Living by God’s Economic Plan (Part V)

Session 5: Where to Sow

Today we are continuing a series that I am calling “Living by God’s Economic Plan (a Christian Response to the Global Economic “Crisis”)”. We are discussing the foundational truths of the Economic Plan that God has established and documented in His instruction manual, the Bible. We will be looking at what we see out in the world, and comparing it to what we see in God’s Word, and then putting into action the steps that God gives us to establish a sound fiscal policy within our own lives. Our last lesson was called The J.O.B., and we discussed three key points:

1, 2 & 3: Our J.O.B. is our Joy-filled Opportunity to Bless!

As we discussed, we labor in order to be able to provide for the needs of others. So, how do we go about doing that? As in all things, there tend to be right ways and wrong ways, and we take our direction from God’s instruction manual, the Bible. Where exactly do we sow our seed? Let’s start in the Old Testament:

Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, says 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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:8-12)

We discussed last week how God blesses us, and we bless others. Here we see two means of blessing others: tithes and offerings. Tithes refer to 10 percent of our income given to the work of God, and offerings are additional gifts given for God’s work (and a third means, giving alms, we will discuss next week).

We touched on tithing a couple of weeks ago, and let’s go into a little more detail here. As a reminder, as New Testament Christians we are no longer under the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), but we continue to tithe as God still promises his blessing as we do so. So, do we just sow our seed anywhere? What do we see in Malachi, when it comes to our tithes? It says “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house”. A storehouse is a place for building up a stockpile, and in this case it is a stockpile of “meat” for “God’s house”. I’d like to summarize this thought in today’s Key Point Number 1: We sow where we are fed!

I believe that this is critical, because God doesn’t just hand out cash. He encourages us to bless those that bless us, to supply for the physical needs of those that feed us spiritually. And we need to realize that if we are simply consuming, letting people feed us without giving back, what is going to happen when the storehouse is empty? We give our tithes to replenish the storehouse!

Let me elaborate on where the tithe should go. In the ideal world, this should be your local church. In the ideal world, why would you attend any local church that isn’t feeding you spiritually? Allow me to be blunt: if the church that you are attending is NOT feeding you spiritually, I strongly encourage you to move to one that will! And as you are being fed, make sure that you are sowing into that church, so that they continue to have “meat” for God’s house. But if for some reason you are attending a church that is NOT feeding you spiritually, one that is not fulfilling its role in God’s kingdom, I would encourage you not to support it. Why would I say that? To answer that, I’m going to share a little bit of a Greek word study, starting in Galatians chapter 6:

Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:6-10)

The first verse here talks about those who are taught “communicate” to him that teaches, and the remaining verses discuss sowing and reaping. These verses taken together are discussing giving, in response to being taught. I want to focus on the word “communicate” from verse 6. The New Testament was originally written in Greek, so using the concordance (reference to original language) from my Bible software, this is the Greek word “koinoneo”. The definition refers to “sharing in” with, or “partnering” with someone.

2841: koinoneo koy-no-neh’-o
be partaker, communicate, distribute;
1) to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a partner
2) to enter into fellowship, join one’s self to an associate, make one’s self a sharer or partner

So we see that Galatians 6:6 is specifically teaching that those who are being taught in the word of God should be partnering/sharing with those that teach. So we see that God is once again focused on relationship, in this case a partnering relationship between those that teach and those who are taught.

What did Jesus teach about partnering?

He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, truly I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:41-42)

Here’s today’s Key Point Number 2: We sow in fertile (i.e., Godly) soil! When we give to Godly ministries, ministries that are producing fruit, we become partners with them and share in their reward! We can’t just sow seed into any old soil – that would be wasteful, that would be poor stewardship. So we want to find Godly ministries that are producing fruit, and join in with them through giving of our money, our time, and our support. As we are partnering with them, we are sharing in their reward.

I want us to continue looking at verses that use this Greek word “koinoneo”. In the next four sets of verses, the bolded word(s) is actually this same word “koinoneo”.

Now you Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. (Philippians 4:15-17)

Paul tells the Philippians that because they are partnering with Paul, fruit will abound to their account. Do you want fruit to abound to your account? Find Godly ministries to partner with, and as God blesses them God also blesses you! Sow your seed in fertile ground, and watch the fruit come into your life!

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It has pleased them truly; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. (Romans 15:25-27)

So again we see Paul teaching of partnering and sharing, giving of our carnal things in return for receiving spiritual things.

But why did I say DON’T sow into a church that is not feeding you, that is not fulfilling its role in the kingdom? Partnering does not only apply to Godly pursuits. Let’s look at two more verses that use this same Greek word “koinoneo”.

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22)

Did you know that by providing support to those involved in ungodly pursuits, you are entering into their “reward” as well? Here’s another verse using “koinoneo”:

If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 1:10-11)

You can be partaking of the evil deeds of another, when you support unGodly ministries. Do you recognize the phrase “giving aid and comfort to the enemy”? What about “aiding and abetting a crime”? We recognize that you can be an accomplice to a crime, and face prosecution, when you support another person in a criminal act. And yet how often to Christians give to an unGodly ministry without thinking, just because they get a letter in the mail begging for money, or see a tearful appeal on TV?

Here’s today’s Key Point Number 3. Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing!

You may not realize it, but Christians seem to be an easy mark for unscrupulous con men and women. All someone needs to do is put together a letter or an email, add some images of starving children, address it personally using the recipient’s name, state that God gave them the name in a dream, and people start shedding tears and reaching for their wallet! Let’s face it, Christians are taught to be giving, even as we’ve taught in the previous sessions. But we need to be wise, sowing seed strategically, as God leads us, into fertile soil, into Godly ministries, and not be reacting to all of the emotional and manipulative attempts that the enemy uses to steal our seed.

Money can be your most important vote! Where you spend your money helps determine what industries survive and thrive. If people stopped buying drugs, the drug industry would disappear. If people stopped buying pornography, the porn industry would disappear. Every time that you reach into your wallet or write a check, you need to realize that you are casting a vote for the type of world that you want to live in! So let’s stop supporting any and all unGodly businesses. One last verse:

Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Let’s bring all of our tithes into the storehouse, supporting our local, Godly church, so that there is “meat” available to feed us and our families. Let’s sow our seed in fertile ground, partnering with fruitful, Godly ministries. Let’s watch out for and avoid the wolves, protecting our seed from theft. And let’s remember that every dollar that we spend is a vote cast for the type of world that we want to live in.

Join us for our next step in Living by God’s Economic Plan: When You do Your Alms

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