Tithe & God's Storehouse or Treasury (webmaster's comments)
The point at issue here is not that tithe will be withheld or withdrawn from the work of God or God's storehouse or treasury, but rather who should receive tithe and are we individually responsible for our stewardship of God's funds!
Unfortunately, the general concensus in the church is that tithe can only be given through the local church to the conference(s) regardless of how it is used or misused. It is generally believed that the giver is not individually responsible for the use made of the tithe given. This is also the official conference procedure as revealed in the Church Manual and conference guidelines. But the question that should be asked is, "Is this really according to God's plan?" Just because the majority says something is true does not necessarily make it so.
The following Spirit of Prophecy statements clearly show that tithe can be given through various faithful channels and may be appropriated by the individual as God directs as long as the tithe is used for its proper purpose -- the gospel ministry and the printed truth. They also show that we are individually responsible for our stewardship of God's means.
If you have Bible or Spirit of Prophecy quotes that you believe would help to clarify the issues presented here, please send them to: info@4HisPeople.org and they will be taken into consideration. Thank you.
All Spirit of Prophecy quotes are hilighted in Lavender ...
Is "tribute" a bad word to use?
Not only should we faithfully render to God our tithes, which He claims as His own, but we should bring a tribute to His treasury as an offering of gratitude. Let us with joyful hearts bring to our Creator the first fruits of all His bounties--our choicest possessions, our best and holiest service. -- FLB 245.2
Deuteronomy 16:10 - “And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give [unto the LORD thy God], according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: ..."
How Should Tithe Be Used?
"The tithe is set apart for a special use. It is not to be regarded as a poor fund. It is to be especially devoted to the support of those who are bearing God's message to the world; and it should not be diverted from this purpose." -- R. & H. Supplement, Dec. 1, 1896.
“But while some go forth to preach, He calls upon others to answer to His claims upon them for tithes and offerings with which to support the ministry, and to spread the printed truth all over the land”. -- Testimonies, vol. 4, 472
The tithe should go to those who labour in word and doctrine... --
Manuscript 149, 1899
Ellen White's Use of Her Tithe
"It has been presented to me for years that my tithe was to be appropriated by myself to aid the white and colored ministers who were neglected and did not receive sufficient properly to support their families. When my attention was called to aged ministers, white and black, it was my special duty to investigate into their necessities and supply their needs. This was to be my special work, and I have done this in a number of cases. No man should give notoriety to the fact that in special cases the tithe is used in this way.
"In regard to the colored work in the South, that field has been and is still being robbed of the means that should come to the workers of that field. If there have been cases where our sisters have appropriated their tithe to the support of the ministers working for the colored people in the South, let every man, if he is wise, hold his peace.
"I have myself appropriated my tithe to the most needy cases brought to my notice. I have been instructed to do this; and as the money is not withheld from the Lord's treasury, it is not a matter that should be commented upon; for it will necessitate my making known these matters, which I do not desire to do, because it is not best.
"Some cases have been kept before me for years, and I have supplied their needs from the tithe, as God has instructed me to do. And if any person shall say to me, Sister White, will you appropriate my tithe where you know it is most needed, I shall say, Yes, I will; and I have done so. I commend those sisters who have placed their tithe where it is most needed to help to do a work that is being left undone; and if this matter is given publicity, it will create knowledge which would better be left as it is. I do not care to give publicity to this work which the Lord has appointed me to do.
"I send this matter to you so that you shall not make a mistake. Circumstances alter cases. I would not advise that any should make a practice of gathering up the tithe money. But for years there have now and then been persons who have lost confidence in the appropriation of the tithe who have placed the tithe in my hands, and said that if l did not take it they would themselves appropriate it to the families of the most needy minister they could find. I have taken the money, given a receipt for it, and told them how it was appropriated.
"I write this to you so that you shall keep cool and not become stirred up and give publicity to this matter, lest many more shall follow this example.
(Signed) Ellen G. White" -- EGW letter, dated January 22, 1905 (Letter 267, 1905), to Elder G.F. Watson, president of the Colorado Conference (Spalding-Magan Unpublished Testimonies, 215-216)
Ellen White mentioned that "circumstances alter cases". When conferences or ministries, within the church, do the work as God has directed then the people have confidence in them and can safely appropriate their tithe to them for doing God's work. When conferences or ministries, within the church, are not doing God's will then the people lose confidence in them and have the God given right to appropriate their tithe to those conferences or ministries, within the church, that are doing God's will. Ellen White actually commended the sisters who helped support those areas (ministers) that were not being faithfully supported by the conference. Those who had lost confidence in the conference's appropriation of tithe were not condemned by Ellen White when they appropriated their tithe themselves. Also, she did not tell them to give the tithe to the place they had lost confidence in as we are often told to do today.
Another important point to note is that Ellen White states, "the money is not withheld from the Lord's treasury" when she sent it directly to needy ministers herself. Therefore the conference itself cannot be "the Lord's treasury", but rather the treasury is where God's work is being done faithfully. -- Webmaster's comments.
There are ministers' wives, Sisters Starr, Haskell, Wilson and Robinson, who have been devoted, earnest, whole-souled workers, giving Bible readings and praying with families, helping along by personal efforts just as successfully as their husbands. These women give their WHOLE TIME, and are told that they receive nothing for their labors because their husbands receive their wages. I tell them to go forward and all such decisions shall be reversed. The Word says, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." When any such decision as this is made, I will in the name of the Lord, protest. I will feel it in my duty to create a fund from my tithe money, to pay these women who are accomplishing just as essential work as the ministers are doing, and this tithe I will reserve for work in the same line as that of the ministers, hunting for souls, fishing for souls. I know that these faithful women should be paid wages proportionate to the pay received by ministers. -- SpM 1 17
Where is the Treasury or Storehouse?
It is true that we are not responsible for the misuse of tithe if we are not aware of the misuse, but this is not the case if we know there are problems of misuse and we give regardless without seeking to correct the problem(s). We either give to God's storehouse or Satan's storehouse and they are both within the church! We are responsible for what we KNOW! Give wisely to support the work of God within the church. -- Webmaster's comment.
"There are only two places in the world where we can deposit our treasures -- in God's storehouse or in Satan's, and all that is not devoted to Christ's service is counted on Satan's side and goes to strengthen his cause." -- 6T 447.2
This world is the Lord's storehouse, from which we are ever drawing. He has provided fruits and grains and vegetables for our sustenance. For us He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall. The whole human family, good and evil, are constantly drawing from God's storehouse. It makes every difference with those so highly privileged how they receive the Lord's gifts and how they treat the contract the Lord has made with them. He has made them His almoners, directing them to draw from His storehouse, and then make a return to Him in gifts and offerings, "that there may be meat in mine house." -- Manuscript 73, Dec. 12, 1900
He to whom God has entrusted unusual gifts should return to the Lord's storehouse that which he has received, by freely giving to others the benefit of his blessings. Thus God will be honored and glorified. . . . -- YRP 195.2
The Lord has not specified any regular channel through which means should pass. -- SpM 498.4
The arrangement that all moneys must go through Battle Creek and under the control of the few men in that place is a wrong way of managing. -- TM 321.1
Do not worry lest some means shall go direct to those who are trying to do missionary work in a quiet and effective way. All the means is not to be handled by one agency or organization. There is much business to be done conscientiously for the cause of God.
Help is to be sought from every possible source. There are men who can do the work of securing means for the cause, and when these are acting conscientiously and in harmony with the counsels of their fellow-laborers in the field which they represent, the hand of restraint is not to be laid upon them. They are surely laborers together with Him who gave his life for the salvation of souls.
Brethren Sutherland and Magan should be encouraged to solicit means for the support of their work. It is the privilege of these brethren to receive gifts from any of our people whom the Lord impresses to help. They should have means -- God's means -- with which to work. The Madison enterprise has been crippled in the past, but now it must go forward. If this work had been regarded in the right light, and had been given the help it needed, we should long ere this have had a prosperous work at Madison. Our people are to be encouraged to give of their means to this work which is preparing students in a sensible and creditable way to go forth into neglected fields to proclaim the soon coming of Christ. -- SpM 422.1
If the conferences and various ministries, operating within the church today, were consistently faithful in doing God's work properly there would not be much difficulty, unfortunately this is not the case, and much tithe is today being misappropriated (misused), even so far as supporting spiritualism within the church. Therefore, it is the responsibility of each one of God's people to seek to correct the wrongs that exist and to be responsible in God's sight to support only those conferences and ministries that are faithfully doing God's will -- so far as they have a knowledge of the matter in their area. It is simply a man-made rule "that all tithe must flow to the general conference treasury" regardless of how it is appropriated. The fact that many tithe-worthy ministries have heeded these man-made rules and have refused to accept tithe shows how far we have fallen in our stewardship responsibilities. There must be proper accountability. -- Webmaster's comments.
The Lord has instructed me that, from the first, the work in Huntsville and Madison should have received adequate help. But instead of this help being rendered promptly there has been long delay. And in the matter of the Madison school, there has been a standing off from them because they were not under the ownership and control of some Conference. This is a question that should sometimes be considered, but it is not the Lord's plan that [means] should be withheld from Madison, because they are not bound to the conference. The attitude which some of our brethren have assumed toward this enterprise shows that it is not wise for every working agency to be under the dictation of conference officers. There are some enterprises under certain conditions, that will produce better results if standing alone. -- 8MR 202
The light which the Lord has given me on this subject, is that the [means] in the treasury for the support of the ministers in the different fields is not to be used for any other purpose. -- Page 18 SpTA10 - Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers.
Are We Individually Responsible?
The churches must arouse. The members must awake out of sleep and begin to inquire, How is the money which we put into the treasury being used? The Lord desires that a close search be made. -- Kress Collection 120.3
"I was shown how important it is that the ministers who engage in the solemn, responsible work of proclaiming the third angel's message be right. The Lord is not straitened for means or instruments with which to do His own work. He can speak at any time, by whom He will, and His word is powerful and will accomplish the thing whereunto it is sent. But if the truth has not sanctified, made pure and clean, the hands and heart of him who ministers in holy things, he is liable to speak according to his own imperfect experience; and when he speaks of himself, according to the decisions of his own unsanctified judgment, his counsel is not then of God, but of himself. As he that is called of God is called to be holy, so he that is approved and set apart of men must give evidence of his holy calling and show forth in his heavenly conversation and conduct that he is faithful to Him who hath called him. There are fearful woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it, and also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister to them in word and doctrine. I am alarmed for the people of God who profess to believe solemn, important truth, for I know that many of them are not converted nor sanctified through it. Men can hear and acknowledge the whole truth, and yet know nothing of the power of godliness. All who preach the truth will not themselves be saved by it. Said the angel: "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord."" -- 1 Testimonies, 261-262
"Brother R is too cold and unsympathizing. He does not come directly to hearts by the Christian simplicity, tenderness, and love which characterized the life of Christ. In this respect it is essential that every man who labors for the salvation of souls should imitate the pattern given him in the life of Christ. If men fail to educate themselves to become workers in the vineyard of the Lord, they might better be spared than not. It would be poor policy to support from the treasury of God those who really mar and injure His work, and who are constantly lowering the standard of Christianity." -- 3 Testimonies, 553.
"If wrongs are apparent among His people, and if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike guilty, and will just as surely receive the displeasure of God; for they will be made responsible for the sins of the guilty." -- 3 Testimonies, 365-366
“When existing evils are not met and checked, because men have too little courage to reprove wrong, or because they have too little interest or are too indolent to tax their own powers in putting forth earnest efforts to purify the family or the church of God, they are accountable for the evil which may result in consequence of neglect to do their duty. We are just as accountable for evils that we might have checked in others, by reproof, by warning, by exercise of parental or pastoral authority, as if we were guilty of the acts ourselves.” -- Testimonies, vol. 4,516
"God desires to bring men into direct relation with Himself. In all His dealings with human beings He recognizes the principle of personal responsibility. He seeks to encourage a sense of personal responsibility. He seeks to encourage a sense of personal dependence [upon God], and to impress the need of personal guidance. His gifts are committed to men as individuals. Every man has been made a steward of sacred trusts; each is to discharge his trust according to the direction of the Giver; and by each an account of his stewardship must be rendered to God." -- 7 Testimonies, 176.
A bare assent to the truth is not Bible religion. Men do not become Christians merely by having their names written in the church-books. This belief is proving fatal to thousands upon thousands. It does not displease Satan to have any number of names upon the church-books while the heart is not brought into unity with Christ: he can work through those who have the form of godliness without the spirit and power. There are many professed Christians whose hearts are incased in a self-righteous armor that the arrow of the Lord, barbed and true-aimed by angel hands, would fail to pierce. Man must seek God for himself; then the Holy Spirit will take the precious truth, far above the price of rubies, as it falls from the lips of Jesus, and convey it, a living power, to the obedient heart. -- The Youth's Instructor, October 27, 1898
We are not saved as a sect; no denominational name has any virtue to bring us into favor with God. We are saved individually as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. "And by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." We may have our names recorded on the books of the most spiritual of the churches, and yet we may not belong to Christ, and our names may not be written on the Lamb's book of life. -- Review and Herald, August 4, 1891
The time is coming when we shall be separated and scattered, and each one of us will have to stand without the privilege of communion with those of like precious faith; and how can you stand unless God is by your side, and you know that He is leading and guiding you? Whenever we come to investigate Bible truth, the Master of assemblies is with us. The Lord does not leave the ship one moment to be steered by ignorant pilots. We may receive our orders from the Captain of our salvation. -- Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 42, or Review and Herald, March 25, 1890
"Representations have been made to me of a work that does not bear the divine credentials. The prohibitions, that have been bound about the labors of those who would go forth to warn the people in the cities of the soon-coming judgments, should every one be removed. None are to be hindered from bearing the message of present truth to the world. When the Holy Spirit impresses the believer to do a certain work for God, leave the matter to him and the Lord." -- Letter, dated May 26, 1908, to the officers of the General Conference.
The Lord would have His people under His jurisdiction. They should look to God, inquiring of Him in faith, and follow on to know the working of His providence. -- TM 320.3
I would say, "Trust it with the Lord. There is a way opened for you in regard to securing help for the Southern field. Appeal to the people. This is the only course you can pursue, under the circumstances.
Send no statement of the situation through our religious papers; because it will not be honored. Send direct to the people. God's ways are not to be counterworked by man's ways. There are those who have means, and who will give large and small sums. Have this money come direct to your destitute portion of the vineyard. The Lord has not specified any regular channel through which means should pass." -- SpM 498.4
The people to whom God has given His means are amenable to Him alone.” -- Spalding-Magan Collection 176
Is There Spiritualism Within the Church?
“Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” -- Testimonies to Ministers, 409- 410
“In the very midst of us will arise false teachers, giving heed to seducing spirits whose doctrines are of satanic origin. These teachers will draw away disciples after themselves.” -- Review and Herald, vol. 5, 9
Reformation Needed
We must as a people arouse and cleanse the camp of Israel. Licentiousness, unlawful intimacy, and unholy practices are coming in among us in a large degree; and ministers who are handling sacred things are guilty of sin in this respect. They are coveting their neighbors' wives, and the seventh commandment is broken. We are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen Babylon, of allowing our churches to become corrupted, and filled with every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird; and will we be clear unless we make decided movements to cure the existing evil? -- TSB 188.3
Just as long as God has a church, he will have those who will cry aloud and spare not, who will be his instruments to reprove selfishness and sins, and will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear. I saw that individuals would rise up against the plain testimonies. It does not suit their natural feelings. They would choose to have smooth things spoken unto them, and have peace cried in their ears. I view the church in a more dangerous condition than they ever have been. Experimental religion is known but by a few. The shaking must soon take place to purify the church. Preachers should have no scruples to preach the truth as it is found in God's word. Let the truth cut. I have been shown that why ministers have not more success is, they are afraid of hurting feelings, fearful of not being courteous, and they lower the standard of truth, and conceal if possible the peculiarity of our faith. I saw that God could not make such successful. The truth must be made pointed, and the necessity of a decision urged. And as false shepherds are crying, Peace, and are preaching smooth things, the servants of God must cry aloud, and spare not, and leave the result with God. -- 2SG 284.2
The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.
Who has authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?
I hesitated and delayed about the sending out of that which the Spirit of the Lord impelled me to write. I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met. -- 1SM 205.2
There is need of a Sabbath reform among us, who profess to observe God's holy rest-day... The Lord has a controversy with his professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week. There are calamities on sea and land: and these calamities will increase, one disaster following close upon another; and the little band of conscientious Sabbath-keepers will be pointed out as the ones who are bringing the wrath of God upon the world by their disregard of Sunday. -- RH, March 18, 1884 par. 8
"It has been shown me that there is a fault with us, of honoring the human, flattering men, accepting their ideas, their judgment, as the voice of God, and advocating their cause. Many have such confidence in those whom they have been accustomed to regard as leaders, that they seem incapable of discerning when these persons are in error, and they are ready to cling to and defend erroneous positions, because others do so. This spirit is displeasing to God, and is dangerous to all who indulge in it; for if leading men allow themselves to be controlled by prejudice, evil surmisings, or envy, those who look to them for an example are led astray. Brethren, trust not in man; look to God; trust in His infallible wisdom. Shun as a sin the practice, so common even among Seventh-day Adventists, of becoming the echo of any man, whatever his position. Listen to the voice of the True Shepherd, and you will never be led astray." -- Gospel Workers, 390
"The Jews perished as a nation because they were drawn from the truth of the Bible by their rulers, priests, and elders. Had they heeded the scriptures for themselves they would not have perished." -- Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 109
"But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them." -- Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 106
A strange thing has come into our churches. Men who are placed in positions of responsibility, that they may be wise helpers to their fellow workers, have come to suppose that they were set as kings and rulers in the churches, to say to one brother, Do this; to another, Do that; and to another, Be sure to labor in such and such a way. There have been places where the workers have been told that if they did not follow the instruction of these men of responsibility, their pay from the conference would be withheld. -- Testimonies to Ministers, p. 477
Let me entreat our state conferences and our churches to cease putting their dependence upon men and making flesh their arm. Look not to other men to see how they conduct themselves under the conviction of the truth, or ask them for aid. Look not to men in high positions of responsibility for strength, for they are the very men who are in danger of considering a position of responsibility as evidence of God's special power. Our churches are weak because the members are educated to look to and depend upon human resources, and thousands of dollars are needlessly expended in transporting finite men from one place to another, in order that they may settle little difficulties, when Jesus is ever near to help those who are needy and distressed. -- Testimonies to Ministers, p. 380
Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. -- Jeremiah 17:5–8
Unify Upon a True Scriptural Basis
"We have a testing message to give, and I am instructed to say to our people, ‘Unify, unify.’ But we are not to unify with those who are departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." -- Selected Messages, Book 3, 412.
"Christ calls for unity. But He does not call for us to unify on wrong practices. The God of heaven draws a sharp contrast between pure, elevating, ennobling truth and false, misleading doctrines. He calls sin and impenitence by the right name. He does not gloss over wrongdoing with a coat of untempered mortar. I urge our brethren to unify upon a true, Scriptural basis." -- Notebook Leaflets, vol. 2, 164.
"We are all to unify on the proper basis of unity." -- Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages and Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, 55.
"…harmony and co-operation must be maintained without compromising one principle of truth." -- Counsels to Writers and Editors, 79.
I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness. -- EW 124.3
God has a church upon the earth, who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people.
There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order. If matters need adjusting at the head of the work, God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith that God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into port. -- FLB 282.3
Not All Will Understand
“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate...” -- Isaiah 6:9-11
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." -- James 1:5
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