Any church that asks members to pay tithe for blessing is a fraud –Pastor Abel Damina
Abel Damina, Pastor and founder, Abel Damina Ministries and Power City International has faulted the act of paying tithes in churches. The cleric said the belief in some quarters that God would not bless anyone that does not pay tithe was a lie.
In a series of teachings, Abel Damina mentioned that giving was not done to be blessed but out of blessing.
In a vedio posted on facebook, Damina further stated that an act of encouraging church members to give for multiplying effects from God is a fraud and an insult to the works of redemption and grace..
When God gave the commandment of tithe, He clearly stated who would pay the tithe; who would receive the tithe; and the purpose for receiving the tithe. He said the tithe would be paid by Israelites (except those from the tribe of Levi). He said that only the Levites were permitted to receive tithe and also said it was for their service in the tabernacle of the congregation. God actually gave them the tithe as an inheritance (Numbers18: 21-24). For you to be eligible to pay tithe, you have to come from any of the tribes of Israel, apart from the tribe of Levi. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Numbers 18:24. Though Gentile Christians are children of Abraham, we were not given any tribe. As long as you don’t have an Israeli’s international passport, you are not eligible to give tithe. The instruction was very specific. Second, if you are eligible to give tithe, you are permitted to give the tithe only to one set of people called the Levites
And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Numbers18: 21-24
The Levites are simply those from the tribe of Levi. Even in the New Testament of the Bible, the scripture clearly tells us that only the Levites are permitted to receive tithe (Hebrews 7:5). If you give your tithe to non-Levite, you are going against God’s instruction. And it will be counted against you as a sin. I will also like to state that there is nothing like spiritual Levites. We may have spiritual Israelites but not spiritual Levites or spiritual Benjaminite. I will also like to state here that priests did not receive tithe from the Israelites. The Israelites gave their tithe to Levites and Levites would then give 10 percent of the tithe to Priests (Numbers 18:26-28).
Third, for you to be eligible to receive tithe, you must be a Levite. It’s very clear in the scripture. When a non-Levite receives tithe, the person has gone against the instruction of God. Such person has committed a sin. If you are not from the tribe of Levi, then you are not a Levite. There is nothing like a spiritual Levite. This explains why Jesus Christ, who was from the tribe of Judah, didn’t receive tithe from anyone. Apart from the fact that Jesus didn’t ask the Israelites to pay tithe to him, He still encouraged them to continue paying their tithe. In Matthew 22:23, He rebuked the Pharisees that they pay tithe, which is less important, and leave the more important things like justice, mercy and faithfulness. He then encouraged them to do both the less important ones and the more important ones. In other words, He encouraged them to continue paying tithe to the Levites. That was simply the law. Only Levites could receive tithe.
If Jesus Christ who was from Israel couldn’t receive tithe because He didn’t come from the tribe of Levi, how then can a non-Israeli pastor from Africa or America be entitled to receive tithe? This also explains why Apostle Peter, Apostle Paul and the other apostles couldn’t receive tithe from anyone. Though they were men of God, they couldn’t receive tithe because they were not Levites. It will also interest you that presently we have some non-Levite Jewish Rabbis who are in charge of synagogues but do not receive tithe. Though they are Rabbis and are “physical” citizens of Israel, they don’t receive tithe because the law does not permit them. Any non-Levite who receives tithe sins grievously against God.
Finally, tithe cannot be paid or received in this dispensation because the purpose of giving tithe to Levites can no longer be fulfilled now. Why did God command that tithe should be given to the Levites? And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers18:21
Levites were given the tithe simply because they serve at the temple of congregation. But because the temple has been destroyed, the Levites can no longer serve at the temple. So, even if you are eligible to give or receive tithe, you cannot give or receive tithe now because the temple has been destroyed. Do you know that no Israelite pays or receives tithe today. Yes, they have stopped giving tithe until the temple is rebuilt. Please note that when the temple is rebuilt, Christians will still not join the Jews in paying and receiving tithe because the tithe system was not created to cater for Christians. Rather, it was created to cater for Levites. This explains why the early Christians who existed before the temple was destroyed never neither paid nor received tithe.
As Abraham’s children, are we not Israelites? A person once asked, “If we are children of Abraham and also heir to his blessings, are we not Israelites? That you are a child of Abraham does not make you Jewish. You are still a Gentile, but because you have given your life to Christ, you receive his blessings. So, you don’t receive Abraham’s blessings because you pay tithe but because you have given your life to Christ.
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:14, NIV). The scripture above still calls us Gentiles. Even though we may be spiritual Israelites, we are still Gentiles and as such are not Levites. We are not permitted to pay or receive tithe.
Understanding Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek
Though Abraham once gave tithe to Melchizedek, the doctrine of tithe practiced in Christianity is different. While tithe is one tenth of one’s increase, Abraham didn’t give one tenth of his increase. Rather, he gave one tenth of the spoils he got from war. Though he was very rich, he didn’t touch his increase.
Second, Abraham’s tithe was a one-time gift. He didn’t give it every month or every year unlike the monthly tithe practiced in Christianity. In addition, tithe in the scripture was mandatory while Abraham’s tithe was voluntary. Abraham didn’t pay the tithe because any law said he should pay it. He paid it of his own volition. This explains why his son Isaac didn’t pay tithe. Even his grand son Jacob didn’t pay tithe as well. Though Jacob vowed to give God one tenth, it wasn’t tithe. It was a personal vow he made that if God would protect and bless him, he would give Him one tenth of the blessing.
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. Genesis 28:20-22. Jacob’s vow was also a one-time one and voluntary. It wasn’t every month or every year.
Finally, Abraham didn’t give the tithe to Melchizedek for us to emulate him and start giving tithe. And even if we are to emulate him, then you can only give tithe from spoils you get from war. That means for you to give tithe, you would need to go for a war, win the war and bring the spoil. Abraham’s tithe cannot be used to teach people to pay tithe.
Understanding Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10. Many people have asked me questions regarding Malachi 3:10. One person once asked me “If we are not supposed to pay tithe, what does Malachi 3:10 mean?” The answer is very simple. Malachi 3:10 doesn’t refer to the congregation. It rather refers to priests. Yes, the scripture speaks to priests. For better understanding, I will take you to the Book of Numbers.
In Chapter 18 of the Book, verses 25-29, the Bible says that when the Levites receive the tithe of the people, they should also take a tithe of the tithe and give to priests. In verse 32, the Bible say that when they present the best part, they will not be guilty and they will not defile the holy offerings. Also in Nehemiah 10:38, the Bible also says that priests and Levites should bring the tithe of tithe to the storeroom of God.
A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. Nehemiah 10:38, NIV. So, it happened that the priests in those days were not taking the tithe of tithe to the storehouse of God. And God was angry and warned them in Malachi 3:10. To really know who God spoke to in Malachi 3:10, it’s better to go to Chapter 2:1 where the instruction started . And now, you priests, this warning is for you. Malachi 2:1, NIV. The warning continued from Chapter 2 until it got to Chapter 3, verse 10. So, the scripture was a warning to priests and not a warning to the congregation.
Do we need to listen to any Pastor to know that tithe is Judism
The bible is very clear, if truely you are a Christian then you will walk in the footstep of Christ, if you are walking in his step clearly you will see that Christ did not pay tithe, and did not receive tithe.
Do you konw that collecting even offering in the church today shows that such church is not having faith in God for financial provision
You will be easily deceive if you don't study your bible well.
morbeta: Freeze is gaining support now...truely an agent of change.
Olodo!
You think pastor Abel said that in response to Freeze??
He said that way long ago, not because of Freeze. Freeze is a busy body jobless man hungry for fame. Using pastors to achieve that fame. That's how social media fame normally works.
When it comes to tithing, it is fraud. I agree with that.
You think pastor Abel said that in response to Freeze??
He said that way long ago, not because of Freeze. Freeze is a busy body jobless man hungry for fame. Using pastors to achieve that fame. That's how social media fame normally works.
When it comes to tithing, it is fraud. I agree with that.
You are right. it has nothing to do with freeze. This message was done in July 2017. However freeze has been talking about Tithe long before July 2017.
You are right. it has nothing to do with freeze. This message was done in July 2017. However freeze has been talking about Tithe long before July 2017.
IamtherealRita: Do we need to listen to any Pastor to know that tithe is Judism
The bible is very clear, if truely you are a Christian then you will walk in the footstep of Christ, if you are walking in his step clearly you will see that Christ did not pay tithe, and did not receive tithe.
Do you konw that collecting even offering in the church today shows that such church is not having faith in God for financial provision
You will be easily deceive if you don't study your bible well.
Nukilia: Who is deceiving who? We never hear them give to the needy, but they are quick to rant online about tithes up and down.
People who have never helped anybody all their lives will come online and Start shouting tithe this thither that...
So they should continue robbing people in the name of tithes simply because they are helping people. Its just like justifying an armed robber because he helps people
gabe: So they should continue robbing people in the name of tithes simply because they are helping people. Its just like justifying an armed robber because he helps people
This happens within a religion and it is voluntary.
gabe: So they should continue robbing people in the name of tithes simply because they are helping people. Its just like justifying an armed robber because he helps people
