Book Comment: The Money Answer Book

The Money Answer Book (2010) by Dave Ramsey, is a collection of questions and answers about money and personal finance from a Christian perspective.  There is nothing of the heretical Prosperity Gospel here.  Ramsey does not teach that you can have a person “key to God’s bank.”

Several of the principles taught by Ramsey include:

1.     Be responsible to God and your family in your use of money.

2.     Discuss all money decisions with your spouse.

3.     Do not borrow money.

4.     Get rid of debt.

5.     Do not let your emotions be manipulated into buying  things.  You do not need more things. 

6.     Tithe.

An example Ramsey gives:

“The average monthly car payment is $378.  If you only have one car payment you’re shelling out almost $5000 in one year.  Investing $378 per month in a good growth stock market fund from age 25 to age 65 will be worth more than $4.4 million !”

In the book, Ramsey discusses:

1.     401K and IRA retirement saving accounts

2.     Saving and Investment

3.     Retirement

4.     Insurance

5.     Real Estate

6.     Student Loans

The book is interspersed with biblical quotations with illuminate the points being made.

Tithing, Part Three

     A shocking truth: there is not a single New Testament verse which says that Christians are obligated to give ten percent to the church.  Paul never mentions tithing.  The New Testament concept is of grace giving.  We are to freely give as we have been freely given to and are to give as we are able.

"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." 2 Corinthians 8:12

     Jesus, as an observant Jew, was a tither.  When He taught, He never lowered a biblical standard, but he did reinterpret the letter of the Law to a new spiritual level.

    

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

33Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also.

41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."   Matthew 5:20-48

 

Tithing, Part Two

     Under the Levitical Code, there were strict guidelines for tithing.  Ten percent of one's income, but also of one's possessions, were included.  This included crops, animals, fabrics, etc.  The ultra-observant Pharisees carried their tithing to what we would consider to be extremes.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Matthew 23:23

     As with anything with which humans are associated, some people really didn't get into the spirit of the practice.  Ten percent became almost a ceiling for which many were probably relieved.  Whew!  I'm glad it wasn't eleven!

     Those modern Christians who argue over whether or not the tithe should be on gross or net income are falling into the same legalistic trap as the ancient Pharisees.  What they're really arguing about is how little they can get away with giving.

 

Tithing, Part One

     My spiritual daughter, A Chinese convert, is extremely earnest in her devotion to the Lord.  She asks me numerous questions about the faith and its application to daily life.  Recently, she asked me about tithing; what the word "tithe" meant.

     I told her that the word means "a tenth."  Her response was, "Whoa!!!  That is a lot!"  I explained the background of the word and a proper Christian attitude toward it.  I'll tell you what I told her.

     Whether or not we believe that the Law given to the Jews is still in effect (I do, because God has explicitly said that He does not change.  Malachi 3:6a), Christians live under the Free Grace of God and not under the Law.  Modern Jews choose to remain under the Law, which Christians  believe was given to point to the need for the Christ, the Messiah.  The Law does not save us; it shows us why we need to be saved.

     The tithe was known before the time of the Israelites: the practice existed in Persia, Egypt, and China and may have originated in 8th Century BCE Babylon.  Abram knew of the tithe and practiced it when he migrated from Ur of the Chaldees.

     Under the Levitical Code the tithes were given only at the Temple (Dueteronomy 12:5-12) and went exclusively to the Levites (Numbers 18:21), who gave a tithe of their portion to the priests.  The tithe was an annual obligation under the code.