analice107:

Am surprised you cant see its a ploy to malign the Faith. Shouldn't you be smart enough to ask yourself, what happened to the 90% left?
why should his brother's school fees come from the 10% which is not his own? Tithe doesn't belong to you. You cant steal what belongs to you, and God says if you don't PAY it, you are a thief.
Open your eyes and see the trick of satan. No christian who knows the Principle of Tithing will raise this matter here.
Plissss. i have said enough. I didn't want to come into this in the first place. I thought you made sense thats why i hailed you, but you turned on me.

You guys should try to be reasonable. Let us assume that the brother's schools fees is N10,000 and he earned N10,500 from his work. It is obvious that if he pays his tithe of N1050, he would be left with only N9,950. You can obviously see that the money he is left with will not be sufficient to pay his brother's school fees. Do you think that God is so wicked at to ask us to pay him tithe when the needs of people around you can no longer be met? Let us be rational for once. Read my article below which would clearly tell you that tithe payment is no longer required of us.


CHRISTIANS ARE NOT UNDER ANY LAW TO PAY TITHE IN CHURCH!!! (By Chukwu, Celestine Nkemakolam)

I am very sure that quite a good number of people are going to call me names for daring to write on this topic; and some may never attempt to read this article till the last word before commenting that I am a biblical “robber”. As caustic as your comments may be, be assured that I have already forgiven you in advance. However, I crave your indulgence to read till the very last word and then decide if my reasons, especially the biblical passages around which my argument revolves, are wrong.

There have been lots of argument and articles concerning this topic. Tithe payment in churches today has become so necessary and even mandatory that anybody who dares refuse to pay it would either be excommunicated, suspended or tagged an anti-Christ who must not be allowed within the gathering of Christians (I write with experience). Some popular preachers whose articles I have read concerning tithe payment did go as far as stating that anybody who does not pay tithe cannot make heaven. I know quite well that tithe is the major source of revenue in some churches, and it is the primary means of supplying the needs of the Pastors. I also know that many of us have testimonies of financial breakthrough as a result of paying tithe, and the source of such testimonies is actually God and not the devil. However, in the midst of these testimonies, I still maintain, with biblical proof, that Christians are not under obligation to pay tithe. Moreover, tithe payment is not the only source of experiencing financial breakthrough; for, there are principles, according to God’s Will in the bible, which are laid down for this purpose.

It is clearly stated in Hebrews 7:5 that tithe is one of the laws of Moses, for Levites were “commanded by God to receive tithe from people according to the law”. A familiar verse often quoted by proponents of tithe payment is Malachi 3:9-10 where curse is pronounced on those who do not pay tithe; and blessings are showered on those who do. Moreover, Matthew 5:17-20 is also quoted where Jesus said that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. This later verse is, therefore, used as a basis that the Old Testament laws (Laws of Moses), which included tithe payment, is still applicable to us Christians since Jesus said he has not come to abolish the law. These verses, as you would come to see later in this article, are misquoted and misunderstood.


First, the verses in Malachi and Matthew came before the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus rightly quoted that He came to fulfill the law, and indeed He accomplished that through His death when He said “it is finished”. After His death, Christians were no longer under the law. That is why Hebrews 7:12 & 19 tells us that the former commandment and law to pay tithe (which was previously mentioned in Hebrew 7:5) has been annulled (cancelled). Moreover, Romans 7:6 says we have been delivered from the law; Ephesians 2:15 says that by His death He ended the whole system of Jewish laws that excluded Gentiles; Romans 10:4 says that Christ is the end of the law; Romans 7:4 says we died to the law through the body of Christ. Colossians 2:14-17 says all the ordinances were nailed to the cross. Galatians 3:10-13 crowns it by telling us that we have been delivered from the curse of the law( remember that tithe payment, as one of the laws, also came with a curse for those who refuse to pay it as stated in Malachi 3:9). This is why there is no verse in the bible (after the death of Jesus) where the Apostles told Christians to pay tithe. None of the churches practiced it. Rather, the needs of the church were met through voluntary offerings as depicted in 2nd Corinthians 9, Acts 2:44-45, etc. And God attached blessings to these free-will offerings as 2nd Corinthians 9:8-11 tells us. If tithe payment is so important or a part of the gospel of salvation, as some preachers do say when they declare that those who do not pay it will never make heaven, then why did the apostles in the bible decide not to teach Christians to do so when they preached?

I became very afraid of practicing anything in the Old Testament Law when I read from the Bible that living by them would cut me off from the grace, and we all know that no man would make heaven without the grace found in Jesus. Galatians 5:4 tells us that those who live by the law are cut off from the grace of Christ; Galatians 3:11 says no one is justified by the law in the sight of God. Also read Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 5:3, etc to really understand the grave implications of living by the law, even if it is just one act of the law.

There are other reasons many people have often given to justify tithe payment. One of them is that Abraham and Jacob paid tithe before the law, and if we must inherit the blessings of Abraham, we ought to do what they did: pay tithe. However, we must understand that Abraham paid tithe once. He tithed out of the spoils of war and not from his possessions. Jacob paid tithe as a vow to God if he answers his prayer. The bible never told us that he repeated that. We should remember that Circumcision, like tithing, also came before the law when God told Abraham in Genesis 17:11 to circumcise his household. Yet Galatians 5:1-3 tells us that we should no longer practice circumcision. This clearly tells us that it is fallacious to continue to live by an old doctrine merely because it came before the law.

Moreover, like I mentioned in the first paragraph, many people can give testimonies of financial breakthrough for paying tithe. Such blessings are real and may be from God. However, obtaining positive result is not always an indication that the means it came is according to God’s Will. For instance, Moses was instructed by God in Numbers 20:8 to speak to the rock so that water would be supplied for the grumbling Israelites. Moses, however, STRUCK the rock (Numbers 20:11) as against the instruction to Speak. There was still a positive result of water coming out of the rock, but God punished Moses for disobedience to His exact instruction by preventing him from entering the Promised Land. Matthew 7: 21-23 also tells us that God prevented people who performed miracles, signs and wonders in His name (not the name of Satan) from entering Heaven simply because they did not do His Will. This clearly tells us that God could give people power to perform signs and wonders or obtain positive results when His name is mentioned. Yet He would deny them entrance into Heaven for not doing His Will. Therefore, do not be rooted in the practice of a doctrine merely by the side attractions of signs and wonders.

It is pertinent that we know God’s laid down principle which is the key to financial breakthrough according to His Will. This key is in providing the needs of the less privileged and supporting Missionary works (2nd Corinthians 9:1-14, Matthew 25: 31-46, Matthew 10:41-42, James 1:27, Galatians 6:6-10, Luke 14:12-14, etc.). Do these and watch God manifest in your life. There are orphans in orphanages, beggars on the streets, sick people in hospitals who cannot pay their medical bills, people in prisons who have lost hope, widows, poor people around you, etc, who need our money and other welfare materials as we can provide. Moreover, invest in Missionary works geared towards propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the life of those who Minister the Word of God to us in our churches. The needs of the church can only be met through our voluntary offering and not through tithing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!!!
Let me educate us further. What was the purpose of tithe during the law? A percentage of tithe was given to Levites because of the services they rendered to God, and they were not to own properties. The priests served like mediators between God and men, for they offered our gifts and our sacrifices of sin, cleansing, etc to God. However, the death of Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice. We no longer need mortal priests to offer sacrifices to God on our behalf. We all now have direct access to God just like those priests of the old. That is why in 1Peter 2:9, we are called royal Priests, and the veil separating us from God was torn when Jesus died. Since there is no more need for sacrifices, the office of those priests was eliminated and therefore, the requirement to pay tithe which was used to feed these men was also eliminated. Hebrews 7, 8, 9 should explain all these to us.

Now, let us assume that tithing is still necessary, CAN ANYONE TELL US WHERE MONEY IS MENTIONED AS A "TITHABLE" ITEM IN THE BIBLE? Deu 14:22 and Leviticus 27:30 clearly tells us that only the fruits of the land or agricultural products were accepted as tithes. Most of modern day preachers deceive us by saying that in the old testament days, people were not earning money and that was why God did not include money as something to tithe. No way! You would be wrong if you think so. When you read 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, 2 Kings 12:11, 2 Kings 22:4-6 and Ezra 3:7, you would see that there were Carpenters, Stone cutters, Masons, etc who were paid for their services in money. We should also accept that there were fisher men then and other forms of trade. So can someone answer this question: WHY DID GOD NOT TELL THOSE PEOPLE TO TITHE THE MONEY THEY EARNED?

My brethren, let us be careful to preach the gospel of salvation to all mankind as something obtainable in grace and not through the works of the law. Let us not put men in bondage by forcing them to live by the law just because we are more interested in enriching ourselves through their tithe. Apostle Paul was a tent maker (Acts 18: 3) even as he was preaching, because he did not want to put burden on believers to supply his needs ( 1 Thes 2:9). Anybody that says he is an Apostle, Pastor, etc should be wise to emulate their early church predecessors: Apostle Paul, etc.

paulstrings:

You are Wise...God bless you

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT UNDER ANY LAW TO PAY TITHE IN CHURCH!!! (By Chukwu, Celestine Nkemakolam)

I am very sure that quite a good number of people are going to call me names for daring to write on this topic; and some may never attempt to read this article till the last word before commenting that I am a biblical “robber”. As caustic as your comments may be, be assured that I have already forgiven you in advance. However, I crave your indulgence to read till the very last word and then decide if my reasons, especially the biblical passages around which my argument revolves, are wrong.

There have been lots of argument and articles concerning this topic. Tithe payment in churches today has become so necessary and even mandatory that anybody who dares refuse to pay it would either be excommunicated, suspended or tagged an anti-Christ who must not be allowed within the gathering of Christians (I write with experience). Some popular preachers whose articles I have read concerning tithe payment did go as far as stating that anybody who does not pay tithe cannot make heaven. I know quite well that tithe is the major source of revenue in some churches, and it is the primary means of supplying the needs of the Pastors. I also know that many of us have testimonies of financial breakthrough as a result of paying tithe, and the source of such testimonies is actually God and not the devil. However, in the midst of these testimonies, I still maintain, with biblical proof, that Christians are not under obligation to pay tithe. Moreover, tithe payment is not the only source of experiencing financial breakthrough; for, there are principles, according to God’s Will in the bible, which are laid down for this purpose.

It is clearly stated in Hebrews 7:5 that tithe is one of the laws of Moses, for Levites were “commanded by God to receive tithe from people according to the law”. A familiar verse often quoted by proponents of tithe payment is Malachi 3:9-10 where curse is pronounced on those who do not pay tithe; and blessings are showered on those who do. Moreover, Matthew 5:17-20 is also quoted where Jesus said that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. This later verse is, therefore, used as a basis that the Old Testament laws (Laws of Moses), which included tithe payment, is still applicable to us Christians since Jesus said he has not come to abolish the law. These verses, as you would come to see later in this article, are misquoted and misunderstood.


First, the verses in Malachi and Matthew came before the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus rightly quoted that He came to fulfill the law, and indeed He accomplished that through His death when He said “it is finished”. After His death, Christians were no longer under the law. That is why Hebrews 7:12 & 19 tells us that the former commandment and law to pay tithe (which was previously mentioned in Hebrew 7:5) has been annulled (cancelled). Moreover, Romans 7:6 says we have been delivered from the law; Ephesians 2:15 says that by His death He ended the whole system of Jewish laws that excluded Gentiles; Romans 10:4 says that Christ is the end of the law; Romans 7:4 says we died to the law through the body of Christ. Colossians 2:14-17 says all the ordinances were nailed to the cross. Galatians 3:10-13 crowns it by telling us that we have been delivered from the curse of the law( remember that tithe payment, as one of the laws, also came with a curse for those who refuse to pay it as stated in Malachi 3:9). This is why there is no verse in the bible (after the death of Jesus) where the Apostles told Christians to pay tithe. None of the churches practiced it. Rather, the needs of the church were met through voluntary offerings as depicted in 2nd Corinthians 9, Acts 2:44-45, etc. And God attached blessings to these free-will offerings as 2nd Corinthians 9:8-11 tells us. If tithe payment is so important or a part of the gospel of salvation, as some preachers do say when they declare that those who do not pay it will never make heaven, then why did the apostles in the bible decide not to teach Christians to do so when they preached?

I became very afraid of practicing anything in the Old Testament Law when I read from the Bible that living by them would cut me off from the grace, and we all know that no man would make heaven without the grace found in Jesus. Galatians 5:4 tells us that those who live by the law are cut off from the grace of Christ; Galatians 3:11 says no one is justified by the law in the sight of God. Also read Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 5:3, etc to really understand the grave implications of living by the law, even if it is just one act of the law.

There are other reasons many people have often given to justify tithe payment. One of them is that Abraham and Jacob paid tithe before the law, and if we must inherit the blessings of Abraham, we ought to do what they did: pay tithe. However, we must understand that Abraham paid tithe once. He tithed out of the spoils of war and not from his possessions. Jacob paid tithe as a vow to God if he answers his prayer. The bible never told us that he repeated that. We should remember that Circumcision, like tithing, also came before the law when God told Abraham in Genesis 17:11 to circumcise his household. Yet Galatians 5:1-3 tells us that we should no longer practice circumcision. This clearly tells us that it is fallacious to continue to live by an old doctrine merely because it came before the law.

Moreover, like I mentioned in the first paragraph, many people can give testimonies of financial breakthrough for paying tithe. Such blessings are real and may be from God. However, obtaining positive result is not always an indication that the means it came is according to God’s Will. For instance, Moses was instructed by God in Numbers 20:8 to speak to the rock so that water would be supplied for the grumbling Israelites. Moses, however, STRUCK the rock (Numbers 20:11) as against the instruction to Speak. There was still a positive result of water coming out of the rock, but God punished Moses for disobedience to His exact instruction by preventing him from entering the Promised Land. Matthew 7: 21-23 also tells us that God prevented people who performed miracles, signs and wonders in His name (not the name of Satan) from entering Heaven simply because they did not do His Will. This clearly tells us that God could give people power to perform signs and wonders or obtain positive results when His name is mentioned. Yet He would deny them entrance into Heaven for not doing His Will. Therefore, do not be rooted in the practice of a doctrine merely by the side attractions of signs and wonders.

It is pertinent that we know God’s laid down principle which is the key to financial breakthrough according to His Will. This key is in providing the needs of the less privileged and supporting Missionary works (2nd Corinthians 9:1-14, Matthew 25: 31-46, Matthew 10:41-42, James 1:27, Galatians 6:6-10, Luke 14:12-14, etc.). Do these and watch God manifest in your life. There are orphans in orphanages, beggars on the streets, sick people in hospitals who cannot pay their medical bills, people in prisons who have lost hope, widows, poor people around you, etc, who need our money and other welfare materials as we can provide. Moreover, invest in Missionary works geared towards propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the life of those who Minister the Word of God to us in our churches. The needs of the church can only be met through our voluntary offering and not through tithing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!!!
Let me educate us further. What was the purpose of tithe during the law? A percentage of tithe was given to Levites because of the services they rendered to God, and they were not to own properties. The priests served like mediators between God and men, for they offered our gifts and our sacrifices of sin, cleansing, etc to God. However, the death of Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice. We no longer need mortal priests to offer sacrifices to God on our behalf. We all now have direct access to God just like those priests of the old. That is why in 1Peter 2:9, we are called royal Priests, and the veil separating us from God was torn when Jesus died. Since there is no more need for sacrifices, the office of those priests was eliminated and therefore, the requirement to pay tithe which was used to feed these men was also eliminated. Hebrews 7, 8, 9 should explain all these to us.

Now, let us assume that tithing is still necessary, CAN ANYONE TELL US WHERE MONEY IS MENTIONED AS A "TITHABLE" ITEM IN THE BIBLE? Deu 14:22 and Leviticus 27:30 clearly tells us that only the fruits of the land or agricultural products were accepted as tithes. Most of modern day preachers deceive us by saying that in the old testament days, people were not earning money and that was why God did not include money as something to tithe. No way! You would be wrong if you think so. When you read 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, 2 Kings 12:11, 2 Kings 22:4-6 and Ezra 3:7, you would see that there were Carpenters, Stone cutters, Masons, etc who were paid for their services in money. We should also accept that there were fisher men then and other forms of trade. So can someone answer this question: WHY DID GOD NOT TELL THOSE PEOPLE TO TITHE THE MONEY THEY EARNED?

My brethren, let us be careful to preach the gospel of salvation to all mankind as something obtainable in grace and not through the works of the law. Let us not put men in bondage by forcing them to live by the law just because we are more interested in enriching ourselves through their tithe. Apostle Paul was a tent maker (Acts 18: 3) even as he was preaching, because he did not want to put burden on believers to supply his needs ( 1 Thes 2:9). Anybody that says he is an Apostle, Pastor, etc should be wise to emulate their early church predecessors: Apostle Paul, etc.

UEK33:
“Blessed is the hand that giveth than the one that taketh”

The above statement is a law of nature that cut across all religions, beliefs and cultures. It is called the law of GIVE AND TAKE. It works for both believers and non believers ,Christians and non Christians. Statistical data released late last month showed China, Japan, Canada and of course America(in that order) were the least most religious countries, but it is on record that those countries have the best economy in the world and first five richest men in the world are unarguably from those countries. The question is, Do they all pay tithe ?? NO ….They simply obeyed the law of GIVE AND TAKE.

Bring all the tithes into the store house, that there may be food in my house, and try 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 such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it(Malachi 3:10). That was indeed an awesome promise from Jehovah most powerful. This verse has been a powerful tool for some pastors to milk gullible members especially in Africa where religion seemed to have clouded our judgements. I will have to point to the fact that this promise was a reassurance to the people of Israelite who fell short of the glory of God due to their sins (Malachi 3:1-……………)
Jesus pointed out that tithe is not a weighty matter of the law (Matt 23:23). Hebrew says people only receive tithe "according to the law” (Hebrew 7:5). It then insists tithing (and everything else under the law) has been annulled; “ The former regulation is set aside because it is weak and useless (Hebrews 7:18-19).
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for keeping part instead of the whole law (Mat 23:23). That is what tithe collecting pastors do today. If we insist our congregants must pay tithes, we must also insist they keep the rest of the law. James says “whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Therefore if we insist on tithing, we should also refrain from eating pork, we should stone adulterers, execute homosexuals, kill Sabbath violators and restore blood sacrifices.

ORIGIN OF TITHE: Tithe was a tenth of the seeds and fruits of the land , and of the animals which ate of the land(Leviticus 27:30-32). It was one of the laws handed to Moses in mount Sinai. Tithes were paid to the store house of malachi-i.e a place where food was stored. How tithe was shared was laid down by Moses, first year levites, second year was for orphans, widows and the poor, in the third year it was eaten in the company of the faithful before the lord as thanksgiving for his faithfulness(Deutronomy 14:22-28). NOTE: Tithe was paid yearly and not monthly as obtained in modern churches.

CAN A CITIZEN OF A COUNTRY NOT PAY HIS TAX ?? That question is laughable and illogical. Tax and tithe are two different levies paid by the jews. Tithing was only applicable to jews and to the land of Israel and never from strictly gentile lands. Servants or slaves who worked in the land never tithed because the land did not belong to them but they could pay tax. Levites were the only people authorized to receive tithe (Hebrew 7:5). Before the inception of the levites, Abraham tithed to Melchisedec, king of salem with 10% of the spoils of war he took when he rescued Lot. He did not even keep the rest but returned it( all ninety percent ) to the king of Sodom. Jacob promised to tithe(Gen 28:20-22) to God but he gave God condition for it. Note: it is wrong to give God conditions before serving him. Thesame could be seen among suppose tithers of today who do it in expectance of open heavens. Jesus christ who was a priest (Lev 7:15) never collected tithe from his followers. I wonder were todays Christian (Christ-like) got that from.
I will like to submit by saying it is a bitter pill that tithe collecting pastors need to swallow.
Praise God!!

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT UNDER ANY LAW TO PAY TITHE IN CHURCH!!! (By Chukwu, Celestine Nkemakolam)

I am very sure that quite a good number of people are going to call me names for daring to write on this topic; and some may never attempt to read this article till the last word before commenting that I am a biblical “robber”. As caustic as your comments may be, be assured that I have already forgiven you in advance. However, I crave your indulgence to read till the very last word and then decide if my reasons, especially the biblical passages around which my argument revolves, are wrong.

There have been lots of argument and articles concerning this topic. Tithe payment in churches today has become so necessary and even mandatory that anybody who dares refuse to pay it would either be excommunicated, suspended or tagged an anti-Christ who must not be allowed within the gathering of Christians (I write with experience). Some popular preachers whose articles I have read concerning tithe payment did go as far as stating that anybody who does not pay tithe cannot make heaven. I know quite well that tithe is the major source of revenue in some churches, and it is the primary means of supplying the needs of the Pastors. I also know that many of us have testimonies of financial breakthrough as a result of paying tithe, and the source of such testimonies is actually God and not the devil. However, in the midst of these testimonies, I still maintain, with biblical proof, that Christians are not under obligation to pay tithe. Moreover, tithe payment is not the only source of experiencing financial breakthrough; for, there are principles, according to God’s Will in the bible, which are laid down for this purpose.

It is clearly stated in Hebrews 7:5 that tithe is one of the laws of Moses, for Levites were “commanded by God to receive tithe from people according to the law”. A familiar verse often quoted by proponents of tithe payment is Malachi 3:9-10 where curse is pronounced on those who do not pay tithe; and blessings are showered on those who do. Moreover, Matthew 5:17-20 is also quoted where Jesus said that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. This later verse is, therefore, used as a basis that the Old Testament laws (Laws of Moses), which included tithe payment, is still applicable to us Christians since Jesus said he has not come to abolish the law. These verses, as you would come to see later in this article, are misquoted and misunderstood.


First, the verses in Malachi and Matthew came before the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus rightly quoted that He came to fulfill the law, and indeed He accomplished that through His death when He said “it is finished”. After His death, Christians were no longer under the law. That is why Hebrews 7:12 & 19 tells us that the former commandment and law to pay tithe (which was previously mentioned in Hebrew 7:5) has been annulled (cancelled). Moreover, Romans 7:6 says we have been delivered from the law; Ephesians 2:15 says that by His death He ended the whole system of Jewish laws that excluded Gentiles; Romans 10:4 says that Christ is the end of the law; Romans 7:4 says we died to the law through the body of Christ. Colossians 2:14-17 says all the ordinances were nailed to the cross. Galatians 3:10-13 crowns it by telling us that we have been delivered from the curse of the law( remember that tithe payment, as one of the laws, also came with a curse for those who refuse to pay it as stated in Malachi 3:9). This is why there is no verse in the bible (after the death of Jesus) where the Apostles told Christians to pay tithe. None of the churches practiced it. Rather, the needs of the church were met through voluntary offerings as depicted in 2nd Corinthians 9, Acts 2:44-45, etc. And God attached blessings to these free-will offerings as 2nd Corinthians 9:8-11 tells us. If tithe payment is so important or a part of the gospel of salvation, as some preachers do say when they declare that those who do not pay it will never make heaven, then why did the apostles in the bible decide not to teach Christians to do so when they preached?

I became very afraid of practicing anything in the Old Testament Law when I read from the Bible that living by them would cut me off from the grace, and we all know that no man would make heaven without the grace found in Jesus. Galatians 5:4 tells us that those who live by the law are cut off from the grace of Christ; Galatians 3:11 says no one is justified by the law in the sight of God. Also read Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 5:3, etc to really understand the grave implications of living by the law, even if it is just one act of the law.

There are other reasons many people have often given to justify tithe payment. One of them is that Abraham and Jacob paid tithe before the law, and if we must inherit the blessings of Abraham, we ought to do what they did: pay tithe. However, we must understand that Abraham paid tithe once. He tithed out of the spoils of war and not from his possessions. Jacob paid tithe as a vow to God if he answers his prayer. The bible never told us that he repeated that. We should remember that Circumcision, like tithing, also came before the law when God told Abraham in Genesis 17:11 to circumcise his household. Yet Galatians 5:1-3 tells us that we should no longer practice circumcision. This clearly tells us that it is fallacious to continue to live by an old doctrine merely because it came before the law.

Moreover, like I mentioned in the first paragraph, many people can give testimonies of financial breakthrough for paying tithe. Such blessings are real and may be from God. However, obtaining positive result is not always an indication that the means it came is according to God’s Will. For instance, Moses was instructed by God in Numbers 20:8 to speak to the rock so that water would be supplied for the grumbling Israelites. Moses, however, STRUCK the rock (Numbers 20:11) as against the instruction to Speak. There was still a positive result of water coming out of the rock, but God punished Moses for disobedience to His exact instruction by preventing him from entering the Promised Land. Matthew 7: 21-23 [/b]also tells us that God prevented people who performed miracles, signs and wonders in His name (not the name of Satan) from entering Heaven simply because they did not do His Will. This clearly tells us that God could give people power to perform signs and wonders or obtain positive results when His name is mentioned. Yet He would deny them entrance into Heaven for not doing His Will. Therefore, do not be rooted in the practice of a doctrine merely by the side attractions of signs and wonders.

It is pertinent that we know God’s laid down principle which is the key to financial breakthrough according to His Will. This key is in providing the needs of the less privileged and supporting Missionary works [b](2nd Corinthians 9:1-14, Matthew 25: 31-46, Matthew 10:41-42, James 1:27, Galatians 6:6-10, Luke 14:12-14, etc.). Do these and watch God manifest in your life. There are orphans in orphanages, beggars on the streets, sick people in hospitals who cannot pay their medical bills, people in prisons who have lost hope, widows, poor people around you, etc, who need our money and other welfare materials as we can provide. Moreover, invest in Missionary works geared towards propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the life of those who Minister the Word of God to us in our churches. The needs of the church can only be met through our voluntary offering and not through tithing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!!!
Let me educate us further. What was the purpose of tithe during the law? A percentage of tithe was given to Levites because of the services they rendered to God, and they were not to own properties. The priests served like mediators between God and men, for they offered our gifts and our sacrifices of sin, cleansing, etc to God. However, the death of Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice. We no longer need mortal priests to offer sacrifices to God on our behalf. We all now have direct access to God just like those priests of the old. That is why in 1Peter 2:9, we are called royal Priests, and the veil separating us from God was torn when Jesus died. Since there is no more need for sacrifices, the office of those priests was eliminated and therefore, the requirement to pay tithe which was used to feed these men was also eliminated. Hebrews 7, 8, 9 should explain all these to us.

Now, let us assume that tithing is still necessary, CAN ANYONE TELL US WHERE MONEY IS MENTIONED AS A "TITHABLE" ITEM IN THE BIBLE? Deu 14:22 and Leviticus 27:30 clearly tells us that only the fruits of the land or agricultural products were accepted as tithes. Most of modern day preachers deceive us by saying that in the old testament days, people were not earning money and that was why God did not include money as something to tithe. No way! You would be wrong if you think so. When you read 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, 2 Kings 12:11, 2 Kings 22:4-6 and Ezra 3:7, you would see that there were Carpenters, Stone cutters, Masons, etc who were paid for their services in money. We should also accept that there were fisher men then and other forms of trade. So can someone answer this question: WHY DID GOD NOT TELL THOSE PEOPLE TO TITHE THE MONEY THEY EARNED?

My brethren, let us be careful to preach the gospel of salvation to all mankind as something obtainable in grace and not through the works of the law. Let us not put men in bondage by forcing them to live by the law just because we are more interested in enriching ourselves through their tithe. Apostle Paul was a tent maker (Acts 18: 3) even as he was preaching, because he did not want to put burden on believers to supply his needs ( 1 Thes 2:9). Anybody that says he is an Apostle, Pastor, etc should be wise to emulate their early church predecessors: Apostle Paul, etc.

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT UNDER ANY LAW TO PAY TITHE IN CHURCH!!! (By Chukwu, Celestine Nkemakolam)

I am very sure that quite a good number of people are going to call me names for daring to write on this topic; and some may never attempt to read this article till the last word before commenting that I am a biblical “robber”. As caustic as your comments may be, be assured that I have already forgiven you in advance. However, I crave your indulgence to read till the very last word and then decide if my reasons, especially the biblical passages around which my argument revolves, are wrong.

There have been lots of argument and articles concerning this topic. Tithe payment in churches today has become so necessary and even mandatory that anybody who dares refuse to pay it would either be excommunicated, suspended or tagged an anti-Christ who must not be allowed within the gathering of Christians (I write with experience). Some popular preachers whose articles I have read concerning tithe payment did go as far as stating that anybody who does not pay tithe cannot make heaven. I know quite well that tithe is the major source of revenue in some churches, and it is the primary means of supplying the needs of the Pastors. I also know that many of us have testimonies of financial breakthrough as a result of paying tithe, and the source of such testimonies is actually God and not the devil. However, in the midst of these testimonies, I still maintain, with biblical proof, that Christians are not under obligation to pay tithe. Moreover, tithe payment is not the only source of experiencing financial breakthrough; for, there are principles, according to God’s Will in the bible, which are laid down for this purpose.

It is clearly stated in Hebrews 7:5 that tithe is one of the laws of Moses, for Levites were “commanded by God to receive tithe from people according to the law”. A familiar verse often quoted by proponents of tithe payment is Malachi 3:9-10 where curse is pronounced on those who do not pay tithe; and blessings are showered on those who do. Moreover, Matthew 5:17-20 is also quoted where Jesus said that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. This later verse is, therefore, used as a basis that the Old Testament laws (Laws of Moses), which included tithe payment, is still applicable to us Christians since Jesus said he has not come to abolish the law. These verses, as you would come to see later in this article, are misquoted and misunderstood.


First, the verses in Malachi and Matthew came before the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus rightly quoted that He came to fulfill the law, and indeed He accomplished that through His death when He said “it is finished”. After His death, Christians were no longer under the law. That is why Hebrews 7:12 & 19 tells us that the former commandment and law to pay tithe (which was previously mentioned in Hebrew 7:5) has been annulled (cancelled). Moreover, Romans 7:6 says we have been delivered from the law; Ephesians 2:15 says that by His death He ended the whole system of Jewish laws that excluded Gentiles; Romans 10:4 says that Christ is the end of the law; Romans 7:4 says we died to the law through the body of Christ. Colossians 2:14-17 says all the ordinances were nailed to the cross. Galatians 3:10-13 crowns it by telling us that we have been delivered from the curse of the law( remember that tithe payment, as one of the laws, also came with a curse for those who refuse to pay it as stated in Malachi 3:9). This is why there is no verse in the bible (after the death of Jesus) where the Apostles told Christians to pay tithe. None of the churches practiced it. Rather, the needs of the church were met through voluntary offerings as depicted in 2nd Corinthians 9, Acts 2:44-45, etc. And God attached blessings to these free-will offerings as 2nd Corinthians 9:8-11 tells us. If tithe payment is so important or a part of the gospel of salvation, as some preachers do say when they declare that those who do not pay it will never make heaven, then why did the apostles in the bible decide not to teach Christians to do so when they preached?

I became very afraid of practicing anything in the Old Testament Law when I read from the Bible that living by them would cut me off from the grace, and we all know that no man would make heaven without the grace found in Jesus. Galatians 5:4 tells us that those who live by the law are cut off from the grace of Christ; Galatians 3:11 says no one is justified by the law in the sight of God. Also read Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 5:3, etc to really understand the grave implications of living by the law, even if it is just one act of the law.

There are other reasons many people have often given to justify tithe payment. One of them is that Abraham and Jacob paid tithe before the law, and if we must inherit the blessings of Abraham, we ought to do what they did: pay tithe. However, we must understand that Abraham paid tithe once. He tithed out of the spoils of war and not from his possessions. Jacob paid tithe as a vow to God if he answers his prayer. The bible never told us that he repeated that. We should remember that Circumcision, like tithing, also came before the law when God told Abraham in Genesis 17:11 to circumcise his household. Yet Galatians 5:1-3 tells us that we should no longer practice circumcision. This clearly tells us that it is fallacious to continue to live by an old doctrine merely because it came before the law.

Moreover, like I mentioned in the first paragraph, many people can give testimonies of financial breakthrough for paying tithe. Such blessings are real and may be from God. However, obtaining positive result is not always an indication that the means it came is according to God’s Will. For instance, Moses was instructed by God in Numbers 20:8 to speak to the rock so that water would be supplied for the grumbling Israelites. Moses, however, STRUCK the rock (Numbers 20:11) as against the instruction to Speak. There was still a positive result of water coming out of the rock, but God punished Moses for disobedience to His exact instruction by preventing him from entering the Promised Land. Matthew 7: 21-23 [/b]also tells us that God prevented people who performed miracles, signs and wonders in His name (not the name of Satan) from entering Heaven simply because they did not do His Will. This clearly tells us that God could give people power to perform signs and wonders or obtain positive results when His name is mentioned. Yet He would deny them entrance into Heaven for not doing His Will. Therefore, do not be rooted in the practice of a doctrine merely by the side attractions of signs and wonders.

It is pertinent that we know God’s laid down principle which is the key to financial breakthrough according to His Will. This key is in providing the needs of the less privileged and supporting Missionary works [b](2nd Corinthians 9:1-14, Matthew 25: 31-46, Matthew 10:41-42, James 1:27, Galatians 6:6-10, Luke 14:12-14, etc.). Do these and watch God manifest in your life. There are orphans in orphanages, beggars on the streets, sick people in hospitals who cannot pay their medical bills, people in prisons who have lost hope, widows, poor people around you, etc, who need our money and other welfare materials as we can provide. Moreover, invest in Missionary works geared towards propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the life of those who Minister the Word of God to us in our churches. The needs of the church can only be met through our voluntary offering and not through tithing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION!!!
Let me educate us further. What was the purpose of tithe during the law? A percentage of tithe was given to Levites because of the services they rendered to God, and they were not to own properties. The priests served like mediators between God and men, for they offered our gifts and our sacrifices of sin, cleansing, etc to God. However, the death of Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice. We no longer need mortal priests to offer sacrifices to God on our behalf. We all now have direct access to God just like those priests of the old. That is why in 1Peter 2:9, we are called royal Priests, and the veil separating us from God was torn when Jesus died. Since there is no more need for sacrifices, the office of those priests was eliminated and therefore, the requirement to pay tithe which was used to feed these men was also eliminated. Hebrews 7, 8, 9 should explain all these to us.

Now, let us assume that tithing is still necessary, CAN ANYONE TELL US WHERE MONEY IS MENTIONED AS A "TITHABLE" ITEM IN THE BIBLE? Deu 14:22 and Leviticus 27:30 clearly tells us that only the fruits of the land or agricultural products were accepted as tithes. Most of modern day preachers deceive us by saying that in the old testament days, people were not earning money and that was why God did not include money as something to tithe. No way! You would be wrong if you think so. When you read 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, 2 Kings 12:11, 2 Kings 22:4-6 and Ezra 3:7, you would see that there were Carpenters, Stone cutters, Masons, etc who were paid for their services in money. We should also accept that there were fisher men then and other forms of trade. So can someone answer this question: WHY DID GOD NOT TELL THOSE PEOPLE TO TITHE THE MONEY THEY EARNED?

My brethren, let us be careful to preach the gospel of salvation to all mankind as something obtainable in grace and not through the works of the law. Let us not put men in bondage by forcing them to live by the law just because we are more interested in enriching ourselves through their tithe. Apostle Paul was a tent maker (Acts 18: 3) even as he was preaching, because he did not want to put burden on believers to supply his needs ( 1 Thes 2:9). Anybody that says he is an Apostle, Pastor, etc should be wise to emulate their early church predecessors: Apostle Paul, etc.

Please, could someone be kind enough to send me a copy of Technical Report for coren registration. I have completed the form; however, it has been quite difficult for me to put up a report on my technical experience: I need a guide. I am a graduate of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and presently works in the Aviation industry. Your assistance would be highly appreciated.

Kind regards.

nkemonline2001@yahoo.com.

Please, could someone be kind enough to send me a copy of Technical Report for coren registration. I have completed the form; however, it has been quite difficult for me to put up a report on my technical experience: I need a guide. I am a graduate of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and presently works in the Aviation industry. Your assistance would be highly appreciated.

Kind regards.

nkemonline2001@yahoo.com.

Please,could someone here tell me where I can register for GRE and TOEFL in Abuja, and a rough estimate of the registration fee. I contacted someone through a link I got online,and I was informed that TOEFL=35K and GRE=40K. I don't know whether the information is true. I need an urgent reply,please.

Congratulations to all that made it, and for others like me that didn't make,let us take heart. It is not the end of the world for us. God hasn't abandoned us, and I believe He has made plans for us. God bless you all,God bless Nigeria.

truz:

Nice one, but I think First Class Graduates who know about the PRESSID scholarship (and are interested) should apply for admission by themselves this year, with the hope that they will get the scholarship next year. It's not right for everything to be pushed to FG and NUC (even though they have their parts to play).

I think we should be sure of the FG's willingness to sponsor us before we can apply for admission....especially in US schools. Unlike UK universities where no application fee is required and applications are done 100% online, US schools collect 100 dollars or more as application fee,require that one write GRE (and registering fee for GRE should be as much as 200 dollars or more). Moreover,part of the application is done online while the rest is printed,manually filled and then sent through courier services such as DHL. You can agree with me that another $100 or more will be required to send it. My opinion is this: spending nearly 500 dollars or more to secure admission in a school when one isn't even sure of receiving scholarship from FG or other source of fund would be a waste of resources. Most of us here aren't from well-to do families.
Apart from this,I agree with you that we should help NUC to secure admission by ourselves, especially if the schools are in UK. For US schools,it would be wise to have a source of funding.

There are some things I observed about this scholarship and I just hope NUC and FG should already have put them into consideration

1) If we have read any article relating to the President's announcement to start this scholarship, we would observe that the 100 candidates are expected to start their courses this year and not next year. You all can agree with me that schools in USA,for instance,stopped accepting applications for 2012/2013 academic session since December 2011. If that is the case,how are NUC and FME going to get admission for any of the candidates who intend to study in USA?

2) The President stated that more funds will be made available for the scholarship by next year,and according to Prof Okojie, the number of candidates will increase from 100 to 500. If that is the case,admissions for next year (2013/2014 academic session) in USA and UK universities start this year with December 2012 as the deadline for US schools. It is expected,then,that aptitude test for selection of these 500 candidates should start this year so that admissions could be secured for them. When the FG releases the funds for next year,they would then proceed with their studies which should commence next year.

3) If NUC and FME fail to secure admission for some of the 100 scholarship recipients this year, what will they do? Will they just send few and leave the rest?

4) If it would be possible for them(NUC...) to actually secure admission for the lucky 100,when do they intend to select the 500 candidates for next year's? My statement in (2) above requires that it be done this year.

Conclusion: FG and NUC should select the 449 candidates that wrote the aptitude test this year,secure admission for the number which will commensurate with the funds made available for this year,send the rest --perhaps the remaining 349-- next year,find a way select 151 other first class candidates to make the number up to 500,........

What do you guys think?

My case is quite different and complicated. I graduated from National Aerospace University,Kharkiv,Ukraine. The school and Ukraine in general do not give white-collar jobs to foreigners,and they didn't even care to reconsider me based on the fact that I emerged the best graduating student in the faculty of airplane and helicopter design. When I came back to Nigeria for my youth service at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology,Zaria,I was not absorbed as an instructor for not possessing Nigerian License in Aircraft Maintenence.....a license they have made so difficult for one to obtain by raising their six months preparatory course fee higher than 1million naira(where can I get that kind of money?). The politics involved is much,my friends. I just pray that NUC will introduce Aerospace Engineering into N U curriculum as they have been making some effort to do so since last year;and in that case, it would be easier for me to be employed as a lecturer in any of the universities that may offer the course. It hasn't been easyoooo. Nigeria can kill one's talent and dreams if one isn't very careful,and this is one of the reasons why most people are striving to leave the country for good, while those who are already outside have resolved never to come back to the country. May God help us.

https://www.facebook.com/Nkematics

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The Ambassador1: Guys,do you know anybody that applied for Aeronautical Engineering?

Ambassador,it appears you applied for Aeronautical Engineering. That is what I studied in school (Aerospace Engineering), and subsequently applied for same in PRESSID. Where did you study?

For my friends here,how are you all doing? I wish you all a happy new month, and success in PRESSID. May God remove 100 from President Jonathan's dictionary of numbers and replace it with 449. Lets begin to thank God for doing it for us. If you don't have an international passport,go to the nearest customs office and get one. Get everything you might need for your visa and traveling ready because God is going to surprise us this week with the much waited good news. SEE U ALL AT THE TOP.
ЧУКВУ СЕЛЕСТИН НКЕМАКОЛАМ

If it is true that GEJ wants the best 100 candidates to be selected,then he should be ready to face criticisms from the public. For instance, some people from the North complained that NUC deliberately shortlisted a few names from the North out of the 449 candidates that were called to write the aptitude test....a term they referred to as marginalization. What happens if the final 100 best candidates come from a certain region? Wouldn't that trigger complaints from people of other regions who would want to believe that the 100 were not actually the best?
Moreover,just life PhatIon said,the purpose of the scholarship scheme will be lost,for there is a high probability that the best 100 may not come from all the areas of specialization listed. Let us see how things will go. Best wishes to everybody that wrote the test.

What is happening?

There wasn't enough time to answer the questions. It wasn't a true test of knowledge. I was only able to get 55. Lets see how they will do the selection. A lady in NUC told me that the selection will be based on state or geo political zone and the course of study. For every course,there is a limited number of candidates to chosse. For example,if only 5 candidates were to be picked for Microbiology course, the five will be picked from the best Microbiology applicants from different zones. Lets pray that we get nominated