The Ohio Independent Baptist, April 1964

VOL. 36, NO. 6 The Ohio APRIL, 1964 Independent Baptist • • it 1ng stewar s 1pan e oca c urc By R. Kenneth Smelser, Medina, Ohio o preacher of Grace, who knows his Bible, would teach "Tithing as Compul ory," or bring the saints under the " law ' as to giving. However tithing is Biblical. "Store– house tithing" with the local C hurch as the 'storehouse" is a marvelous blessing to many missionaries and churc,hes . The local church is God's instrument on earth and many · lawless saints" want to by-pass it and be a law unto themselves, enjoying the glory that belongs to the Lord through His body. And I hope to show you that even "Storehouse Tithing" is only the beginning, or childish , when it comes to giving to and through the local church for the work of the Lord. The Lord may want you to give regularly, not just a tenth as under the law but, 20 per cent or more in the privilege of grace. All we have and are belongs absolutely and completely to Him. "Ye are not your own but are bought with a price. " Many use the legalistic argument a an excuse for not even giving the Lord ten cents of each dollar. Others can't see how great the local church is in the New Testament. That great body of the local church made u,p of many members is the instrument of the Lord on earth, and provides, under the guid ance of the Holy Spirit, a protection agai nst selfishness, lawlessness and a scattered ministry. "Tithing" is certainly an Old Testament word. Wha t a relief for some to have me ay that ! However, before Moses and the Jaw, ther e are truths on creation, sin, re– demption, marriage and finances, messages we need. Who wants to cast away the 23rd Psalm? Many of u also have found the absolute worth of Malachi 3: 10. Not a compulsory law for "Born agai n believer " but a formula that opens the windows of heaven for us and our churches today. I have found it o in my own churches and have seen the result in truly many churche where 1 have preached this truth. Space here will not permit illustrating the thousands of dollars that I have een coming forth to serve the Lord when people have minded od's great plan for the saints of all dispensation. It was grace for our I~ord, through Ht Holy Spirit, to guide us into the doctrine of u torehousc Tithing." ' te\l.'ardship" is the New Testament word. We arc not only ' 'children" of God, but saved people are called ' priest ' ' and ' 'stewards" of God, I uke 16 : 1- 1 J , Titus 1:7; I orintl1ians 4: 1, 2. A teward look after the affair f anotl1er. H e is i111ply a rustee . ht1s a child o1 od J1as beer1 1,urchascd, Acts 20:28; Redeen1ed, ~ph. J :7 and i not l1i own, I or. 6: 19. I. We may take one of two attitudes hi s i not 111i11e; I do11 ' t care - or tl1is i not mine ; J n1u t e n1ore careful . he l .. ord ga \'e tl' , our l1odie , as 1 en11)I of His Hol)' ~ pirit. li e ga,,l: u. 111or1e) 1 , J10111es, THE OHIO IND Pl:NDENT BAPTJST cars and thing . We remember that these all belong to Him, if we are Hi . Dare we be careless and indiffer ent or wi ll we u e wisely that which He has given to our tru t. Selfish saints will spend their money ·where they please and for their own purposes. They will not share their homes with the servants of the Lord. Their cars ought to bring the sinners to the hou e of the Lord. Their bodies are wearied with the " leeks of Egy,pt" ' or the slop of the pigpen" ins tead of the s trength from the "corn of the land. " Beloved, let us be good Stewards of J esu Christ in the few fleeting day we h ave left . Wisely use that which we have. II. Stewards of time, talents and temporal things Frankly, we are interested in thi me age on the matter of money. So may we just ugge t that our time and talents are to be shared and u sed by the Lord. " eg– lect not ~he assem,bling of ourselve together' mean t ake time to worship. "Go ye' means take time to witnes . ' Be ye holy" mean take time for piri tual bath . A to your talent , I Timothy 4: 15 ay , "Neglect not the gift that i in ,thee." If you can ing, do it unto the Lord. If you are a good cook fix a good dinner and invite the Pa tor! Thu , whatever your call ing may be, let the Lord use it through you. Now plea e note I Cor inthian 16 : 1, 2 a to your temporal thing and thi include our money. ' ow con– cerning the collection for the aint , a I have given order to the CHURCHES...' According to thi pa age of Scripture, P aul told the Corinthian to give ( 1) Periodi– cally ( 2) P er onally and ( 3) Proportionately. A. PERIOD! ALLY, '\the fir t of the week." At the end of each week the ch ild of God hould note what he earned that week. ote how good the Lord \\a .. to you. Be thankful for what ) ou received . Then, each week give. The bil l of the chL1rch go on each \\Cck. The (Continued on inside back cover) R. Kenneth Smel er APRIL, t 964 PAGE 3