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Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief - Religion (7) - Nairaland

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Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief – Pastor Femi Aribisala / Pastor Who Goes About Preaching Unclad / What Man Of God Is Pastor Chris Oyakhilome - Femi Aribisala (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 9:52pm On May 07, 2013
Pastor Kun:

Can you quote specific scriptures to back these assertions?
Goshen360:

Exactly, do you have scriptures for your statement ^ above?

I'm sure you two have seen them at least once. I may not be inclined to fighting over them with you. But here is one passage at least:

1Corinthians 9:7-14
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.


There you have it. smiley
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by farem: 10:01pm On May 07, 2013
blink182: What an epiphany! CAN and PFN will roast this man alive. The Holy Spirit is revealing Himself more.
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Revealing Himself? Through the 'ministry' of the person who never believes on the the operations of the Holy Spirit? Wow!
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by farem: 10:07pm On May 07, 2013
Segeggs: People prefer to walk pass a begger on their way to church to drop their tithe. Is that christlike?
[color=#990000]
Oh! Like you used to drop your tax to them on your way FIRS/ LIRS?
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by PastorKun(m): 10:09pm On May 07, 2013
Ihedinobi:


I'm sure you two have seen them at least once. I may not be inclined to fighting over them with you. But here is one passage at least:

1Corinthians 9:7-14
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.


There you have it. smiley

The quoted passage can be used to justify offerings, however I still don't have a clue how tithing in the church was arrived at or invented.

1 Like

Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Phonon: 10:15pm On May 07, 2013
I have always liked this man since I started reading his Sunday articles in the defunct 234next newspapers.He says it as it is and I respect that.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by brilapluz(m): 10:16pm On May 07, 2013
Ihedinobi:


I'm sure you two have seen them at least once. I may not be inclined to fighting over them with you. But here is one passage at least:

1Corinthians 9:7-14
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.


There you have it. smiley
pls correct me if am wrong but i dont see any part of dat scripture U quoted where paul directed or instructed dat he or his apostles r permitd by God 2 receive TITHES.infact,dat verse had absolutely nothin 2 do wit TITHES..
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by PJSWFIT(m): 10:22pm On May 07, 2013
@ Goshen360: u arw in order. IF you pat tithe is ,ok.if u dont its okay. What matters is one on one with God. if u know the truth u are set free.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by farem: 10:28pm On May 07, 2013
Goshen360:

Where in scriptures does the word says tithe is a criteria to heaven? What kind of gospel is this? angry
DO ROBBERS OF MEN GO TO HELL-FIRE? WHERE SHOULD ROBBERS OF GOD GO TO? Deduce!
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by brilapluz(m): 10:30pm On May 07, 2013
@Ihedinobi,furthermore U '4got'(maybe) 2 read further down dat chapter..let me complete it 4 U..1corinthians 9:15
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not
writing this in the hope that
you will do such things for
me, for I would rather die
than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot
boast, since I am compelled to
preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a
reward; if not voluntarily,

I
am simply discharging the
trust committed to me.
18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the
gospel I may offer it FREE OF CHARGE
and so not make full
use of my rights as a preacher
of the gospel.
He was talkn about his 'rights as an apostle' not rights 2 receive tithes...and in addition paul decided not 2 go 4 it because he knew he was offered d gospel FREE OF CHARGE..so FREELY HE RECEIVED,FREELY HE GAVE..!
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by brilapluz(m): 10:49pm On May 07, 2013
Paul rather urged d corinthians how 2 give generously witout expecting anytin in return which is based on LOVE in 2 corinthians 9:7
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not
reluctantly or under
compulsion(BY FORCE OR LAW), for God loves a
cheerful giver(GIVING FREELY FROM YOUR HEART WITHOUT ACCEPTING ANYTHING IN RETURN).
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Chibuhealth(f): 10:58pm On May 07, 2013
I dont think u knw wat u are getting ursekf into......see let me tell u, we dont see God, the God we see is our Spritual directors be it a pastor or Rev fr.....so, anything we offer to God must land in their hands...... Tithe is another way of getting rich incase u dont no, so stop talking like a pagan.....with this ur post,u failed woefully....go and sit down.....mind u,u wuld be judged with watever u said on d last day.......give something to God,then forgets who takes it or not....watch ur tongue... Antichrist.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 11:01pm On May 07, 2013
Make i add my own voice too..here is a quote :
I believe that the principle of tithes and offerings are legitimate kingdom dynamics and their practice must be based on the principles of loyalty and covenant rather than blind obedience
-- Noel Woodroff.

I wonder why people only limit tithing a form of giving to only money (unrighteous mammon which has become a curse to gentile seekers). Your time,talents,worship,prayer,etc.. can be a tithe to God.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chinedu202000(m): 11:02pm On May 07, 2013
TO TITHE OR NOT TO TITHE?

'CP' denotes 'compare passage'

It needs to be established at the very outset here that this study does not teach against Christians giving into the work of God. It is about how they give – whether spontaneously, or by compulsion. A teaching persists in the contemporary church that Christians under grace in the New Testament are obligated to tithe as the Jews under the law had to tithe in the Old Testament. There are no defining scriptures anywhere in the Bible however, to validate such teaching. Nevertheless the proponents of tithing do use scriptures to argue their position.

The purpose of this study is to examine those scriptures in context to determine if they really can be used for that purpose. But first let us find out exactly what the tithe is (CP Lev 27:30-34). We see from this that the tithe is a tenth part. Under the law here the Old Testament Jews had to pay ten percent of the produce of the earth and the increase of their herds and flocks to God. It had nothing to do with money then, as it has today. Today the tithe is stipulated as ten percent of one’s gross income which has to be paid to the local church. Those who argue for the tithe use Mal 3:8-11 to teach that the local church, being the place where Christians are spiritually fed, is the New Testament equivalent to the Old Testament storehouse where the tithes had to be taken, and that New Testament Christians who withhold their tithes will be cursed the same as the Old Testament Jews (CP Mal 3:8-11). Nothing that God says here can be applied to New Testament Christians. God rebuked the Jews who were under the law and obligated to tithe. New Testament Christians are not under the law because it has been fulfilled in Christ, and they have been redeemed from its curse (CP Ro 10:4; Ga 3:13-14).

The tithe is first mentioned in scripture when Abraham tithed to Melchizedec – a priest of the most high God – from the spoils of war after the slaughter of the kings, when Abraham rescued his nephew Lot and the women captives, in Gen 14 (CP Gen 14:18-20). We will learn more about this tithe and how it is represented by the proponents of tithing in the contemporary church a little later when we study He 7. Another argument for tithing is said to be found in Mt 23:23 (CP 23:23). Many in the church believe that by acknowledging the obligation of the Jews to tithe here Jesus is teaching that tithing is also obligatory for New Testament Christians. Tithing is not even the issue though. Jesus was rebuking Scribes and Pharisees who were subject to the law and obligated to tithe anyway. The issue Jesus was addressing was not their tithes, but their neglect of justice, mercy and faithfulness toward others. To practice these was more important then being sticklers for the smallest detail of tithing (CP Mt 23:24-33). This is what Jesus was really leading up to in Mt 23, which precludes V23 from being used to teach that Jesus was sanctioning tithing for New Testament Christians.

Compulsory tithing under the law in the Old Testament does not translate to giving under grace in the New Testament. The New Testament does not compel Christians, but rather invites them to give generously in response to the needs of others, and as an expression of their love for God (CP 1Cor 16:1-2; 2Cor 8:1-15; 9:1-15; Ga 6:6-8; Jas 2:13-17; 1Jn 3:16-19). We learn from these scriptures that New Testament giving is voluntary, spontaneous and freely given, not from a sense of obligation nor with an intent to merit blessings. Giving is to be seen as a privilege, not an obligation. 1Cor 16:1-2 is used by those who promote tithing to teach that the money the Corinthians were to put aside each Sunday represented the tithe. 2Cor 8:2-4 is used to encourage Christians to tithe, yet in V8 Paul clearly states that he was not commanding the Corinthians to give; he only wanted them to prove the sincerity of their love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. In V7 he calls their giving an act of grace, which is the exact opposite of mandatory tithing. In 2Cor 9:5 Paul stresses the importance of the collection being seen as a willing gift, not as money that has been extorted from them (CP 1Cor 16:3-4 with 2Cor 8:2-4, 7-8 and 9:5). The clear teaching in all these scriptures is that New Testament giving under grace comes from what one has, not from what one does not have. Christians are only expected to give according to their means, and although there must a readiness and eagerness in giving, Christians do not have to run themselves into debt or reduce themselves to poverty level in order to give into God’s work. This is acceptable to God. The issue is one’s willingness to give – not the amount (CP Lu 11:41; 2Cor 8:11-12; 9:7). Christians must not feel bad if they are ever unable to give (CP 2Cor 8:13-15). This teaches that Christians who are well off should meet the needs of those who are not. In this way none will lack, and there will be equality for all, just like God directed the Israelites with the manna in the wilderness (CP Ex 16:16-18).

There are four things Christians must do in giving: they must give willingly from the heart, they must not give grudgingly; they must not give of compulsion; they must give cheerfully (CP 2Cor 8:12; 9:5, 7). Christians who give what they can to those in need will find that the grace of God furnishes a sufficiency for their own needs, and even more, in order that they may abound in good works for others (CP Psa 41:1-2; Pr 11:24-25; 19:17; 22:9; Ecc 11:1; Lu 6:38; 2Cor 9:6, 8-15). At the heart of all Christian giving is the acknowledgement that God is the creator, the owner, and the giver of all things, and what we give back to God is only a part of what He has given to us in the first place (CP Gen 1:1; Ex 19:5; De 8:7-20; 1Chr 29:10-16; Psa 24:1; 50:10-12; Hag 2:8; Jn 1:1-3; Jas 1:17; 2Pe 1:3). Everything Christians have belongs to the Lord. No one has anything that they had not first received from God.

Those who hold that tithing is obligatory for New Testament Christians also use He 7: 1-10 to teach that, as Abraham was the antecedent of all New Testament Christians and paid a tithe to Melchizedec, it is incumbent upon all New Testament Christians to tithe. They contend that Abraham was the representative tithe payer of all his seed to come, which Christians are (CP Ga 3:29). Now let us look at He 7:1-10, but in the context of the whole chapter to see what it really means (CP He 7:1-28). When kept in the context of the whole of Ch 7 it is plain to see that tithing, as being obligatory for New Testament Christians, is not being taught in V1-10 at all. Melchizedec is the subject, not Jesus, and tithing is mentioned only in the context of demonstrating the superiority of Melchizedec over Abraham and Levi in the first place, and the superiority of Christ’s eternal priesthood over the temporary Levitical priesthood in the second place, which makes the New Covenant superior to the Old. That is the theme of He 7, not tithing. Tithing is only incidental to proving that the New Covenant, of which Jesus is the mediator, is by far superior to the Old Covenant, and it cannot be made to mean anything else (CP He 7:19, 22-28; 8:6-13; 9:11-15). We also learn in these scriptures that the Old Covenant has been made obsolete in Christ and done way with in its entirety. That was how God designed it: the Old Covenant was only temporary; the New Covenant under Christ is everlasting (CP Hos 2;11 with Ro 3:21-22; 10:4; 2Cor 3;7-14; Ga 3:19-26; 4:21-31; 5:1-4; Eph 2:13-16; He 7:12, 18:22; 8:6-13; 9:8 -15; 10:1-10).The clear teaching in all these scriptures is that the Old Covenant, which includes the law on tithing, has been completely abolished in Christ and has no relevance for New Testament Christians. Yet those who stand for tithing argue that the tithe itself was not abolished, because it was established by Abraham four hundred and thirty years prior to the law when he tithed to Melchizedec in Gen 14:18-20, which we looked at earlier, and therefore it should be carried on by New Testament Christians. They use Ga 3:17-18 as their proof text. Let us see what it says, but also in context (CP Ga 3:13-18). This scripture cannot be used to teach that Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedec should be continued. This has nothing to do with tithing, or Melchizedec. It is about the Covenant God made with Abraham. Paul is using the analogy of God’s Covenant with Abraham, and a legal agreement made between humans, to show that once the parties to it ratify an agreement, it stands forever – it cannot be annulled or voided. What Paul is teaching here is that the blessings God promised Abraham stand forever too. They were not affected by the law in any way (CP Gen 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-18; 15:1-18; 17:4-8; 22:15-18; 26:1-8; 28:1-4, 10-15 with Ro 4;1-25). This is the Covenant God made with Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until the seed of Abraham – Christ – came to inherit the promise, and distribute the blessings to all who receive Him by faith as saviour (CP Ga 3:6-16, 19-29). Everyone in Christ, regardless of nationality or sex, is the seed of Abraham and heir of God’s Covenant promise.

It is patently obvious from the scriptures studied thus far that none of them can be legitimately used to promote tithing as a New Testament Christian obligation. As stated at the outset of this study, there is no defining scripture anywhere in the bible to validate any teaching that it is incumbent upon New Testament Christians to tithe. As also stated previously, compulsory tithing under the law in the Old Testament does not translate to giving under grace in the New Testament. New Testament giving is centred entirety around stewardship – Christians giving of themselves completely to the work of God – which includes their time, their finances, and their material possessions (CP Mt 10:37-39; Mk 8:34-38; Lu 14:26-35).

None of this is teaching against New Testament Christians giving in to the work of God through their local church. Scriptures are very clear on the subject of giving – only those who sow into the Kingdom will reap the Kingdom benefits (CP Ga 6:6-10). Paul is defining God’s law of sowing and reaping here. It applies to every aspect of the Christian walk: Christians giving of themselves, their finances and their time to others; their financial support of the ministry, their moral behaviour, and their Christian service. Ga 6:9-10 teaches that while ever Christians keep doing good, in spite of the opposition they may encounter, in due course they will reap the fruit of the harvest. And notwithstanding that they are to do good unto all men, they are to be particularly concerned with the well - being of other Christians (CP Mt 25:31-46). All Christian giving has to be as to God, the Christians’ source, for whatever Christians do they are doing it as unto Jesus. Jesus equates Christians’ treatment of those in need with their treatment of Himself: what Christians do for them, they do for Him. The Christian walk is not only a spiritual walk, it must also serve the material needs of others, especially other Christians (CP Jas 2:13-17).

Here Christians are presented with the real test of their faith. Christians are not justified by works, but because they are justified by faith, they do the works. This proves their consecration to God’s service and confirms their love for God and for each other (CP 1Jn 3:16-19). The only faith that saves is that demonstrated by works out of Christians’ love for God. This scripture is the exact counterpart of Jn 3:16: “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. 1Jn 3:16-19 is the acid test of Christianity by which Christians know whether they are following the example of God’s love to others. If Christians are not willing to give of material things to others in need, they certainly would not lay down their lives for them. It is not enough that wealth and material possessions are acquired for self-gratification. They must always be made available for the work of God (CP Mt 6:19-24; Lu 12:13-21; 2Cor 9:5-6). Although God’s law of sowing and reaping dictates that blessings will always be returned for generosity, Christians must never give in order to receive. Giving must always be motivated by love.

It is the duty of all who are taught the word to help provide material support for those who teach the word. Those who minister the word are entitled to live off the word (CP 1Cor 9:7-14; Ga 6:6; 3 Jn 5-cool. No workers of the word should have to seek help in any form outside the church. Christians have a duty, which should be seen as a privilege, to contribute to the needs of every worker of the word. They must not be treated like beggars, but received, sent, and supported in a manner worthy of God (CP Mt 10:40-42; Lu 10:3-7; 1Ti 5:17-18). In Mt 10:41-42 Jesus promises that “he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward”. This teaches Christians how important it is in God’s purposes to receive and support true messengers of the gospel.

In bringing this study to a close here it needs to be re-stated that while there is extensive teaching on Christians giving into the work of God in the New Testament, there are no scriptures whatever that teach tithing. What they do teach is that Christians belong to God and what they have is held as a trust for him. Their giving is done to help those in need and to advance the Kingdom of God. They are only obliged to give in accordance with their means, out of what they have, and the amount they give is not as important as their willingness to give it. Giving is seen as proof of their love. It is done sacrificially and voluntarily. In their giving Christians sow not only money, but also faith, time and service. To sum up, their giving is characterized by what Paul said in 2Cor 9:7, “every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

These Studies by Br Val Boyle may be downloaded and freely distributed but not sold for profit.

1 Like

Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chinedu202000(m): 11:05pm On May 07, 2013
In the first part of this article on tithing it was established that Israel’s tithe was over 22%, and the people were to take care of the Levites. The Levites then tithed by bringing the 10% into the storehouse. This is the biblical Tithe. The New Testament does not require tithing but free will giving under the new Covenant. God mentioned no specific amount to the church. He is not telling prophets to tell the people to send in a $1,000 seed. In fact, Jesus, nor the apostles never used the word “seed” for giving money.

What we need to do is go back in history to see when the tithe was first established and required from the people, then we can determine if it is a practice for the Church today.

God did not command Adam to tithe, nor is it mentioned that Adam tithe of his own accord. Cain and Abel learned to sacrifice from Adam, to give an offering that was to be of blood not something that was from the work of their own hands (Genesis 4), but they did not tithe. Job, whom we have much detail of his life lived in the (pre?) Abrahamic period. He sacrificed but there is no mention of tithing. Considering how inventive some of the promoters of seed faith giving are today, it is surprising they have not found this the cause of Job’s affliction. You would think that Job would have needed to give something to remove Satan’s hand of attack against himself. Yet, the Bible is silent on this matter.

The fact remains-- there is no mention of giving any tenth of goods to a person, priest or God UNTIL Abraham. Lets go back to this first incident and examine carefully what took place. What we need to do is look at what exactly transpired with Abraham to see if this is the origin of the tithe as some of the prosperity seed-faith teacher’s claim.

In Genesis 14 we have the first reference to tithing and this pre-dates the Mosaic Law. This was a unique incident and relates to a special person at a certain time. Gen 14:17-20: “at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.”

This is the first time a tithe is mentioned in the Bible. Did Abram tithe of all that he possessed? No. The first thing you find is that the “everything” mentioned did not belong to Abram. It was the property of other people, including Abram’s nephew Lot, who was captured by the armies of the kings. Abram gave away ten per cent of other people’s captured goods. I was thanksgiving offering to God on behalf of the people who had been miraculously rescued.

Lets step back a few verses. Genesis 14:16: ”And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”

After rescuing his nephew Lot from the alliance of the kings with Chedorlaomer he gave Melchizedek, king of Salem a tenth of everything that he plundered. It was from the spoils of war. That was what the tithe came from. Abra[ha]m did not tithe from his personal possessions but the spoils of war. And that is exactly what the New Testament says Hebrews 7:4: ”Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” A tithe was on what you earned, it was from your vocation (Lev. 27:30; Deut. 14:22-23,28; 2 Chron.31:5-6.)

Abram and his small group of his servants went to battle these armies and won. Melchizedek the high priest of Salem recognized that God had granted this miraculous victory (v.20). He owned none of the property in question before the battle but was entitled to have the spoils as the victor. The king of Sodom even offered Abram the goods “Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” (Gen. 14:21) Abram’s reply v.22-23, “That I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich'—”except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

Do you know of anyone who would do this that is into tithing for prosperity? But Abram refused to take any of it: “I will not take anything that is yours …” (v.23). The spoils he repossessed from the enemy kings went back to the owners, Abraham gave the remaining 90% in his possession back to those to whom it originally belonged.

This event is NOT a tithe by command but a free will offering. Abraham was never taught or instructed by God to give a tenth, nor did he discover the law of tithing. This was a one time only event in his life. Abraham is recorded giving this tithe only ONCE in his lifetime. Abraham had not tithed of his own property or income, though at this time he was very wealthy and could do so He did not keep going back to Melchizedek to give. The idea of tithing to get something more by Abraham is not supported, he already had the goods. He gave them back. This has nothing in common with the teaching of seed faith giving, offering what you do not have, or that you should give ten per cent of your gross weekly income to anointed men or ministries for God’s blessings to come to you. If Abraham was being blessed through the tithing system, as some claim, why did he do this only once? He never repeated it again for the rest of his life, and neither did he teach this to any of his sons. According to the Bible tithing does not become a command until Moses’ time. This is ignored by today’s lawful tithers. Instead it is replaced by clever teaching on Abraham’s tithe to make it a requirement for the church.

Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek before the law of Moses as an act of faith in thanksgiving for his victory, it was not about income. In Genesis 14:20 The Hebrew word for tithe is ma`aser, translated “tenth,” but tenth does not equal tithing, (though a certain tithe is a tenth, again the whole tithe for Israel was much more-- 22%). Even if we were to find tithing before the law this still would not prove tithing is to be continued after the Cross when the new covenant was established. The tithe was incorporated in the Mosaic law, it was to train a nation to trust their God. A tithe can be a tenth of anything. Ten percent of; fruit trees, crops, oil, wine, garden, livestock, land, houses (according to 2 Kings 22:15-18), and it was not something you chose out of all you had, you had to give the best of everything. Therefore, if you have a number of parcels of land, and you were to tithe, you must give your best acreage. If you have built your house on it, kiss it goodbye. That is tithing according to the Bibles teaching. (Prov. 3:9-10; Exod. 23:19; Deut. 18:4; Num. 18:12-13). The next time a prosperity teacher solicits your best, ask him what best he has given in the last week. They are the ones that own land and houses and cars, what did they give from these?

Just because a tenth is mentioned does not mean it is a tithe. We need to go back to when God first instituted it as a requirement of law for the people. We find the Bible states the Law came through Moses not Abraham (Jn.1). Moses introduced the tithe because of the priesthood and the sacrificial system as Israel was to be a theocracy. Leviticus 27:30: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD. Verse 34: “These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.” Numbers 18:21-26: “Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.”

The nation of Israel lived by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God’s blessing in relation to the tithe had to do with his provision of water; no rain and they would starve (Mal.3). If they did not give God their tithes which was part of the conditional blessing in the Mosaic covenant God would bring a curse upon them, the ground would not yield food because he would not allow it to rain. Tithing was Israel’s moral obligation in order for God to bless the work of their hands.

Did Jacob Tithe?

Genesis 28: 20: ”And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”

Does Jacob giving God a tenth prove that tithing was practiced before Moses? NO. Jacob vowed a vow to God for safe passage, for food and clothing and this promise was conditional. Tithing was not a conditional act, it was like a tax for the nation Israel. Again this is one time occurrence, it is never mentioned again in Jacob’s life. There was no Levitical priesthood or tabernacle that would be necessary for a tithe. Just because a tenth is mentioned does not mean it is a tithe. Tithing is something you do regularly not on a conditional basis, not once in a lifetime nor once a year.

God had Moses introduce the tithe because of the priesthood and the sacrificial system and Israel being a theocracy. If tithing was before the Law then it should apply apart from the Law. The Bible says that tithing was of the Law 400 years after Abraham. The Bible does not say that Abraham was commanded to give a tithe; the Bible does not say that Jacob was commanded to give a tithe. In fact, before Moses and the Law, the Bible does not record anyone giving tithes to God as a yearly, Monthly or weekly practice. There is No such command.

If Christians are to be practicing tithing today because of Abraham then we are also obligated to keep everything that occurred before the law! Circumcision was given to Abraham before it was incorporated in the Law of Moses. Abraham and Jacob were circumcised because God told them to. By the same standard of tithing, if circumcision was practiced before the Law then circumcision should be practiced after the Law. The same observance applied to tithing should be applied to circumcision. However the New Testament says that circumcision was of the Law and need not to be observed by Christians, we are circumcised in our heart when we believe in Jesus (Paul says in Galatians 3 not to keep the law).

Does God still require 10% of your money today? (remember tithing was not money, in fact it rarely was). The word “tithe” is used 13 times in the Bible. Not once do you see the word “money” used with it. The word “tithes” is used 21 times in the Bible. The word “money” is not mentioned. It has become this because of our system we use today, but this was not strictly so for Israel. 2 Chronicles 31:4-5: “Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the Law of the LORD. As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.”

Giving a tithe (a portion) was not just a practice by Israel, in ancient history it was practiced throughout the Middle East. It was income for the king and his kingdom, like a tax. It may be regular, voluntary or prescribed by law of a certain country. The Egyptians were required to give a fifth part of their crops to Pharaoh (Gen. 47:24). Abraham, Jacob and others were familiar with this principle being in foreign lands; however, it was not yet given as a command for their nation.

The total giving required amount of giving was not 10 percent (that was specific tithe), but over 22% for the nation. All the goods were used to operate the nation; tithing was instituted by God to support Israel as a theocratic state. There is a difference of obeying the Old covenant laws that were practiced because of the temple and the priesthood. Tithing was instituted for the tabernacle in Moses’ day, not for a church building. There was only one place for Israelites to worship God when they were in the land, the Temple.

“Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting” (Numbers 18:21).

It is the Old Covenant Laws that were given to the Israelites to perform animal sacrifice today. Animal sacrifice with offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings etc. Why are we taught that we should no longer be doing animal sacrifice today but we should still be tithing? The law of Moses was a unit that cannot be divided, either we keep it all which brings us out from the new covenant or we separate from it all and keep the new covenant. What of Malachi 3:9? If we are to be cursed for not keeping a certain portion of the law of Moses, then we are cursed for not keeping the other 613 laws included in the law.

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Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chinedu202000(m): 11:06pm On May 07, 2013
New Testament Giving or Tithing?

Tithing was still practiced in Jesus’ ministry on Earth (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42) for the simple reason Israel was under the law. The only time Jesus mentioned the tithe was a rebuke to the religious leaders “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” In Matthew 23:23 he explains they “have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” These you ought to have done.” Certainly he had in mind the idea to help those in need (Deut. 14:27-28; 26:12) the poor and the strangers that were among them.

Each time the word tithe or tithes appears in the New Testament it is in reference to the Old Testament law they were under. Under the Old covenant God promised blessings for Israel’s obedience to the commandments and curses for their disobedience to the commandments. In the New Testament, once the new covenant is established to tithe is being disobedient, to give freely is being obedient.

It is true that walking faith brings some blessings, for obedience and servanthood is what God desires. As believers, we all receive certain blessings because we are under grace. The Bible even teaches because of God’s general grace “ for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:45). Everybody receives some blessings even if they do not tithe. But what happens when we go out from walking under grace to being under the law? (you can’t do both at the same time Gal. 3:23-25; Heb. 8:13).

The Law was meant to be our schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24), and meant to bring us to Christ who is the mediator of the New Covenant to set us free from the Old. This is very serious to be brought back under what God has set aside to inoperable by the New Covenant. Tithing is of the law. If you tithing in according to the law then you are acting as if the law has not been abolished for the believer.

Acts 15:24: “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment.” Tithing was part of the law to ISRAEL- NOT the Church.

God sought to kill Moses because he had not obeyed (Ex.4:22-23) the command He gave to Abraham (Gen 21:4), to circumcise his son. But not once do we read of Moses obeying the tithing command before the Tabernacle and priesthood laws were given. We see no reaction from the Lord on this. Why? Because they were not given a tithing command--until-- the Tabernacle and priesthood laws were given. Why do some people want to resurrect the laws that were to point to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Why do some divide the law up into pieces instead of following ALL of the laws given to the Israelites in the Old Testament? You can’t obey only part of the on giving the tithe (again it was 22% not 10%). We can’t obey because we as New Testament believers have no temple or Levitical priesthood, we are under a completely different system. New Covenant Christians do not have to tithe in order to please God. The intention of our heart is what God is looking at more than the amount we give. Ephesians 1: 3 says “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” We have the blessings by GRACE.

Those who hold the position of tithing for the church are confused of its purpose and history. No Christian should be coerced into giving a set amount to receive God’s blessings. The simple reason is that it removes them from walking in grace and puts them under the law. The Pharisees tithed and watched what people gave, and they continued to tithe as the church was birthed. The church did not tithe.

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”(1 Cor. 16:1-2). Notice Paul says the collection for the saints. This is not necessarily a weekly tithe but appears to be a collection for others in need. Those saints in other areas that were in need of financial help, from one church to another. “A contribution made by the rich for the relief of the poor (from Adam Clarke's Commentary). “A contribution, or collection of money for a charitable purpose (from Barnes' Notes).

And what of the commands of helping the poor? Instead, we only hear about robbing God if we do not tithe. You are still sinning if you have something to give, and are selfish towards those in need. God would rather see people serve and participate willingly then be under compulsion to give large amounts of money to others to do the work. “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Tim. 6:18-19; Gal.5:13) Numerous needs go unmet inside our churches. We need to give to brethren who are in need, not just give to big ministries so they can become bigger. They are not the only ones who do God's work.

The principle of tithing in the Old Testament was to benefit those in need as well: Deuteronomy 26:12: “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled.” Deut. 14:27-28: ”You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you. ”At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates.” Have you seen any ministry that insists on tithing do this? Why not, it is part of the tithing law.

Are you listening to the “TV evangelist” telling you to sow your seed for your need? Promises, promises…

Paul writes, “For there are many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucere's sake” (Titus 1:10-11).

The most ingenious, imaginative ways were invented for gaining money. Tetzel was sent to the people to help raise funds to build Peters Basilica by bringing the law of indulgences to the people and it is no different today. Only then, the Roman Catholics did not have the Bible in their native languages to read; today we have no excuse as Protestants. The words of Hosea continue to echo to us today, (4:6) “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge.” Bible knowledge is he is referring to.

New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe but to give (the amount is between you and the Lord). Consider the story of Ananias and Sapphira that has been used and abused in so many ways-- Acts 5:1-4: “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

This was not about tithes but a freewill promise they made and they did not keep their word. This does not mean as some claim every time you intentionally lie you will be judged so you must keep your vows (though we should have no intention of doing so); not if you were manipulated by lies into keeping the vow.

Consider what Paul wrote to Timothy the young pastor of Ephesus, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:6-11). If someone is always talking about mammon, then they are not serving God. You cannot have two masters.

New Covenant Principles

The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.” Grace means freedom- law means obligation. We should give back to God as he prospered us, as we purpose in our hearts.

The epistles are the teachings for the church. They contain numerous instructions, corrections and rebukes. Not one of these letters have tithing taught or practiced for the Church--The tithe is not mentioned as an obligation. Tithing is mentioned in the book of Hebrews which was written to Jewish believers in the Messiah, not to Gentile churches. The word “tithes” is found four times in Hebrews chapter 7, more than all the epistles combined. (Heb.7:5, 7:16, and 7:18.) The New Testament focuses on our High Priests ministry of Jesus Christ of whom Melchizedek was pre-figured in type (Heb. 7:2, 4, 5-9). Abraham's tithe in Hebrews 7 is mentioned to explain the greater priesthood of Christ, it is not teaching the practice of tithing to the Church.

Hebrews 7:5: “And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham.” (Heb. 7:9-10 Levi was in the loins of his father when Abraham met the priest of Salem.) Only the sons of Levi were to receive tithes. This means if we do not have a Levitical priesthood we have no right to ask for tithes as if they are obligated to the church. In other words, the Levitical priesthood was instituted with the tabernacle, and the Temple-- not the church. God has given a new priesthood to the church-- according to the order of Melchizedek. Again, what was given to this priesthood was a freewill offering of the spoils, not a portion of Abram’s income. For the writer of Hebrews says, 7:11-12: “Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.”

Heb 7:16: speaks of the new priesthood “who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.” It continues V.18 “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness.” Now here we find something interesting, the very place many find the origin of tithing actually denies it continual practice because of its association with the law. The Jewish believers were under grace just as the gentiles were and they were told that the law ended! There is a disannulling of the commandment. The Levitical priesthood was not perfect, therefore it was necessary for a change in the priesthood, and a change of the law. Hebrews 7:5 tithing is called a fleshly, (carnal) ordinance, according to the law because of it association with a priesthood that is no longer in effect. Jesus’ priesthood is superior, having the power of an endless life, not in relation to a covenant that was temporary (Heb.8:13).

Verse 18 disannulling (abolishment) of the commandment going before (what commandment is he referring to? The one mentioned in chapter 7, v:19 “for the law made nothing perfect.” (This includes the commandment to take tithes). Tithing is abolished according to the New Testament (discontinued, obsolete). V.19 continues “on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” V.22 “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.” The question that needs to be answered by every individual is: which covenant do you want to be under?

Throughout the history of the Church many have attempted to apply portions of the Mosaic Law and incorporate it into the practice for the church. The Judaizers did it with circumcision, and other portions of the law. The Galatians listened to the Judaizers, as many listen to the lawful tithers of our day. The same words apply “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you” (Gal. 3:1). The law is obsolete (Heb.8:13). We are under the law of the Spirit which speaks of liberty, not the Old Testament law, which obligates tithing as well as many other things.

The same people that impose their false interpretation of “for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Cor. 3:6) bring people back under the law to extract money from their pocket for their ministry support. This is confusion, not rightly dividing the word. The Pharisees, who loved money, became blind because they upheld their own laws and interpretations over Moses’ law, and were stricter at enforcing them. We essentially have the same thing going on today with new concepts of how coerce people to give, now it goes far beyond tithing. They call it seed faith, the Bible has nothing to say on this. No Apostle ever instructed the church to sow a seed, (which is actually the word according to Jesus) of money, and wait for a hundredfold harvest to come in. (according to the prosperity teachers- If it isn’t a hundredfold then it is still to be used as seed again.)

They solicit funds by asking the people to open up your heart (which usually means your wallet) and give to the work that God is blessing so mightily. “Give, pressed down and shaken together” as they promise God will give to you abundantly after you give to them; “you can’t out give God,” and they promise a “100 fold blessing,” “Give this amount now because there is an unusual anointing here,” or “whatever God gives to me will give to you if you partner with me.” The Bible says in Proverbs 21:6: “Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.” Your cup runneth over with such lying words and false promises.

You will always find that those who promote the “give to get concept” will use the Old Testament. They will interpret the new in light of the old, not the old in light of the new. God deals with our motives and he sees the people using His word for ill gotten gain. We need to see the manipulation taking place and make people aware that they are giving their money to those who buy new cars, jets, houses and live a luxurious lifestyle. We should support ministries, big or small, but we need to look into how the money is actually being spent. We are supposed to be servants, not live like kings. Pause and think about it; go to the Scripture to see how the apostles lived and what they taught the church.

In Exodus 36 Moses asked the people for offerings to help build the tabernacle, but even then it was not tithes, they gave willfully and cheerfully. The people gave so much that Moses finally asked them to stop giving. Have you ever heard someone into seed faith say stop the giving? The New Testament believers are to operate by grace giving not tithing by law and we are certainly not to be ruled by made up prosperity promises by money hungry men.

A majority of churches practice tithing more as principle. It may be a matter of semantics when they collect tithes and offerings. What is often meant is that they are making a distinction between regular support of the local church and giving more as one has been blessed. But there are some that are very legalistic and make tithing a matter of proving one is saved. They condemn the people for not being obedient and basically spiritually abuse them. The Bible is clear that we should give to God’s work, but not because we are obligated to keep a tithing law that is under the Old covenant.

We are to give freely as we so choose. The New covenant asks that we give our lives as living sacrifice to Him who bought us, not just 10% of our money, according to our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). Under the law if your giving only 10% of your money you would still be robbing God. Actually, they rob themselves, because God's blessings can only come through grace-giving.

The law has passed away (Heb.8:13) we are under grace. If you have to keep the law then you must keep it all. The law and grace are two completely different systems and two completely different covenants. Romans 8:4: “That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Tithing was required by the Law; giving is what we do not according to the Law but according to grace. Our answer is not to go back under the Law but to be under grace. Grace is given to us and we choose how much to “give,” this is not to be confused with a command to “tithe.” God will bless if you have your faith in the right thing, not false promises. It is impossible to keep the tithe exactly as Moses' law commanded: since it was largely agricultural and it was specifically for the nation Israel.

If you don't tithe is it a sin? If you barely have enough to live on it is not the same as someone who has all their needs met and can easily give. So do not become overwhelmed with guilt by men who bring fear of judgment to you.

Again, “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Everyone should support the work of their local church some way, by their serving, their money, their gifts or talents they have. “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life”(1 Timothy 6:18-19).

part two- Are you Tithing?


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1 Like

Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chinedu202000(m): 11:10pm On May 07, 2013
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Are you Giving to God with a Cheerful Heart

or Tithing by law to Benefit Yourself?

Have you been promised a great return if you give money to God through a church or a TV ministry? Maybe you heard some testimonies of people getting rich and you were drawn to give whatever you can because someone said that if you sow your seed into their anointed ground it bring a hundred fold return. The stories and testimonies are endless and so are the devastated lives from the unfulfilled promises to them.

There are two different groups of people on different sides; those who see these men as scam artists and are questioning the validity of their practices by the Bible and the other group believes whatever they say, thinking it is biblical and they do not question a thing.

Many preachers, churches and ministries have become very wealthy - especially television evangelists from practicing what they call seed faith. Many today live as king's in what would be called palaces and justify their opulence by using tithing as the law of God to have these blessings. However in closer examination there is no comparison between the enjoyers of the prosperity teaching in the modern day church today and the life Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, or how the Apostle Paul lived. Don't get me wrong, we should give, it is important to give (not just money). I assure you I'm not saying you should not support the church that you go to or ministries that do God's work. What I am asking you to do is two things. Question what your motive is in giving or more importantly, what is their motive in why they are telling you to give? And second: to look into the Scripture to see if what they are saying is Biblical by its context. Both of these will be covered in this article.

God does bless truth and people who want to give with the correct motives. Isn't this what it is all about motives--the givers motive and the receiver's motive.

Tithing for Israel is not the same as the tithe that we hear of today-- in fact tithing was rarely money. There were three tithes in the Old Covenant. More often tithes were the crops, the produce of the soil was to be tithed, grains, the fruit of the trees, every year new wine and oil, the firstborn of their herds and flocks (Leviticus 27:30-33). If the place the nation of Israel were to tithe and was too far away to carry their goods (such as Jerusalem), it could be exchanged for money. They were to use their money to buy anything the owner chose: cattle, sheep, wine (Deuteronomy 14:22-26). Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). You can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe.

The degree that prosperity teachers manipulate God's people is more than most schemers in the world would dare to do, and they do it without shame. It's all done in the name of our God. The apostles made it clear “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth”(2 Corinthians 4:2-3).

No other Scripture has had greater mileage than Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Malachi 3 has been greatly misused for God's blessing to come to his people. A closer look of this verse in the context shows that it has nothing to do with wealth or material blessings. We first find this same term used by God back in Genesis 7:11 the windows of heaven were open and rain contributed to the flood, as the fountains of the deep were broken open. In Genesis 8:2 it says the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. Isaiah 24:18 it also mentions the windows from on high; this phrase is consistently used for water. In Genesis it was a judgment. In Malachi 3 it was to be a blessing on their crops. The nation lived by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God's blessing had to do with his provision of water; no rain and they would starve. If they did not give God their tithes which was part of the blessing in the Mosaic covenant God would bring a curse on them, the ground would not yield food because he would not allow it to rain.

By the nation Israel tithing under the Law of Moses, they were to trust God acknowledging that everything belongs to Him. It is impossible to tithe as given to Moses, for it was mostly agricultural. Today we hear that we are to obey the tithe law. The tithes were not gifts, they were taxes, tithes were given in addition to other numerous offerings which ended up to be over 22% (not just 10%). Under the law if you were only giving 10 percent on your tithes you would still be robbing God. One tithe was used to support the Levites (Numbers 18:21-32), who were not allowed to own property like the other tribes of Israel. However, this tithe from the people brought to the Levitical priests was not just money. The goods the Levites received would provide their living for their work in the tabernacle. They also were to tithe on part of the goods that they received, and were to dedicate to the Lord a tenth to the office of the high priest (Numbers 18:21-28). It was the Levites who were to “bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse” (Nehemiah 10:38). The Malachi passage that so many use to prove we are to tithe is not rebuking the people, he is rebuking the Levites for keeping the tithe that went to them. When modern day prosperity teachers use this verse on the people to be faithful, but they are really pointing at themselves-except they are biblically ignorant to recognize what it's actually saying. 1 Timothy 1:5-7 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.” The New Testament teaches grace giving, tithing was not a freewill cheerful giving, it was a commandment in Moses' law to a nation under God, Israel. Nowhere in the New Testament does it require any obligation or a legal portion of ones income.

Prosperity teachers who promote tithing like to point out that Jesus commanded tithing. In the New Testament tithe and tithing are found eight times (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-6,8-9). All of these passages refer to the Old Testament usage under the law. Tithing was still practiced under the law when Jesus was on earth, however, the only time Jesus mentioned the tithe was a rebuke to the religious leaders “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. In Matthew 23:23 he explains they “have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” These you ought to have done” Here Jesus makes it clear that living the life of faith toward God included love toward man and was more necessary than what you give to God; and this was under the law, not grace. Think about what is Jesus addressing? Justice, the Pharisees were unfair in the in dealings with the people, they ripped them off in their sacrifices brought to the temple. Mercy, they had none, everyone had to be as religious (spiritual) as they were. They constantly looked down upon people, remember the story Jesus told of “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).
So we see giving is not enough to make one justified before God, yet many have been convinced to rely on their obedience in this area to have God's blessings.

The Pharisees said they have faith but they were more interested in the money, in fact Jesus said: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.” ( so did Judas John 12:5-6). Then Jesus scolded them saying “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God,” and He then summed it up by giving another parable--the rich man and Lazarus. The poor man entered where the faithful were, finding rest in Abraham's bosom but the rich man entered torment. The rich man was punished, not because he was rich but because he lived for self, he had no compassion for poor Lazarus whom he walked by and ignored each day as he sat by his gate.

The weightier matters of the law, what are they? The Christians are to focus on giving to those in need. “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mk. 12:31; Gal. 5:14). “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). The principle is to help others, especially the less fortunate brethren (following in principle Deut.14,26)

You'll notice that those promoters of tithing will always use the Old covenant law to justify their teaching this method of blessing. What the prosperity teachers do is bring people out from grace and under law. Under the New Testament covenant there is no specific amount required to give, you determine the amount you can freely give. “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

So on the question of tithing in the New Testament. Nowhere does Paul or any other apostle mention a required amount. On the other hand, Israel was under the law, being a theocratic nation they were obligated to tithe. Jesus had kept the law before He was crucified, for this reason Jesus had Peter pay the temple tax (Matthew 17:24). After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb.8:7,13). New Testament Christians were NEVER under the Old covenant law? One cannot conclude tithing is required under the New Covenant the same as the Lord's Supper and Baptism. Not once does any epistle contain any admonitions or a rebuke for failing to tithe. The necessity of giving is mentioned but only with the right attitude, to help and support others. You do not have to tithe to have God's blessing, in fact, those who are well off are asked to give away their things away when necessary. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

Today we find the poor desiring to be rich and the rich often look upon themselves as blessed and using their abundance as proof of their spiritual condition. They have trained themselves in covetousness ignoring Mark 4:19: “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” One can have an abundance of material blessings and still be bankrupt in their spirituality. We have Jesus saying this about the church of Laodicea. We have too many examples of spiritual giants who have followed this path of abundance to their own demise, Solomon for one. Jesus spoke about money probably more than any other subject, but often with warnings and rebukes, not as a blessing promised for all who follow Him. From today's prosperity preaching one would never know Jesus said to “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15-2). We are cautioned through the whole body of Scripture to be careful of coveting and pursuing riches. Solomon who had more money than most of us will ever see wrote in Proverbs 28:20-23: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him. He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.” Solomon gave both sides of this issue, being poor and being rich. A faithful man is one who serves the Lord no matter what he has, much or little. In other words, we are to be content no matter what we have. We can mistakenly focus our pursuit on only the blessings without realizing that we have abandoned a spiritual life and moved ourselves into a position of severe chastening. Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? We already have promised what we need according to the love and provision found in Christ Jesus.

It is doubtful we can pinpoint where or when tithing as a legalistic requirement came into the Church, but we can certainly trace its current popularity to the modern prosperity teachers with their promotion of seed faith giving. Many teachers use Mark 10:30 as a promise that anything we give to the Lord will be multiplied one hundred times back to us. Jesus was not speaking about giving, but leaving these things and relatives to follow him. In fact, neither money nor giving is mentioned in association with the hundredfold found in Mark. There is no excuse for teaching this and leading the congregation into collective coveting by their giving. Read the passage carefully! Regardless of what they say it says, did you ever consider that it is because they only want to be on the receiving end? Solomon wrote, “The leech has two daughters--give and Give!” (Proverbs 30:15).

Some teach tithing is the only way the local church is to be supported and tithing to the local church determines a person's spirituality, some have gone as far as to suppose that tithing is a requirement of salvation, if one does not give 10% they are not a true Christian. Some teach from Malachi 3 that you are cursed! What manipulation. If you want to understand the book of Malachi, read Malachi 4:4, “Remember the Law of Moses…” its not just tithing. If you choose by obligation to submit yourself to even part of the Law of Moses, you are obligated to keep it all. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them” (Galatians 3:10). It is actually the opposite, if you tithe by obligation then you are bound by all the law. Galatians 5:4 explains “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

If you run into financial difficulties and are unable to feed your family or pay the mortgage, you are not obligated to continue giving 10% to the church. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Tim 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” This is ones first ministry; rest assured the church will get along without your money.

If you have set aside money for your family needs, but do not use it for them and instead pay it to a church or a ministry as tithes, or as an offering of seed to get out of debt your are not being a good steward. If you owe money on your house don't fall for the scammers that say the $1,000 you have saved for the mortgage will not pay for the house so send it in as a seed to get more money. They are feeding on your carnal nature and making you covet--be responsible to God. Scripture does not teach to give more than you can afford, nor give so God can give you more. There was no mention of the poor becoming rich in the gospel, Jesus did not promise a hundred-fold blessing. “For there are many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucere's sake” (Titus 1:10-11). Their motivation is money, what is your motivation? It has been said “He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages”(Roger L'eStrange). What did Jesus tell us, you can't serve God and Mammon at the same time.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chinedu202000(m): 11:11pm On May 07, 2013
If your family is hungry and you need help to pay the rent you shouldn't be obligated to tithe the church should instead be helping you-willingly. That is what they are there for. We have this example in the early church (Acts 4:37). It is to be the “love of Christ that constrains us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). For it is the heart of God to help those in need, in money if necessary. We as the church should be looking for opportunities to give to those less fortunate around us not to those who already have it all. I hear of too many stories of rich ministries being supported for years and then someone who is hurting asks for some help and they get none. Where is your motivation? Is it of legalism, by law, or from the heart. It is to be the Lord Jesus reaching out and meeting the needs of others through us -- love is the principle that governs the Christians life, it is active not passive. “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not (His) love, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). Yes you can actually give it all away as required and still not do it as a response from your heart.

Then there is the rich young ruler who gives us all an example. Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” The man could not do this. Jesus did not tell the man to tithe to him. After the rich man left Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) Those who had less were often able to respond more easily because it did not get in the way, they had less to give up to follow Him.

Jesus did not teach to give to his ministry but to help the less fortunate “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail” (Luke 12:33-34). Zacchaeus understood this and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:8-9). Want to be blessed, don't give to get more, give from your heart to others that are needy because it is the right thing to do.

We should not be supporting false teachers and those who abuse the money and the gospel for gain. We should be looking to support those who are sincere and are in need of help in doing the Lords work. Those who are involved in full-time ministry are to be supported by the people they serve (1 Cor 9:7-14, 1 Tim 5:17-18), and those who do ministry and mission work need to be supported by those who are home with the goods. A careful review of New Testament giving reveals to us that our contributions should not only be to support our local church and ministries, but also meet the basic needs of our fellow Christians (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:1-13; 1 Tim. 6:17-19). There was organized giving within local assemblies to care for believing widows and orphans who had no other family to rely on (Acts 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:1-16).

There is NO example of the early Church (book of Acts) “tithing.” In Acts 4:32-37, there were many wealthy Christians who sold portions of their assets and put the money at the Apostles' feet. Was it for the apostles? No, but for the Christian community, those in need. The apostles distributed it. The only time we find a judgment having to do with money is in Acts 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira were condemned for lying, because they held back part of the proceeds from the sale of the land that they had promised along with everyone else. This had absolutely nothing to do with “tithing,” as much as it had to do with keeping their word, let your yes be yes, and no, no.

Proverbs 22:16 “He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.” The prosperity teachers increases their wealth by giving unbiblical promises of becoming prosperous to the poor and those giving their money to them are doing what this Scripture says not to. The poor, the homeless, the fatherless, and the widow have always been the focus of God (Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy 14:28-29, 24:17-22; Psalm 12:5, 72:4,11-12). Today they are neglected you can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe. Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). How much consideration we have for the poor and needy, is an indication of our spiritual condition (1 John 3:17, James 2:1-9). Seen any poor or needy invited to any big parties at the ministries expense lately?

Our giving is to be voluntary, willing, and cheerful as an offering. As believers we are to be generous by sharing our material possessions with the needy and support Christian ministries (authentic ones). Every Christian should give to the place they are fed by and support the work that is taking place in their own community by the local church they attend. Giving to our church, missionaries, wherever we think the need is greater or where the Holy Spirit may put on our heart. Other offerings would be for ministries they would like to bless in their work. In principle, 10 percent may be a good goal; some may be able to give much more, some less. One should not be made guilty for whatever amount they give; the only requirement in the New Testament is to give cheerfully and willingly (Romans 12:6,8; 2 Corinthians 9:7). Tithing to get out of debt is not the answer for relieving anyone of any money problems; it's not a Biblical practice but a myth started by the prosperity teachers of seed faith. We need to teach responsibility in handling our money. It’s time to give to those who really need the support for God's work.

The New Testament when it speaks about giving goes against “tithing as a doctrine. 2 Cor. 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.” Notice there is no amount mentioned, it what you have settled in your own heart. The Greek word for cheerful is hilaros, it is the English word “hilarious,” meaning give in a joyful, cheery, and exuberant manner. We should be happy and joyful to give to expand God's Kingdom. We are specifically told not to give grudgingly. The Greek word for grudgingly is lupe. It carries the meaning of sorrow, grief, being annoyed. If you are compelled to give, or give out of necessity and you have sorrow and annoyance in your heart don't give. If someone has convinced you or forced you to give by making you feel guilty or promised you a greater return, then you are no longer a cheerful giver.

The Apostle Paul also says in 1 Cor. 16:2, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Again, it is not “tithing,” only giving as one has purposed in his heart and as one has prospered, you choose the amount. God does not pressure us, or manipulate us by guilt or hold a bonus out to us to motivate us to give. Have you ever noticed Jesus did not take any offerings!
Love is to be our motivation, not compulsion or legalism (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor . 13:1-7). The more a person loves God the more he will want to give to see his work exp and, and this not always mean money.

Again I'm not saying ministries do not need support, they do, but to twist the word of God to mean something it does not to get this support by promising hundred/ thousand fold blessings is seditious. Money itself is not the issue, but how you relate to money; God is looking at our heart, what's our motivation. We are not to look to the “here and now” for our reward, but toward heaven where our treasure is being stored up. If you give to get more, to increase that is giving for reaping on earth. Where are you looking, where is your heart today? Jesus said: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our Motivation is what is important; we should not give up something for the purpose to get something better, and neither should we give something to get something.

We should all support those we can in ministry, we should support the churches work, we should also look where God can use us to support those in need.

Under the conditional covenant of the Old Testament tithing was a necessity. It is not a command in the New Testament, it is a principle -- we give out of love, from the heart because we are under a new unconditional covenant not the Old Testament law.


(Excerpts from the book The Empty Pulpit)
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Goshen360(m): 11:12pm On May 07, 2013
Image123:
the ministers, you know the corinthian passage even so i wonder why you are asking. Are you trying to play on people's ignorance/intelligence or what?
God help us(striklymi2).

Ihedinobi:


I'm sure you two have seen them at least once. I may not be inclined to fighting over them with you. But here is one passage at least:

1Corinthians 9:7-14
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.


There you have it. smiley

grin grin grin So this is where tithe\tithing was instructed in the NT right? I will deal with these scriptures as I have done in the past exposing the lies of men.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by brilapluz(m): 11:14pm On May 07, 2013
Chibuhealth: I dont think u knw wat u are getting ursekf into......see let me tell u, we dont see God, the God we see is our Spritual directors be it a pastor or Rev fr.....so, anything we offer to God must land in their hands...... Tithe is another way of getting rich incase u dont no, so stop talking like a pagan.....with this ur post,u failed woefully....go and sit down.....mind u,u wuld be judged with watever u said on d last day.......give something to God,then forgets who takes it or not....watch ur tongue... Antichrist.
lol..scripture pls 4 d above insinuations..pardon me 4 sayn dis but U dont study ur bible..
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by winner01(m): 11:19pm On May 07, 2013
shocked
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 11:33pm On May 07, 2013
@Pastor Kun
@brilapluz
@Goshen360

So what exactly was the question that I was answering with that passage? Wasn't it who receives tithes now instead of the Levites and the priests? When did it become what Scriptures justify tithes/tithing?

I have answered your question, Goshen.

Now, Pastor Kun, are tithes numbered among "carnal things"?

I did not ignore nor am I unaware of what Paul said in the rest of the chapter, brilapluz. Waiving your right to support does not mean that you don't have that right. Also, even though those brethren among us who minister to us spiritually have a right to be supported with our "carnal things", they are bound to preach the Gospel with or without the support. That does not take away from the fact that they are entitled to the support.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by loveroftruth: 11:38pm On May 07, 2013
frosbel: There can be no compromise with this doctrine of demons , because that is exactly what this tithe LIE is.

People who keep preaching it despite evidence to the contrary are truly blinded , possibly by money.

Ah! Frosbel, why are you doing things Nicodemusly like this na?

We miss your presence though.
Good to know you are well. smiley
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by brilapluz(m): 11:40pm On May 07, 2013
Ihedinobi: @Pastor Kun
@brilapluz
@Goshen360

So what exactly was the question that I was answering with that passage? Wasn't it who receives tithes now instead of the Levites and the priests? When did it become what Scriptures justify tithes/tithing?

I have answered your question, Goshen.

Now, Pastor Kun, are tithes numbered among "carnal things"?

I did not ignore nor am I unaware of what Paul said in the rest of the chapter, brilapluz. Waiving your right to support does not mean that you don't have that right. Also, even though those brethren among us who minister to us spiritually have a right to be supported with our "carnal things", they are bound to preach the Gospel with or without the support. That does not take away from the fact that they are entitled to the support.
so 4rm wat u said,wat part does d tithe come in..cos U used dat verse 2 prove dat it was d ministers of d gospel dat receive tithes..abi?
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by chosenst: 11:40pm On May 07, 2013
Dear all, if you refused to pay tithes you are robbing God. The God of old testament is the same God of the new testament. If you refuse to repent, my friend you are risking hell fire. Because God will take you as a robber! And no robber can enter the kingdom of God.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Royalty10: 11:43pm On May 07, 2013
[quote author=kenmaro]I will make my comment base on a paragraph from Femi Aribisala's write-up. I quote: "Pastors hide from church-members the fact that money was not acceptable as tithe. The tithe was a tenth of the seed and fruit of the land and of the animals which ate of the land. (Leviticus 27:30-32). That is why God says: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be FOOD in my house.” (Malachi 3:10). He does not say “that there may be MONEY in my house.” The food was used to feed the Levites, the poor, widows, orphans and strangers."

I think as at the time before and after of Christ, money was not of so much use as at then, there were situations of trade by barter(ie, exchange of goods and services for the same like) that may be widely used then. And if i am not wrong in my own opinion, the context, FOOD, as it is been used in (Malachi 3:10) in the old could represent MONEY in the present because as at the old, most of the people then were peasant farmers,hunters and fishermen whose live-Li-hood depends on the direct products of their labour and may be the rest in excess are been exchanged for other goods and services they might need. Comparing to the present today, live-li-hood has gone so viral that virtually everything a man needs for his survival all depends on MONEY for him to procure his needs. There are no enough lands for man to farm again because all those empty lands of the old have been structurally developed by the government and man to occupy the growing urban development. Even if you want to farm now, you will still need MONEY to pay for your bills(light, water bills). So, in other to make the tithing easier for a modern generation, comes the use of MONEY for the payment of tithe.
I was once so sceptical about this tithing of a stuff and i did a lot of research on it just to protect my hard earned money been given out ignorantly but one thing i have come to understand about tithing is this: Tithing is not all about you rendering one tenth of it or how much your tithe is, it is all about individual givers belief, sacrifice, and faith that for which you have given so shall you receive the favour of God in any way (either financail growth, promotions, blessings, longlive, good health,security, shelter, food, and etc) as God did promised in His words in Malachi 3:10 not minding whether the tithe you rendered to your church was been used for the purpose it is intended for. Some pastors and leaders of churches may divert this tithe for their selfish purposes but i tell you, they are only building the wrath of God upon themselves because they have stolen from God and shall be definitely punished by God in any way unless they repent of it. If i may ask, why do we complain of a tenth been given to God for all He has been providing for us while we pay as much as 25 per cent of our income, happily, as tax to our government who could not account for how the taxes are spent?[/q




Your argument is quite logical, but the truth is that the ambiguity in bible interpretations often have mischievous undertones. Money existed already at this times. Shekels and some other forms were mentioned prior to the laws. If it was monetary, it would come up surely. The argument emanates from the emphasis on money which is disturbing. Key bible figures obviously propagated the word in a selfless manner and often expressed resentment for fleshy or things of the world in different ways. Remember how JESUS christ reacted to trading in his house. The 'EMPHASIS' on money as a pathway to the kingdom of GOD will forever be argued because it is arguable. I know JESUS christ is clear and never meant confusion in anyway.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 11:54pm On May 07, 2013
brilapluz:
pls correct me if am wrong but i dont see any part of dat scripture U quoted where paul directed or instructed dat he or his apostles r permitd by God 2 receive TITHES.infact,dat verse had absolutely nothin 2 do wit TITHES..

Of course, "tithes" were not mentioned. I was particularly interested in who received material benefits of all sorts from the children of God. But if you want particular treatment of tithes, we'll have to start from what tithes are, wouldn't we? I think that's more involving than the question I was answering and I'm sure it's been treated myriad times on as many threads.

However, tithes tended to form the wages of the priesthood and the Levites under the Old Covenant, am I correct? Well, under the New, those who minister spiritually to the others are entitled to wages which they can waive or insist upon. Paul waived his wages from the Corinthians but received them from other churches, see 2 Corinthians 11:8. You'll see that that verse dovetails with the passage in 1 Corinthians 9 that I provided earlier.

smiley
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 11:56pm On May 07, 2013
brilapluz:
so 4rm wat u said,wat part does d tithe come in..cos U used dat verse 2 prove dat it was d ministers of d gospel dat receive tithes..abi?

See my previous post.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Nobody: 11:59pm On May 07, 2013
Ihedinobi:

Of course, "tithes" were not mentioned. I was particularly interested in who received material benefits of a sorts from the children of God. But if you want particular treatment of tithes, we'll have to start from what tithes are, wouldn't we? I think that's more involving than the question I was answering and I'm sure it's been treated myriad times on as many threads.

However, tithes tended to form the wages of the priesthood and the Levites under the Old Covenant, am I correct? Well, under the New, those who minister spiritually to the others are entitled to wages which they can waive or insist upon. Paul waived his wages from the Corinthians but received them from other churches, see 2 Corinthians 11:8. You'll see that that verse dovetails with the passage in 1 Corinthians 9 that I provided earlier.

smiley
we don talk am tire for other threads bro..but they are stiff necked using the words of Obadiah..dem go still come up with another argument to justify their stance. wait and see.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by TsarStu: 12:40am On May 08, 2013
Lol....choi d nyggar dat wrote dis thng try ooh, see hw long it is. Dumb ass nobody forced any1 2 pay tithes,lyk no1 forced anybody 2 go 2 church. If u dnt lyk it dnt pay allow pple dat Want God 2 bless dem 2 pay their tithe
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Goshen360(m): 12:43am On May 08, 2013
Ihedinobi: @Pastor Kun
@brilapluz
@Goshen360

So what exactly was the question that I was answering with that passage? Wasn't it who receives tithes now instead of the Levites and the priests? When did it become what Scriptures justify tithes/tithing?

I have answered your question, Goshen.


Okay. You've answered. You see if you said what those verses are saying or you have joined those who are of the habit of reading into that scriptures. We shall look at it together, okay.
Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Lenny5000(m): 1:23am On May 08, 2013
The real problem here is not whether most people know or believe the Bible instructed Christians to tithe.. but rather most Christians today are afraid of their Pastors, Most Christians tends to worship their Pastors.. So even if you back up your points with Biblical references, as long as their Pastors are not in support they wont give it up. Their pastors are their life line, period! Until Christians put their faith in GOD rather than their pastors, they will continue to suffer and receive abuse.. While they starve and give away their last kobo, their Pastors will be living like Kings and Presidents! A true Christian would only be concerned with What Christ Did! How Christ would have acted in a certain situation, but then Christ is not real to these people, their pastors are

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Re: Femi Aribisala: Every Pastor Who Collects Tithes Is A Thief by Goshen360(m): 1:26am On May 08, 2013
Bidam: we don talk am tire for other threads bro..but they are stiff necked using the words of Obadiah..dem go still come up with another argument to justify their stance. wait and see.

The kind of loopholed argument you tithe teachers argue here is dangerous twisted word of God. Anti tithers never argued that ministers of the gospel should not be supported but does it come by tithing to them or free will giving? We shall continue again making our argument from the word of God.

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