FROM: Pastor Adam
> Here is a couple of your problems. Your arguments are based on silence.
> Just because the bible doesn't record Jesus or any of the other disciples
> tithing doesn't mean they didn't. Are you to say that Jesus was gay because
> the bible doesn't say he wasn't?
>
> Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. In other words he raised
> the bar. For example, Jesus said lusting was adultery of the heart. In the
> new testament Jesus raises the bar pretty much on everything. Whether or
> not tithing is required in the new testament is irrelevantly. If you love
> Jesus you will give to the church. Your argument about sacrifices and the
> OT is a little weak. Jesus was the ultimate Sacrifice, that's why we don't
> sacrifice anymore. I don't see an ultimate tithe in the OT to indicate we
> should stop tithing.
>
> Jesu s talks about money more in the new testament than anything else. What
> do you think would happen if Christians stopped tithing?
>
> You are right, i didn't read your whole article on tithing. I usually don't
> read a lot of fiction.
>
> Ray i am not trying to be harsh. You are not a modern day Paul or Peter.
> You are doing more harm than good with your articles. Try fulfilling the
> two greatest commandments. Put your time and energy into those, i promise
> you will have a much greater return.
>
> Pastor Adam
Dear Pastor Adam:
I'm not trying to be harsh either, Pastor Adam, but you have not a clue as to what you are talking about. You ridicule you know not what. I will make a few comments concerning the things out of your own mouth, so as to not speculate on the intent of your heart.
First, you stated that I did not mention the two examples of Jesus regarding tithing. I in return copied and pastied straight from my article a full explanation of those two examples. Did you then acknowledge that I did indeed cover them in my paper? NO, no you didn't. You rather countered with, "I usually don't read a lot of FICTION." You were wrong; I proved you wrong, but rather than acknowledge it, you come back with a psychological slam by suggesting that my paper is "fiction." Have you to this date so much as quoted on single statement from my paper and proved it wrong with at least two Scriptures? NO, no you haven/t. And why is that? Because you can't. With all the hermeneutical and exegetical "god of context" nonsense you use to teach your heresies, you could not fault one single statement in my tithing paper.
You foolishly state: "Whether or not tithing is required in the new testament is irrelevant." Irrelevant? Irrelevant? IRRELEVANT? I have a pile of emails in my drawer extending back over the years from elderly people (especially widows) and their children and their relatives, in which I am informed of the horrible hardships many of these people faced while trying to be obedient to the commands of their pastors to TITHE.
Many have gone without sufficient food, clothing, medicine, and even neglecting utility bills, so that they could avoid being "CURSED WITH A CURSE" from Almighty God should they fail to give ten percent of their gross income to their pastor. Never mind the fact that in the Hebrew it is God stating that Israel "CURSED" HIM, not that He cursed Israel: "With a curse you curse Me, and Me you are defrauding--the nation, all of it."
Many churches (including the most visible form of "Christianity"--Televangelists) teach that tithing is "a LAW of Almighty God," that is still binding on New Testament Believers, and the failure to give your pastor ten percent of your gross annual income will result in being "CURSED WITH A CURSE," or even far worse. If tithing is a law, and the breaking of God's law is sin, and the penalty of sin according to these same Christian pastors, is not "death" (Rom. 6:23), but rather LIFE in some eternal hellhole of torture in literal fire. How many little old widow ladies do you know, Pastor Adam, who look forward to being tortured in literal fire of the Christian hell for trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions of quadrillions of centuries without relief, without hope, burning in pain that far exceeds total insanity, for ALL ETERNITY? HUH?
God rush the day when this evil doctrine of demons is brought to justice in God's divine lake of purging FIRE. The untold evil and misery that people like you, Pastor Adams, have brought upon weak and infirmed grandmothers and grandfathers through the centuries by insisting that tithing IS for the Church of Christ, is a stench that has reached to the highest heavens. Irrelevant? You will see how irrelevant this doctrine of fraudulently exacting MONEY from Believers under a New Covenant pretense of law, is one day. What would happen to the church if people stopped tithing, you ask? Well for one thing, pastors would have to start working for a living. Oh forbid such a fate. But instead of hanging you head in utter shame over such heresies, you wear them with pride like badge of honor. Unbelievable.
You falsely state that my proof against tithing money under the New Covenant rests of "silence." Oh really? No, not in silence. Actually these truths are PLAINLY told in screaming words (for those who have an ear to hear) exactly how Jesus, Peter, and Paul financed their ministry:
Jesus received his financing from: "Mary Magdalene...and Joana the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna and MANY OTHERS, which ministered unto Him of their [of their WHAT? Of their 'tithes?' I speak as a fool]...OF THEIR SUBSTANCE [Gk: possessions, goods]" (Luke 8:2-3). Jesus neither taught tithing to His Church, neither did He collect tithes for His Church.
Peter: "And the continued steadfastly in the APOSTLES' [Peter, James, John and the rest] doctrine and fellowship...and all that believed were together, and had all things common...and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [all to Peter? to the apostles ONLY? No, "to ALL"] as EVERY MAN had need" (Acts 2:41-45). Peter neither taught tithing to Christ's Church, neither did he collect tithes for Christ's Church.
Paul: "For ye remember, brethren, our LABOUR and travail: for LABOURING NIGHT AND DAY, because we would NOT be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God" (I Thes. 2:9) "Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto MY NECESSITIES, and to them that were with me" (Acts 20:34 and a dozen more). Paul suffered great want on many occasions because he seldom took from the congregations even his necessities. Paul would have never gone without as he so often did, had he been collecting ten percent of the gross national product of all the congregations of ASIA! Give me a break, Pastor Adams. I don't suppose you ever considered for one moment, trusting God to supply your needs rather than resurrecting and perverting the Old Testament tithing law.
I have shown you dozens and dozens and dozens of Scriptures in my paper proving what tithing was and what tithing was not, and you call it "FICTION." You despise the Word of God!
Again you state: "Your argument about sacrifices and the OT is a little weak. Jesus was the ultimate Sacrifice, that's why we don't sacrifice anymore. I don't see an ultimate tithe in the OT to indicate we should stop tithing."
Of course you don't see it--you are as spiritually blind as a bat. So my argument about sacrifices no longer being in force today is "a little weak: is it? Actually it was way too strong for you to counter. Do you think that I am uninformed as the Jesus being our "ultimate Sacrifice?" It is you who shot yourself in your own foot with that statement. You bet Jesus is our ultimate Sacrifice, but it doesn't end there. You obviously missed the part of Jesus now becoming (in place of the tithe collecting Levites) OUR HIGH AND ONLY PRIEST (Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 7:12-28)! And Jesus Who is "The SAME yesterday, today, and for ever" did not and does not collect TITHE MONEY for His Church.
Besides, all true Believers are now ALSO PRIESTS (I Peter 2:9), which means your congregation has just as much authority to take TITHES OF YOU, Pastor Adam, as you do from them. Put that in your hermetical pipe and smoke it.
One other point you would do well to consider, and that is that Jesus Christ is now also the "ultimate" Judge, and He will judge all such heresy as "money tithing" in the name of His Church (Acts 17:31).
Now for your crowing blasphemy: "Just because the bible doesn't record Jesus or any of the other disciples tithing doesn't mean they didn't. Are you to say that Jesus was gay because the bible doesn't say he wasn't?
You listen now, Pastor Adams, and you listen good: Don't you try to put that filthy-minded blasphemy into my mouth, you hypocrite. I have never ever ever ever entertained such a demeaning and disgusting example as to suggest that because the Bible doesn't say contrary, we could say that Jesus Christ was a homosexual! You could have used a thousand different example. What ever possessed [and I do believe that is the correct word] you to suggest such an utterly blasphemous example? You are over-the-top! Well I hope you enjoy your "tithe money," because you have your reward, and unless or until you bitterly repent of not only your damnable tithing heresy, but also your filthy mouth, you WILL be reading this email anew in front of your Judge.
Cordially yours,
L. Ray Smith
PS Oops, missed one: "Jesus talks about money more in the new testament than anything else." Oh really? So now to add insult to injury, you are also a blatant liar. I think I'll post this on our site.