Stop The Robbery!
Stop The Robbery!
by Samuel E. Robinson
However, let's focus on just one of the charges in the Lord's solemn indictment of His people, Israel, recorded in Malachi 3:8: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.” Israel's pharisaical response was incredulous. Yet it was an expression of their spiritual blindness and moral insensibility.
The temple had been rebuilt, the altar had been erected, the sacrifices were being offered, and they had been very particular in observing all the ceremonies and feasts. God, through His servant Moses, had given very specific instructions regarding all of these, including tithes and offerings. They were satisfied they were doing what was required of them. So, what was wrong? Their hearts! " “For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 They were careful about outward appearances and observances, but it was all mechanical. Their hearts were not in it; they were cold and callous. They had been simply going through the motions, "having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 It appears they were doing as little as their conscience would allow them to do.
We dare not sit in judgment on Israel. We should rather let the Word of the Lord, through Malachi, search our own hearts and consciences. Will I, will you, will we rob God? In what way? “In tithes and offerings.” “Now just a moment,” you say, “what have tithes and offerings got to do with us? We “are not under law but under grace,” 3 and we have no obligation to fulfill the requirements of the law.” However, we are emphatically reminded in the New Testament, “Now all things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.” 4 So we need to look and learn.
Tithes and offerings, translated into New Testament language, can be characterized as stewardship. So often when we think of stewardship we focus on assets and our financial contributions to the work of the Lord. But, stewardship encompasses far more than money. It includes everything we are and have. All things were created by God. His title extends far beyond “the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine.” He owns all things. We possess nothing which we have not received from the Lord. We are simply stewards of what we have been given and “each of us shall give account of himself to God.” 5
In his second letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul highly commends the liberality of the churches in Macedonia, but he points out that before they gave their money they “first gave their own selves to the Lord.” 6 They first surrendered themselves as an acknowledgment of the great debt of love which can never be fully paid. They did not rob God – they presented themselves as a living sacrifice, which was their “reasonable service.” They gave not only their money but their time and talents.
What about us today? In what way have we robbed God? Perhaps not by withholding our material goods, but how about our time, our talents? Many Christians today gladly give of their financial assets, but their time or talents? “Sorry, we just cannot spare the time.” They are only too happy to dig a little deeper into their pocket or purse to pay to have someone else do what the Lord wants them to do and has prepared them to do for Himself. There are assemblies that are suffering and weak because of Christians not willing to give their time to the Lord. Some have eased their conscience by moving to other fellowships where they are not expected to get involved or to attend the prayer meeting and other activities.
Will we rob God? Am I, are you, guilty of withholding our time and talents? The strength of our assemblies in the past has been involved, committed Christians who acknowledged their debt to the Lord and responsibility to the local assembly. They joyfully and freely spent their time, talents, and energy in and for the local assembly. We all may not be able to take a public part, but if we are willing to give our time we will find plenty to do. As Christians, saved at such a tremendous cost, we should re-examine our priorities and stewardship. How can we rob God?
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 7
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1. 1 Samuel 16:7
2. 1 Timothy 3:5
3. Romans 6:14
4. 1 Corinthians 10:11
5. Romans 14:12
6. 1 Corinthians 8:5
7. 1 Corinthians 8:9
this article appeared in Missions Magazine, May 1990, Vol. 19; No. 5
