|
The aim of this little website is to share with you the happiness
and joy of knowing Faith in the Spirit, exclusively based on the Word of God.
All over the world, around two billion
people, one third (33%) of world population, adhere to any of the 487 Christian religions or denominations that I found in
my recent searches. Probably there are some more. As each local Baptist church is governmentally independent, and all Baptist
associations are only Congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation AND to avoid arriving in the thousands,
I only included Baptist Confederations, Fellowships, Conferences, Associations, Unions, Conventions, Affiliations and Alliances
in this count. I still arrived at 76 in total.
Two billion Christians; the Lord kept his Word when He promised Abraham
"And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed
also be numbered." (Genesis 13:16).
487 Christian religions or denominations; the Lord announced it already through
Paul. Christians would never be united. "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,
even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither
yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not
carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apol'los; are ye not carnal? Who then is
Paul, and who is Apol'los, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?" 1Corinthians 3:1-5
You
have to be carnal and inspired by the whispers of Satan to want to divide what God wants to be together. It started with Adam
and Eve, giving their own more convenient, easier to obey, interpretation of Gods Will. It happened then and happens again
and again, whether it is in the form of an apple, a golden calf, or a church with a golden roof and a pulpit beautifully decorated
with precious materials where man with his legalistic dogma’s, doctrines and legislation continues to divide what the Lord
tries to bind together. Satan’s revenge, struggling to keep as many people as possible in his claws of deceit and confusion,
blinding them from the truth, keeping their focus on carnality, blocking the path towards the Golden Gates of Heaven.
Tithing.
Christianity in relation to tithing. Is it really meant to be that obligation that many churches put their
members under? Is it really part of the law? Is it really a Christian duty ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ for Christians
to pay tithes to a clerical body or organization? The tithe, part of a doctrine that causes many questions, doubts, as well
as pain, worry, and sorrow and in some extreme cases causing illnesses and potential starvation.
What does it mean
literally? According to the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, fourth edition, a tithe is:
1a. A tenth
part of one's annual income contributed voluntarily or due as a tax, especially for the support of the clergy or church. b.
The institution or obligation of paying tithes.
2. A tax or assessment of one tenth.
3a. A tenth part. b. A very small
part.
Many – almost all – denominational doctrines and statements of Faith of today have included tithing as an obligation
for their members. And most of them base themselves on your income – some might include wealth / possessions – and want 10%
of it to go to the church body. Of course, the discussion whether tithing should be related to one’s gross or one’s net income
i.e. before or after government taxes are due, start at the same instant.
Tithing through the payment of the corresponding
amounts of money, as said before, calculated as 10% of your – preferably gross – income. Have you got any idea how much money
that would bring into the various churches? Just calculate with me:
Per July 2003 the USA counted 290,342,554 inhabitants
(CIA estimate), with a Christianity rate of approximately 85% and a per capita Gross National Product of $ 37,600 gives $927.934.802.584.
Almost
$ 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) dollars! Where does this come from and what is the background of paying tithes? And how
is that related to today’s Christianity?
Most of you will know that tithing was a part of the Levitical laws as described
in the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses. There were 12 tribes of Israel of which 11 worked the land and traded and created
income and wealth. The tribe of Levi neither had cattle, agricultural land, or trading opportunities, as they were appointed
to be the keepers of the tabernacle and in that function it was impossible for them to undertake any other laborious activity.
So there was a need for them to be supported by the others, who had to pay them one tenth of their earnings in terms of crops
and cattle – the increase of the seeds and the firstlings of the animals. This and more about The Law of the Tithe is clearly
explained in all detail in the following three passages of the Scripture. Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:20-24, and Deuteronomy
14:22-29.
Leviticus 27 also speaks first about another tax, different from the tithes, in the form of a nominal amount
of money called estimation (based on age and gender) and to be paid when making a vow. However, if the person was estimated
not to be able to pay for this tax, the priests could decide on a different amount that would be more reasonable and could
be borne. Lev 27:8 "But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest
shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him." The tithes were holy, however, and could
not be touched to pay for vows. 30-34: "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of
the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem aught of his tithes, he shall add thereto
the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the
tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change
it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. These are the commandments, which
the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Si'nai."
Numbers 18: 20-24 "And the LORD spake unto Aaron,
Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance
among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for
their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Neither must the children of Israel
henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the service
of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your
generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they
offer as a 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."
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of
thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall
choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and
of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art
not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when
the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go
unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after,
for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before
the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, and the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not
forsake him: for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe
of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: and the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance
with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and
be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest."
Looking at these
passages in the Scripture tithes were only in exceptional cases (for example when the load was too big or the distance was
too large) to be turned into money, but normally paid out of the land, of the seed, of the fruit etc. One reason for this
might be concluded from the first verse of Deuteronomy 14 in which it appears that the tithes should be used for a celebration
for a kind of feast in His name ("eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there,
the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks"). That must be the
reason why so many churches organize their summer picnics… Oh no, the food you bring there goes on top of the tithes!
Today’s
priests and church leaders only want money tithes. Every year (not every three years) just for themselves and they don’t want
you to spend it in the Lord’s name in a place designated by the Lord yourself. It also is too difficult for them to control
everybody’s harvests of corn, hay, tomatoes, green beans, or potatoes. Where should it all be stored and would the calves
and foals be kept? So it appears that today’s clergy have adapted the original carnal law to its convenience.
By the
way, in those cases that tithes were turned into money, they had to be spent in a holy place, which in general was Jerusalem.
Did you ever ask yourself why there were so many ‘money-changers’ and traders in the Temple, the people that Jesus chased
away and called thieves? It had to do with this same law of the tithes that said that the money tithes had to be spent in
a holy place ("shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD
thy God shall choose: and thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after"). The moneychangers and traders
took advantage of their monopoly position and charged prices that were far higher than the prices on the market place making
money tithes expensive relatively speaking. But as they had the monopoly and people had to spend their tithes there, who cared.
Also,
in case of poverty, as we have seen in above verses from the book of Leviticus, the priest had to recalculate taxes and decide
on an adapted and justified amount. Nowadays it is heart breaking to hear all those people who lack a basis of fair existence
because they first give what they have to the church and don’t have the resources to buy the basic elements of life like food,
shelter or clothing. And so many cases are known of preachers and elders that push even for more in stead of comforting these
people.
I don’t think that I overlooked it, but I have not found tithing or anything related to it in any of the Ten
Commandments. In none of the twenty translations I have looked at and in none of the four languages they covered. There is
no mention, not even a suggestion, of any type of tax or contribution that has to be paid to people having an office in the
name of the Lord. It is all about one’s own Faith and loyalty and behavior related to societal elements of coexistence. Actually,
on philosophic grounds one could argue that tithes are even in breach of the 10th commandment (Roman Catholics: your ninth
AND tenth commandment). "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant,
nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's" (Exodus 20:17)
I have seen pastors
and preachers having their Lexus parked at the entrance of very luxurious estates, and my stomach turns realizing how many
people gave more to their churches than they actually could afford. How many churches are in turmoil when they have their
quarterly or annual budget meetings because they cannot agree on how to divide their millions? It becomes obvious that those
churches that insist on these taxes being paid on Biblical reasons again ignore two elements of Levitical tithing.
Tithing,
the obligation of paying 10% of your income, because the Scripture would say so.
I hope we can agree that God’s Will
cannot be confusing let alone contradicting itself. No Christian will disagree with me that God is infallible. God will not
make any mistakes when issuing his Will. So why are there so many contradictions in the laws and commandments, like in the
commandment to pay tithes? Isn't it funny but also incredible to see that even with a carnal mind, focusing on the old laws
of the flesh, only a few parts of this law were kept; the most convenient parts of course. And at the same time they became
inconsistent for the same reason and now are contradictory at the same time. We agreed that God is infallible. So when this
law is not flawless, it can only mean that it is not made by God nor inspired by the Holy Ghost! So it can only be the works
of man.
The obligation to pay tithes was installed after God had given the special tasks to the tribe of Levi as mentioned
before. In the New Testament, Paul’s letter to the Hebrews also refers to these tithes. However, in his use of words he put
a very interesting accent on this law. "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood,
have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of
the loins of Abraham." (Heb 7:5) Some interesting conclusions can be found in these verses.
We can read here that according
to the laws of Moses the tribe of Levi TOOK the tithes of the people. We see this also in the book of Deuteronomy in the last
verse (14:29) of above passage. "At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same
year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: and the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger,
and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy
God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest."
The tithes were made available for the Levites
AND the poor by placing them within the gates which means somewhere within the borders of the settlement or town where you
lived once every three years. The priests had to come and take them.
Furthermore Paul said in Hebrews that the Levites
had to take the tithes from their “brethren out of the loins of Abraham”. Today, there is no Levitical priesthood. There is
Baptist priesthood, Catholic priesthood, Methodist priesthood, Amish priesthood, there is Anglican, Presbyterian, Mennonite
and Hutterite priesthood, or Pentecostal priesthood. We have Millerites like the Seventh Day Evangelists, Assemblies of Yahweh
and Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Molokan, Doukhobors, Christadelphians, Calvary Fellowship, Laodicean Home Missionary Movement,
Messianic Judaism, etc. but none of the 487 congregations I mentioned before has the name of Levi - this looks like a traditional
marketing mistake - in their denomination. The only time I found the letter combination 'lev' was with the Cleveland Church
of God, one of the 28 Pentecostal churches, but I am sure that is something else.
I may conclude therefore that today
in none of the Christian churches the tribe of Levi is taking care of the tabernacle anymore. And even if there were still
one heir of the tribe of Levi currently active as a priest, who of today’s Christians would be his brother? Is there any Christian
who can confirm that he / she came out of the loins of Abraham?
Unless…
Unless we accept that with the death
of Jesus on the cross, and gentiles being baptized in the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, we, being the offspring, the descent of
the gentiles, are spiritually coming from the loins of Abraham. However, when we agree on this part of Faith through the Spirit
and not by the law, how can we deny the rest? Including accepting that with His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ cleansed
us from sin forever, by fulfilling the prophecies and revoking ALL laws of the flesh from the Old Testament. And this includes
any pretended law on tithing.
Satan continues to spread confusion through the preaching of the laws of the flesh via
the pulpit. And that includes the Law of the Tithe. Christians however, having received Grace through the Spirit of the Holy
Ghost receive the Word of the Lord every day through the Holy Scripture. Even when we read the law in a carnal fashion, the
Word of God itself contradicts many of today’s laws and regulations and shows how incorrect they are.
In the Old Testament
depending on how things developed and what was needed the legislature evolved and changed. Tithing laws were introduced because
the tribe of Levi needed sponsoring to survive. New periods came with new laws resulting in legislation comprising 613 laws
at the end.
And then came Jesus Christ, in the flesh, to fulfill the prophecies and starting a new period and a totally
different legislation. The 613 old laws – keeping the Sabbath, baptizing with water, circumcision, blood offerings of firstlings,
Passover and Pentecost celebrations, tithing, ceremonies at the Tabernacle etc. etc. – were revoked and replaced by the law
of the Spirit, written in your heart. The Ten Commandments became part of your nature, no more questions about where being
righteous started and where it ended, making it a natural part of your every day life.
Does all this mean that we
would not give to the church? Malachi is often brought up into the tithing equation. However, Malachi is part of the old covenant
and it was specifically speaking to the Jews. 2:8 ""...ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi... And, by the way, Malachi
2:9 says "...according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law..." With 613 carnal laws it is anyway
impossible to obey them all. Today’s priesthood is of the same opinion, never to change a winning strategy: be partial in
keeping the law.
The passages about the law on tithing were not the first passages in the Scripture where tithes (or
tenths) are mentioned. The Old Testament already speaks about tithes in Genesis 14:18-20 "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought
forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most
high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.
And he gave him tithes of all."
Also in Genesis, in chapter 28, the verses 20-22 – Jacob’s vow at Bethel in the last
verse – also include a promise of payment of 10% of earnings. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and
will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s
house in peace: then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of
all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." (Genesis 28:20-22).
Obviously both payments –
of one tenth – in these passages were voluntary acts, of either gratitude or a promise to the Lord. Now you know as well how
I think about Melchisedek ("Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, or end of life;
but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." Heb 7:3)
Romans 12:1 gives us "I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service," which is repeated in a different context again in Romans 14:8 "For whether we live, we live unto the
Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therfore, or die, we are the Lord’s"
1Corinthians 3:21-23
"Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apol'los, or Cephas, or the world, or life,
or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."
2Corinthians
9:6-8 "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth
a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work:"
Mark 12: 41-44; "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people
cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in
two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this
poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance;
but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
These verses are all about giving, from the
heart, to the Lord in any form possible. God loves a cheerful giver! Tithing is an action, but giving is the principle (therefore,
tithing is not a principle). Becoming a Christian means that all you own is to be used to support this cause, meaning that
what we have is to be used in the way Jesus would have us use it. This does NOT mean that we MUST give it all to a religious
organization, but that we would be willing to do so voluntarily if led that way.
Even in the Old Testament already
two ways of sharing wealth with the One who made it all possible to gather this wealth and to Whom everything is owed have
been used. Voluntarily giving and sharing in whatever form possible, and as from a certain moment, the paying of a 10% income
and wealth tax to create a budget for – church – authorities of those tribes a that time and according to those – Jewish –
laws.
I cannot give the Lord 10% of what I have. Simply because I have nothing. The Lord already owns everything I
have and He only wants me to use that the best way possible. When I feel that a church needs it badly and uses it the right
way I will give them some. Or more. But only when I feel that the money that is the Lord’s is used properly. Because only
then I can pay back to the Lord the talents he gave me to take care of. And more! But don’t think I will finance works of
Satan.
Matthew 25:16-29 "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according
to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with
the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had
received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh,
and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done,
thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter
thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents:
behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which
had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and
gathering where thou hast not strewed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that
is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not,
and gather where I have not strewed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming
I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even
that which he hath."
The frightened man in the parable hides his talent in the earth. The frightened Christian of
today hides his talent in the soil of the church. Better to pay this fixed amount, these 10% and bury them in the church’s
pockets than putting them to use, and showing the Lord how much was gained with the talents he received. Just pay the tithes,
be in church on Sunday and be drunk the rest of the week, passing your own responsibility to be a 24/7 Christian into the
hands of others so that you don’t have to do the work of the Lord. Drunk not from alcohol as is understood in carnal minds,
but drunk from your carnal life, drunk from your focus on fleshly pleasures and priorities, drunk putting your carnal issues
before the Spiritual issues in the name of the Lord. Like a drunkard puts alcohol first, before his other carnal responsibilities.
Buried his talent in the soil of the church: "but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
I
heard a story about a church that needed an extension; to cope with planned (!) growth. The architect made a beautiful design
with light and space and good acoustics. Homeless people from the shelter in that neighborhood were also regular visitors
of that church and heard about the plans and saw the fund raising activities. They wanted to contribute as well but had no
money to do so. What they did have was time. And some carpentry, masonry and painting skills. They really built a beautiful
church.
And the church had become so beautiful that the board thought that also wealthier people who lived a bit further
away could be attracted by the esthetics of the building and become a member. And 10% of wealth is a lot of money! They smelled
their part of the trillion. There was one problem however that would keep the rich away. The homeless. The same people who
had physically built the church. Greedy as they were the board decided to deny access to the homeless notwithstanding that
they had contributed a lot more than just 10%.
There's hardly a Christian who can't give; and when that giving is
done in love, it exemplifies the greatest sacrifice ever made for mankind: the death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus gave out
of love when He laid aside His privileges and left heaven to come to earth. It was because of love that He became a servant
and gave His life to save us from our sins. And the Bible tells us that God also was motivated by love when He gave His only
begotten Son.
The rich did not come after all and the church had to file for bankruptcy later on. Do you really think
that you can buy the Love of God? Don’t support a ministry that is run on financial books and going to keep you in bondage
or one that teaches the false doctrines of men. Tithing falls in both of these categories. Cheerful giving in the name of
the Lord, actually spreading the resources that belong to the Lord to help others and with that planting the seeds of Christianity.
That is what it is all about.
Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"
Give what your are able to give, in using
the talents He gave you. When you have the money, spend it in His Name and with His blessing. When you have time spend it
with people who need it, When you have a pretty voice or the ability to play an instrument, use it in an anointed way to plant
the seed of the Spirit.
The devil doesn’t want people to understand what the Spiritual Tithe is all about. The real
tithe builds God's Kingdom on this earth, saves souls, feeds poor, takes care of widows and orphans; people are planting seeds
of Christianity, pure and true in the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. So Satan has to oppose to it, has to fight it. One, very effective
way is to ‘carnalize’ it. To make sure that it is divided amongst 487 different church organizations. To make sure that it
is used to maintain the confusion and to support the strength of the false gospel and the false doctrines.
Tithing
in the way that many churches are commanding, has no funding in the Bible, is not what the Lord wants and is wrong. It simply
is maintaining of one of the carnal laws that, when people keep them, indicate that they are still carnal minded and will
not pass through the so-called Golden Gate. These people will just pay a lot, but receive nothing in return. Jesus Christ
did not need to come to earth and die for these people because if so He did it in vain.
Cheerful giving whatever is
possible in any way possible, making a good return on the investment the Lord has done in you, using the talents you have
received from the Lord in the best way possible is commendable and will please our Lord Jesus Christ.
I just pray that
I have been able to open some eyes a little bit in the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, so that when the blind lead the blind, some
of them will see the contours of the ditch just in time, turn around and open up for the Spirit.
Praise the Lord,
Amen, may the Lord bless you on your ways.
For any question or commentary just e-mail us at info@checkyourhappiness
. com
update 21 April 2006
© Check Your Happiness .com
|
