Time-honored church traditions must always be examined in light of the Word of God, as it applies to us today as New Testament believers. When they are not sanctioned by Scripture, they’ll do far more harm than good, and should be repudiated as false; even popular, deeply entrenched doctrines. The Gospel of Grace, as revealed to the original apostles, must be the sole foundation upon which we practice our Christian faith (Galatians 1:8-9; Romans 2:16; Jude 3). NOT ONCE does Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles, ever command New Testament believers to tithe on their wages. If he had mandated such a law, he could have lived in luxury, rather than saying: At this very hour we are hungry, and thirsty, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace (I Corinthians 4:11).

Today, plenty of televangelists can boast: “At this very hour we are feasting at five-star restaurants, sipping champagne, and wearing $1000 suits. We enjoy lavish buffets on cruise ships and dwell in million-dollar mansions.” One eminent evangelist boasts a stable full of pedigree Arabian horses. Another flies around in a gold-plated jet. Believe it or not, still another boasts that he wears a pair of new shoes only once “because he has a shoe fetish”. Are God’s people to blame for waking up to their game? Are they to blame for not saying “amen” to the amenities enjoyed by carnal “ministers of the Word”? How do they get all that mad money so easily? They sure don’t get it by punching a time clock everyday!

I suspect a lot of preachers who claim to feed on the pure Word of God add their own seasonings to it so they can get others to swallow the parts they like, sections they’ve yanked out of context and given a facelift. There’s money to be made from doing that. Years ago, I would give away money on a tidal wave of emotion, stirred up by “faith teachers” who bamboozle people into giving to “God” out of their want. Right after I gave the biggest offering ever, our house got burgled, and believe me, we didn’t have much to take. Because I was hoodwinked by slot machine theology, the second part of Proverbs 22:16 took effect: He that giveth to the rich shall surely come to want (deep poverty).My generosity with various preachers brought deep financial trials which were a big blow to my faith. But back then, I didn’t know any better. We must all guard against the temptation to let others who are “more learned in the Word” do our studying for us.

This teaching that “you can’t outgive God” can easily degenerate into an addictive bondage of gambling with “God”; a compulsion to mail off money your family needs to “miracle” ministries in hopes God will multiply your “seed” of $20 into a bumper crop of $2000. But it’s more likely you’ll suffer a spiritual crop failure, following that slick sales pitch.

The most bizarre memory I have is how my brother Adam kept getting “prophecies” from preachers in the mail years after he died. “The Lord” wanted Adam to know that if he failed to “respond in faith” by mailing money (what else) in to a certain ministry, the devil was going to give him his most miserable New Year ever. In the name of all craziness, how could satan hassle a guy in heaven? Even if Adam had a couple of dollars to send down to those wolves in sheep's clothing, would it make his heaven any sweeter?

I’d say preachers are getting mighty desperate when they resort to blackmailing those who aren’t with us anymore!

As a believer in the Gifts of the Spirit ( I Cor. Chapter 12), I have been used by God in the Gift of Prophecy (divinely imparted messages). And the Lord has also given me Scriptural articles which help to shed light on controversial issues raging within the church. Below are links to messages which specifically address the thorny problem of preacher greed and erroneous doctrine on giving and tithing.

May Christ keep you forever in His love and peace,

Patricia Backora