“Prove Me Now Herewith, Saith the Lord of Hosts, if I Will Not Open You the Windows of Heaven”

Ed J. Pinegar, Richard J. Allen

Offerings to the Lord are given in many forms. We pay ten percent of our increase to the Lord, and we make other financial offerings as well. In addition, we offer Him the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (see 3 Nephi 9:20), and we offer ourselves to Him by serving others. By way of commandment, we give temporal offerings to the Lord, in particular our tithes and fast offerings (see D&C 119). Paying an honest tithing is part of our worthiness for obtaining a temple recommend. Payment of tithes brings a multitude of blessings from our Heavenly Father, both temporal and spiritual. However, such blessings are not always manifest in the way we expect, and should not be the prime motivation for our offerings. Let us remember that we owe our Heavenly Father everything; therefore, we should not withhold our oblations from Him, for even if we serve Him with our entire soul, we are still “unprofitable servants” (Mosiah 2:21). “And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (D&C 59:20–21). We pay our tithes and offerings not simply to receive God’s blessings, but because we love Him and want to show Him our gratitude and obedience in building the kingdom of God on the earth (see 3 Nephi 13:33). President Hinckley has taught, “The law of tithing is a law designed to bless us. It does not take from us, it adds to us. It is not so much a matter of money as it is a matter of faith, and great are the promises of the Lord to those who live honestly with Him in the payment of their tithes and their offerings” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997], 405).

Commentaries and Insights on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

References