₦airaland Forum

[color=Black]This about this:

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

What is your comment on this quote?[/color]

What does the Bible teach about SALVATION?
The Bible is very clear about what it takes to become a Christian. Unfortunately, many in the world teach something different. Some think faith alone saves. Some think that a simple prayer to God will save them. Some think that being kind and loving is all that is needed. But what does the Bible say? That is what really matters.
Step 1: We Must HEAR the Word
Without first hearing the word of God we would never know that we are sinners and that the “wages of sin” is spiritual death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). We also wouldn’t know of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and our need for Him.
Step 2: We Must BELIEVE What We Hear
Merely hearing the word of God doesn’t save. We must believe what we hear, or we are not likely to obey the Bible’s commands. In John 8:24, Jesus says, “, if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” But belief itself is not enough. We learn this truth in Matthew 7:21. We will not be saved by merely declaring our belief w must “do” what God demands.
Step 3: We Must REPENT of Our Sins
Sin is what separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). Therefore, if we intend to seek God’s forgiveness, we must be willing to repent of our sins. Repentance means “turning away from sin” and making the effort to sin no more. If we aren’t willing to repent of our sins, we cannot be saved (Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3).
Step 4: We Must CONFESS Our Faith
Those that wish to be saved must confess their faith in Jesus. It was Jesus Christ Himself who said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32; cf. (Romans 10:9,10; I John 4:15).
Step 5: We Must Be BAPTIZED
There is considerable religious confusion about baptism. Some think that baptism isn’t necessary, others believe we are saved before we are baptized.
Note what the Bible says baptism does:
1. Baptism shows a good conscience to God (1 Peter 3:21)
2. Baptism washes away sins (Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11)
3. Baptism gives entry “into” Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27)
In other words, our sins are not washed away, and we are not “in Christ” until we are baptized. Since baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), we are still in our sins (and lost) until we are baptized. We should also realize that baptism is a burial or immersion—it is not sprinkling (Romans 6:3,4)—and baptism is for believers, not infants (Mark 16:16).
Is baptism a work? In one sense it is, but Jesus says that belief is a work too (see John 6:29). Do we earn salvation by our works? No! But we must still do those works, including being baptized for the forgiveness of our sins. We are saved by the mercy and grace of God, but He demands that we be baptized to wash away our sins. He does the work of forgiving and saving us, if we follow His instructions.
Step 6: We Must Remain FAITHFUL
While baptism puts us into Christ and washes away our sins, we must still be obedient and faithful to God, otherwise, we will lose our souls. The Bible tells us “, Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Some suggest that once we are saved, we cannot be lost. Doesn’t that contradict what Hebrews 6:4-6 says?
Please study the verses above in your own Bible, pray to God for understanding, and give this some serious thought. Your soul depends on it!
I would love to study this matter further with you and answer any questions you may have. Please contact me within 48 hours from now through the phone number below, giving your personal details!
About The Author:
Bro. N. U. Gabriel is simply a Christian studying, practicing and teaching the Bible plus “How To Make $100 Online In 90 Minutes Or Less” and invites you to freely learn any of these methods at his training center or website, so you could earn genuine money to finance your God-given purpose(s). Call +2347043934839 to book for training now!

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Hi Snowwy,

Thanks for your response to my post.

I posted this:Watch out for part 2 of this teaching on tithe,  And do not forget to Join other Christians taking Bible Quiz by SMS and GET PAID N5,000/$33 PER CORRECT ANSWER TO A BIBLE QUIZ EVERY WEEK? NO RANDOM SELECTION, ANYONE WITH THE CORRECT ANSWER IS A WINNER! FOR MORE DETAILS, TEXT YOUR FULL NAME, "EBQ", LOCATION, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO : +2348094996656;08091514935. THANKS AND REMAIN BLESSED!

Here is your comment:Interesting, please who would raise the 'PAYMENT' you would be 'PAYING' those that get a correct answer?
I am actually wary of things like this.
You may also like to quote where it was stated in the bible that we could answer bible questions for a gain.

Now my response to you: Read the following BIBLE verse, in the following versions:

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

King James Bible
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

American King James Version
And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works:

American Standard Version
and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And let us consider one another, to provoke unto charity and to good works:

Darby Bible Translation
and let us consider one another for provoking to love and good works;

English Revised Version
and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works;

Webster's Bible Translation
And let us consider one another to excite to love and to good works:

World English Bible
Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

Young's Literal Translation
and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works,

NOTE: STUDYING, READING AND PRACTICING THE BIBLE IS A GOOD WORK, DONE OUT OF LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST BY A CHRISTIAN. INLINE WITH THE ABOVE SCRIPTURE VERSE, I LOVE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE, WHO NO MATTER WHAT, STILL BRING OUT THEIR TIME TO STUDY, PRACTICE AND TEACH THE BIBLE- GOD'S LIVING WORD.I PROVOKE PEOPLE TO LOVE AND GOOD WORKS, EVEN WITH MY FINANCE! ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT? AT LEAST, WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW MUCH I AM READY TO GIVE YOU TO GET THE CORRECT ANSWER TO A BIBLE QUESTION, YOU WILL SURELY STUDY YOUR BIBLE! WOULDN'T YOU?

IT'S HIGH TIME EVERY CHRISTIAN, GETS BACK TO THE BIBLE, AND STOP THIS MEN-WORSHIPING I SEE EVERYWHERE!ITS TIME TO BE LIKE THE BARREAN CHRISTIAN-Of the Berean Christians. Paul wrote ", they were more noble ,  for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Which Scriptures? None other than what we today call the Old Testament!. QUESTION YOUR FOUNDATIONS! THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES INVESTIGATION OF ANY THING WE ARE TOLD USING THE BIBLE! SO, DON'T JUST SWALLOW EVERY THING THE SO CALLED PASTORS COOK AND GIVE YOU, ASK QUESTIONS.

LAZINESS IN GODS WORD IS THE PROBLEM IN THE BODY OF CHRIST TODAY!
LET'S RISE AGAINST EVERY FORM OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE!


FINALLY, I ADVICE YOU TO USE EVERYTHING GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU TO PROVOKE PEOPLE TO LOVE AND GOOD  WORKS.PROVOKE THEM TO LOVE AND THE STUDY, PRACTICE, AND TEACHING OF  THEIR BIBLE. THIS WILL HELP REDUCE THE DANGER THAT BIBLE ILLITERACY POSES TO OUR SOCIETY
ALSO SEE BELOW MY MESSAGE TITLE: BIBLE ILLITERACY!

WISHING YOU GOD'S VERY BEST!

BROGABRIEL

08094996656


[color=Black]"BIBLICAL ILLITERACY"[/color]


INTRODUCTION

1. A growing problem is one of "Biblical Illiteracy",
   a. Not just by those in the world
   b. Also in the church
   -- "Nigerians revere the Bible - but, by and large, they don't read
      it. And because they don't read  it, they have become a nation of
      biblical illiterates." - George Gallup and Jim Castelli

2. How bad is it?  Consider these results from various surveys,
   a. Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels
   b. Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three
      of the disciples
   c. 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten
      Commandments
   d. 82 percent of Nigerians believe "God helps those who help
      themselves" is a Bible verse
   e. 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife
   f. A survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50
      percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife
   g. A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that
      the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham
   -- "Increasingly, Nigerians is biblically illiterate." - George Barna

["Biblical Illiteracy" is like a poison, wreaking havoc in the lives of
individuals, in our churches, and in our communities.  To understand
how, consider, ]

I. THE POISON OF BIBLICAL ILLITERACY

   A. ITS EFFECT ON INDIVIDUALS,
      1. God's people have always been destroyed by lack of knowledge
         - Hos 4:1,6
      2. Where there is lack of God's Word, the people faint - cf. Amo
         8:11-13
         a. In ignorance they make the wrong choices
         b. When they stumble, they do not know where to turn
      3. Without a knowledge of God's Word, a person has,
         a. No real direction or guidance in life - Ps 119:105
         b. No true joy or peace in life - Ps 119:111,165
      -- How many lives are being destroyed, how many people are
         stumbling through life, because they do not have the light of
         God's Word guiding them, ?

   B. ITS EFFECT ON CHURCHES,
      1. Churches languish for lack of teachers; teachers are few for
         lack of knowledge - He 5:12
      2. Churches are led astray by false teachers and false doctrine,
         for how can the ignorant know what is false? - cf. 2Pe 2:1-3
      -- How many churches are "dying on the vine", or into wholesale
         apostasy because their members cannot discern between truth and
         error, ?

   C. ITS EFFECT ON COMMUNITIES,
      1. Our standards of morality are skewed, where good is evil and
         evil is good - cf. Isa 5:20
         a. We slaughter the innocent (abortion), sparing the guilty (no
            capital punishment)
         b. We reward the wicked (movie stars, entertainers), depriving
            the good (teachers, etc.)
         c. Divorce is made easy, adultery looked upon lightly,
            fornication "an affair, a relationship", homosexuality an
            alternative lifestyle
      2. The effect of such things destroy our families and communities
         a. Evil (pornography, promiscuity) is allowed to spread in the
            name of "freedom", ripping families apart
         b. Children are deprived the kind of parenting that is their
            God-given right
         c. Leading to juvenile delinquency and greater evils
      -- Consider how the moral fabric of our nation and others in the
         world are becoming unraveled when "everyone does what is right
         in his own eyes" - cf. Judg 21:25

[The poison of "Biblical Illiteracy" has infected and sickened our
people, our churches, and our communities.  Is there an antidote to this
poison?  Indeed there is, but it requires individual effort, ]

II. THE ANTIDOTE TO BIBLICAL ILLITERACY

   A. DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING IN PRIVATE,
      1. The truly blessed person feeds upon the Word of God daily - Psa
         1:1-3; 119:97-98
      2. A systematic practice of prayerful Bible reading as part of a
         daily devotional,
         a. Will bring a person closer to God
         b. Will gradually increase one's understanding of the Word of
            God
         c. Will offer strength, comfort and hope that only the
            Scriptures provide
      -- Are you willing to do your part, everyday, in stamping out
         "Biblical Illiteracy", ?

   B. FREQUENT IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY WITH OTHERS,
      1. The faithful Christian realizes the value of mutual edification
         - He 3:12-14; 10:24-25
      2. Churches often provide the opportunity for Christians to study
         together
         a. In their Bible classes on the Lord's day, during the week,
            and in their homes
         b. Where they can benefit from the knowledge of other Bible
            students
      -- Are you willing to participate in such activities to stamp out
         "Biblical Illiteracy", ?

   C. PARENTS ACCEPTING THEIR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY,
      1. God gave the responsibility of spiritual training to the
         parents - cf. Deut 6:6-7; Ep 6:4
      2. Church may provide assistance with their children's classes,
         and yet,
         a. Parents should not abdicate their responsibility to the
            church
         b. Parents should be very much involved in the teaching
            programs of any church
      -- Are you willing to accept your parental duties to stamp out
         "Biblical Illiteracy", ?

   D. PREACHERS FULFILLING THEIR DUTY TO THE WORD,
      1. Preachers are to give heed to the Word, and to preach the Word
         - 1Ti 4:16; 2Ti 4:1-5
      2. We should expect preachers to be "men of the Book"
         a. Preaching and teaching the Word of God, providing exposition
            of the Scriptures
         b. Not entertaining us with "pop theology" and "pop psychology"
      -- Are you willing to require that preachers proclaim the Word to
         stamp out "Biblical Illiteracy", ?

CONCLUSION

1. I was encouraged to prepare this study reading an article by Albert
   Mohler (The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It's Our Problem)

2. I thought his concluding paragraphs to be especially on the mark,
   a. "Churches must recover the centrality and urgency of biblical
      teaching and preaching, and refuse to sideline the teaching
      ministry of the preacher. Pastors and churches too busy--or too
      distracted--to make biblical knowledge a central aim of ministry
      will produce believers who simply do not know enough to be
      faithful disciples."
   b. "We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live
      higher than our beliefs. The many fronts of Christian compromise
      in this generation can be directly traced to biblical illiteracy
      in the pews and the absence of biblical preaching and teaching in
      our homes and churches."
   c. "This generation must get deadly serious about the problem of
      biblical illiteracy, or a frighteningly large number of Americans
      --Christians included--will go on thinking that Sodom and Gomorrah
      lived happily ever after."

Are we willing to get "deadly serious about the problem of biblical
illiteracy"?  If so,

   "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness,
   and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to
   save your souls." - Jm 1:21

[color=Black]Tithing is Unscriptural Under the New Covenant[/color]

[A Scriptural Exposition on the Fraudulent Fleecing of the Flock]

Since first posting this tithing paper on our site, we have had hundreds of thousands of visitors seeking information on this topic. Many have written me personally thanking me for freeing them from this illegal and abusive practice of the Church. I have also received emails from some who are sure that tithing is a bonafide legal obligation for members of the New Testament Christian Church.

Objections to my paper range from simply quoting the prophet Malachi sent to the priests and nation of Israel: "Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse…." While others who can find absolutely no Scriptural authority for Christians to tithe, invent clever little doctrines like this:

    "Tithing was a form of worship to God, and since we still worship God, we must still tithe."

I will answer this one in one sentence: Since burnt offerings were a form of worshiping God, and since we still worship God, must we still offer burnt offerings to God? ,  Ridiculous.

Part II of this paper covers the Malachi prophecy more thoroughly as it concerns the subject of tithing.

PART I

"Will a man ROB God?" How many untold tens of thousands of men will give account one day for teaching this verse in Malachi 3:8 totally out of context for their own sordid gain. I couldn’t count the times I have heard self-appointed ministers of the gospel berate their congregations and listeners for "robbing God" in tithes and offerings. This verse in Malachi certainly means what it says. Someone was defrauding God of tithes and offerings, but wait until you find out who it is that God blames for this act.

On any given Sunday morning there will be numerous men-of-the-cloth who will be bellowing out over the air waves that people are being "cursed with a curse" because they have failed to pay God ten percent of their paychecks. And should such a gullible listener decide to repent and give God ten percent of his salary, just how would he do that? Just keep reading. These men of the cloth who often have unquenchable worldly desires of the flesh, will be sure to give you an address where you can send them (or, ah, rather God) your tithe. And do they have a right to quote these Scriptures in this manner? No they do not, and furthermore they themselves know better.

SOME SHOCKING TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN TITHING DOCTRINE

   1. Abraham never tithed on his own personal property or livestock.
       
   2. Jacob wouldn’t tithe until God blessed him first.
       
   3. Only Levite priests could collect tithes, and there are no Levite priests today.
       
   4. Only food products from the land were tithable.
       
   5. Money was never a tithable commodity.
       
   6. Christian converts were never asked to tithe anything to the Church.
       
   7. Tithing in the Church first appears centuries after completion of the Bible.

ALL SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES TO TITHING

We will now go through all the Scriptural references in the Bible on tithe, tithes, and tithing:

    [1] Gen. 14:20, "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abram] gave him [Melchizedek king of Salem, the priest of the most high God, Ver. 18] TITHES of all [all the goods of war, Ver. 16]."

We read again of this same event in the book of Hebrews:

    [2] Heb. 7:1-10, "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who meets with Abraham returning from the combat with the kings and blesses him, to whom Abraham parts a TITHE also, from all,  Now, behold how eminent this one is to whom the patriarch Abraham gives a TITHE also of the best of the booty. And, indeed, those of the sons of Levi who obtain the priestly office have a direction to take TITHES from the people according to the law,  And here, indeed, dying men are obtaining TITHES,  And so, to say, through Abraham, Levi also, who is obtaining the TITHES, has been TITHED, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek meets with him."

There are a number of things we can learn concerning tithing from this section of Scriptures. In this, the first mention of tithing in the Bible, Abram gives to Melchizedek (a priest of God who was also the king of the city of Salem) a tithe of the best of the booty taken in war. Notice that this was not wheat, corn, wine, oil, or cattle from Abram’s personal possessions, but rather booty taken from conquered nations.

There is nothing stated here that would cause us to conclude that Abram (later changed to Abraham) ever tithed on a regular basis on his own person possessions. Although Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of the booty of war, he told the king of Sodom that he would take none of it for himself.

In this same account recorded in the seventh chapter of Hebrews, we learn that the priests of Levi, from the family of Aaron (although far inferior to the priestly order of Melchizedek) also receive tithes from the people according to the law. This tells us little more about the actual tithes other than they received tithes.

Christian scholars claim that Abraham’s tithing of the spoils of war predated the Law of Moses, and therefore even if the Law of Moses is done away with, tithing is still binding on Christians because Abraham predated the Law of Moses. Is this true?

And Christendom teaches that this Scripture is the first proof from the Word of God that Christians are to tithe ten percent of their salaries to the church. But what have we really learned from these Scriptures?:

Abraham went to war on behalf of Sodom (SODOM, mind you), to rescue his nephew, Lot. He then gave 10% of these spoils of war to Melchizedek, and allowed Sodom to keep 90%, while he himself kept NOTHING!

Now then, is there a Scholar alive anywhere on earth that can explain to us how this one single unparalleled and never-again-to-be-duplicated event, is Scriptural proof that Christians should give 10% of their annual salaries (not the spoils of war, but their money, their salaries), not once, but year after year after year, not to Melchizedek, but to Clergymen who claim to be ministers of Jesus Christ? If anyone can see a similarity here, I will show him the similarity between an elephant and a fruit fly.

Next we will observe a Scripture that you will probably never hear a sermon on. No tithe-preaching clergyman would use the example of how Jacob tithed. Remember, Jacob is the grandson of Abraham, the father of the faithful, whom God also blessed tremendously. Not only did God approve of Jacob’s tithing proposal, but, He made it the foundational principle upon which all future tithing would be based. Here it is.

    [3] Gen. 28:20-22, "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, IF God will be with me, and [if God] will keep me in this way that I go, and [if God] 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 shall GIVE ME I will surely give the TENTH unto thee."

Wow! This one Scripture pretty much contradicts 99% of all sermons I have ever heard on the subject of tithing! This is the very first Scripture in the Bible that gives an account of someone giving a tenth or tithe of his personal possessions back to God. But, oh how different it is from the teachings of most Christian Churches.

First Jacob truly recognizes God as God. He then begins to proposition God. He states that "IF" God will do this and "IF’ God will do the other things, "THEN" Jacob says, "shall the Lord be my God." Jacob concludes his proposition to God, should God meet all of his requirements, by saying that of all the things that God will first give to Jacob, Jacob will give God back a tenth. Now don’t laugh. God honored Jacob’s proposition, and furthermore, God continued to honor this same principle of tithing all through Israel’s history. As Paul said, "Now what have you which you did not obtain?" (I Cor. 4:7) All that we possess comes from God.

And so, once more, we learn that Israel was not to tithe on what they did not first possess, unlike those today who teach that it is required to tithe on that which one does not already possess.

God is not partial and God is not a hypocrite. This example of Jacob proves that God doesn’t expect a tithe until He blessed the tithe payer first. Everyone should put down this paper, call his minister, and tell him you want to hear a sermon Sunday morning on how Jacob paid tithes to God. Now hold your breath.

Let’s ask ourselves a reasonable question: Just how did Jacob actually give a tithe to God? Did he personally hand it to God? No, no one has ever even seen God. Did Jacob tithe to an angel? No, angels do not need and can’t use tithes. Did Jacob send his tithe to Heaven by Celestial Express? No. Did he take it to the local church? No, there was no local church. Did he take it to the Temple? No, there was no temple. Did he give it directly to one of the Levitic priests? No, there were no Levites as yet. Well how then did Jacob tithe to God? Was it even possible? Yes, there were actually two different ways that Jacob could tithe to God:

   1.

      "And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your TITHES, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, YE and YOUR HOUSEHOLDS, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee" (Deut. 12:6-7).
   2.

      "And even though there were no Levites in Jacob’s day, nonetheless, there were ", the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, which are within thy gates, shall come, and SHALL EAT AND BE SATISFIED; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thin hand which thou doest" (Deut. 14:29).

That’s how God acknowledged a tithe from Jacob: By partaking of a portion himself and his family in communion and thanksgiving to God, and by sharing his fortune with those who were unfortunate, poor, strangers, etc.

    [4] Leviticus 27:30-33, "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. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the TITHE of the HERD, or of the FLOCK, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it, "

We learn a great deal about tithing in this section of Scripture:

   1. The tithe comes from the "land," not the air or the sea. Fishermen were not required to tithe fish.
   2. It was the "seed" or agricultural products from the fields that was holy to God and tithable.
   3. Products from "trees" were to be tithed. This not only included the fruit, but oils, etc.
   4. Of "herds or flocks" it was the "tenth" that passed under the rod that was holy and dedicated to God.

Here is exposed another lie of modern clergymen. It was not the first tenth, but rather the tenth tenth that belonged to God, contrary to every minister I have ever heard, who insists that the first tenth always belongs to God. Unscriptural. Untrue. Read your bible--it’s the tenth one of a herd that belongs to God.

Another interesting point is this. If a herdsman had but nine cattle, he didn’t tithe his cattle at all! Also notice that God did not even require the best of the cattle, just the tenth one to pass under the rod even if it was the runtiest of them all. Remember, we are talking about tithing and not sacrificing (animals for sacrifice always had to be without blemish).

Did you notice that this summary at the very end of the book of Leviticus does not mention the tithing of money? Interesting. But just maybe we will find the tithing of money in some other Scripture?

    [5] Numbers 18:24-28, "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.

    And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 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. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your TITHES, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord’s heave offering to Aaron the priest."

According to the above Scriptures, could just anyone claim to be a representative of God and therefore have Israel pay tithes to him? Let’s read it again, "But the TITHES of the children of Israel ,  I have given to the Levites to inherit." Now in order to be a priest one not only had to be of the tribe of Levi, but he also had to be of the family of Aaron. In fact, if one could not trace his genealogy back to the family of Aaron, he could not be a priest of God. This is the whole point of Hebrews seven. Jesus Christ is a priest for the eons of the rank of Melchizedek because Melchizedek predated the law which stated that only sons of Aaron could be priests. Therefore Melchizedek’s genealogy is not given in the Scriptures, and Christ, who according to the flesh is of the line of Judah, can and will be God’s High Priest in the Kingdom of God.

A warning to all charlatans and would-be tithe extractors and collectors: There is NO temple of God being officiated in Jerusalem today. There is NO Levitic priesthood to officiate at such a temple. There is NO NEED for such a temple or priesthood at this time. Only Levites could collect tithes at the temple. Therefore, EVERYONE collecting tithes today is a charlatan and a fake. If one cannot historically trace back his genealogy generation by generation with no lapses to the family of Aaron, he IS NOT and CANNOT be a priest authorized of God at this time to collect tithes for the temple services and sacrifices. (Of course Jesus IS our Sacrifice, and therefore that whole system funded by the tithes of the law is no longer applicable).

Yet today we have tithe collecting preachers like James Kennedy and John Hagee, with whom I am a little familiar, collecting tithe monies by the millions and millions of dollars annually. Yet by years end I heard them begging for more multiple millions of dollars to get them out of all the financial debt they had accumulated during the year. And then, (so help me, if I’m lying, I’m dying), John Hagee has the unmitigated gall to offer his followers (excuse me, sell to his followers--three video tapes, $60 US/$87 CAN) entitled The POWER to get WEALTH, by which Mr. Hagee assures us that we can learn to "STAY OUT OF DEBT"! Can you believe it? Would the word "hypocrite" be too strong or out of place here?

The whole system changed under the New Covenant. Notice what happened:

   1. Jesus said the temple would be utterly destroyed
       
      "And, coming out, Jesus sent from the sanctuary. And His disciples approached to exhibit to Him the buildings of the sanctuary. Yet He, answering, said to them, 'Are you not observing all these? Verily, I am saying to you, Under no circumstances may a stone here be left on a stone, which shall not be DEMOLISHED.’" (Matt. 24:1-2).
       
   2. Under the New Covenant, God does not dwell in temples made with hands,
       
      "The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is NOT dwelling in temples made by hands, " (Acts 17:24).
       
   3. The true believers under the New Covenant are now God’s temple,
       
      "For YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD, according as God said, that I will be making My home and will be walking in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (II Cor. 6:16).
       
      See also, (I Cor. 3:15 and I Cor. 1:19).
       
   4. All theologians know that when the temple ceased, the priesthood officiating at the temple CEASED!
       
   5. Each individual believer under the New Covenant forms a NEW priesthood,
       
      "Yet you are a chosen race, a ‘ROYAL PRIESTHOOD’, " (I Peter 2:9).

How then, under the New Covenant, does a believer give a tenth, when he is supposed to give his all (Rom. 12:1), to a priesthood that does not exist, but now he himself is part of a priesthood (I Peter 2:9), at a temple that does not exist (Mat. 24:1-2), but rather he himself is the temple wherein God dwells. No longer do we have priests with spiritual infirmities interceding for us, but rather we have Christ Jesus as our perfect intercessor and High Priest seated at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens (Heb. 7:28-8:1).

At this time in history, Israel owes no tithe to anyone. And, of course, we Gentiles (who are a new creation and the true Israel of God--Gal. 6:16) were never instructed to tithe in the first place. Read all thirteen books of the apostle Paul to the gentiles and find one verse where he instructed Gentiles to pay one cent of tithe money to anyone.

    [6] Deut. 12:6, 7, 11, 12, 17, 18, "And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your TITHES, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flock.

    And there, ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

    Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your TITHES, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord.

    And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, YE, and your SONS and your DAUGHTERS, and your MENSERVANTS, and your MAIDSERVANTS, and the LEVITE that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

    You may not eat within thy gates the TITHE of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of the flocks, nor any of thy vows which thou vow, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of your hand: But YOU MUST EAT THEM before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, "

Let us learn. Who was to partake of all these tithes and good things of the herd and of the land and of the trees? Everyone (yes, the Levite was also included) was to rejoice before the Lord. Did anyone see "money" in the list of things they were to bring before the Lord to rejoice? Was it just the ministers (the Levites) who were the recipients of these tithes and offerings, or was not everyone to partake of these things? Rejoicing and eating one’s own tithe before the Lord, was a very personal and reverend act of worship and communion with God. Not unlike prayer. Others may share and profit from our prayers, but we offer them to God, not to men.

The following verses deal with a practice initiated by God Himself to accommodate those traveling long distances to the Festival Sites where they were to eat and rejoice before the Lord to learn to fear Him. They could sell their tithes of the land for MONEY, and carry that amount of money rather than the bulky and heavy tithes themselves, to the Festival Site. There they were to purchase whatever their hearts desired and to share it with the Levites and the less fortunate. These verses will be further explained in Part II of this paper

    [7] Deut. 14:22-29, "Thou shall truly TITHE all the INCREASE of thy SEED, that the field brings forth year by year."

    "And you shall eat before the lord your God, in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the TITHE of thy CORN, of thy WINE, and of your OIL, and the FIRSTLINGS OF THY HERDS and of thy FLOCKS: that thou may learn to fear the Lord thy God always.

    And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set His name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee:

    Then shall thou turn it into MONEY, and bind up the MONEY in your hand, and shall go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose:

    And thou shall BESTOW THAT MONEY FOR WHATSOEVER YOUR SOUL LUSTETH AFTER, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for WHATSOEVER YOUR SOUL DESIRES: and YOU shall eat there before the Lord thy God, and THOU shall rejoice, THOU, AND THINE HOUSEHOLD.

    And the Levite that is within thy gates, thou shall not forsake him; for he has no part, nor inheritance with thee.

    At the end of three years thou shall bring forth all the TITHE of thine INCREASE the same year, and shall lay it up within thy gates:

    And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, which are within thy gates, shall come, and SHALL EAT AND BE SATISFIED; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of your hand which thou doest."

This third year of tithing is mentioned again:

    [8] Deut. 26:12, "When thou hast made an end of TITHING all the TITHES of your INCREASE the third year, which is the year of TITHING, and has given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled."

Again we notice that Israel never tithed from their poverty, but on their INCREASE. Contrary to all the deceiving "Shambachs" in the world, God never intended for people to tithe on what they didn’t have, but only on the increase of what God gave them.

For those who don’t know, Mr. Shambach is a character on TBN who told everyone on international television, via 25 communication satellites and reaching about 50,000 major cities around the world, that God personally told him to tell everyone that in order for them to get out of debt and be blessed of God, everyone needed to send Paul Crouch $2000 each, even if they didn’t have the money! He said God would bless them even if they had to pay the $2000 in smaller monthly increments. Unbelievable!

TBN's teaching on tithing are totally unscriptural even if Christians were to tithe. Time and again God told Israel that they were to tithe on their increase from their abundance, not on their decrease or their lack.

Paul never taught the Gentiles to tithe, but he did teach them to give freely from what they had, not from what they didn’t have:

    "I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do a year ago, for you were not only the first to propose this idea, but the first to begin doing something about it. Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly, GIVING WHATEVER YOU CAN OUT OF WHATEVER YOU HAVE. Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.  If you are really EAGER TO GIVE, then it isn't important HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO GIVE. God wants you to give WHAT YOU HAVE, NOT WHAT YOU HAVEN'T" (II Cor. 8:10-12, The Living Bible).

Oh, let met give you one more prosperity example while I’m at it. Some time ago I critiqued two sermons by Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Hagee. As I sent for one of Hagee’s cassette tapes so as to quote him correctly, I got put on his mailing list. In August of 1999 I got a magazine in which he announced a proposed celebration. It appears that he needed seven or eight million dollars in new video equipment and facilities of which he still owed 3.5 million on this debt. Anyway, to commemorate this huge debt and a proposal to get someone else to pay it off for him, he announced "Millennium Miracle 2000 by 2000"! "What in the world is that?" you ask. Well, since you asked, I’ll tell you.

To commemorate this huge debt and Mr. Hagee’s plan to get other people to pay it off for him, he came up with a plan to mint a one ounce sterling silver coin which would then have printed on one side: "Millennium Miracle 2000 by 2000," and on the other side: Your Name!

The plan was for 2000 people to send John Hagee $2000 dollars each for the next few months so that by the year 2000 Mr. Hagee would be DEBT FREE! Why it’s a "Millennium Miracle"! (Wait a minute, isn’t 2000 people times $2000 each $4,000,000, not $3.5 million dollars? Oh well, a $500,000 error in John’s favor should come in handy for something).

Each contributor of $2000 would then get a coin commemorating his contribution: "What a precious heirloom that can be passed from one generation to the next honoring your commitment to the Lord" (Emphasis mine). WHAT A PRECIOUS CROCK, ! Do you think the word "hypocrite" would be appropriate one more time?

How silly do they think the American people are? These are full-grown men. Some of them highly educated people. And yet they shamelessly hawk and huckster their ridiculous religious doctrines, trinkets, and wares over the air waves, like PEDDLERS, in the name of God!

Now don’t think I take credit for coming up with that word "peddler." The apostle Paul told the Corinthians (and now it’s in our Bibles for the whole world to see) that:

    "For we are not as the MAJORITY, who are PEDDLING THE WORD GOD, " (II Cor. 2:17, Concordant Version).

The word translated here "peddling" in the Concordant New Testament comes from the word "kapeleuo" which the spirit of God inspired to be used in the original Greek text of this verse of Scripture.

Here is the meaning of the Greek word "kapeleuo" translated "peddler." "To sell at retail, with the insinuation of improper profit, either by overcharging or adulterating" (Greek-English Keyword Concordance, page 220).

And notice please that it is not just a few who "peddle" the Word of God, but Paul says, ", the MAJORITY, " are peddling the word of God! Contrast this insincere merchandising of the word of God with Paul’s motive:

    "For we ARE NOT as the majority, who are peddling the word of God, but as OF SINCERITY, but as OF GOD, in the sight of God IN CHRIST, are we speaking."

Just a few chapters later Paul informs us that one day we all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of our lives, (II Cor. 5:10).

This next section in Chronicles tells us the same things we have already learned concerning what products were to be tithed.

    [9] II Chronicles 31:5, 6, 12, "And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in ABUNDANCE the firstfruits of CORN, WINE, and OIL, and HONEY, and of all the INCREASE of the field; and the TITHE of all things brought they in abundantly.

    And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the TITHE of OXEN and SHEEP, and the TITHE of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

    And brought in the offerings and the TITHES , "

This next section of Scriptures deals with a special tithe and offering given to NEW priests and Levites set up by Hezekiah after cleaning house in the cities of Judah by destroying the idols and altars to pagan gods.

    [10] Nehemiah 10:37-38, "And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God and the TITHES of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the TITHES in all the cities of our tillage.

    And the priest the son of Aaron shall be the Levites, when the Levites take TITHES: and the Levites shall bring up the TITHE of the TITHES unto the house of our God, to the chambers into the treasure house."

Again, no mention of money, only agricultural products of the fields, and only the Levites and priests could have access to these tithes and offerings in the house of God.

    [11] Nehemiah 12:44, "And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the fruitfruits, and for the TITHES, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited."

Nothing new in this verse that, we have not already discussed.

    [12] Nehemiah 13:5, 12 "And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the TITHES of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests."

    "Then brought all Judah the TITHE of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries."

Same story: ONLY agricultural products, and ONLY to the Levites and priests.

    [13] Amos 4:4, "Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your TITHES after three years."

    [14] Malachi 3:8-10, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings…"

This Malachi Prophecy is covered in much greater detail in Part II of this paper, and so I will give just one more Scripture to help us understand how the priests of Malachi’s prophecy may have been living so as to bring upon them the condemnation of God’s judgments:

    "And the priest’s custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the PRIEST’S servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh hook of three teeth in the hand;

    And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

    Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the PRIEST; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

    And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desires; then he would answer him, Nay, but thou shall give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

    Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for MEN ABHORRED the offering of the Lord." (I Sam. 2:13:17).

Don’t these verses sound as if they came right out of the book of Malachi?

    [15] Matt. 23:23 and Luke 11:42 are discussed in greater detail in Part II of this paper.

CONCLUSION

Now I’m going to preach at you for just a few minutes, and then I’ll let you go. Turn to Gal. 6:14-16:

    "Now may it not be mine to be boasting, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a NEW CREATION. And whoever shall observe the elements by this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, also on the Israel of God."

What is ", this rule, ?" We are no longer doing things according to the flesh. Circumcision was the single most important ritual for a man in Israel to do. Yet circumcision is physical (of the letter and of the flesh), even water baptism is physical (of the letter and of the flesh), sacrificing animals is physical (of the letter and of the flesh), tithing is physical (of the letter and of the flesh), etc., etc., etc.

    ", God, Who also makes us competent dispensers of a NEW covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter is killing, yet the spirit is vivifying [giving life]" (II Cor. 3:6).

The physical is but a tiny microcosm of the spiritual macrocosm. Cutting a few centimeters of skin from a boy’s manliness does not make him a spiritual man! But all of these rituals and ceremonies of the Old Covenant pointed to a future SPIRITUAL reality. True circumcision is not of the flesh, but of the heart, mind, soul, and spirit—it virtually has nothing to do with a few centimeters of physical skin.

    "For not that which is apparent is the Jew, nor yet that which is apparent in flesh is circumcision; but that which is hidden IS the Jew, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, whose applause is not of men, but of God" (Rom. 2:29).

Jesus Christ is not interested in the letter, in the physical, in the flesh.

    "Now those who are in the flesh are not able to please God" (Rom. 8:.

Even baptism is of the heart. The thief on the cross was not baptized in water, yet Jesus said he would be with Him when He comes in His kingdom. ", whoever are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized into His DEATH" "His death," not water.

    "We, then, were entombed together with Him through baptism into death, that, even as Christ was roused from among the dead through the glory of the Father, thus we also should be walking in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3-4).

It’s all about the SPIRIT--not water, foreskins, and money!

God doesn’t need or want ten percent of anything we have. God wants one hundred percent. Christ died for ALL OF YOU, and He wants ALL OF YOU, not just a percentage! God doesn’t want your money; He wants YOU!

You are already bought and paid for in full by Christ Jesus -- don’t try to add your two cents. We are now to live on a standard far above what we ever knew before Christ called us to become new creatures in the spirit. This can only be done through the power of God’s spirit. Our flesh is profiting NOTHING.

    "Yet you are not in flesh, but IN SPIRIT, if so be that God’s spirit is making its home in you" (Rom. 8:9).

One living in the spirit is not all concerned about physical things of the letter and of the flesh. The apostle Paul wasn’t called to "baptize," "circumcise," or "collect tithes." The kingdom of God is not food and drink. Paul’s whole ministry was proof of that--see my paper, "Paul’s Splinter in the Flesh."

If people feel they need to give something to God, something physical, something they can see and feel good about, then try this:

    "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service

    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove that is that good and acceptable and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:1-2).

The Apostle Paul said:

    "Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of NECESSITY: for GOD LOVETH A CHEERFUL GIVER." (II Cor,  9:7).

I would not give another penny to televangelists who peddle the word of God like some cheap merchandise for money. And the amount of money they extort from the public is colossal. What in the world do they do with all that money?

Never have SO MANY… accomplished SO LITTLE … with SO MUCH!

The real missionaries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have not flown first class to cushy hotels in exotic lands to teach the natives while dressed in their $3000 suits! The real missionaries were often down in the trenches with few if any luxuries. And there are still to be found such dedicated dispensers of God’s Word. These are the ones that are in need of financial support, for sure. These are those who truly are "worthy of their hire."

HELP THE NEEDY, NOT THE GREEDY

Give to the fatherless, the orphans, the strangers, the widows, the poor, and the needy, the homeless, and the beggar on the street, as God gives to you, the wherewithal. Give to reputable charities if you have extra. Give to your family members and relatives in need—don’t humiliate them by making them ask you first. Give to a neighbor in financial distress. Even when tipping someone, let it be a reflection of the One that you are representing in your Christian walk. Our God is a generous God—may you become generous also. Develop a "love for giving." Paul tells us in Acts 20:35b to:

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE
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Truely, Nigeria has wasted 50 years already, so I do not subscribe to the idea that anybody that is willing to bring changes should take it easy. However, he should always consult his Attorney General on the legality of any action he may want to take.

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[color=Black][b]''BIBLICAL ILLITERACY"


INTRODUCTION

1. A growing problem is one of "Biblical Illiteracy",
a. Not just by those in the world
b. Also in the church
-- "Americans revere the Bible - but, by and large, they don't read
it. And because they don't read it, they have become a nation of
biblical illiterates." - George Gallup and Jim Castelli

2. How bad is it? Consider these results from various surveys,
a. Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels
b. Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three
of the disciples
c. 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten
Commandments
d. 82 percent of Americans believe "God helps those who help
themselves" is a Bible verse
e. 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife
f. A survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50
percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife
g. A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that
the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham
-- "Increasingly, America is biblically illiterate." - George Barna

["Biblical Illiteracy" is like a poison, wreaking havoc in the lives of
individuals, in our churches, and in our communities. To understand
how, consider, ]

I. THE POISON OF BIBLICAL ILLITERACY

A. ITS EFFECT ON INDIVIDUALS,
1. God's people have always been destroyed by lack of knowledge
- Hos 4:1,6
2. Where there is lack of God's Word, the people faint - cf. Amo
8:11-13
a. In ignorance they make the wrong choices
b. When they stumble, they do not know where to turn
3. Without a knowledge of God's Word, a person has,
a. No real direction or guidance in life - Ps 119:105
b. No true joy or peace in life - Ps 119:111,165
-- How many lives are being destroyed, how many people are
stumbling through life, because they do not have the light of
God's Word guiding them, ?

B. ITS EFFECT ON CHURCHES,
1. Churches languish for lack of teachers; teachers are few for
lack of knowledge - He 5:12
2. Churches are led astray by false teachers and false doctrine,
for how can the ignorant know what is false? - cf. 2Pe 2:1-3
-- How many churches are "dying on the vine", or into wholesale
apostasy because their members cannot discern between truth and
error, ?

C. ITS EFFECT ON COMMUNITIES,
1. Our standards of morality are skewed, where good is evil and
evil is good - cf. Isa 5:20
a. We slaughter the innocent (abortion), sparing the guilty (no
capital punishment)
b. We reward the wicked (movie stars, entertainers), depriving
the good (teachers, etc.)
c. Divorce is made easy, adultery looked upon lightly,
fornication "an affair, a relationship", homosexuality an
alternative lifestyle
2. The effect of such things destroy our families and communities
a. Evil (pornography, promiscuity) is allowed to spread in the
name of "freedom", ripping families apart
b. Children are deprived the kind of parenting that is their
God-given right
c. Leading to juvenile delinquency and greater evils
-- Consider how the moral fabric of our nation and others in the
world are becoming unraveled when "everyone does what is right
in his own eyes" - cf. Judg 21:25

[The poison of "Biblical Illiteracy" has infected and sickened our
people, our churches, and our communities. Is there an antidote to this
poison? Indeed there is, but it requires individual effort, ]

II. THE ANTIDOTE TO BIBLICAL ILLITERACY

A. DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING IN PRIVATE,
1. The truly blessed person feeds upon the Word of God daily - Psa
1:1-3; 119:97-98
2. A systematic practice of prayerful Bible reading as part of a
daily devotional,
a. Will bring a person closer to God
b. Will gradually increase one's understanding of the Word of
God
c. Will offer strength, comfort and hope that only the
Scriptures provide
-- Are you willing to do your part, everyday, in stamping out
"Biblical Illiteracy", ?

B. FREQUENT IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY WITH OTHERS,
1. The faithful Christian realizes the value of mutual edification
- He 3:12-14; 10:24-25
2. Churches often provide the opportunity for Christians to study
together
a. In their Bible classes on the Lord's day, during the week,
and in their homes
b. Where they can benefit from the knowledge of other Bible
students
-- Are you willing to participate in such activities to stamp out
"Biblical Illiteracy", ?

C. PARENTS ACCEPTING THEIR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY,
1. God gave the responsibility of spiritual training to the
parents - cf. Deut 6:6-7; Ep 6:4
2. Church may provide assistance with their children's classes,
and yet,
a. Parents should not abdicate their responsibility to the
church
b. Parents should be very much involved in the teaching
programs of any church
-- Are you willing to accept your parental duties to stamp out
"Biblical Illiteracy", ?

D. PREACHERS FULFILLING THEIR DUTY TO THE WORD,
1. Preachers are to give heed to the Word, and to preach the Word
- 1Ti 4:16; 2Ti 4:1-5
2. We should expect preachers to be "men of the Book"
a. Preaching and teaching the Word of God, providing exposition
of the Scriptures
b. Not entertaining us with "pop theology" and "pop psychology"
-- Are you willing to require that preachers proclaim the Word to
stamp out "Biblical Illiteracy", ?

CONCLUSION

1. I was encouraged to prepare this study reading an article by Albert
Mohler (The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It's Our Problem)

2. I thought his concluding paragraphs to be especially on the mark,
a. "Churches must recover the centrality and urgency of biblical
teaching and preaching, and refuse to sideline the teaching
ministry of the preacher. Pastors and churches too busy--or too
distracted--to make biblical knowledge a central aim of ministry
will produce believers who simply do not know enough to be
faithful disciples."
b. "We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live
higher than our beliefs. The many fronts of Christian compromise
in this generation can be directly traced to biblical illiteracy
in the pews and the absence of biblical preaching and teaching in
our homes and churches."
c. "This generation must get deadly serious about the problem of
biblical illiteracy, or a frighteningly large number of Americans
--Christians included--will go on thinking that Sodom and Gomorrah
lived happily ever after."

Are we willing to get "deadly serious about the problem of biblical
illiteracy"? If so,

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness,
and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to
save your souls." - Jm 1:21
[/b][/color]

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