You Fools! You Hypocrites! You Snakes 13
THE CHRISTIAN TITHING LAW:
Where did the "Christian Law of Tithing come from?" The Bible? Absolutely not. There is not one single example in the Bible of a "Christian" tithing to the church or a command to do so, and that is a Scriptural fact.
Notice this telling bit of history from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Tithes in Christendom—The earliest authentic example of anything like a law of the State enforcing payment appears to occur in the capitularies (ecclesiasticals) of Charlemagne at the end of the 8th or beginning of the 9th century. Tithes were by that enactment to be applied to the maintenance of the bishop, clergy, the poor, and the fabric of the church. In the course of time the principle of payment of tithes was extended FAR BEYOND its original intention. Thus they became transferable to laymen and saleable like ordinary property, in spite of the injunctions of the third Lateran Council; and they became payable OUT OF SOURCES OF INCOME (not just farming and herding, but other trades and occupations and salaries paid in the form of money) NOT ORIGINALLY TITHABLE." (1963, volume 22, page 253, ‘TITHES’) (Emphasis mine).
Unbelievable.
It was from the powerful Catholic Church that the unscriptural practice (did you notice the word "enforcing?") of Christian tithing originated many hundreds of years after the original Apostles. Truth be known, the "Reformation" did virtually nothing to "reform" the corrupted Church of Christ.
Enforcing the tithing of money on Believers as if it were a law of God to do so, is a damnable heresy that has caused untold pain and suffering and only led to more corruption and worldliness in the Church.
I have many emails and letters from the poor and elderly who have been intimidated to "tithe" on their social security, welfare, pension, and even food stamps. They don’t have enough for rent, utilities, food, and medicine, but are expected to TITHE to their fat ministers. Have they no shame? Of course they don’t. They are worse than the Scribes and Pharisees which Jesus upbraided publicly.
In America there is virtually a race to see who can build the largest church and the largest congregation. Many ministers set a shameful example of gross worldliness and materialism. The clergy use and abuse their congregations, while living like fat worldly dictators. And billions of sheep blindly follow their evil ways giving their money and giving their stamp of approval on such shameful living. Well mark my words, it’s all coming down. A house built upon the sand can’t stand up to the coming storms. It is all coming down!
"And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, (the same sin that Israel committed when God divorced her) and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:2-4).
Do you have even the slightest clue as to what you are reading? WHO is it that God says should come out of this great Babylon? Is it the atheists? The heathens? The unbelievers? NO. Let’s read it again: "Come out of her MY PEOPLE"! It is GOD’S PEOPLE who are in this great Whore (remember a "woman" is the symbol for a "church" in Scripture) whom God commands to "COME OUT OF HER."
Remember how God totally destroyed His own Church and Temple system in Jerusalem in 70 AD by bringing the armies of Titus upon it? Well that was a picnic compared to the destruction of today’s Church System which Rev. 17:4-5 describes:
"MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"
Either tithing is a law that Christians must obey or it isn’t a law. If it is, then it is a SIN to not tithe, and no one could be saved until they repented of breaking this law. But if it is not a law, then it is a SIN to teach that it is a law. And as it decidedly is not a New Covenant Law binding on Christians. Those who teach it will be condemned and cursed for teaching it and living like worldly fat cats from it. As they sow: so shall they reap. As they judge others: so shall they be judged. What measure of punishment they deem fit in their false teaching: they will have measured back on them.
Scriptural tithing was for Israelites ONLY, giving a tenth of farm and herd products ONLY, under the law of Moses ONLY, to the poor, widows, strangers, and the tribe of Levite ONLY, up until the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, ONLY. NOTHING else is "Biblical Tithing."
Abraham NEVER tithed his own personal property, Jacob said he would tithe once, but only after God would make him rich first. Jesus NEVER taught His disciples to tithe to the church. The Apostles NEVER collected tithes from the church. Paul NEVER taught tithing to the Gentiles or collected tithes from them. And money was NEVER ever a tithable commodity, not even under Moses.
True Believers are cheerful, generous givers, not coerced and threatened tithe payers. "Christian Tithing" is a "Christian Hoax" that stinks to high heaven, and those who pronounce curses on people for not tithing will have curses pronounced on them in the Great White Throne/Lake of Fire/Second Death Judgment. Read my paper at the top of our home page: "Tithing is Unscriptural under the New Covenant."