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Should We Take Money From Non-christians?

George L. Faull

Today, religion is a big business.  Both the Evangelicals and Catholics and Cults pursue money from individuals, corporations, and foundations.  We might as well be honest and admit the Churches of Christ do likewise.

 

Formerly as the founding Executive Director of the Treaty Institute for Evangelism and now as founder and President of the Summit Theological Seminary, I have never solicited gifts for the operation of these schools.  We never ask either believer or non-believers to aid us.  We know it is God who gives power to get wealth and so we always ask him for the income to support the ministry.  We believe that money follows ministry.  If a ministry is performed, God will provide the needs of that ministry.

 

Recently, I have become more convinced begging for support is a negative practice.  Especially I believe this is so with regards to unbelievers.  Please note the following:

 

I.        III JOHN 5-8, “5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.”

 

Note:  John encouraged us to support the ministry of those who were taking the truth and were “taking nothing of the Gentiles.”

 

II.       THE ENTIRE CHAPTER OF I CORINTHIANS 9 SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY.

 

Paul recognizes that the ministry deserves to be supported.  However, he is careful to do nothing that “should hinder the gospel of Christ.”  If the apostle Paul was careful not to abuse his power in the gospel and preached without “asking” would it not be well for us to curb our begging lest we bring suspicion and shame to the gospel message?

 

III.     I FURTHER SEE THIS IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHRISTIANS OF THE EARLY CENTURIES.

A.          Commodianus (240 A.D.) “One gives gifts that he may make another of no account or if thou has lent on usury, taking twenty four percent, thou wisheth to bestow charity that thou mayest purge thyself, as being evil, with that which is evil.  The almighty absolutely rejects such works as these.”

(Commodianus, Instructions, Chapter 65)

 

B.        “But if at any time you be forced un-willingly to receive money from any ungodly person, bury it out in wood or coals, that so neither the widow nor the orphan may receive it or be forced to buy with it either meat or drink, which it is unfit to do.”

(Apostolic Constitution, Book 4 Chapter 10 written about 350 A.D.)

                                                           

C.        Even the one we know of as St. Patrick of Ireland (460 A.D.) says, “And many gifts were offered to me in sorrow and tears, and I offended the donors, much against the wishes of some of my seniors: but guided by God, in no way did I agree with them or acquiesce.”

(Confessions of St. Patrick)     

 

IV.      OBSERVE GOD’S PRINCIPLES OF GIV-ING EVEN FROM THE BELIEVER.

 

In the Old Testament God had the priesthood supported by the paying of tithes. This, of course, was done by all Jews since they were His people. God said, “The tithe is Mine.” So each man paid to his priest. However, the support of the building of the tabernacle was done by free will offerings.

 

Let’s note some Scriptures.

Exodus 25:2, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.”

Exodus 35:4-5, “4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, 5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever [is] of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,”

Exodus 35:21, “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, [and] they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.”

Exodus 35:29, “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.”

 

Exodus 36:2, “And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, [even] every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it.”

This makes it plain that even among God’s people giving is to be done with an open hand and an open heart. We see this applied in the New Testament by these verses:

II Corinthians 8:12, “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.”

II Corinthians 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

 

But here is God’s attitude toward giving to Him when one’s heart is not right with God, and there is hypocrisy in giving.

 

Amos 5:21-24, “21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept [them]: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

Jeremiah 14:10-12, “10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.”

Malachi 1:10, “Who [is there] even among you that would shut the doors [for nought]? Neither do ye kindle [fire] on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.”

Malachi 2:13, “And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth [it] with good will at your hand.”

 

These verses show the principle that just as God does not hear our prayers if He regards iniquity in our hearts, so He does not accept our person when our offering is not from a willing heart.

Psalms 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me].”

The entire first chapter of Isaiah, which I hope you will read, shows that God despises hypocritical worship.

 

In light of all this, should we solicit money from the world? Is it their obligation to support the Church? Does Christ expect the lost to support His bride? What would you think of a man who encouraged his bride to “go out and solicit funds” from anyone who would give it? Does the Lord want us to “hit up” institutions, foundations, and corporations? Brethren, these things ought not to be. It seems to me that God’s principle is for His people to be the givers, not the takers. They should be the sharers, not the beggars. We should give from the heart, not sell to the stomach.

 

Perhaps we should follow the example of King Jehoash when he needed revenue to renovate the temple. Take note of II Kings chapter 12, and

II Chronicles 24:5-15.

The king decreed that all money from these sources were to go for the repair.

1)          The census tax that was for the support of the temple.

2)          The money that had been vowed for redemption of the firstborn, etc.

3)          The money that one freely gave for the temple.

It was an insufficient amount for the work. He then placed a huge chest in which the High Priest had drilled a hole and set it up beside the altar for free-will offerings. He set it in a conspicuous place and encouraged the people to give after a proclamation had been made throughout the whole land of Judah and Jerusalem. This is the origin of the box in which the widow gave her two mites. It was well organized, above reproach, and the amounts received were faithfully reported to the people. The money was used for that which it was given and the temple was renovated. This appears to have received God’s blessing. There is nothing wrong with soliciting money for God’s work from God’s people who come to worship the Lord. But to solicit money, from the enemies of God or those who do not know the Lord, does not appear to be encouraged in Scripture.

This example shows that when people see their money at work and a ministry performed, they are encouraged to give all the more money to the work at hand. It is our firm conviction that when people see ministry fulfilled, they will give from a willing heart. In fact, when the tabernacle was first built, so much was given. They had to ask the people to stop bringing in their offering.

 

Exodus 36:5-7, “5 And they spoke unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. 6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.”

 

Freewill offerings are the will of God. The need only needs to be presented, the work carried out, and God’s people will supply the need of the ministry.

 

May God bless you as you think upon these thoughts.

1)          Should we solicit funds from the world?

2)          Should we sell things in order to acquire finances?

3)          Should we borrow to do God’s work?

These are thought provoking questions.