The Proof Is In The Tithing!

Illus: For example, one of you ladies could make some chocolate pudding, and when you got through it looked good! But just because it looked good does not mean it was good. You never would know that until you tasted it. That is where we get the expression, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING!

Not only is that true about pudding, but that is true also about other things. For example, you can ask some folks if they love the Lord, and they will immediately say, “I certainly do.” But these are only words. Anyone can say, “I love the Lord!” Almost everyone will say they love the Lord, but according to the Word of God, this is not true.

WHERE IS THE PROOF? When we say we love the Lord, we should be able to have the proof.

For example, when Paul preached at Antioch, the people received the Word of God and became Christians.

HOW DO WE KNOW THEY BECAME CHRISTIANS? They had the proof. Look at Acts 11:26, "…And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

The proof that they truly knew the Lord, was that they were given the name of Christians because they were so much like the Lord.

In other, words, they:

• TALKED LIKE CHRIST

• LIVED LIKE CHRIST

• LOVED WHAT CHRIST LOVED

They were given the name CHRISTIANS, because they were Christ-like!

Can people look at your life and know that you are a Christian?

Illus: Someone said that if many so called Christians were locked up, and brought to trial for being Christians, it would be hard to find enough evidence to convict them.

Anyone can say they love the Lord, but what kind of proof should their life reflect if they truly love the Lord? God's Word says that the PROOF is, if we love him WE WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

There are many areas of our lives that can reveal that we love the Lord. We reveal it by:

• HOW WE SPEND OUR ENERGY

• HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME

• HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY

Let’s look at the last one of these things. The proof that we love the Lord can be found IN TITHING.

The Word of God says if we love Him we will obey Him. For example, when a person doesn’t tithe, it is because of one of two reasons:

(1) He does not know his scriptural responsibility

(2) He loves money more than he loves the Lord

I. THE TITHER PROVES HE BELIEVES GOD'S WORD

Tithing is interwoven throughout scripture, and in the lives of Bible characters. For example:

A. ABRAHAM PRACTICED TITHING

Look at Genesis 14:20, we read, "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he (Abraham) gave him (Melchizedek) tithes of all."

Illus: During the days of Abraham, he had to come up against his enemies, and when he defeated them, he was left with all their wealth, and he made sure that he tithed of all that God had given him.

B. JACOB VOWED THAT HE WOULD TITHE

Look at Genesis 28:22, we read, "And this stone, which have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Jacob vowed to tithe of all that God gave him.

C. THE LAW COMMANDED IT

Leviticus 27:30-34, we read, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai."

D. JESUS ENDORSED TITHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Look at Matthew 23:23, we read, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, AND NOT TO LEAVE THE OTHER UNDONE."

They had many faults that the Lord was displeased with. But notice, when it comes to tithing, they were so careful to tithe of everything, that the Lord said, "...THESE OUGHT YE TO HAVE DONE..." If this was not to be a continuing practice, He would not have given the endorsement that this is something they should do.