the acts of the apostles-第57节

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the　wants　of　the　needy。　For　special　occasions　there　were　freewill　offerings。
At　the　harvest　and　the　vintage；　the　first　fruits　of　the　fieldcorn；　wine；
and　oilwere　consecrated　as　an　offering　to　the　Lord。　The　gleanings　and　the
corners　of　the　field　were　reserved　for　the　poor。　The　first　fruits　of　the
wool　when　the　sheep　were　shorn；　of　the　grain　when　the　wheat　was　threshed；
were　set　apart　for　God。　So　also　were　the　first…born　of　all　animals；　and　a
redemption　price　was　paid　for　the　first…born　son。　The　first　fruits　were　to
be　presented　before　the　Lord　at　the　sanctuary　and　were　then　devoted　to　the
use　of　the　priests。

By　this　system　of　benevolence　the　Lord　sought　to　teach　Israel　that　in
everything　He　must　be　first。　Thus　they　were　reminded　that　God　was　the
proprietor　of　their　fields；　their　flocks；　and　their　herds；　that　it　was　He
who　sent　them　the　sunshine　and　the　rain　that　developed　and　ripened　the
harvest。　Everything　that　they　possessed　was　His；　they　were　but　the　stewards
of　His　goods。

It　is　not　God's　purpose　that　Christians；　whose　privileges　far　exceed　those
of　the　Jewish　nation；　shall　give　less　freely　than　they　gave。　〃Unto
whomsoever　much　is　given；〃　the　Saviour　declared；　〃of　him　shall　be　much
required。〃　Luke　12：48。　The　liberality　required　of　the　Hebrews　was　largely　to
benefit　their　own　nation；　today　the　work　of　God　extends

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over　all　the　earth。　In　the　hands　of　His　followers；　Christ　has　placed　the
treasures　of　the　gospel；　and　upon　them　He　has　laid　the　responsibility　of
giving　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation　to　the　world。　Surely　our　obligations
are　much　greater　than　were　those　of　ancient　Israel。

As　God's　work　extends；　calls　for　help　will　come　more　and　more　frequently。
That　these　calls　may　be　answered；　Christians　should　heed　the　command；　〃Bring
ye　all　the　tithes　into　the　storehouse；　that　there　may　be　meat　in　Mine
house。〃　Malachi　3：10。　If　professing　Christians　would　faithfully　bring　to　God
their　tithes　and　offerings；　His　treasury　would　be　full。　There　would　then　be
no　occasion　to　resort　to　fairs；　lotteries；　or　parties　of　pleasure　to　secure
funds　for　the　support　of　the　gospel。

Men　are　tempted　to　use　their　means　in　self…indulgence；　in　the　gratification
of　appetite；　in　personal　adornment；　or　in　the　embellishment　of　their　homes。
For　these　objects　many　church　members　do　not　hesitate　to　spend　freely　and
even　extravagantly。　But　when　asked　to　give　to　the　Lord's　treasury；　to　carry
forward　His　work　in　the　earth；　they　demur。　Perhaps；　feeling　that　they　cannot
well　do　otherwise；　they　dole　out　a　sum　far　smaller　than　they　often　spend　for
needless　indulgence。　They　manifest　no　real　love　for　Christ's　service；　no
earnest　interest　in　the　salvation　of　souls。　What　marvel　that　the　Christian
life　of　such　ones　is　but　a　dwarfed；　sickly　existence！

He　whose　heart　is　aglow　with　the　love　of　Christ　will　regard　it　as　not　only　a
duty；　but　a　pleasure；　to　aid　in　the

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advancement　of　the　highest；　holiest　work　committed　to　man　the　work　of
presenting　to　the　world　the　riches　of　goodness；　mercy；　and　truth。

It　is　the　spirit　of　covetousness　which　leads　men　to　keep　for　gratification
of　self　means　that　rightfully　belong　to　God；　and　this　spirit　is　as　abhorrent
to　Him　now　as　when　through　His　prophet　He　sternly　rebuked　His　people；
saying；　〃Will　a　man　rob　God？　Yet　ye　have　robbed　Me。　But　ye　say；　Wherein　have
we　robbed　Thee？　In　tithes　and　offerings。　Ye　are　cursed　with　a　curse：　for　ye
have　robbed　Me；　even　this　whole　nation。〃　Malachi　3：8；　9。

The　spirit　of　liberality　is　the　spirit　of　heaven。　This　spirit　finds　its
highest　manifestation　in　Christ's　sacrifice　on　the　cross。　In　our　behalf　the
Father　gave　His　only…begotten　Son；　and　Christ；　having　given　up　all　that　He
had；　then　gave　Himself；　that　man　might　be　saved。　The　cross　of　Calvary　should
appeal　to　the　benevolence　of　every　follower　of　the　Saviour。　The　principle
there　illustrated　is　to　give；　give。　〃He　that　saith　he　abideth　in　Him　ought
himself　also　so　to　walk；　even　as　He　walked。〃　1　John　2：6。

On　the　other　hand；　the　spirit　of　selfishness　is　the　spirit　of　Satan。　The
principle　illustrated　in　the　lives　of　worldlings　is　to　get；　get。　Thus　they
hope　to　secure　happiness　and　ease；　but　the　fruit　of　their　sowing　is　misery
and　death。

Not　until　God　ceases　to　bless　His　children　will　they　cease　to　be　under　bonds
to　return　to　Him　the　portion　that　He　claims。　Not　only　should　they　render　the
Lord　the　portion　that　belongs　to　Him；　but　they　should　bring　also　to　His

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treasury；　as　a　gratitude　offering；　a　liberal　tribute。　With　joyful　hearts
they　should　dedicate　to　the　Creator　the　first　fruits　of　their
bountiestheir　choicest　possessions；　their　best　and　holiest　service。　Thus
they　will　gain　rich　blessings。　God　Himself　will　make　their　souls　like　a
watered　garden　whose　waters　fail　not。　And　when　the　last　great　harvest　is
gathered　in；　the　sheaves　that　they　are　enabled　to　bring　to　the　Master　will
be　the　recompense　of　their　unselfish　use　of　the　talents　lent　them。

God's　chosen　messengers；　who　are　engaged　in　aggressive　labor；　should　never
be　compelled　to　go　a　warfare　at　their　own　charges；　unaided　by　the
sympathetic　and　hearty　support　of　their　brethren。　It　is　the　part　of　church
members　to　deal　liberally　with　those　who　lay　aside　their　secular　employment
that　they　may　give　themselves　to　the　ministry。　When　God's　ministers　are
encouraged；　His　cause　is　greatly　advanced。　But　when；　through　the　selfishness
of　men；　their　rightful　support　is　withheld；　their　hands　are　weakened；　and
often　their　usefulness　is　seriously　crippled。

The　displeasure　of　God　is　kindled　against　those　who　claim　to　be　His
followers；　yet　allow　consecrated　workers　to　suffer　for　the　necessities　of
life　while　engaged　in　active　ministry。　These　selfish　ones　will　be　called　to
render　an　account；　not　only　for　the　misuse　of　their　Lord's　money；　but　for
the　depression　and　heartache　which　their　course　has　brought　upon　His
faithful　servants。　Those　who　are　called　to　the　work　of　the　ministry；　and　at
the　call　of　duty　give　up　all　to　engage　in　God's　service；　should　receive　for
their　self…sacrificing

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efforts　wages　sufficient　to　support　themselves　and　their　families。

In　the　various　departments　of　secular　labor；　mental　and　physical；　faithful
workmen　can　earn　good　wages。　Is　not　the　work　of　disseminating　truth；　and
leading　souls　to　Christ；　of　more　importance　than　any　ordinary　business？　And
are　not　those　who　faithfully　engage　in　this　work　justly　entitled　to　ample
remuneration？　By　our　estimate　of　the　relative　value　of　labor　for　moral　and
for　physical　good；　we　show　our　appreciation　of　the　heavenly　in　contrast　with
the　earthly。

That　there　may　be　funds　in　the　treasury　for　the　support　of　the　ministry；　and
to　meet　the　calls　for　assistance　in　missionary　enterprises；　it　is　necessary
that　the　people　of　God　give　cheerfully　and　liberally。　A　solemn
responsibility　rests　upon　ministers　to　keep　before　the　churches　the　needs　of
the　cause　of　God　and　to　educate　them　to　be　liberal。　When　this　is　neglected；
and　the　churches　fail　to　give　for　the　necessities　of　others；　not　only　does
the　work　of　the　Lord　suffer；　but　the　blessing　that　should　come　to　believers
is　withheld。

Even　the　very　poor　should　bring　their　offerings　to　God。　They　are　to　be
sharers　of　the　grace　of　Christ　by　denying　self　to　help　those　whose　need　is
more　pressing　than　their　own。　The　poor　man's　gift；　the　fruit　of　self…denial；
comes　up　before　God　as　fragrant　incense。　And　every　act　of　self…sacrifice
strengthens　the　spirit　of　beneficence　in　the　giver's　heart；　allying　him　more
closely　to　the　One　who　was　rich；　yet　for　our　sakes　became　poor；　that　we
through　His　poverty　might　be　rich。

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The　act　of　the　widow　who　cast　two　mitesall　that　she　hadinto　the
treasury；　is　placed　on　record　for　the　encouragement　of　those　who；　struggling
with　poverty；　still　desire　by　their　gifts　to　aid　the　cause　of　God。　Christ
called　the　attention　of　the　disciples　to　this　woman；　who　had　given　〃all　her
living。〃　Mark　12：44。　He　esteemed　her　gift　of　more　value　than　the　large
offerings　of　those　whose　alms　did　not　call　for　self…denial。　From　their
abundance　they　had　given　a　small　portion。　To　make　her　offering；　the　widow
had　deprived　herself　of　even　the　necessities　of　life；　trusting　God　to　supply
her　needs　for　the　morrow。　Of　her　the　Saviour　declared；　〃Verily　I　say　unto
you；　That　this　poor　widow　hath　cast　more　in；　than　all　they　which　have　cast
into　the　treasury。〃　Verse　43。　Thus　He　taught　that　the　value　of　the　gift　is
estimated　not　by　the　amount；　but　by　the　proportion　that　is　given　and　the
motive　that　actuates　the　giver。

The　apostle　Paul　in　his　ministry　among　the　churches　was　untiring　in　his
efforts　to　inspire　in　the　hearts　of　the　new　converts　a　desire　to　do　large
things　for　the　cause　of　God。　Often　he　exhorted　them　to　the　exercise　of
liberality。　In　speaking　to　the　elders　of　Ephesus　of　his　former　labors　among
them；　he　said；　〃I　have　showed　you　all　things；　how　that　so　laboring　ye　ought
to　support　the　weak；　and　to　remember　the　words　of　the　Lord　Jesus；　how　He
said；　It　is　more　blessed　to　give　than　to　receive。〃　〃He　which　soweth
sparingly；〃