Six Reasons for Paying Tithing

SIX REASONS FOR PAYING TITHING By George S. Bunker I Peter 3:15: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." First: — I pay tithing because I need money. A. To pay my debts. B. To clothe, feed, and educate my family. C. To gather my genealogy, and redeem my dead. Mai. 3:10: "Bring ye all the tithes into my store house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Second: — I pay tithing because I need a partner. A. I cannot work alone. B. I believe in cooperation, and must have it. Mai. 3:11: "I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast hejr fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of Hosts." I Cor. 3:6-7: "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." Third:— I pay tithing because I want to be honest. The Lord requires one-tenth of my increase. I Cor. 10:26: "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." Doc. and Cov. 119:4: "After that, 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." Luke 16:10-11 : "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Mai. 3:8: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Fourth: — ■ I pay tithing because I want an inheritance on this earth. Matt. 5:5: "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." John 14:2-3: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if

546 IMPROVEMENT ERA I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Doc. and Cov. 88:37-38: "And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions." Doc. and Cov. 88:25: "And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law." Doc. and Cov. 119:6: "And I say unto you, if m.y people observe not this law [of tithing], to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you." Doc. and Cov. 88:21: "And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit an- other kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom." Fifth:— I pay tithing because I want my name written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev. 21 :27: "And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Doc. and Cov. 85:5: "Their names shall not be found, neither the names of the fathers nor the names of the children, written in the book of God, s^ith the Lord of hosts." Doc. and Cov. 85:9: "And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder, and their portion shall be appointed them among un- believers, where are wailing and gnashing of teeth." Sixth:— - I pay tithing because I don't want to be found one of the tares, for they are to be burned. Matt. 13:24-30: "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." And the master said to his servants, "Let both grow together until the harvest: * * * I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and * * burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." Mai. 4:1 : "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Doc. and Cov. 64:23: "Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming." Bakersfield, Calif.