UNPLEASANT TRUTHS: Tithes

Showing posts with label Tithes. Show all posts

Sunday, December 06, 2015

GAMBLING AND CHRISTIANITY

LET'S PLAY LOTTERY WITH GOD!

Pay $10 to the gambling shop, and you may ( MAY only ) receive huge returns. Same thing is promised is in the church these days! Pay $10 into the box, and you may ( MAY only also ) receive huge returns.

Pastors preach it. Pastors announce so from behind the pulpit. Pay and HOPE to get huge returns!! Have you been so enticed?

Sunday, April 03, 2011

THE TITHING CON GAME PART 4

THE HIDDEN TRUTHS ABOUT OLD TESTAMENT TITHING

Bringing in the tithes

Tithing is one of the most abused teaching in the organized church system today. Few Christians realize that there are many different types of tithing in the old testament. It is necessary to understand the nature of each example so that we know what we should do with the example. We have spoken of Abraham's Tithe and Jacob's Tithe. There are yet the King's Tithe ( see 1Sa 8:15 ) and the Levite's Tithe. We are focusing on this Levite's Tithe ( or Moses' Tithe or the Lord's Tithe ) today.

Just because there are examples of tithing in the old testament, it does not mean that we are obliged to follow all.

If we don’t understand, then we allow ourselves to be bullied, conscience-beaten and deceived into disobeying the true teachings.

Someone had told me my earlier explanations are too long-winded for a blog-page, so let me try to put this in a simpler format. Even this simplified format will run into pages.

What Is The Issue With Paying Tithes?

1) The biggest danger concerning the conventional tithing teaching or sermon is that it brings a person back again under the law of Moses. And this puts the person who pays tithe in the wrong way to become obliged to follow all the laws of Moses. See Galatians 5:3.

2) To be brought back under the law to be brought back under a curse. See Galatians 3:10.

3) Why allow yourself to be brought under a curse when Jesus has already redeemed you from the curse of the law? See Galatians 3:13.

4) The end result of falling back under the law is this:

Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Now, isn’t that scary? Don’t assume my reading is correct. You do what the bible teaches you in 1Th 5:21, and that is to “Prove all things”. Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:10-11 who search the scriptures to see if what Paul teaches is correct.

What Are The Concealed Truths About Old Testament Tithes?

Study the contents below very carefully, and consider what I reveal to you with an open mind and open heart. Go back into the bible and check the context of the verse to the whole paragraph, or whole chapter as is necessary. If you don’t agree, then reject my interpretation. Better still, throw me a challenge.

The Bible verse or subject matter	The Truth that is hidden from you
Gen 14 : Abraham’s tithe	You were not told: 1. Abraham did not pay a compulsory tithe like the tithe of Moses. He gave a voluntary tithe. It was not made out of normal income. If you owe something, you have to pay. If you don't owe, you don't pay, you give. 2. Abraham's example should only be cited as an example for voluntary tithing. No curses are attached for not doing it.
Gen 28:20 – 22 Jacob’s tithe	You were not told: 1. As above, this was not a compulsory tithe or made under law like the tithe of Moses, but a tithing against a vow to God. Payment was subject to God fulfilling the conditions that Jacob had set. 2. Jacob's tithe should only be cited as example of voluntary tithing under oath.
Lev 27:30 “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.”	You were not told: 1. This is the 1st mention of Moses’ tithe, or the Lord’s tithe 2. Your attention is always drawn to the words that the tithe is holy and belongs to the Lord. But “the tithe of the land, whether of the seed or the fruit of the tree” part is always ignored. 3. Only people who own land had to tithe from the produce of the land. Hunters, fishermen, potters, soldiers, servants, teachers, children, housewives etc did not tithe! Their income did not come from the cultivated land. 4. Hidden from you is that the Moses’ tithe MUST be in the form of food or agricultural products, i.e. “of the land”. Not in cash.
Lev 27:31 “And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.”	You were not told: 1. Under the law, tithed products ( remember that "tithe" it means a 10th part ) can be redeemed with cash. But to do so, one must add another 20% extra. It is then no more a 10th, or tithe it has become a twelfth!. It is a 10th + 20% = 1/12 or 12%. A twelfth part is not a tenth, right? 2. And so, you cannot tithe the tithe of Moses with cash! 3. As for animals, it cannot be substituted. If it is, the original animal, the substitute both cannot be redeemed. See below.
Lev 27:32-33 “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. Lev 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed”	You were not told: 1. Moses’ Tithe was always given out of the last tenth not the first tenth part. 2. The poor did not have to tithe! ( If a poor man has only 9 sheep, 7 cows and no land to cultivate does he have the tenth animal to tithe?) In fact the poor received some of the tithes. 3. If it was the first animal to pass under the rod that had to be tithed, then the poor must also pay. But that wasn't the case.
Num 18:24 “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.”	You were not told: 1. God gave His tithe to the Levites. Only Levites are entitled to receive the tithe because they have no inheritance ( not because Levites cannot do other work and earn a living ). 2. The Levites did have land to cultivate when they are not serving in the temple. 3. The tithe of Moses is to supplement food needs of the Levites, not for repair and maintenance and upkeep of the temple. 4. Is the pastor both a Levite and serving at the temple? Or is he a gentile serving at an church building?
Num 18:26-28 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.	You were not told: 1. The Levites in turn were to take a 10th of whatever tithes of Moses that they had received to give to the Priests ( the sons of Aaron ) who work full time in the temple. 2. In case you do not know, the rest of the Levites do work in the temple on a rotation roster. ( See explanation in Luke 1 about Zechariah, father of the yet to be born John the Baptist )
Deu 12:5 – 6 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 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:	You were not told: 1. Moses’ tithe was to be taken to the tabernacle or temple. The temple does not exist any more today. The bible says that your body is now the temple of God and God lives in you ( 1Co 3:16 - 19 ). 2. The “church building” is not the temple of God. The members are the church. Neither the building and the organization is the church.
Deu 12:11 - 12 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety 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	You were not told: 1. Moses’ tithe was to be paid only after they cross over Jordan into the promised land, out of the produce of the land they receive. 2. Israelites were not tithing to the tabernacle while in the wilderness. They only sacrificed then. 3. They brought tithes to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and later to the temple at Jerusalem.
Deu 12:12 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 were not told: 1. Moses’ Tithe was to be consumed by the payer and his household before the Lord, together with the Levites.
Deu 12:17 - 18 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose-you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns-and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to.	You were not told: 1. Here it is reemphasized that Moses’ Tithe was to be eaten only. And the eating must be done in the presence of the Lord to glorify Him.
Deu 14:22 - 23Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.	You were not told: 1. Eating is emphasized for the 3rd time here. Moses’ Tithe is for eating only.
Deu 14:24 – 27 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.	You were not told: 1. Here is the biblical proof against paying tithe in money form. 2. You cannot tithe the Tithe of Moses in cash. Instead you are always told that in those days, people had to tithe animals and food because thee says that is a lie. Silver and gold were in common use. 3. In this commandment on tithing, God did not allow the silver to be given to the Levites. God said the silver was to be turned back into foodstuffs.
Deu 14:28 - 29At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.	You were not told: 1. Moses’ Tithe was not always taken to the temple. At times the tithe was to be put into a storehouse within the payer’s own city gates. This tithe was to be used for feeding the Levites, the poor and the travelers. 2. Ask your pastor if he has ever given the tithes for the poor to eat, or to feed strangers.
Deu 26:12 - 13When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.	You were not told: 1. The eating of tithes and using the tithe to feed the poor is so important that it is emphasized again and again in the bible. 2. For the 4th time, it is commanded that Moses’ Tithe is for eating only.
Neh 10:37 – 38 "Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.	You were not told: 1. The temple was rebuilt in the time of Ezra after the period of 70 years exile. During the 70 years of exile, the Jews weren’t paying tithes. This was because they were not in the holy land any more, their income did not come out of the holy land to be considered for tithing, there was no temple since it was destroyed and no Levite was serving there. 2. Nehemiah came after Ezra. He re-instituted the tithes. Here again we confirm that only the hands of a Levite can collect the tithes. Nehemiah either reaffirmed or made a new commandment that a priest of Aaron must be present when the tithe was paid. 3. A priest of Aaron was need to witness the collection of tithe? How many times has an Aaron priest witnessed your tithe being handed over?

Here are some questions to ask those who collect tithes:

If any pastor applies Malachi curse against non-tithing, then he is surely applying the law of Moses and the tithe of Moses. In which case the law of Moses must also apply to the Sabbath year's tithe. No tithe is to be collected on the Sabbath year. Why then does the church collect the Moses' Tithe year in year out without abatement and ignoring the Sabbath year? Very inconsistent, don't you think?

Were the mixed multitude ( i.e.non Jews ) who left Egypt with the Jews and followed them into the holy land given land? If so by which tribe were they assigned land? If they were not assigned land, did the people of the mixed multitude pay tithes?

So what about the Malachi curse?

The above table should be enough to prove to you that you should not have anything to do with the tithe of Moses in the first place. So why are you so worried about the curse of Malachi? If you want to tithe, then tithe voluntarily with love and with a cheerful heart. Since it is voluntary, the curse of Malachi does not apply to you. It only applies to people under the law.

At the foot of Sinai, the Israelites confirmed to Moses that they would do everything that the Lord commanded them through Moses. Tithe was one of those commandments. They promised to pay. So when they don’t, they were robbing God. When did you make a promise to God to obey the law of Moses? If you did, then of course you must keep that promise. But did you?

The unpleasant truth is that most pastors never bothered to learn the truth of the tithing system. They only want to know and use those parts which are effective enough to increase the flow of money, through stirring up greed in the heart of givers, or by fear and guilt.

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Fleeting beauty of life, lovely today ......


.... an empty shell tomorrow? What is the purpose of life if not for God?

Thursday, March 31, 2011

THE TITHING CON GAME - PART 3

JACOB’S TITHE

Read also:

Part 1: Freedom from the Law

Part 2 : Abraham's Voluntary Tithe

Part 4:The Hidden Truths about Old Testament Tithing

Wickedness at Work

Jacob’s tithe appeared in the bible before the coming of Moses’ law. Few people notice it. Nobody every preached a tithing sermon with this example, which is good. But just in case someone try to quote this episode as an example of tithing before the law, let us look into it first:

^{Gen 28:18} Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. ^{Gen 28:19} And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. ^{Gen 28:20} Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, ^{Gen 28:21} so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God^{. Gen 28:22} And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.

So there it is.

What Is The Nature of Jacob’s Tithe?

Is Jacob’s tithe anything like the tithe of Abraham or the tithe of Moses? Of course not.

1) At that time, there was still no requirement to give tithes to God

2) Jacob made a voluntary offer to tithe

3) Jacob made the offer to tithe as a vow

4) Jacob set conditions for God to fulfill before he would pay the tithe, i.e. :

· God be with him and guide him AND

· Kept him fed AND

· Kept him clothed SO THAT

· He can return to his father’s place in peace THEN

Shall the Lord be his Lord and he shall give a tenth to the Lord

What Shall We Conclude?

1) Jacob made a vow on his own accord

2) Jacob was asking for future benefits

3) He would pay the tithe only after God has met all ( notice the ‘ands’ and the ‘then’?) his conditions

4) The tithe was to be given after the blessings were received, not before.

Further questions which beg an answer would be –

1) Did Jacob actually fulfill that vow? The bible does not say anything about it, but we will just assume that he did.

2) When Jacob gave a tenth to the Lord, how did he give it? Did he give it through some personages? Did he give it to any temple? Did he burn a tenth of all he had received from the Lord as tithe to Him?

Well. Nobody knows the answers. We only know that there was no temple and there were no priests to receive it.

So then, should anyone be telling to tithe in the way Jacob tithed? Should anyone be saying that Jacob’s tithe is an example for a new testament believer to follow because it happened before the law of Moses?

Should you made such a vow to God? It is up to you, but the bible says that God does not require you to made any oaths to Him. Remember He always blesses first?

The unpleasant truth is that when a story in the bible does not serve the monetary interest of the church, it is never used.

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

This was taken in Ipoh, nearby the New Town Market. I wonder if this registered dentist is still operating, since the photo was taken in the evening. If it is, it is definitely a dying profession, supplanted by the Dental Surgeons qualified from universities.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

THE TITHING CON GAME - PART 2

ABRAHAM'S TITHE WAS A VOLUNTARY AND AN EXTRA-ORDINARY TITHE

Read also:

Part I : Freedom From The Law
Part 3: Jacob’s Tithe
Part 4:The Hidden Truths about Old Testament Tithing
Wickedness at Work

Some preachers know very well that they cannot justify paying of tithes by New Testament Christians by the way of the law of Moses. So they use the example of Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek to do so. The logic is that since Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek before the coming of Moses and his law, no one should argue against tithing being still valid in new testament times.

Let us first look the New King James passage of this episode:

Abram and Melchizedek

Gen 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. Gen 14:19 And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram of God Most High,Possessor of heaven and earth;Gen 14:20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him a tithe of all* { See below Heb 7.4 }. Gen 14:21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself. Gen 14:22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, Gen 14:23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ˜I have made Abram rich"-- Gen 14:24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion

( * Heb 7:4 clearly explains that the 1/10 was out of all the spoils of war "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. " )

Making My Stand Clear

Now before we analyse the application of this passage to tithing, again let me make this clear.

I am not against the use of Abraham’s example of tithing. I am not against tithing. I am against the misuse and dishonest use of scriptures to induce and strong-arm believers into tithing under fear and guilt.

The Nature of Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek

1) Notice that Melchizedek came out to bless Abraham first. And then Abraham received the blessing.

2) Observe that Abraham gave the tithe after receiving the blessings.

3) There is no mention of Melchizedek asking for the tithe, or the practice being a custom of the day.

4) Observe also that Abraham did not keep any part of the remaining 90%.

5) Observe that Abraham had not tithed out of his regular source of income or personal wealth. There is no indication anywhere that Abraham ever paid any other tithe.

What can we conclude? Can you agree to these?

1) Abraham did not tithe for future blessings. He tithed in return for blessings first received . Therefore when citing Abraham’s tithe as an example one cannot threaten the listener to the extent that if he does not tithe he will not be blessed. Remember this is not an example of tithing for future blessings. It is an example of tithing for blessings already received. As a matter of fact, our God is a God who always blesses first. Even with the later tithe under Moses, God only asked for tithes out of the blessings already received by the Israelites. This is the consistency of God.

2) Abraham was not under compulsion to give. He gave voluntarily. He may have even given under a custom of the day that we do not know of.

If Abraham’s example is to be used, it should only be used to encourage tithing of free-will, or voluntary nature.

3) Abraham’s tithe was not a tithe against his regular income. It was given out of something that Abraham never intended to keep, although he obvious had a right to keep it for himself.

Would God have closed Abraham’s window of blessings if Abraham had not given the tithes to Melchizedek? I would say not. Remember that you are heirs of Abraham’s blessings by faith. In the same way as Abraham is blessed, you through faith are blessed.

If you want to tithe the way Abraham did voluntarily by faith with a grateful heart, go ahead. Just don’t let dishonest preaching get to you to cause you to give with guilt and fear. Give tithe willingly, not pay tithe. You pay for what you owe. You give where you don’t owe.

Finally, it is a faulty logic to say that since Abraham paid a tithe before the law, therefore this act must be carried on by new testament Christians. If this is so, why don’t new testament Christians also be required to circumcise? Abraham circumcised before the law, right? And if this kind of logic is to be applied consistently, a Christian man must now marry the wife of his brother who dies without leaving any seed, too. So why is this not preached in a similar way as tithes?

The unpleasant truth is that you have been listening to half the story. They have been hiding the other half from you.

Joh 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Monday, March 28, 2011

THE TITHING CON GAME - PART 1

FREEDOM FROM THE LAW

The Guilt

You have been tithing faithfully every month but still get that funny feeling that you might not have done enough, still not blessed or something just don’t seem right? Be consoled. You are not the only one who gets this feeling. See if the reasons are found here.

Would you have it that I first heard about tithing from a Muslim? That was in the days before I became a Christian. He told me about the General Manager of a factory in the state of Seremban, where we were going in to conduct a 2-day training program “Do you know that the GM is a Christian and he pays 10% of his salary to his church?” . And I said “Wow! He must be a very committed believer to do that”. In those days I did not know that this was a thing called tithing.

I am kicking off this site with one of the most controversial topics in church today, and everything after this will be sweet and easy. Yes. I am going to speak out against the tithing con game. Yes - Tithing is a con game!

“Horrors! How dare you?”, you say.

I know, I know..... you are afraid of losing your blessings if you don't tithe. I know. I know, even worse you will be charged with robbing God, and God will curse you and shut you out. I know, I know .... you will question me "How can the church survive if we don't tithe? Don't you realize our churches do not receive any allocation or aid from the government?"

Why don't you hear me out first?

This is going to take pages to explain. And I will have to put it out in parts. Today I am focusing on the book of Galatians. Check it out. Don’t just believe what I write. So here goes. Let me get 3 things straight:

I am not telling you not to give your 10% to your church. Give it. Give 20% or for that matter give 90% of your income even, like the example of the Colgate boss which many pastors love to shove down your conscience. It's your money. You can do what you like with it. So don't accuse me of telling you here not to tithe.
I am just saying this "You must not tithe with the wrong motives, or under guilt or fear" Yes. We are being enticed to pay tithe out of greed. That’s wrong motive. We are being twisted, pounded and pulverized into paying tithes out of a guilt and fear. This is not cheerful giving. This is not sincere and godly giving. This is sinful giving.
I am also saying that if you pay tithe by law, you sin. The church that receives the tithe sins. The pastor that receives the tithe sins. Everyone sins - that is if you are tithing by law. But if you are tithing with a cheerful heart you do not sin, neither does the church nor the pastor who receives the tithe! Confused? Read on then.

Moses' Tithe and The Book Of Galatians

Moses brought the law, the bible says so. The Jews say that there are 613 laws. I am not so sure how accurate this is, but I will just take their word for it here. The law was for the Jews whom Moses had brought out of Egypt under the direction of the LORD. Tithing was one of these laws.

Now I ask you this, "Are you a Jew who came out of Egypt?" No? Then what is your business paying the tithe of Moses? If you must tithe, don't it as a law. Even the Jews today do not tithe, they only pay "tzedekah" ( now you know where the Malay word "sedekah" originated from.). Check with Rabbi Simmons here. If Jews don't pay tithes, why are you paying tithes? Go send an email to any Jewish rabbi now and find out for yourself. Jews do not pay tithes these days because the temple no longer exist, and the Levites are not serving anymore in the temple. And you cannot give tithes to someone who is not a Levite. Paul was no Levite. Neither was John or any apostles. They were not qualified to receive tithes. Even Jesus did not receive tithes. And so history tells us that tithes were not collected by the church until a decision at the Council of Macon in AD 535. The Jews today know that to tithe these days is to sin. You think you know the law better than the Jews?

Read Leviticus 27:30 carefully and you will find out that tithe must come out of the land. Read the book of Numbers 18:21 carefully and note that God has given to only one people, i.e. the children of Levi. Read Deuteronomy very carefully, and you will discover tithes must be in the form of food raised in the holy land only. It was to be paid only when the Jews have entered into the promised land. Jews were not paying tithes during the time in the wilderness. If you think they do, show me one verse that says so.

In Galatians, the apostle Paul clearly says that you are under grace and not law. And to those Galatians who chose to follow the law on circumcision, he said that if anyone chooses to circumcise under the law, then he must follow the whole law! Therefore, the same applies to you today. If you want to tithe under the law, you must also follow all of the law. What we can understand from Galatians is this. If you want to circumcise for health or traditional reasons, or for cosmetic reason ( what an inappropriate illustration here ), go ahead! But if you want to do it in conformance to Moses Law ( meaning you feel convicted, guilty, sinful, less blessed, or even cursed for not doing so), then you are obliged to follow all 613 laws. See Galatians 5:3!

So if you are tithing because your pastor burns you with the fear of being cursed or robbing God, then you are tithing under the law. You too, are now a debtor to the whole law. You cannot even keep one law faithfully over your whole Christian life, how are you going to keep all 613 laws? Is it a wonder that Paul said this in Galatians 3:10 “For as many as are of 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.”

And see also what Paul has to say about those going back under the law: “Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” So, if are tithing by law, in a similar vein Christ profit you nothing. Worse yet is: Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Check out also what James says about breaking the law: “Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” And so, if you keep the law of tithing, while you continue to tell little fibs here and there, you are offending the whole law anyway. By the way, how sure are you that you actually tithe 10%? Did you remember to tithe on your bank interest? What about your stock dividends? How about that little profit you brought down from the outing at the casino at Genting Highlands? (Oooops!)

So there you are. Can you now understand that uncomfortable feeling even though you have paid your tithes? You must have been doing it under law. Galatians say you will be cursed if you follow the law of Moses.

Finally, this should clear you of any doubt of the unpleasant truth of the tithing con game: Gal 3:13 “ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” meaning – you don’t have to follow the law anymore.

Other related Questions

(1) Why Are You So Against Tithing?

I am not. I am only against the practice of willfully twisting people's conscience to pay anything. I am even more against the slew of wrongful additional teaching to squeeze ever more, not content with 10% alone. I am against mixing up firstfruits with tithing, and giving with tithing. I am against untruths.

I am against pastors bringing Christians under the law of Moses again. To bring a believer back under one law is to cause that believer to be subject to all the laws. Galatians 5:3-4 says so. A pastor preaches that no one should observe Sabbath because observing Sabbath is under law, but he will have no hesitation preaching tithes although tithe is also under the law. Is that not being inconsistent. I ask, what is your explanation for this inconsistency?

(2) Why Do You Say Pastors And Church Sin For Receiving Tithes?

Okay, let get this clear. If a pastor preaches that not tithing draws the curse of Malachi, then he is preaching Moses Law, not grace. Now since he is preaching law, then the law must be observed to the letter. In which case, no gentile pastor or organization is entitled to receive the tithes. The tithes were given by God in Numbers 18 to the Levites who tend to His tabernacle. Therefore, other than a Levite, nobody is entitled to receive the tithe. When a gentile pastor receives the tithe under the law, he sins against the law. However if a pastor receives a voluntary tithe, he does not sin. See? I had one pastor who said that he is the Levite priest of today. I guess he did not read book of Hebrews that says that Levite priesthood is no more, replaced by the Melchizedek priesthood. And he carries a “Reverend” title. More about this “Reverend” thing later, if I remember.

And where is the temple? The bible says my body is the temple and so is yours. The bible never says the church is the temple. If it does, it must be a new edition bible. Anyone who says the church building is the temple is lying or allegorizing. And where is the storehouse? The storehouse is in the temple which is my body, not the church.

(3) How Can The Church Survive Without Tithes?

Believers and church members are free to give free will offerings as is taught in the New Testament. And surely God would not let a church that does His will to suffer lack?

But what if the church is doing less than the will of God? Maybe that is why there is a fear that God will not bless that church. In this case then, man must take over from God and give Him a helping hand like Abraham did, right?

But if a pastor preaches faith in God from the pulpit, does he himself not have the faith in that very same God that He who supplies all our needs will really supply the needs of the church as well? I guess the preacher does not have the faith he teaches others to have.

Tithing is not a must. But giving is a must in Christian life. We must teach Christians to give, and to give willingly and in love. No God-loving Christian will want to see his own church fail. Neither does any Christian want to see his pastor and family go hungry and suffer from needs. Give with a cheerful heart. Give hilariously. See 2Co 9:7.

But we need to remember also that there are many poor Christians who can hardly pay monthly bills. It takes a very cruel and greedy pastor to put guilt and fear into such poor people in order to squeeze a few tens of ringgits from their miserly income.

(4) Who Says We No Longer Have To Follow The Law? What About 10 Commandments?

The bible says so. Not me. The bible. I counted at least 12 verses that say so in the New Testament. Look at Romans 10:4 and Eph 2:15 as examples. I am a bit lazy now to count out the rest and list them for you here. You go do some homework for yourself, but take my word for it. Not less than 12 times.

And about the 10 commandments. 10 years ago as a new Christian, I was challenged by a pastor to state categorically that I do not have to observe the 10 Commandments anymore. I shrank off sheepishly then, not knowing the scriptures. Today I would ask him if he has circumcised himself, or why is he not observing Sabbath. He did not seem to realize then, and I think he does not even now, realize that he is not observing the 10 Commandments either.

(5) Why Do You Say People Are Paying Tithe Out Of Greed And Fear?

If you pay RM1 and expect RM3000 in return from the Empat Ekor lottery, how different is paying RM200 in tithes and expect thirty-fold, hundred fold in return? Greed is greed. You pay less and expect more in return. Empat Ekor doesn’t guarantee you any returns. Neither does paying tithes in this manner. Now that’s gambling with your tithe money. There is an element of uncertainty.

And if you are paying tithes because you think that you would lose your future blessings if you don’t, is that not fear? You are to fear God, but surely not in this manner.

Note that Israelites were to pay tithe on the blessings they had received, i.e. they paid on the increase of the harvest and the flock. Israelites did not pay any tithe for future blessings. And just in case you happen to be thinking of book of Malachi again about God challenging the Israelites to see if He would open the windows of heaven if the paid their tithes, do note the earlier verses says that God had by then already closed their blessings. Your pastor never highlighted this to you before? Of course he won’t. But you’re supposed to read the scriptures for yourself.

(6) Why Am I Not Robbing God If I Do Not Tithe?

For one as a New Testament Christian, you are under grace not law. The law was for the Jews, and the Jews had declared their acceptance of the laws at the foot of Mount Sinai, and with it the blessings of obedience as well as the curses of disobedience. See Deuteronomy 28. And so comes the curse uttered by Malachi. But as for you, can you rob God of something you never promised? Did you ever swear an oath to pay a tithe to God? Malachi 3 is one of the most abused chapters in the bible.

Secondly you are a descendant of Abraham by faith and an heir to his promises by faith, are you not? When did God ever close your window of blessings? Does God need to open the window of blessings on you that he never closed in the first place?

Thirdly, our God is a blessing God. He blesses the believers and the non-believers. How else do you explain the great numbers of non-Christian millionaires and billionaires? Now if God won’t bless people who don’t tithe to the church or His kingdom, why are there so many millionaires and billionaires non-believers? On the other hand, why are there so many Christian tithe-payers who still live from hand-to-mouth after years of faithfully paying tithes?

(7) How Should I Tithe When I Do Tithe?

Just give. Give with a cheerful heart as what your heart has purposed to give. See 2Cor 9:78. Give after you have ensured that your own family has enough to eat and needs are covered. The bible says that a man who does not care for the needs of his family is worse than a pagan. The bible does not say the same thing about caring for the church with money. The bible never puts the church above is own family. Putting God before family, yes. Along this line, putting God first in our lives is therefore not the same as putting the church organization first.

(8) Why Call It A Con Game?

When someone knows that something should be done and continues to do it, it is nothing short of a con.

Tithing per se is not a con game. As long as anyone gives a tenth of his income, he can be said to be tithing. Remember the word tithe actually means “a tenth”. Tithe does not mean “tax”, or “payment” or “contribution”. It means “a tenth”. Period.

But the manner in which people in authority in the church strong-arm innocent believers into paying tithes instead of giving tithes is a con game. When an organization knowingly misuses ignorant preachers to twist payments where it should not be done, it is a con game.

Greed coupled with guilt, causes churches to call in visiting pastors to preach tithing, and to put curses where curses don’t belong. If the strong-arm method of preaching tithing is correct, why call in outsiders to do it?

Most pastors in the first place got conned ( pity them) into the concept of compulsory tithing while still under training by their respective denominations. So they go on to blindly teach and preach it because they never study the scriptures properly. They learned from man.

Some got wise, and you will notice these pastors never preach tithe as compulsory.

Others got wise, but became wiser even when they figured that if they do not twist consciences with guilt and pour fear into lustful hearts for monetary blessing, people might be very insensitive to the prompting of God to give. They might not give anything at all. So a little deviousness is in order.

Many such cons are perpetrated to squeeze money. Yes, the church needs money and we should give. But should we be squeezed into it?

The Poor Don't Tithe, They Receive It!

Do you know that in the Old Testament the poor don’t have to tithe? Really? Yes, and go read Lev 27:32 carefully. Note that it says that “whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD”. What if a poor man has only 9 sheep, does he tithe? Does any sheep pass under the rod? So when pastors say even the poor must tithe, it is a con. It is the 10th sheep that is taken, not the 1st. But your pastors want the first one. I have more to say the coming “Unpleasant Truths about Israel’s Tithes”.

KEY POSTS - THE TITHING CON GAME