Dear ray,
First of all I want to praise God for leading me to you and your web site, which I have been studying diligently this past year. And to thank Him for giving you true scriptural insight into so many, many areas of His written Word.
Now to my reason for writing to you this time. Last night my sister who lives nearby called me to tell me to turn my television to a certain station and tell me what I thought. Since I was already in bed I was not even watching the telly but decided to see what it was she wanted me to see. Turns out it was a broadcast by a pastor Melissa Scott, widow of the late Gene Scott. My sister was all impressed how pastor Scott was showing how modern translations are errant in explaining that some words used in our modern translations actually have multiple meanings in the original Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, etc. So, I listened for a little while and watched as Melissa Scott went from grease board to grease board diligently trying to explain some differences of scriptural translations. Then, I turned it off and went back to bed.
Today I decided to visit the drgenescott.com web site to see what was there, as my sister wanted to know what I thought. The first article I read was a question and answer interview with the late Dr. Scott about "first fruits, tithing, and offerings." thank God, thank God, thank God for you ray, and for the article you wrote regarding tithing being unscriptural. Even a novice student as I am, I saw the error Dr. Scott was teaching (actually was not teaching but was misleading). He even used Matthew 23:23 as one reference of how Jesus taught the Pharisees how they should tithe. A little later in the article he said that New Testament Christians gave "everything" (i.e. 100%), but that that was not God's plan. Isn't everything that happens in this world, most especially to believers in Christ, already known and planned by God???!!!! When Dr. Scott was asked about New Testament examples (of firstfruits and tithing) he said it was irrelevant in the New Testament because they (early Christians???) were not yet taught on all the principles of the Old Testament. Oh my, oh my. And this man, Dr. Gene Scott, and his young wife, pastor Melissa Scott preach, teach and expound all of this error in a very, very, very large cathedral in Los Angeles, and, broadcast on the Internet 24/7/365 they say.
Ray, I don't know if you had already heard of this particular teaching ministry, but if you have not, and you want a good laugh (and cry at the same time), I urge you to go online to their web site drgenescott.com. You will have to click here and there and scroll down here and there to find the article I read on firstfruits, tithing, and giving, and to see other articles there.
So what do I tell me sister? When I call her I will urge her (again) to go to bible-truths.com if she wants to know the real hidden gems of God's Scriptures, and to not be impressed by someone just because they have all kinds of lexicons, and concordances, etc sitting on the stage, and writing out the Hebrew, Greek, and every other type of translation. But, to really be impressed she should read all you have been shown by God's Holy Spirit, and which you have then studied, and studied, and studied, and read, and read, and read, and then pray that God opens up her spiritual eyes of understanding so she can know error when she hears it.
I know this is kinda long. I just had to share it with you. You are a wonderful man of God, and I am proud to call you my brother in Christ.
Claudia
austin, tx
