an air of joy and festivity as the people remembered their Provider and gave thanks.
Because it felt good to obey, they learned the joy of giving. When it came time to donate the tithe to the poor, they did so with a generous spirit, knowing that they were giving away the Lord’s share not theirs. (It’s always easier to be generous with some one else’s money.) Because each community helped its own poor directly everyone got the help they needed, and the people could see the effect of their generosity.
What About Now?
Contrast that with the way of giving today. We no longer believe that one tenth is the Lord’s and we no longer credit Him for our blessings. We think we’re being asked for some of our own money, and we’re not clear about the benefit. We’re told that the Lord’s work will be hindered without our help. He’s portrayed as a cash poor beggar in some circles and as an inflexible creditor in others.
This approach makes us feel bad, so we want less of it. We resent being made to feel guilty so we give only as much as is necessary to ease our guilt. “I want to” has become “I have to.” No wonder the joy has gone from our giving.
Some “religious” groups require 10% of their members’ income and conduct periodic audits to make sure they’re getting it all. Some even teach that tithing is evidence of salvation. It’s the most glaring example of man’s religion working at cross-purposes with the intent of God’s laws.
A Blessing or a Curse?
Today, tithing is thought by many to be a curse for believing rather than a celebration for blessing. They go around looking for a church that doesn’t talk about money all the time. Because they never learn the true purpose of their giving, they are deprived of the blessings of abundance the Lord promises to those who “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” For its part, the church merely survives when it should thrive. (The church would actually receive more income doing things the Lord’s way)
And perhaps most sadly, those in need don’t receive the help from the church they could otherwise have … help that could have come in the name of the Lord, and perhaps prompted a life change in the heart of the recipient. Satan wins again.
