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At one old country school any kids who “cut up” in class would get a
visit from the Board of Education. They would be taken out to the
“hallway” by the teacher who swung it. You could “git two licks” for
talkin’ in class or five for chewin’ gum. “Goofin’ off” in class (falling
asleep at your desk) got you ten licks. Smokin’ was downright
scandalous. If a kid got caught, the teacher could “wear him out”
with his holey paddle.
Scaring money out of folks with religious lies is slightly worse than
smoking or sassing your mama, so bad doctrine should git a few
licks, too, straight out of the Bible. I’m sure there are as many
tithin’ lies as Carter’s got peanuts, but we’ll just “wear out” 22 of
the worst.
Hebrews 10:38: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man
draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
VERSE 39: But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition;
but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Galatians 3:10: For as many as are under the works of the Law are
under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the
Law to do them (This includes such ordinances as circumcision,
animal sacrifices, keeping the Sabbath, covering every container in
your house as a religious rule (Numbers 19:15)!
Because preachers preach about ten percent and neglect the third-
year Poor tithe and the Festival tithe, modern tithers fall far short of
what the Law demanded. Tithing was done on a farmer’s increase,
or harvest (Deut.14:22). “Increase” is one key word tithe teachers
seize on to build their straw doctrine. The increase from Christmas
and birthday gifts, stocks and bonds, money saved by free baby-
sitting, increasing home value, perks at work, etc. are usually NOT
tithed on by people. As for monetary tithing, the Law plainly states
that if you chose to redeem (buy back) your tithe for cash, you had
to pay an extra “fifth part” of its value, or a 20% surcharge
(Lev.20:31. But even the greediest preachers know not to overload
their blessing boat or it might sink. If the real truth were to get out
that the total amount tithed by the Israelites was more in the
neighborhood of 20%, it could start a rebellion out in the pews!
Remember the “KISS” principle? Keep It Simple, Stupid. Preachers
had better, or they’ll KISS their cash cows goodbye!
Deuteronomy 12:17: Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe
of they corn, or of thy wine, or of the firstlings of the herd of thy
flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill
offerings (even OFFERINGS are edible here!), or heave offering of
thine hand:
VERSE 18: But THOU MUST EAT THEM before the Lord thy God in
the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; thou, and thy son,
and thy daughter, and they manservant, and thy maidservant, and
the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the
LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thy hands unto.
LIE NO.13: BRING YE ALL THE TITHE INTO THE CHURCH BUILDING!
THE TRUTH: NOWHERE in the New Testament, not even in the Old,
does God command a wage earner to tithe. The tithing storehouse
mentioned in Malachi 3:10 was just that: a storehouse
(Heb.owtsar). This storehouse wasn’t a money safe. It was a
depository of foodstuffs to feed those priests who were in Jerusalem
taking their turn to minister at the altar. While the firstfruits offering
was brought to the priest by the ordinary farmer (Neh.10:37a), the
tithe for the priesthood (heave offering) was brought BY THE
LEVITES, not by the ordinary Israelites (Num.18:25-32;
Neh.10:38). The Levites’ tithe was stored in their cities for their
consumption (Neh.10:37b).The Tithe of the Poor was not destined
for the Temple storehouse either. This one was paid every three
years. It was laid up WITHIN THE GATES of the Israelites’ cities so
Levites and poor people could eat (Deut. 14:28-29).
LIE NO. 16: JESUS AND THE APOSTLES FINANCED THEIR MINISTRY
WITH TITHES
THE TRUTH: NOWHERE does it state that Jesus, Paul or Peter asked
for tithes to be paid to them! Jesus sprang from the Tribe of Judah
(Heb.7:14). Paul came from the Tribe of Benjamin (Acts13:21).
According to the Law, only members of the Tribe of Levi qualified to
collect tithes (Num.18:21,26; Heb.7:5) And of this tribe, only the
sons of Aaron qualified to take first-fruits (cream of the crop)
offerings (Ex.28:1; Num.18:8-19). Next time your preacher asks for
a firstfruits offering, ask him which family tree he grew on!
By the time of Jesus most of the twelve Tribes of Israel had been
carried away into captivity to northern Assyria, leaving only Judah,
Benjamin, and some of the Levites in God’s Land. Most, if not all of,
Jesus’ twelve disciples, must have come from the Tribe of Judah.
Even Levi (Matthew) didn’t qualify for the priesthood because he
was a social outcast. Why? Levi collected taxes for the Romans
(Mark 2:14). Matthew was despised as an unclean traitor by
respectable Jews. Even if Matthew had been of Levitical ancestry,
the people might have stoned him if he’d asked them for any kind of
tithes. Anyone who demands tithes today is an impostor!
LIE NO. 17: ONLY TITHERS QUALIFY TO SERVE IN THE MINISTRY
OF THE CHURCH.
THE TRUTH: WHOSE CHURCH? NOT ONE Scripture commands New
Covenant Christians to tithe! In I Tim.3: 1-12 Paul lists the
qualifications for men in ministry. They include being vigilant
(watchful), well-behaved, non-violent, temperate in wine drinking,
NOT GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE (MONEY), having a pure conscience,
living a blameless life, whose wife is of godly character. Deacons
should have only one wife and rule their own houses well.* * * * *If
tithing is so all-fired important, why didn’t Paul mention it here?
It certainly isn’t the peace of the poor tithe payer the preacher is
concerned about! How many have been driven out of church
because pulpit lies robbed them of their close relationship with
Jesus and made them see God as just another bill to pay! How
many have tossed and turned all night, worrying themselves sick
about the “curse of Malachi” because they had to skip tithing that
week! Parents have denied their own children decent food just to
“pay their tithe” on time to religious overlords who have more than
enough (Isaiah 56:11).
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you
that ye should contend (Gr. epagonizomai, struggle for) earnestly
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).* * *
* *Jesus Himself contended with the legalistic Pharisees throughout
Matthew Chapter 23, and He didn’t mince His words! Jesus exposed
the thievery that was going on in the House of God, and He used a
whip (John 2:13-17).
LIE NO. 19: SINCE SCRIPTURE SAYS “YOU SHALL NOT APPEAR
BEFORE GOD EMPTY-HANDED” YOU’VE GOT NO RIGHT TO
APPROACH GOD WITHOUT TITHES AND OFFERINGS!
THE TRUTH: That one’s a gold mine for so-called Word Teachers
who twist the Word of God for gain (II Pet.2:1-3; 3:16)! They just
love Old Covenant scriptures like Exodus 23:15. Ignoring the main
context (a celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) they seize
upon that part which enjoins certain ones not to appear before God
empty.
How often did the Israelite MEN have to obey this scripture? Three
times a year! But preachers enforce it on male and female Gentile
Christians 52 times a year and more! The most contemptible thing
about this “appear before God empty” thumbscrew is the profound
spiritual and emotional damage it does to the poor of the
congregation! If God can forgive a sin like that, His grace is amazing
indeed!
LIE NO. 22: ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW (Rom.6:14;
Gal.5:18), TITHING IS STILL A “SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE”, SO
FAILURE TO TITHE IS A SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT. UGH! You
can guess who inspired this lie!
The TRUTH: In Acts Chapter 15 the apostles held a church council
to decide whether Gentile converts needed to keep the Law of
Moses. Their conclusion:
Acts 15:28: FOR IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY GHOST, and to us,
to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
VERSE 29: That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from
blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which
if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.* * * * *Nothing
is said here about “spiritualizing” the Law of Tithing and putting it
on the Gentile converts. It SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY GHOST to
put only four restrictions on the liberty of the disciples, and NONE of
them mention tithing of any kind!
If anybody is sinning against the Holy Ghost, it’s those who are
using fear of this sin to go against what He taught at the apostles’
church council of Acts 15!
*****
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