Written by: John Sernaque
Stewardship
CS - Counsels on Stewardship (1940) Chapter 12—God’s Reserves of Time and Means
The very same language is used concerning the Sabbath as in the law of the tithe: “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Man has no right nor power to substitute the first day for the seventh. He may pretend to do this; “nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.” The customs and teachings of men will not lessen the claims of the divine law. God has sanctified the seventh day. That specified portion of time, set apart by God Himself for religious worship, continues as sacred today as when first hallowed by our Creator. {CS 66.2}
In like manner a tithe of our income is “holy unto the Lord.” The New Testament does not reenact the law of the tithe, as it does not that of the Sabbath; for the validity of both is assumed, and their deep spiritual import explained.... While we as a people are seeking faithfully to give to God the time which He has reserved as His own, shall we not also render to Him that portion of our means which He claims?—The Review and Herald, May 16, 1882. {CS 66.3}
Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. While on this earth, Christ Jesus honored both the Seventh Day Sabbath as well as the tithe to the church. God is no respecter of persons and neither should we. It is when we look to please man, rather than God, that we disrespect God. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Luke 16: 17. Man has no right, or power, to change God’s laws. Both our time and means are holy unto the Lord. Ye cannot serve two masters. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Our Father, God almighty,
We thank You and praise You for providing for all our needs. You have given us provisions, and the laws to live by. We thank You and honor Your divine law with our service to You. It is only by Your grace that we are not consumed, great is Thy faithfulness. We thank You with our time and means, so that Your everlasting gospel can reach all those people who do not know of Your love and kindness, and all the wonderful promises available to all who seek Your face. We thank You for all Your blessings; may we use them to be a blessing unto others. We thank You and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
