Lesson 17: Doctrine and Covenants 59:13-14, 21; Doctrine and Covenants 119; Doctrine and Covenants 120
Thought questions for D&C 59 were included in lesson 16, so I will not repeat them here.
Doctrine and Covenants 119
Verses 1-3: What did the Lord mean when he said that the consecration of all surplus property would be the beginning of tithing? What is surplus? How does verse 2 dictate the uses of tithing? Do we still use tithing only for those purposes?
Verse 4: What does this verse tell us will happen to tithing if we return to fully living the law of consecration?
Verse 5: To whom did this verse apply? Is there a difference between putting all of your surplus into the bishop’s hands (verse 1) and tithing your surplus (verse 5)?
Verse 6: How does the law of tithing sanctify the land of Zion to the Lord? The end of the verse tells us that if we do not tithe, we will not have a land of Zion. Why not? How does tithing make possible keeping the Lord’s statutes and commandments? Why is it necessary if the Land of Zion is to be holy? Is that different than being sanctified to the Lord? If not, why is it mentioned?
Doctrine and Covenants 120
We know who the First Presidency is, but in the terms we use today, who is the bishop and his council? Who is “my high council”? Why was it important that we have a revelation telling the Church who is to decide how the tithing funds are to be spent? In other words, why not simply allow the Church to have figured that out over time, as we have figured out so many other things?
“Why was it important that we have a revelation telling the Church who is to decide how the tithing funds are to be spent?”
The Church corporation has $30 billion in assets, and a cash flow of $6 billion annually. I believe the church should adopt a policy of transparency in tithing funds, and how they are spent. Just as we require accounting for our tax dollars that funnel through Washington, it is fair and proper to require openness and honesty about our tithing dollars that are correlated through the COB from us field Mormons.
> I believe the church should adopt a policy of transparency in tithing funds
For what purpose? Do you not have faith and trust in those who have been called and entrusted with these funds?
That is an interesting question for verse 4. It seems we would no longer need tithing if we were living the law of consecration. It is also interesting that we do not pay tithing when we are called as full time missionaries. So, does the prophet pay tithing? This is a full time calling right?
… Well, I guess I should have thought this out more. Missionaries don’t pay tithign on MSF (Missionary Support Fund) but they do on any other income, such as gifts, etc. My question then is, does the prophet get some kind of PSF (Prophet Support Fund) or does the Lord, knowing he will call these men, set them up to financially sustain themselves through savings and investments by the time they are called to this full time service?