Back in the 1970’s, I worked as an assistant animal trainer with a circus that traveled up and down the East Coast. It always amazed me to watch the elephants swaying back and forth under the sideshow tent.

What was to prevent them from running out of the tent and trampling the crowds out on the midway? It was nothing more than a chain attached on one end to one of the elephant’s back legs and on the other end to a stake in the ground.

The adult elephants wore the same size chain as the young baby elephants and could have pulled the stakes out of the ground with ease. And yet, in my four years of working with the circus, not one of the adult elephants ever tried to escape the chain that could have easily been snapped should they give the slightest pull. Why did they not try to escape, you may ask?

Because they were conditioned to believe they could not escape… brainwashed, if you will into believing that the chain that bound their feet was stronger than they were.

There is an old saying that if you tell a lie often enough, people will begin to believe it to be true. The elephant and his chain is a perfect example of that principle. The chain is put on an elephant when it is still very young. As a youth, the elephant is not as docile as the adult. It will often pull on the chain in an attempt to free itself, yet it is not quite strong enough to pull the stake out of the ground or to break the chain. Over a period of time, and after many failed attempts to free itself, the elephant resigns itself to bondage because he gives in to the thought that no matter what, he cannot free himself from that chain.

And so, though he may grow from an infant of one hundred-sixty-nine pounds to an adult of six tons, he believes that he can never be free from that chain. So it is with many who have been taught the monetary tithe requirement doctrine for years and years. They have been told the lie long enough that, like the elephant and his chain, they have been conditioned to believe that tithing of their money is a mandatory requirement handed down to the Church by God Himself.

And yet, if the Christian would only pick up his or her Bible and study all instances of tithing in it, that Christian would find that God never authorized the Church to receive a monetary tithe from her members. The monetary tithe is a doctrine that was invented long after the last book of the Holy Bible was penned. The monetary tithe doctrine is an invention of man, who introduced it to the Church in the late-eighth century A.D.. Thus, the Church became defiled and began teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.

The only Scriptural commands concerning tithing are found in the dispensation of the Mosaic Law. Those commands all show that the tithes that God required were agricultural in nature; i.e., crops, flocks and herds. (see Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 12:17; Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Deuteronomy 26:12; 2 Chronicles 31:5-6, 12; Malachi 3:7-11, Matthew 23:23 & Luke 11:42)

The only time in Scripture that God demanded tithes was during the dispensation of the Mosaic Law, and then it was only required of the children of Israel. No other nation was ever commanded by God to tithe in His Word. (see Leviticus 27:34; Numbers 18:24,26,28; Nehemiah 10:37-38)

Pastors today have no Scriptural justification for preaching their flock must tithe their money to the Church. God never authorized such a doctrine in His Word. Pastors need to stick with what the Word of God says instead of teaching what it does not say.

Saints, I encourage you to be as the Berean’s in Paul’s day. Don’t just accept the words being preached in the pulpit. Search the Scriptures daily to see if what your pastor is teaching or preaching is so. Compare the sermon with what the Word of God says. God’s Word is the only sound doctrine that is nourishment for your soul.

ckkris: Please include Matthew 23 : 23, and see that TITHES are not abolished like some Old Testament laws that are already fulfilled in Christ Jesus, The Messiah.

Matthew 23:23 is included.

If Matthew 23:23 is not abolished, then neither are any of the other Old Testament statutes and ordinances in the Mosaic Law.

Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

If one is going to insist that tithing is not abolished and is to be observed, then according to the above verse all other commands written in the Law are also to be observed.

The fact is, the tithe that Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 23:23 was not the money tithe that people preach today. It was agricultural; i.e., mint, anise, cummin. The monetary tithe requirement being taught in pulpits is a man-made doctrine and not ordained by God at all.

Mark Miwerds:


the tithe that Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 23:23 was not the money tithe that people preach today. It was agricultural; i.e., mint, anise, cummin. The monetary tithe requirement being taught in pulpits is a man-made doctrine and not ordained by God

Deuteronomy 14 : 22-26; Prophet Moses instructed that tithes could be MONETISED.

It is cumbersome to begin to discuss parts of the Old Covenant that Jesus fulfilled, those that are being fulfilled now, and the ones to be fulfilled in the future.
I must acknowledge, that such discussions are what the apostle Paul said can ONLY BE TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, 1 Corinthians 2 : 13.

ckkris:

Deuteronomy 14 : 22-26; Prophet Moses instructed that tithes could be MONETISED.

It is cumbersome to begin to discuss parts of the Old Covenant that Jesus fulfilled, those that are being fulfilled now, and the ones to be fulfilled in the future.
I must acknowledge, that such discussions are what the apostle Paul said can ONLY BE TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, 1 Corinthians 2 : 13.

Deuteronomy 14 does not say the tithe can be monetized. What it says it the tithe can be sold for money, but that when the tither gets to the festival, the tither must use that money to buy back the tithe and there EAT the tithe before the LORD.

Nowhere does Deuteronomy 14 say the money is the tithe.

Then what did blessed widow give? Money, or grains?
Compare 1 Corinthians 16 : 1-2

ckkris:
Then what did blessed widow give? Money, or grains?
Compare 1 Corinthians 16 : 1-2

so you people even take money from widows how utterly disgraceful.

some words for you and your gang.


Ezekiel 22:25
King James Version (KJV)
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

Luke 20:47
King James Version (KJV)
47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

I presumed everyone knows the blessed widow that gave all her mites, and right in the
TEMPLE.

^^

is your church is temple ?

Israelites, as Christians generally, do things according to the spirit of the written word. Spiritless rigidity may lead to DOGMA, which is far from an attitude of sonship, or citizenship of the Kingdom of God.

frosbel: ^^

is your church is temple ?

Not a temple. Christ Jesus declared right in the TEMPLE, that HE was building A CHURCH, which I choose to belong to.

ckkris: Not a temple. Christ Jesus declared right in the TEMPLE, that HE was building A CHURCH, which I choose to belong to.

wrong! Jesus was on the coasts of Caesarea Philippi when He spoke of building His Church. There were none with Him but His Disciples. He was not in the Temple.

ckkris:
Then what did blessed widow give? Money, or grains?
Compare 1 Corinthians 16 : 1-2

read the account of the widow in Luke 21:1-4. The widow was giving a gift. It was not tithes. Tithes were not gifts, they were mandatory offerings that were taken to the Levites. Then the Levite males who were Temple staff were responsible for bringing tithes to the Temple.

Why do so many continue to deceptively use the widow to prove their false monetary tithe doctrine? She was not tithing.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is not about tithing either.

Money was accepted as GIFT only?

Money had always been brought into the House of the Most High, but only righteously earned monies, Deuteronomy 23 : 18

ckkris: Money was accepted as GIFT only?

study the Scriptures, ckkris. The widow's two mites were a gift, not tithes.

Tithes were taken to the Temple by Levite males, not little old ladies.

CHURCH, which combines Jews & Gentiles, is where I belong. And most of Mosaic Laws, having been fulfilled, are no longer necessary. Abraham paid tithes, so tithes preceded the Laws that were operative, UNTIL Christ. The widow's example only shows that God is watching, & is interested in how things are done in His name.

ckkris: CHURCH, which combines Jews & Gentiles, is where I belong. And most of Mosaic Laws, having been fulfilled, are no longer necessary. Abraham paid tithes, so tithes preceded the Laws that were operative, UNTIL Christ. The widow's example only shows that God is watching, & is interested in how things are done in His name.

no indication of God requiring tithes at that time. If He did require them, Jacob would not have been able to bargain with God as he did.

Abram's tithes were of spoils of war, not Abram's own assets.

ckkris:

CHURCH, which combines Jews & Gentiles, is where I belong. And most of Mosaic Laws, having been fulfilled, are no longer necessary. Abraham paid tithes, so tithes preceded the Laws that were operative, UNTIL Christ. The widow's example only shows that God is watching, & is interested in how things are done in His name.

God bless you ckkris. The religious will always fight tooth and nail to have that which belongs to God.

frosbel:

so you people even take money from widows how utterly disgraceful.

some words for you and your gang.


Ezekiel 22:25
King James Version (KJV)
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

Luke 20:47
King James Version (KJV)
47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Judas Iscariot "empathised" with the poor more than you. Are you also accusing our Lord Jesus Christ for commending the widow's giving?

OLAADEGBU:

God bless you ckkris. The religious will always fight tooth and nail to have that which belongs to God.

Thieves will always rob the gullible and Scripturally ignorant with their man-made monetary tithe lies.

Shaking my head @ tithe advocates.

Mark Miwerds:

no indication of God requiring tithes at that time.

You know why? Tithing wasn't enacted with the Law.

Do you care to know why the Jews OWN most of the monies in this earth? Even in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Russia, and all those places that pretend not to like them?
Jehovah Elohim is an awesome God, revealed in Christ Jesus, the authentic and only Messiah.

ckkris:

You know why? Tithing wasn't enacted with the Law.

Do you care to know why the Jews OWN most of the monies in this earth? Even in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Russia, and all those places that pretend not to like them?
Jehovah Elohim is an awesome God, revealed in Christ Jesus, the authentic and only Messiah.

My bro, I'm curious about the bolded portion.

Can you be kind enough to tell why? That is if its true they actually own most of the monies on earth.

ckkris:

You know why? Tithing wasn't enacted with the Law.

Do you care to know why the Jews OWN most of the monies in this earth? Even in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Russia, and all those places that pretend not to like them?
Jehovah Elohim is an awesome God, revealed in Christ Jesus, the authentic and only Messiah.

How do they OWN most of the monies in this earth? Is Israel richer than USA or China?

O'l boy or O'l man, if you are a tithe eater, please repent. If on the other hand you are a tithe provider, you are simply dashing the 'god of men' your money. no more, no less.

ckkris: I presumed everyone knows the blessed widow that gave all her mites, and right in the
TEMPLE.

Is the Widow's mite a tithe?