[Yep, still slowly going through and interacting with the BF&M; once done, will decide whether to do similarly with the Augsburg Confession (a Lutheran document), the 39 Articles, or the Westminster Standards next]
"God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth."
This section of the BF&M is rather straightforward and unobjectionable from my perspective. Indeed every good gift comes from God, and He expects a multiplication of the "talents" with which He entrusts us. Or, to use another scriptural metaphor, we, having received the implanted seed of the word of the gospel, are to bear fruit for the kingdom of God (or risk proving ourselves dead branches ready to be cut from the vine and discarded--John 15). This includes our having been entrusted with the gospel message (and the oracles of God found in Scripture, more broadly), our material possessions, and our "natural" and Spiritual gifts and abilities.
An approach to earthly wealth framed by the concept of "stewardship" protects us from dual errors. On one side, it affirms a real ownership of private property, proper to image bearers of God, implicitly rejecting any notion of universal ownership of material goods. On the other side, it reminds us that in the cosmic final analysis, no image-bearer ultimately owns anything, even his or her own body (much to the chagrin of some, in our culture of would-be absolute bodily autonomy). Wives own their husbands' bodies, and husbands their wives' (1 Cor. 7). Christ owns the bodies of all His people. God owns the body and possessions of every image-bearer--even the "cattle on a thousand hills." Moreover, Christ's people are to, in principle (and in a degree of orderly practice, with oversight) share their goods in common with each other--at least be ready and willing to sacrificially share property and wealth with other brothers and sisters in Christ at the drop of a hat. No earthly creature possesses pure, absolute ownership of anything except sin. But real stewardship means real sub-ownership with an obligation to neighbor and especially to the household of God.
When it comes to giving directly to the cause of the Church's mission ("the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth"), this section of the BF&M does not specify whether all, or a majority, of this giving should go toward the support of the local church. Nor does it commit to a continuing New Testament "tithe" principle specifying 10% of income (however that's defined precisely) as the minimum amount required for giving in general, or to the local church, for each individual Christian. Most people coming from a Reformed perspective would take issue with this and affirm a more strictly continuous obligation of "tithing," based on a tri-partite distinction of the Mosaic Law (wherein the "moral norms" continue largely unmodified into the NT period in every instance), and based on verses from Proverbs, and other OT passages that refer to a tithe of the "firstfruits" of harvest belonging to the Lord. Jesus, after all, fundamentally affirmed the continuing validity of the Law (Matt. 5:17ff).
I appreciate the bold Reformed commitment to all of Scripture being applicable to Christians today, and the strong upholding of our commitment to give (as the BF&M says) "systematically" and "proportionately" to Christ's cause in a specific way. However, I remain slightly skeptical that the strict "10% minimum" is an appropriate eschatological paradigm for practicing or teaching NT giving; in fact, I am somewhat skeptical that the tithing commandments in the Mosaic Law (which in fact were somewhat more complicated than simply "10% of annual income") applied even then to classes of people below wealthy land-owners. Nevertheless, it is crystal clear that the NT expects generous, sacrificial, cheerful giving, and arguably "systematic and proportionate" giving "as each has decided in his heart." I agree with what many preachers have stated, namely, that the "tithe" rule was a starting point and part of the "training wheels" of the people of God, and that New Covenant generosity should in theory extend well beyond that number for those who are able. After all, an investment in eternal realities, under the direction of a sovereign God who is heaven-bent on fulfilling His purpose for the nations, is a risk-free investment that will reward greatly.
I do think it makes sense in general for the majority of a Christian's giving to go toward the local church's funds and efforts. The support of ministers of the Word, the local discipleship ministry, and the local mercy ministry, of one's own church seem like legitimate priorities. However, in thinking through these things for myself, I have realized how complicated individual situations can be. For example, I participate in a Christian healthcare cost sharing ministry (in lieu of health insurance). The level of the program in which I participate involves a fairly significant chunk of change monthly, which would likely "bulk up" my giving to my local church if I participated in a more conventional insurance program. This money, though, goes to support the healthcare needs of other Christians--just not often Christians within my formal, local covenant body. Perhaps the ideal would be that each local church (and Presbytery, or Synod, or whatever the governing structures happen to be) would have its own "healthcare cost sharing program" wherein its members support each other directly, and primarily. But the reality is that currently, while the deacons at my church do consider and attend to the needs of our members via the mercy ministry fund, they cannot carry on the kind of full-scale ministry that Samaritan Ministries or Christian Healthcare Ministries can, negotiating discounts with healthcare providers and the like.
All this to say that I appreciate the BF&M's emphasis on NT principles of generous New Covenant era giving (over against spelling out a detailed program of giving minimums, etc.), and agree with the way they are stated here. I must confess, while I sometimes wonder about other aspects of my own financial situation (involving a good chunk of debt still, at which I am slowly chipping away), in my heart I know I have not been fulfilling my vows to my local church regarding support lately the way I should. Christian stewardship should be a freeing, spiritually restful concept, delivering us from preoccupation with earthly wealth or legacy. For it to be freeing though, it requires faith and diligent obedience. So may the Lord forgive me my negligence, and grant you, and especially me, an increase of His Spirit so that we can be more generous givers, reflecting the God who gave us nothing less than all of Himself in the Person of His Son.
