Or a pickpocket….
As far as ACOG ‘churches’ are concerned, the most important scripture of all is not to be found in the life and works of Jesus.
You won’t even find it in the New Testament. That scripture says: ‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, 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.
What your so called pastor neglects to quote is the scripture that mentions tithing in NT scriptures, where Jesus pointed out that it was not a weighty matter of the law. Then we have the book of Hebrews which states ‘The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.’
Pretty clear without a circular explanation from the high school dropout HWA and those who parrot his theologically bankrupt ideology. But this doesn’t stop these parasites from their insistence that one tithe.
Matthew 23:23 states: ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.’
If they demand from you tithes, then it stands to reason that they also must insist that you keep the rest of the law. ‘Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.’ James 2:10. So, why are the ACOG’s not stoning adulterers? Why are they not executing homosexuals, or killing Sabbath violators, or restoring sacrifices?
The answer is, they are essentially picking and choosing as to the convenience of keeping the law. Don’t pick something that will attract the ire of the authorities. No they won’t do that. But what they will do is to convince the membership that they must obey the law by tithing, refrain from eating biblically unclean foods and keeping those holy days that really are pagan in origin.
One passage in the bible states that Abraham gave a tithe to God.
Once.
It was the spoils of warfare, and not of his personal wealth.
Jacob tithed once when he made a conditional 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, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 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.’ (Genesis 28:20-22).
Back in the day when tithing was part of the law, it was not money that the people tithed but the fruit of the land, and of the animals which ate of the land. Leviticus 27:30-32. This is the law as laid down by Moses. Now Malachi says ‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be FOOD in my house.’ Malachi 3:10. This food was for the Levites, the poor, widows, orphans and strangers who dwelt upon the land.
According to the Law of Moses, the tithe was divided into three allocations.
1) The first year, it was given to the Levite.
2) The second year, it was given to widows, orphans and the poor.
3) The third year, it was eaten in the company of the faithful before the Lord as thanksgiving for his faithfulness. Deuteronomy 14:22-28.
In the seventh year, there was no planting and no reaping and therefore no tithing was required.
So the next time your pastor teaches you to tithe, ask him about the seventh year. Ask him if you can give to a orphanage, or give assistance to the elderly instead of tithing. He may not agree with you because it is your money he is after.
Jesus himself could not receive a tithe because he was not from the tribe of Levi but from that of Judah. In essence, the Levitical priesthood no longer exists, therefor there is no tithe to give. If you pastor says that he is the modern priesthood, ask him if he lives as such. Remind him that Levites had no land and did not have private property. Not allowed.
Anytime you give to a church under threat, any threat, that is not a freewill offering. It is spiritual extortion. The church always has a ‘owner’ and its just not you!
Learn more HERE.
