THE LAW OF TITHING - Chapter 9 From the Life of Howard W. Hunter

"A testimony of the law of tithing comes from living it"

Sister Anni Groves conducted the meeting today. She announced that Brother Jerry Ricksecker is scheduled to have his surgery on Friday of this week and expected to either be home or moved to a rehab center on the following Tuesday. Everyone is encouraged to keep him and Bev in their thoughts and prayers during this time of concern.

Our scripture today was given by Sister Kathleen Libbey from Malachi 4:5-6 - 

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Sister Libbey reminded us that this scripture is an indication of the importance of doing temple work.

We had a special treat today in that our teacher was Sister Cindy Boitano Kisby who, along with Brother Kisby, is spending time this summer doing renovations to Sister Maxine Boitano's home. We are so pleased that they will be in our midst for a while!

Sister Kisby began the lesson by having one of the class members read an account about President Howard W. Hunter from the introduction to this lesson on the Law of Tithing.

When Howard W. Hunter and Claire Jeffs were about to be married, Howard went to his bishop to obtain a temple recommend. He was surprised when the bishop questioned whether he would be able to support a wife and family on his income. The bishop had based his feelings of doubt on the amount of tithing Howard had been paying.

Howard, having been raised in a part-member family, had not understood the importance of paying a full tithe because it had never been a topic of conversation in the family. His bishop then, very kindly, taught him the importance of the law and, after Howard told him that he would 'henceforth be a full tithe payer', the bishop continued with the interview, filled out and signed the recommend form.

When Howard told Claire of this experience, she informed him that she had always paid a full tithe, and together they determined that they would live the law of tithing in their marriage and that tithing would always come first.

Sister Kisby also gave us her teaching 'TIP' for today:

Teach the Doctrine
Invite to Act
Promised Blessings of Paying Tithing

The Lord's definition of the law of tithing is simple.
What is the definition of tithing? 
Simply stated, the law of tithing is "one-tenth of all their interest". The law, as given in Doc. & Cov. 119:4, reads:

". . . those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord."

Consider how you would teach this law to a non-member or someone who does not have a full understanding of the law. Interest is said to be "profit, compensation, increase". President Hunter tells us the law of tithing is simple if we have a little faith. In effect, "take out the decimal point and move it over one place. . . It's just that simple."

The law of tithing existed from the beginning and continues today.

The first mention of the word "tithe" in the Bible is in the first book of the Old Testament when Abram was met by Melchezedek and "gave him tithes of all." (Gen. 14:20)

In the same book, Jacob says at Bethel, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." (Gen. 28:22-22)

In Lev. 27:30, the Lord spoke to the Israelites through Moses saying "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."

Under the Levitical law at that time, all tithes were given to the Levites for their maintenance, and the Lord, speaking through Moses, said they were expected to pay tithes on that which they received as recorded in Numbers 18:26 - 

". . . When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe."

The law of tithing is shown to have existed from the beginning, it is found in ancient Egyptian law, in Babylonia and can be traced throughout biblical history. The powerful words of Malachi close the Old Testament by admonishing the people to obey the law of tithing which then leads to the commencement of the New Testament under the same admonition. The law continues to be in effect through the scriptures and into this dispensation when the Lord gave a revelation through our latter-day prophet defining the law in the Doc. & Cov. 119:4.

We make a gift and also pay an obligation with our tithes.

While tithing is God's law, the payment is completely voluntary, the same as the law of the Sabbath or any of His other laws. Our obedience is voluntary, our compliance is by personal choice, but our refusal or neglect to pay tithing does not rid us of the law.

So, the question arises as to whether payment of tithing is a gift or an obligation. Is tithing a debt? A gift is voluntary; it is gratuitous. We are not obligated to make a gift. However, the Lord has established the paying of tithes as a law and because it is His law, we have an obligation to observe it if we love  him and desire to keep His commandments. When we observe the law and pay our tithes, we receive His promised blessings. When we do not pay tithing, we forfeit the blessings and place ourselves in debt to the Lord.

In paying tithing, we pay an obligation to the Lord, but we also make a gift to our fellow man by providing the funds for the upbuilding of God's kingdom. Paying tithing is not a burden, but a privilege. Sister Petersen suggested that paying tithing is like making an investment in the Church.

An offering to the Lord should cost the giver something of value.

In 2 Samuel 24:18-25, we read that David would not make an offering unto the Lord of that which cost him nothing. He must have felt that unless the gift cost the giver something of value it was not a fit offering for the Lord. Sacrifice, not matter how small, brings great blessings. Christ himself taught that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Paying tithing brings great blessings.

President Hunter said, "As I travel about the Church and see the results of the payment of tithes, I come to the conclusion that it is not a burden, but a great blessing."

The law of tithing is an eternal law, one that we should observe if we are striving to put the Lord first in our lives. The early Saints sacrificed their homes and their very lives, but we are asked only to pay our tenth. Our challenge today is to overcome our selfishness and pay tithing because we love the Lord and have faith that He will "open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon the faithful." (Malachi 3:10)

Sister Kisby shared a personal story about the blessing of paying tithing. She and Brother Kisby had always paid their tithing and had also maintained their food storage, as encouraged by the Prophet. During a period of time when they were transitioning from active duty in the military to obtaining civilian jobs, they found themselves in the position of having to depend upon their food storage. Sister Kisby made a "shopping list" and taped it to door of their food storage cupboard. She planned to write down the items they ran out of so she would be sure to replenish those items, as needed. Through it all, they continued to pay their tithing. Years later, she noticed the sheet of paper, yellowed with time, still hanging on the door. She took it down to be laminated and kept as positive proof of the blessings of paying tithing, for there were no entries on the sheet. None. They had never run out of any of the items in their food storage.

Sister Lemmer asked how to explain tithing to those who think it is an imposition and don't understand why we pay it without complaint. Sister Kisby referred to the story in our manual about Mary Fielding Smith, wife and widow of Patriarch Hyrum Smith after the Saints had reached the Salt Lake Valley. She had her sons get a load of their best potatoes to take to the tithing office. Upon arriving at the tithing office, one of the clerks, mindful of her trials and sacrifices, said to her "Widow Smith, it's a shame that you should have to pay tithing." President Hunter indicated that the clerk "chided  her for paying her tithing and called her anything but wise and prudent." 

Sister Smith (a very short woman) pulled herself up to her full height and said "William, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Would you deny me a blessing? If I did not pay my tithing, I should expect the Lord to withhold His blessings from me; I pay my tithing, not only because it is a law of God, but because I expect a blessing by doing it. By keeping this and other laws, I expect to prosper and to be able to provide for my family." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Life of Joseph F. Smith)

When we pay our tithing, our relationship grows closer to the Lord, we are touched by the spirit and feel a oneness with God. Paying tithing strengthens faith, increases spirituality and solidifies testimony. We receive a feeling of satisfaction by knowing we are complying with the will of the Lord. We receive blessings by sharing with others through paying our tithing. We cannot afford to deny ourselves those blessings by not paying our tithing. 

How do we learn the doctrine of the law?

Jesus spoke of learning the doctrine by knowing the will of God in John 7:17 - 

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself."

As we learn the doctrine of the law and live it we will gain a testimony of it.

"A testimony of the law of tithing comes from living it." 

Striving to be a full tithe payer, I am

Your bloggess,

Karen