CALCULATING CHRISTMAS: The Story Behind December 25

by William J. Tighe
Associate Professor of History 
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania USA


This informative, five-page article first appeared in the December 2003 issue of Touchstone magazine (click on title above to read). In regard of this article, the following three examples verify anew the zealous strategies of non-Christians in striving to compete with Christmas, Christian academia, and a Christ-centered dating system:


1.  BC-AD versus BCE-CE: As an anti-historical act, the ultimate purpose of a BCE-CE (meaning "Before the Common Era" and "Common Era" respectively) alternative dating system is an attempt to make chronological dates more palatable to non-Christians.  This competing dating system is confusing at best. Moreover, it is promoted to appeal largely to the egos of the intellectual community as an "in-house" vocabulary.  They further argue that only 1 in 3 persons on this planet is a Christian, so they don't deserve a majority view. 


However, since there is no so-called "Common Era" in history, Common dating does not exist.  All in all, their dating system attempts to diminish the glory and majesty that belongs to Jesus Christ. Thus, with such an alternative, non-Christians supposedly do not even have to think about or be reminded of God the Son when dealing with historical time frames.  Such proponents, however, fail to realize or to give credit to Christianity for establishing the university and hospital systems that we highly appreciate and respect today. Therefore, Christians are not uninformed nor ignorant crackpots after all.


Truly, Christianity has transformed civilization, and Satan is not pleased with the results.  Alvin Schmidt, in his excellent book entitled "Under the Influence," correctly stated that, "Unlike the leaders of so many other religious movements, Jesus was no political figure; he had no connection with Herod or the Sanhedrin; he took no political action; his disciples were relatively uneducated.  Yet he conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Mohammed, and Napoleon put together.  It all happened because his message and his physical resurrection transformed his early followers, who did not pick up the sword to defend themselves even during brutal persecutions, but rather went about spreading his love and the need for his forgiveness by word and deed to all--regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, poverty, or wealth."


2.  Feast of Dedication:  The apostle John, in John 10:22-39,  indicates that Jesus attended a Hanukkah (meaning "dedication" in Hebrew) festival of lights in Jerusalem. This festival is based upon Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrating the Temple in numerous ways and even requiring that pigs be sacrificed to Zeus, by a Hellenistic priest, upon the altar as an utter insult against Judaism. Moreover, under the oppression of Antiochus IV, Jews were forced to eat unclean animals, scrolls of the Torah were destroyed, weekly Sabbath observance was halted, Temple gold was stolen, and male circumcision was forbidden. When the Temple was restored and rededicated, after three years of intensive abomination and desolation, there was only one flask of untainted oil left for the large menorah candelabrum to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days. This miracle gave them the additional time to provide a fresh supply of pure olive oil.


It is traditional for Jews to eat foods fried or baked in oil (preferably olive oil) during those festive days to highlight the oil miracle.  Unfortunately, SDA apologists desperately try to overlook the importance of this festival due to their faulty interpretation of Daniel 8:14.  Truly, it is safe to say that if William Miller had known biblical Hebrew there would never have been a Seventh-day Adventist.  Although Hanukkah has nothing to do with gift exchanging, but due to Jewish children being jealous of Christian children, many Jewish families now exchange gifts to somewhat compete with the grandeur of Christmas.


3. Kwanzaa: A Swahali term that denotes a week-long celebration that has become the newest attempt to mimic or replace Christmas.  Starting the very next day after Christmas, this latest celebration consists of carefully arranging mats, altars, lights, and fruit to honor a distinctive African culture.  Indeed, Christmas has an ever-increasing competition from an assortment of events that attempt to mimic its traditions.   The ultimate result, whether intentional or unintentional,  diminishes  the glory and majesty that belongs to Jesus Christ.  With these contemporary examples, it should not surprise us to learn that non-Christians have utilized similar strategies many centuries ago in regard to Christmas.  This fact is just opposite of what Seventh-day Adventism teaches about this festive season and the origin of the Lord's Day (Resurrection Sunday).


Feliz Navidad!  During this special time of the year, you can appreciate anew the dynamic voices of  the Three Tenors; namely, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavorotti that are easily accessible online.  I want to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS (Froliche Weihnachten) from the bottom of my heart. In spite of all the commercialization and the non-Christian competing factors of Christmas, Jesus Christ is still the reason for this festive season around the world. Indeed, this world is a better and brighter place as a result of Christmas. Wise men still adore Him! George W. Truett aptly stated: "Christ was born in the first century, yet He belongs to all centuries.  He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races.  He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries." Soli Deo Gloria!


--Dennis Fischer 

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GEMS OF GRACE

Man's original capacities included both the power not  to sin and the power to sin (posse non peccare et posse peccare).  In Adam's original sin, man lost the "posse non peccare" (the power not to sin) and retained the "posse peccare" (the power to sin) which he continues to exercise.  In the fulfillment of grace, man will have the "posse peccare" taken away and receive the highest of all, the power not to sin (non posse peccare).  This highest state, in itself, is worthy of our eager anticipation. The ultimate reward of the saints is not a so-called "Eden restored" where  temptation toward disobedience existed,  but rather eternal bliss without the ability to sin.


The late Martyn Lloyd-Jones aptly stated that "Many are in trouble simply because they do not realize the truth concerning the new birth...Nothing is more glorious than the doctrine of the rebirth; and this is obviously the work of God in us through the Spirit.  We do not give birth to ourselves, we are not born because we believe.  We believe because we are reborn."  Moreover, our awesome God never unadopts us from His wonderful family.  Once reborn, we cannot become unreborn (John 10:27-29). Thankfully, His elect are never treated like foster children who worry about being forsaken at any moment.


Due to our fallen state, we are not merely partly or mostly dependent upon Christ for our conversion but totally dependent upon Him.  The state of original sin leaves us in the wretched condition of being unable to refrain from sinning.  We are still able to choose what we desire, but our desires remain chained by our evil impulses. Thus, in the flesh, we are free only to sin, a hollow freedom indeed. It is a freedom without liberty, a real moral bondage.  True liberty can only come from without, from the work of God on the soul.  All in all, we are not partly or mostly dependent upon His saving grace for our conversion (regeneration) but totally dependent upon grace. It's all about Him!  Soli Deo gloria!


In awe of the guilt-removing, sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus,




Dennis Fischer, Web Chaplain
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THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK OF JAMES

Various Bible students are somewhat puzzled with key passages found in the letter of James (notably in chapters 1 and 2). James' phrase "faith without works is dead" is not contrasting two methods of salvation (faith versus works).  Instead, James is contrasting two kinds of faith: living faith that saves and dead faith that does not.  James' teaching perfectly complements Paul's writings. The spiritual fruit that James talks about simply demonstrates the true faith of which Paul wrote. Indeed, salvation is determined by faith alone (Eph. 2:8, 9) and demonstrated by faithfulness to obey God's will alone (Eph. 2:10). Just as professed compassion without action is phony, the kind of faith  that is without works is empty profession, not genuine saving faith.


The Law of God is not a series of detached injunctions but a basic unity that requires perfect love of Him and neighbors (Matt. 22:36-40). Although all sins are not equally damaging or heinous, they all shatter that unity and render people transgressors, much like hitting a window with a hammer at only one point will shatter and destroy the whole window.  James' phrase "guilty of all" (James 2:10) is not in the sense of having violated every  command, but in the sense of having violated the Law's unity.  One transgression makes fulfilling the Law's most basic commands--to love God perfectly and to love one's neighbor as oneself--impossible. James is thereby referring to the injunction (Great Commandment) of Jesus and the Shema found in Matthew 22 and Deuteronomy 6 respectively.  


What is the "royal law" (James 2:8) and "the perfect law, the law of liberty" (James 1:25; 2:12)?  The phrase "royal law" translates better as "sovereign law." The idea is that this law is supreme and binding. The context of James 2 clearly indicates that James is referring to God's righteous standards as expressed in His Law (verses 8, 11). It is important to understand that not all of the 613 laws of the Torah had the same importance, purpose, and weight. These 613 laws have been historically categorized as containing moral, ceremonial, judicial, civic, and agricultural injunctions (the latter four are passe, the first category still applies as verified repeatedly in the NT). In other words, the ethics of the Old Testament Law are the same as those of the New Testament Gospel. The "law of  Christ" (Gal. 6:2) is the law of love which fulfills the entire law (love toward God and neighbors).


The Apostle Paul affirms that the Law is "holy and righteous and good" as God Himself is. Again, the context of Romans 7 clearly refers to the ethical or moral injunctions of the Decalogue (verse 7). Since the Ten Commandments are considered a basic summary of the 613 laws of the Torah or Pentateuch, it should not surprise anyone to find a ceremonial or ritual law in the mix (i.e., the Fourth Commandment with its weekly showbread and extra sacrificing requirements). Indeed, without any ritual elements, the Decalogue would not be a representative summation of the entire Law. It is noteworthy that the other nine commandments are in effect 24/7 (every nanosecond of  time) and not merely once a week. Moreover, God's ethical (moral) standards are not  in force  just  intermittently or sporadically.  


Let us, like David and Paul,  delight in God's Law with our "inner being" (verse 22) or spirit.  After all, what is there not to like about God's righteous standards?  Even without a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, God's revealed will in His Word would still be best for our lives. The fact that the law reveals, arouses, and condemns sin, bringing death to the sinner, does not mean that the law is evil.  Rather, the law is a perfect reflection of God's holy character and the standard for believers to please Him.  In contrast to the claims of SDA apologists, the Bible nowhere implies nor teaches that only ethical or moral directives are found in the Decalogue.   


Unfortunately, some former Adventists and others have developed an aversion to God's Law due to their intense abuse from legalism. Legalism, which is the misuse of the law,  messes up a lot of people. Consequently, they sometimes embrace so-called "Christ-centered" or "Spirit-led" antinomianism (read the concise article by J. I. Packer entitled "Antinomianism" in this blog).  In the truest sense, all exhortations in Scripture are a form of law. Two wrongs never make a right.   In this information age, there has been a dramatic upswing in biblical literacy throughout the world. Soli Deo Gloria!


It is not an overstatement to say that Seventh-day Adventism has not prepared us to accurately and  biblically decipher the religious landscape surrounding us. The result is too often akin to leaping from one frying pan into yet another one. However, in the miracle of regeneration, God opens our hearts (like happened to Lydia, the seller of purple) and gives us a teachable spirit that corrects our past errors. It takes a lot of humility to admit being wrong about the most important things in life--especially to one's adult children who were taught a false gospel from early childhood. Indeed, saving faith has the important element of obedience. James aptly depicts the obedience of faith.  Getting the Gospel right should be our top priority. Moreover, teaching "sound doctrine" is a biblical mandate (Titus 2).  Satan doesn't mind our leaving a cult or a false gospel if we join yet another one or create our own.

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CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Are you puzzled about buying meaningful Christmas gifts for your friends and family? Since books are like friends, we can't have too many good ones.  Take a look at the vast array of Christian books (including children's books) available at www.monergismbooks.com at reasonable prices. It may be time to get yourself and others a new Bible as well. God walked down the staircase of heaven with a Baby in His arms.  How awesome to reflect anew upon our incarnate God during this season of the year!


When I visit this online Christian bookstore, it makes me feel like a child walking through a candy store. You deserve the same experience. Admittedly, I have an insatiable appetite to obtain and read more books--especially solid Christian ones. Books are ideal gifts for any occasion.  Moreover, Christian books help us to avoid packing up  the true spirit of Christmas when we put away the decorations. Wishing a blessed and joyous Christmas to all!


Dennis Fischer

WHY THE LAW WAS GIVEN

by John Piper, Pastor for Preaching  
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA


Simply click on the sermon title above to hear or read this excellent, Bible-based sermon on an important topic that is often misunderstood. Just because the Law is not a way to salvation does not extinguish its sanctifying purpose as an ethical guide for Christian conduct. In Romans 7:12, the Apostle Paul affirms that the Law is holy, righteous, and good as God Himself is. In the truest sense, all exhortations in Scripture are a form of law.  Since the Bible is God's voice speaking to us, the indwelling Spirit always enables, exalts, extols, and promotes the written, revealed will of God for our lives.


Obviously, not all of the 613 laws of the Torah have the same importance, purpose, and weight. Ethical or moral laws are those in effect 24/7 (every nanosecond), that transcend covenants and time frames, and not those merely in effect once in a lifetime, year, season, month, or week. Since the Christian has been given and forgiven much, there is absolutely nothing not to like or appreciate about God's righteous standards as mandated repeatedly throughout the entire Bible.  Let us exclaim, like David, to love, meditate and delight in God's divine precepts all day long. "Your word a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105 ESV).


A special blessing awaits you in reading and/or listening to this informative and inspiring sermon.  


--Dennis Fischer

UPDATE (10-12-2012):  Due to the exceptional impact of a series of sermons by Pastor John Piper on the law and the gospel (new covenant versus old covenant), several readers of this blog have requested links to his other sermons in this category listed below.  Also, serious Bible students may want to read a separate post entitled "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law" that was published on Nov. 5, 2011. Getting the Gospel right should be our top priority.

DEAD TO THE LAW: SERVING IN THE SPIRIT

LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW

THE LAW DOES NOT ANNUL THE PROMISE

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ELLEN WHITE'S LOW VIEW OF BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

"The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God's mode of thought and expression.  It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented.  Men will often say such an expression is not like God.  But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on  trial in the Bible.  The writers of the Bible were God's penmen, not His  pen."  (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, Chapter One "The Inspiration of the Prophetic Writers")  Seventh-day Adventism teaches merely thought inspiration instead of verbal inspiration of the Bible.  Thus, their weak stance on biblical inspiration makes provision for the many errors found in the writings attributed to Ellen White.


In stark contrast to the preceding quotation, The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, adopted at a meeting of more than two hundred evangelical leaders in October, 1978, rightly affirms that "the authority of Scriptures is a key issue for the Christian church in this and every age."  The authority of the Bible is based on its being the written Word of God, and because the Bible is the Word of God and the God of the Bible is truth and speaks truthfully, authority is linked to inerrancy.  If the Bible is the Word of God, and if God is a God of truth, then the Bible must be inerrant--not merely in some of its parts, as some modern theologians are saying, but totally, as the church for the most part has said down through the ages of its history.


The human writers were not machines and ought not be conceived of as being without personality.  What is overcome or overridden by  inspiration is not human personality, style or literary structure, but human tendencies to distortion, falsehood, and  error. If the original text were errant, the church would have the option of rejecting the teachings of that errant text.  If the original text is inerrant (and the science of textual criticism must be depended upon to reconstruct that inerrant text), we have no legitimate basis for disobeying a mandate of Scripture where the text is not in doubt.  The Bible is God's voice speaking to us.


Indeed, "All Scripture is inspired [literally meaning "God-breathed"] by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16 NASB).  There is a technical difference between "infallible" and "inerrant."  But anything that is infallible, that is, incapable of erring, cannot at the same time err.  For if it errs, it proves that it is capable of erring and therefore is not infallible. In fact, however, the term infallible in its original and technical meaning is a higher term than the term inerrant. But that which is infallible could not theoretically be at the same time errant.


Since the mid-1950s, Seventh-day Adventists have had a deep yearning to appear as authentic evangelical Protestants.  A highly controversial book entitled "Questions on Doctrine" was published in 1957 by a select group of SDA administrators, editors, and teachers in response to a challenge from the  late Dr. Walter Martin, a professional cult watcher.  This 720-page book serves as a prime example of their desperate strategy to disguise themselves as fully embracing biblical Christianity and to thereby long for the day when their shameful stigma as a cult would be somehow lessened or even removed. Since then, however, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has officially replaced and deleted key words in some doctrinal statements (e.g., the words "all-sufficient" and "unerring" were removed from their statement on the authority of Scripture).  This action allowed room for the extra-biblical writings attributed to their revered messenger and prophetess, Ellen G. White.


CREDIT:  Selected excerpts taken from Explaining Inerrancy by Dr. R. C. Sproul; Ligonier Ministries, 1980.

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THE INFALLIBLE INTERPRETER

by Dennis J. Fischer

The following statements should forever settle the issue of whether Ellen G. White is considered the infallible interpreter of Scripture in Seventh-day Adventist circles:


"We believe the revelation and inspiration of both the Bible and Ellen White's writings to be of equal quality.  The superintendence of the Holy Spirit was just as careful and thorough in one case as in the other."  (Ministry magazine, October, 1981)


"It is from the standpoint of the light that has come through the Spirit of Prophecy (Mrs. White's writings) that the question will be considered, believing as we do that the Spirit of Prophecy is the only infallible interpreter of Bible principles, since it is that Christ, through this agency, giving real meaning of his own words."
(Excerpt from the tract "The Mark of the Beast," page 1; G. A. Irwin, former president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; emphasis supplied)


The preceding quotations clearly affirm yet another reason why Seventh-day Adventism is outside the pale of evangelical Protestantism and biblical Christianity. Moreover, official SDA dogma (approved by the 1980 GC Session in Dallas,Texas USA) declares that the writings attributed to Ellen White are a "continuing and authoritative source of truth."

When hard pressed, it is not unusual to hear a devout Adventist insist that the SDA Church does not believe that Ellen White is their infallible interpreter of Scripture.  At this point in a dialogue, it would be most appropriate to ask our Seventh-day Adventist friend(s), "What part of Ellen White's writings do you not believe in?"  After all, there is no current SDA dogma that Ellen White did not create or endorse. In this information age, it is very encouraging to observe that more and more Adventists do not believe that the writings attributed to Ellen White are inspired.

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ADVENTISTS, MILLERITES, MORMONS, AND SHAKERS

by Dennis J. Fischer

The religious landscape in the early 1840s was very similar among the Millerites, Mormons, and Shakers.  All these groups shared the commonality of having an assortment of prophets, founders or co-founders of various religions,  and shameless visionaries and/or reveries (i.e., Joseph Smith, Ellen Harmon, Ann Lee, etc.).  These cultic groups claimed to have various witnesses who could affirm that their favorite visionaries had actually seen angels and/or conversed with the patriarchs of Old Testament times by supposedly having seen them in a vision. 

William Miller, the founder of the time-setting Millerite movement in the early 1840s, was greatly annoyed by all the excitable female visionaries among his devout followers.  The lunatic asylums, forerunner of our modern mental health centers,  had sufficient documented admissions to clinically label their erratic condition as  "Millerite Madness."  It should not surprise us that the extreme religious fervor of the early 1840s appealed to the emotionally-distraught in unprecedented numbers.


Interestingly, the "angels" always spoke in Old English to Ellen White and Joseph Smith.  Even though Smith and White  did not  speak in Old English themselves, the simple inclusion of angelic statements in Old English made  it sound  more authentic and biblical to many gullible readers. Apparently, their god was unable or unwilling to speak in contemporary English.  When Jesus did not return on October 22, 1844 as William Miller predicted, the desperate, disappointed Millerites were forced to live in Shaker communes to survive the harsh New England winter.  Many devout Millerites had failed to plant family gardens and even sold their homes and businesses to benefit the Millerite movement.  Since men and women were arbitrarily separated in Shaker communes, the poverty-stricken Millerite families did not stay any longer than absolutely necessary for their survival.  


It is noteworthy that William Miller was not as  dedicated to his cause as many of his ardent followers.  When all was said and done, Father Miller still had a nice farm home in upstate New York to enjoy.  All in all, Joseph Smith, Ellen White, and the loyal defenders of Mother Lee published various books and pamphlets that supposedly had the weight of divine law.  In the case of Ellen White, she claimed that all her published writings, even though largely plagiarized,  came directly from the throne of God. She never envisioned the day when computer technology would be able to easily decipher and expose her rampant literary theft. 


Both Ellen G. White (1827-1915) and Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) preferred to be called a "messenger of the Lord" due to the negative connotation of  the title "prophet" in Joseph Smith's troubling legacy. In regard to Charles Russell, whose group became the Jehovah's Witnesses, his gravestone declares that he was the "Messenger of the Lord."  As fate dictated, Ellen White was unable to escape nor rewrite her cultic legacy.  Seventh-day Adventism was born in the Millerite deception of 1844 and officially organized nineteen years later in 1863. Truly, those who are intent upon accurate answers will no longer remain in a toxic-faith system.

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CHRIST REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW

by John Piper, PhD

Simply click on the title above to either listen to John Piper's excellent sermon or to read it and even re-read it.  Interestingly, Dr. Piper brings out the linguistic fact that Koine Greek has no equivalent word for "legalism."  Those who are bilingual or have studied another language are aware that some words cannot be accurately translated from one language to another. For example, even a humorous story often loses its humor when translated into another language.  Human languages do not have the same  number  of  words, grammatical structure,  nor matching synonyms.


Thus, the Apostle Paul, in addressing Galatian legalism (misuse of the law), was forced to rely upon the context to reveal his intent in Galatians 3.  "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law" (verse 13) and not from our duty to obey His righteous standards. Since many Bible students are often confused about the relationship between  law and grace, this sermon is very helpful in alleviating further misunderstanding on this important, salvific topic. Without law there is no sin and thereby no need for a Savior and Substitute.  In other words, without the problem of sin there is no need for the awe-inspiring gospel of Jesus Christ. Indeed, every exhortation in Scripture is a form of law.   Let us continue to appreciate God's revealed will for our lives.

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Should Christians Practice Tithing?

by Dennis J. Fischer

A comprehensive study of tithing codes in the Old Testament reveals a system of incredible complexity and periodic change. History repeatedly verifies that any dissent on this topic can bring the "wrath of God" upon us by able and willing churchmen. The primary focus of this study deals with the Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, history, policy, and practice of tithing. Although a large segment of  Adventists do not return a so-called "honest tithe," any personal or public inquiry into this doctrinal pillar is done at one's own peril.


From 1859 to the late 1870s,  Adventists did not have a doctrine on tithing as it is known today; instead, they advocated a plan known as "systematic benevolence."  It was designed for church members from 18 to 60 years of age who owned property. Also, men and women had  different rate schedules for suggested giving.  The Good Samaritan, an exclusive magazine for the SB plan, was published to promote this endeavor.  Ellen White gave this plan her full endorsement.  At first, local SDA churches had complete control of the SB funds; however, the growing church hierarchy soon seized upon such liberties.1


Interestingly, it was Dudley Canright, Adventism's most notable heretic, who championed the current doctrine of tithing in the mid-1870s.  As would be expected, Ellen  White gave wholehearted approval to this plan that projected increased revenue from every income category. One of the major differences in these two plans was that systematic benevolence funds could also be used for local church expenses. The tithe funds, on the other hand, were restricted primarily for ministerial salaries, in recent decades for some  teacher's salaries, and for salaries of personnel in various levels of administration.


Another largely overlooked and/or ignored aspect of tithing in our economy is the issue of unequal sacrifice. For example, a tither earning merely $15,000.00 per year has a much greater financial burden for the basic needs of life than the tither earning $100,000.00 per year (even flat tax proponents and the IRS allow an exemption for low income). Old Testament tithing codes made provision for public welfare, temple maintenance, support for priests and other professional personnel, theocratic government expenses, and festal celebrations. It is important to note that there never was a monetary tithe (i.e., salaries and non-farm, self-employment income were exempt). Only crops and animals came under the various tithing regulations.


It is most surprising, even shocking,  to many Christians that a large segment of the Hebrew people did not tithe at all. For example, farm hands did not tithe. Furthermore, occupations like fishermen, construction workers, lumbermen, weavers, handicraft workers, miners, merchandisers, military personnel, law enforcement officials, and manufacturers were also exempt from tithing.  The teaching profession, on the other hand, was an important and integral part of the Levitical system. The occupations of the Levites were what we call the professional fields today.


Mandatory Tithe


Unlike Israel's laws, the General Conference Working Policy requires all credentialed denominational employees to tithe their incomes in order to keep their jobs (usually routine audits, known or unknown to the Church employee, are used to enforce full compliance). In the event that an employee is found in noncompliance, administrative action can be severe; specifically, a summons to a special meeting, restitution of funds supposedly stolen from God (payment of back tithe), or termination of employment.


Enforcement action is generally very sporadic to nonexistent for employees other than ministers and credentialed personnel.  For example, it would be unthinkable, discriminatory, unfair, and likely illegal for the SDA Church to require Adventist medical personnel in their hospitals to tithe in order to maintain their employment while non-Adventists in the same position would be unaffected. However, if the matter went from bad to worse, the affected Adventist medical employee could feasibly request to be removed from the membership records of the SDA organization in order to keep his or her job. This action would be yet another good reason to officially leave Adventism. Truly, those who are intent upon accurate answers will no longer remain as members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for a variety of monetary, psychological, and theological reasons.


In spite of the inconsistency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in disciplining its workers for noncompliance in tithing, local  church treasurers are indispensable to the local  pastor and his nominating committees to verify eligibility for any position of influence. Sadly but truly, some people tithe to keep their positions whereas others tithe to gain positions in the Church. Doesn't this required tithing sound a lot like the mandatory dues of an organized labor union? Only tithers can hold positions of influence in the local church. This effectively translates into a two-tier SDA membership system. For extra job security and/or legalistic passion, some people in the "upper tier" of SDA employment, tithe on gross income instead of net income to insure that they have not supposedly robbed God nor raised an auditor's eyebrows. 


Moreover, in both Adventism and Mormonism, tithing is not a confidential personal matter between the individual member and God. In Adventism, tithing is an absolute requirement, not an option, for key employees and non-employees who wish to serve their organization in any position of influence. Since Seventh-day Adventism is largely a physical religion (e. g., Sabbath-keeping, lacto-ovo vegetarianism, veganism, no jewelry, no lip stick or rouge for women, no masturbation (considered identical to suicide), quarterly foot washing ceremony, no sweet cakes, no dancing, no clapping in church, no card playing, no Jello-brand gelatin desserts, no pies, no condiments, no butter, no coffee, tea, or cola drinks, no alcoholic beverages, no apple cider, no chocolate, no ice cream, no eggs, no milk, no cheese, ad nauseam), tithing provides yet another way for Seventh-day Adventists to judge each other. Because well-meaning Adventists cannot possibly obey all the rules imposed by their organization, they are forced to largely live a guilt-ridden life that is devoid of any assurance of their salvation and position in Christ. Consequently, their spiritual growth is retarded, and they are assailed with crippling doubts. Their unique cognitive dissonance (the ability to believe in two opposing views simultaneously) keeps them from insanity. 


The honest, objective student of Scripture will find it impossible to practice the various versions of tithing recorded during different time frames in the Old Testament.  Historically and traditionally, tithes were only mandated for crops grown from the sacred soil of Palestine where the Levitical system was fully in place.  Even Orthodox Jews realize the futility of adhering to the tithing institution without having an ongoing sacrificial system in place. Rabbinical canonists prohibited tithing after the destruction of the second temple in A. D. 70.  Today, Jews use alternative methods of financing their congregation's needs. "In addition to the natural tendency of human beings to set their own standards of giving, the church has established various standards of its own, all of which must be scrutinized in terms of their faithfulness to the basic understanding which motivates Christian giving.  All too often, as a compensation for man's innate selfishness, the church has attempted to force its members to be more generous by imposing standards upon them which supposedly have the weight of divine law.  The church must be held responsible for having confused and distorted the true meaning of Christian stewardship."2


Perhaps you are familiar with many stories in Adventist books and magazines claiming the promises of Malachi 3 for our day and circumstance. Exciting stories abound from pen and pulpit of how God miraculously intervened exclusively for the honest tithe-payer.  For example, typical SDA accounts depict a summer hailstorm that devastated all the crops in a certain area but abruptly stopped at the tither's fields.  Claiming such promises and miracles, why would a farmer even think of buying any crop insurance?  Stranger yet, why would the General Conference operate an insurance corporation for charging premiums of their various Church entities throughout the world?  Why would a local church board find it financially sound to insure their church structure from any losses?  Jesus said, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45 NIV).  The Gospel does not include making  "principles" out of Old Covenant rituals. Why, then, make tithing a principle but not all the Old Covenant directives? Importantly, Old Covenant tithing is not mandated anywhere in the New Testament.


A Royal Tax


As may be learned from 1 Samuel 8:15,17, tithe could also be a royal tax which the king could exact and give to his offiicials.  This ambiguity of the tithe, as a royal tax due on the one hand and as a sacred donation on the other, is to be explained by the fact that temples to which tithe was assigned were royal temples (cf. esp. Amos 7:13) and, as such, the property and treasures in them were put at the king's disposal.  In  Genesis 14:20 Abraham gives a tithe (after his battle with the four kings of the north) to Melchizedek the king-priest of Shalem, and in Genesis 28:22 (cf. also Amos 4:4) Jacob vows to pay tithe at Beth-El, the  "royal chapel" of the Northern Kingdom (Amos 7:13).  The mention of specifically these two "royal temples" in connection with the tithe is not a coincidence.  It seems that these two traditions have an etiological slant.


The institution of collecting tithes in the northern chapel Beth-El is linked to Jacob, the ancestor hero par excellence of the northern tribes, while the institution of the tithe in the royal sanctuary of Jerusalem is traced back to Abraham, whose traditions are mainly attached to the south.  As is well known, the kings controlled the treasures of palace and temple alike (1 Kings 15:18; 2 Kings 12:19; 18:15), a fact which  is understandable since they were responsible for the maintenance of the sanctuary and its service of the court (cf. Ezekiel 45:17, etc.). It stands to reason that the tithe, which originally was a religious tribute, came to be channeled to the court and was therefore supervised by royal authorities. This royal management of temple funds is actually attested in 2 Chronicles 31:4 where Hezekiah is said to organize the collection and the storage of the tribute including the tithe.


The rendering of  tithes of property was common all over the Ancient Near East. God used an equitable system that His people were already familiar with and that they would fully utilize in their culture and economy. In converting grain to money, in cases of transportation problems,  a fifth had to be added by the process. However, no conversion to money was allowed for animals.  Some tithe was actually eaten in a chosen place annually (see Deut. 14:22). In contrast to the common view, there is no real contradiction between Nehemiah 10:28, which says that "the Levites are collecting the tithe in all the cities," and Malachi 3:10, Nehemiah 12:44; 13:12, etc. which speak of the people bringing tithes to the storehouses. The  latter statements mean that people made their contribution, not that the people brought the tithes with them in the literal sense of the word. According to Mesopotamian practice, the temple authorities were responsible for the transportation of the tithe, and there is no reason to think the same practice should not have prevailed in Judah, especially when this tradition is  explicitedly stated in Nehemiah 10:38.  On the other hand,  it is possible that the smaller Judean farmers brought their tithes with them to Jerusalem.  There were different tithing locations and procedures in various time frames in the Old Testament, so there was not just one standard method of paying tithe.


Malachi's Injunction


In order to understand the tithing injunction in the book of Malachi, it is important to understand the severity of the problems in his day including many Israelites having foreign women, the prevalence of drought, famine, blighted crops,  and so forth. People met these problems with spiritual lethargy and indifference.  They  had  forgotten God and treated Him with dishonor.  In  this crisis, God spoke to the entire nation through Malachi, (Malachi 3:9,10) to bring the "whole tithe" (NIV) or "all the tithe" (KJV) into the storehouses.  Temple officials picked up the tithes on the threshing floor when needed and/or had storage space. In addition, God made a specific promise to those responding to His call at this time, guaranteeing that He would prevent crop failure by pest, drought, and  disease (Malachi 3:11). Furthermore, God  promised to open the "floodgates of heaven" (NIV) "that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10 KJV). This promise clearly applied to the emergency in Malachi's day about 430 B.C.  Normally, "all the tithes" or the "whole  tithe" was not needed at once.3


From the foregoing, it might seem that the tithe was an obligatory tribute, as is actually stated in Deuteronomy 14:22.  However,  the tithe was also a kind of vow or voluntary gift.  Thus, Jacob's tithe in Genesis 28 is clearly linked to a vow, and by the same token Abraham gives tithes to Melchizedek of his own free will (Genesis 14:19-20). Amos also mentions the tithe within the framework of voluntary offerings (Amos 4:4-5). The law of tithe in Leviticus 27:32-33 occurs in a chapter dealing with sacred free gifts of various kinds (the firstlings there, verses 26-27, is an exception to the rule: these gifts cannot be dedicated since they are holy by virtue of their birth as firstlings). Tithing went through  different changes and  rules as  God,  culture, and the economy dictated.


During the Intertestamental period, the tithing codes added even the most unimportant  crops such as thyme, dill, cumin, mustard, pepper, caper, and mint to be meticulously calculated.  Jesus mentioned these practices in Matthew 23:23, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin..."  Obviously, Jesus was not impressed with their legalism.  Christ taught the radical concept of common ownership for His followers to enable the Gospel to become the central focus in their lives.  The early Christians trusted each other with their pooled resources. Materialism was not their bondage; Christ was their all-sufficient Savior. The Lord abundantly blessed their love for the Gospel. Earthly goods could not separate them from their Redeemer, and Christianity spread like wildfire.


It took almost three centuries before the early Church fathers reintroduced tithing.  The Emperor Constantine the Great, in appreciation for his baptism and his cure from leprosy at the hands of Sylvester, Bishop of Rome, A. D. 314-336, developed ecclesiastical and civil laws which required support for the Church.  Constantine further legalized Christianity in A. D. 321 with the first Sunday law allowing believers to celebrate a weekly Easter. Furthermore, he gave the Church vast properties in Judea, Greece, Asia, Africa, and other places. The Apocrypha was especially influential in upholding tithing and almsgiving as having healing and saving power. "For almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin" (Tobit 12:9). Belief in the redeeming power of almsgiving was so strong that the word "righteousness" became synonymous with "almsgiving."


John Seldon (1584-1654), English jurist and scholar, in his monumental work "The Historie of  Tithes" published  in 1618, contends that any mathematical percentage was not in keeping with the free and liberal spirit of the early Christians. Seldon's investigations have been recognized as a leading authority in revealing that the early Christians did not tithe uninterruptedly from the beginning of time.4 Seldon contended that the Church of England had the legal right to collect tithes, but not the Biblical right. Due to his tithing views, his work was ruthlessly suppressed by churchmen while he was incarcerated in the Tower of London.


It was a very special treat for me to have access to John Seldon's "The Historie of Tithes" with its Old English script.   The assistant in the Special Documents Division of Love Library at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, brought me this book as the cover fell off.  It was kept in a plastic container. This scholarly work was still in fair condition despite its 380th birthday.  After studying the book for nearly an hour, I left in awe to have held such a monumental, forbidden book in my hands. I proceeded to the microfilm department to get some copies of the text. The book  itself cannot be checked out due to its rarity and age.


With compulsory tithing back in the Church, legalism took a giant leap forward. The old adage that "history repeats itself" was never more accurate than in this matter. "Zwingle made a strong attack on the ecclesiastical system of tithing. He declared the tithes to be merely voluntary offerings."5  Soon after the Reformation, there were peasant revolts known as "tithe wars" against compulsory tithing.  In the United States, in 1876, Thomas Kate began a movement which was actually organized as "The Layman Company" dedicated to encourage tithing in America. This modern tithing  movement has grown tremendously ever since, until today we witness the phenomenon of whole denominations, such as the Mormons and the Adventists, building their spiritual life around the practice of tithing.6  Mormons have the most successful tithing statistics in America. They claim that their members currently pay 7.5 percent of their incomes in tithe. Early Adventist pioneers believed, like Zwingle, that the tithing laws are not binding on Christians. However, don't expect to read this fact in the next issue of the Adventist Review. Recent articles have given the reader the impression that Adventists have  always believed in tithing as we know it today.  The official history of the Adventist Church has been heavily rewritten.


Apparently, the young Seventh-day Adventist Church of the 1870s felt insecure and underfunded without a strict tithing doctrine.  With a tithing mandate, members would presumably feel compelled to turn over more of their hard-earned money.  Furthermore, if the  members felt that their salvation was at stake, they  would be in full compliance. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there is your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).  We give because Christ gave to us first. The Christian simply gives because he has been given and forgiven much. Generosity is not the quantity of the gift, but the quality of the heart. Jesus stated, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:20). Some, therefore, contend that the required transcendence of the Pharisaical righteousness  can be achieved merely by doing more of what the Pharisees do.  Let us never forget that all the tithe-paying in the world will not save us. Indeed, salvation is a gift to be received, not a a goal to be achieved.


"Perhaps it will be said that tithing which does not rest upon a divine command for a fixed due is not tithing.  This may be true, but in our century there is meaning in regular proportionate giving without the shackles of the law."7 Christian stewardship concerns itself with more than just giving a person's material resources.  It includes giving yourself, your time, and your talent in service to the Lord.  Paul wrote, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"  (2 Corinthians 9:6,7 NIV). Someone aptly stated, "Money doesn't make people greedy, but it shows who is."


The Gospel breeds generosity wherever it takes root.  With Spirit-led giving, the Christian has no need to yearn for the ritual laws of Moses to finance the Great Commission.  Under the Old Covenant, God largely directed and specified the amount that His chosen people should give, but under the New Covenant, His elect are entrusted to gratefully and voluntarily determine the amount of their stewardship as prompted by the indwelling Spirit.  In light of God's call and mission to reach a dying world with the Gospel, prescribed or rigidly-imposed percentage giving is far too limiting and restrictive for Christ-followers. The New Testament, being the later, clearer, and final revelation to man,  must be allowed to modify, interpret, augment, and transform Old Testament directives in a Christ-centered way.


ENDNOTES


1.  Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, pp.1287-89, Review and Herald Publishing Association; Washington, D. C., 1966.
2.  Lukas Vischer, Tithing in the Early Church, p. viii, Fortress Press, Philadelphia, PA, 1966.
3.  Encyclopedia Judaica,  Tithe,  pp. 1156-62, Keter Publishing House, Jerusalem Ltd. Israel, Printed in  Israel.
4.  John  Seldon, The Historie of Tithes, Printed in London, England, 1618.
5.  Thomas K. Thompson, Editor, Stewardship in Contemporary Theology, p.105, Association Press, New York, 1960.
6.  Ibid., p.139.
7.  Ibid., p.143.

courtesy of

DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES

Worldwide Chaplaincy Services

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