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Reasons You Should Resign From Monetary Tithing

Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

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The monetary tithe doctrine doctrine that has swept across generations is tale of deception and misinterpretation of scripture. For many generations pastors have used Old Testament law to condemn and convict people that they owe God and tithe from the paycheck for life. Law tithing of ten percent is a violation of Apostle Paul’s giving instructions which reads,  “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver “(ESV). 2 Cor. 9:7 Read an excerpt of Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?  Examining what Paul taught on giving, there is no way you can tithe ten percent of your income and it not be under compulsion because you have no choice in the amount you give if ten percent is the standard. If someone mandate that you pay Yahweh ten percent it is still a violation of 2 Cor. 9:7 because mandating ten percent create reluctancy especially if you don’t have money to give.  Cheerful giving can only happen when there is no preset amount and the giving act stems from the giver’s private decision on how much to give. If Paul wanted every believer to pay ten percent, he would have been clear in the text about Old Testament tithing. As it stands, Paul wanted every man according as he purposed in his heart on how much to give. Tithing money is not a New Testament command or suggestion. So let’s explore some reasons why you should stop tithing according to the scriptures, scholarship, exegesis and hermeneutics.

“It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to keep the Bible’s command to not give under compulsion while believing that we owe a compulsory tax of 10% of our income to some charlatan to spend any way that he wants.

Tithing is a system of policed and enforced “giving”, which is not voluntary giving at all but an involuntarily taxation. This is not remotely close to cheerful givers commanded to not give “under compulsion” as the Bible clearly teaches in 2 Cor. 9:7.

“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7 NASB

But how can one do as he has purposed in his own heart if he or she is at the same time forced to tithe? Well, some tithing advocates who pound Malachi 3 claim that the voluntary aspect of 2 Cor9:7 pertains only to additional offerings or choosing where to tithe. But if the “where” was optional, then why does Malachi 3 set the storehouse as the exact “where” or place where the tithe must be given? The where is not optional. The problem is Malachi 3 does not apply in any way to Christians but rather only to Israel. Many of these tithe teachers mix Old and New Testament Scriptures together in a random haphazard way in order to try and get the Bible to say whatever they want it to say. This erroneous approach to Bible interpretation is often quite evident in many of their other teachings as well.

Briefly, you should NOT tithe. But, this is one of the hardest false teachings and false “church” habits to break. The reason is because we have been so utterly pounded with endless fear tactics and other mental gymnastics in order to keep us tithing. We think we’ll lose our job or our car will break down or some other fear based lunacy that these guys teach. It’s all unbiblical nonsense. Who is the direct beneficiary of the tithe teaching? You guessed it. The tithe teacher!” (excerpt taken from an article tithed, Is Tithing Biblical?)

We Are Not Under the Tithing Law

The official tithe law in God prescribed in Leviticus 27:30-33 defines the limited content of the tithe as eatible items and to try to include money is a misinterpretation of scriptures. Here is how God defines the tithe in Leviticus:

30 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 to the LORD. 31 If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 33 He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.’ ”  34 These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.

In verse 34, we can see that the tithe law was issued only to the children of Israel and not to any other group of people. This law was not transferred to the believers in the New Testament Church. And that’s why you never read where Paul or any of the disciples taught monetary tithing to any believers in the New Testament Ekklesia, which began in the book of Acts. Here is what Paul said in Romans 6:14, “14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”  If believers are not under the Old Testament ordinances of the tithing law but are under grace then is stands to reason that tithing is under the law and not under grace. That means anyone who tries to create a monetary tithe system under grace has just committed scriptural treason. So to let the cat out of the bag, if you hear any pastor teach a doctrine called grace tithing, it is an error. The tithe is the law, the tithe is not grace. The tithe in Leviticus is based on obligation. Today under grace all giving is based under on generosity. So the distinction today is do you want to pay ten percent under obligation or give under obligation. But all of this is a moot point because God’s tithe is livestock and crops. God’s definition of the tithe is the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree. So how does one get money out of this verse?

 

The Local Church Does Not Replace the Temple

Many pastors argue that the building where members gather is God’s temple and as such the member are obligated to support that building and all if the obligations to keep it running by paying monetary tithes. There is a problem with that argument. Your church building is the the temple in Jerusalem. God flipped the script and the building is no longer significant anymore because the building that God recognizes is the believers body. The Bible now calls believers the temple of God not your church building. Paul made that clean in 1 Cor. 3:16 when he writes, “16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” The building your pastor preaches from is owned by the bank not by God. It is not God’s responsibility to pay the mortgage. It is up to the pastor to ask the congregation to tax themselves on a regular basis to pay the banker the note on the building. That’s why tithing has to be forced onto the members of the congregation because if he didn’t the 501c3 tax exempt church would go bankrupt. So one has to enforce monetary tithing to keep enough funds coming in to sustain the religious organizations need to keep feeding the banker what the agreed to pay in the contract. The monetary tithing system has nothing to do with God command but everything to do with what the banker told your pastor he had to pay.  In the Old Testament the spirit filled the temple, now the spirit of God dwells in believers. The house of God as we like to call it is a misnomer because God’s house is not the structures men build. God dwells in the heavens. He says in Acts 7:48:

48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 49 ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? 50 Has My hand not made all these things?’ NKJV

God does not dwell in temples made with hands so why are people bringing so-called tithes to the so-called storehouse where God does not dwell. He only dwells in the hearts of believers and the building is just a gathering place that is owned by the bank until the member give all of the money to close out the mortgage. God’s house is in heaven, so if tithes were required today, but we know they are not, how would you get to heaven to pay God his tithes and offerings? Would he send you a flaming chariot to pick you up so you could make a heavenly deposit? So lets make since out of this tithe debacle. God’s temple was destroyed in AD 70 and with it went all the tithing laws that governed the function of the Old Testament temple. The tithe God instituted ended at the cross.

Tithing is a Contradiction of Scripture

People do not like it when they find out tithing is not what they’ve been told. However, no matter the evidence that exists showing tithing is not money,  it is still an uphill battle trying to deal with cognitive dissonance. So what you read below is evidence showing how scriptures are redefined in the theology and mindset of people who can’t accept that tithing is not required today.

Leviticus 27:30: 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.

Changed to: And all the tithe OF THE FRUIT OF YOUR LABOR, whether of your savings in the bank, or of the Fruit of the Federal Mint, is the preacher’s; it is holy unto the preacher.

Verse 31: And if a man will redeem ought (any) of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereto.

Changed to: If some poor widow wants to borrow back some of her tithe money to eat, charge her 20% interest.

Verse 32: And concerning the tithe OF THE HERD, or OF THE FLOCK, even whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

Changed to: And concerning the tithe OF YOUR WORK WAGES, or OF YOUR POCKETBOOK, even whatsoever passeth out of an ATM machine, the FIRST part of it shall be holy unto the preacher.

Verse 33: He (the tithe payer) shall not search (inspect) 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.

Changed to: The tithe payer shall inspect his paycheck to make sure he gives the BEST (biggest) part of it.  If he changes his mind and decides to substitute a prettier hundred dollar bill, he should just empty his wallet and fast until the next payday rolls around.

Verse 34: These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mt.Sinai.

Changed to: These are the genetically modified commandments, which the PREACHER commanded the church in Atlanta, Ga.

Although these rewritten scriptures to justify tithing are not in the book, people have been psychologically and theologically bent to interpret the verses in a way that supports monetary tithing. So what happens in a persons mind is that they rewrite Bible verses on a a self-conscience level and when they hear people read the actual verses, the self-conscience overrides the authority of scripture because of years of indoctrination.

Here are more examples of how the mind can re-interpret Bible verses:

Deuteronomy 14:22: Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

Change to: Thou shalt truly tithe on all the wages you earn, that the boss pays you week by week.

Verse 23: 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.

Change to: And you shall pay, before the preacher, in the place where you’re sitting in the pew, the tithe or your cash, of your wallet, and of your oil stock dividends, and the first of your hard-earned paycheck, that you might learn to be afraid of the preacher always.* * * Forget that bit about the wine, everybody knows they really drank Welch’s Grape Juice back then. And don’t take scripture so literally that you actually EAT the Lord’s tithe like they did back then!  The preacher will do that FOR you when he takes his buddies out to a lobster restaurant!

Verse 24: 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:

Change to: If you live too far from the hole-in-the-wall and are unable to haul a hundred-dollar bill to the place where the preacher is building a name for himself, when you’re still living in poverty:

Verse 25: Then thou shalt turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place where the LORD thy God shall choose:

Change to: No need to turn it into money, it’s always BEEN money! Bring that money in to build a project which the preacher shall choose. (MONEY is mentioned in this tithing verse!  So the preacher must be right…or IS he?)

The scripture that is used the most money to get money out of people is Malachi 3:8-10. These verse really scare the living hell out of believers or appeal to their desire to have more in life. Collecting tithes from people in the congregation works if you use the psychology of getting blessed abundantly by appealing to materialism, and if that doesn’t work, then presenting the idea that God will curse you if you don’t tithe will get people to cough up the dough. This next set of rewritten scriptures should get the message across to you.

Verse 8: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Change to: Will a man rob God’s supposed representative? Yet ye have robbed him of what he wants most: money.  But ye say, Wherein have we robbed the preacher? In monetary tithes and big enough offerings.

Verse 9: Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Change to: That curse carries over into the New Covenant Gentile church, even though God was addressing the Nation of Israel (sons of Jacob) ONLY (see verse 6). Guess that’s a mistranslation.

Verse 10: Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Change to: Bring ye ten per cent of all the paychecks, that there may be money in my (the preacher’s) church treasury, and test GOD to see if he will open up an unexpected source of income and shower you with money, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

I started out this blog post by citing 2 Cor. 9:7 and explained what Paul meant in the verse. But even this verse is not protected from mis-interpreters who support unscriptural monetary tithing.

2 Cor.9:7: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Change to: Every man (and woman) according as he feels intimidated by the sermon, so let him pay tithes, because he has to; for the preacher loves his cash cows.

Verse 12: For if there first be a willing mind [go give], it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not.

Change to: Your hesitation is of the devil!  Hurry up and give before satan argues you out of it! Make a $2,000 vow of faith out of what you don’t think you have yet, because even though you haven’t gotten that money yet, you  ALREADY have it by faith and it will soon materialize into the visible realm, so go ahead and pledge it by faith and God will accept it. All information for this section is taken from Ban Preacher Greed! Tithing Contradicts Scripture.

No Tithing Mentioned in the Book of Acts at the Inception of the New Covenant of Grace

 

In the book Acts Paul was was accused of starting a riot. In court he spoke to Felix, and this is what is said, 17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,… (NJKV) He brought alms not tithes.

Acts 2:44-45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. -Why were there no tithes upon the sale of possessions and goods here?

Acts 4: 34 For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

-there is nothing on tithing from the sale prices here either, is there?

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 ) and kept back part of the price, his wife also privy to it, and brought ==> a certain part 

and laid it at the apostles` feet.

…Nothing  is said about them withholding tithes. But maybe he only gave “a certain part”, such as a 10% tithe?

We do not know, but if he was under a 10% “standard”as today, they may tithed 10% which could be the “certain PART” they gave. But many pastors teach tithing 10% on the increase of things sold in today’s church world.

Acts 6:1

Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

… In the daily “ministration”, nothing about tithes there either but under the law food tithes were given for widows from the priests.

Acts 8:18

Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles` hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money

… no tithe was mentioned.. -but today many might not pass up the offer of Simon!

Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.

… no blessing from tithing silver money is mentioned. 

Simon was rebuked for thinking he could buy the blessing with money. Nor did Peter correct him saying “just your tithes are fine”.

Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.

... Dorcas was known for faithful “alms” giving, not tithes.

“Alms” are compassionate giving.

Acts 10:2

a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

.. Devout Cornelius did not tithe. He “gave much alms” to “the people”, not religious leaders.



Acts 11:29

And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send ===> relief to the brethren that dwelt in Judea:

.. they sent them“relief”, not “sent tithes”..

Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

… elders were appointed over churches. There were no tithes ordered to support them with.

Acts 15. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying,

It is needful to circumcise them, ===> and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

.. The church, elders, apostles and Holy Ghost release Christians from the law. 

They did not “decree” tithing.

People had been teaching the law of Moses to Christians. (15:4)

Tithing was “of the matters of the law” -Jesus said in Mat. 23:23

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us,

to lay upon you ===> no greater burden these necessary things:

29  that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled,

and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you.

… The Holy Spirit and the apostles did not include tithing as a “necessary thing”.

Acts 16:4 And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.

… Apostolic decrees were delivered confirming the churches, but no tithing decreed and none of the apostolic epistles to the churches decree tithing

Acts 16: 15   And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord

… Lydia, a sellor of purple was judged faithful. She was not told to tithe or commended for paying them.

Acts 18: 3 and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked, for by their trade they were tentmakers.

 Paul and Aquila do not pay tithes on earnings from their trade. Paul and Aquila were tent makers who never paid money tithes under the OT law. 

Acts 19:1 while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul … came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples

10 And this continued for the space of two years

…Paul  ministered in Ephesus three years. But he made no mention of tithing from income in chapter 19, nor did he receive tithes.

Acts 20: 7  And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them….. and prolonged his speech until midnight.

… Paul and Luke were in Troas 7 days but on the first day of the week no tithes were gathered nor an offering mentioned.

Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.

… where he does not tell them to tithe or receive them from others.

Acts 20:27 For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.

…the “whole counsel of God” he declared does not mention tithes from income. He also wrote the Ephesian epistle and never ordained tithing in that church letter.

Acts 20:28 Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock,

in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord

… “elders” are called “bishops” and instructed to “feed the flock of God”, not feed themselves from them.

Acts 20: 31 Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one…

… Paul remembers his ministry for three years. he never thanked them for tithes or mentioned any of his own. Three years and nothing about tithing? -Nor did he write of tithing in the Ephesian epistle.

Acts 20: 33 I coveted no man`s silver, or gold, or apparel.

… Paul did not covet their money, a salary, or benefits. He did not request offerings and he did not instruct tithes.

Acts 20: 34  Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

… Paul used “these hands”, his own hands, to minister to his own needs and others through working.

Acts 20: 35  I gave you an example, that laboring like me,  ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

…Paul told the bishops to work as Paul did, and help weak. He did not tell them to live from tithes. -He did not give them an example to tithe. He did not tell them to tell the church to tithe. (Excerpt information taken from article titled, Tithing in the Book of Acts from preparinghisway Blog).

Frank Chase–Kleptomananiac Blog Tour Book Information

Tithing is a complex subject to explain. It took me many years to come do a final conclusion about what it means  with a lot of research. But one thing is certain now. I understand that the word tithe means a tenth part, based on the Hebrew work Ma’aser. That single word always refers to a tenth part of livestock and crops, which God say is the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree and herd or flocks. Now that is clear straight from the mouth of Yahweh. And since God did not include the Hebrew for money, which is Kesafim in Leviticus Chapter 27, monetary tithing is not biblical.

In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? you will find hundreds of reasons why you should stop tithing and embrace New Covenant Grace Giving that Paul taught in the letters written the assemblies in the New Testament. If you would like to read more about tithing, click on the links below to read book bubbles from Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

Is the Church the Storehouse for Tithing?
Did Jesus Collect Tithes?
Will a Man Rob God?
Eating Tithes vs. Paying Tithes
What are First Fruits in the Bible?
Official Orthodox Biblical Tithing Has Passed Away
Jesus and his Ministry Never Received Tithes
Paul Never Taught Believers to Tithe Money
The Church and Its Money Grab Tactics
Monetary Tithing is not a Foregone Conclusion
Money Tithing or Eatible tithing, Which One?
Arguments Against Tithing Has a Long History
What Does True Giving Look Like?
Tithing on Increase
The Law Does Not Teach Monetary Tithing
Research Brings Truth
Understanding Tithing Starts With a Definition
The Fight Continues
Did Paul Convert the Tithe to Money?

Thanks Charles for Joining the Tithing Conversation [image error]

 

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Randolf is Reading Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

When the truth smacks people in the face, the response sometimes comes in the form of obfuscation. That’s the case with monetary tithing. For a lot of people in the religious community who stand by the docrtine of monetary tithing, many of them don’t realize they are behaving like peasants. What do I mean by that? Well, the literal informal meaning defines a peasants “as an ignorant rude, or unsophisticated person; a person of low social status.”  When it comes to tithing, many people go on the defensive and sometimes to the extreme to defend the monetary tithe doctrine that has no biblical support. At one time in history, the Bible was was entirely latin and during that time, the farming peasant community could not read so they had to depend on the religious elites to translate the words of the Bible, which made peasants vulnerable to whims of any transliteration or interpretation put forth by the religious leaders.  Today, most people don’t really study tithing in its purest sense. That’s why preachers can interpret the tithe as money and the peasant congregation just accepts the interpretation because they believe what the preacher tells them even when the evidence suggests otherwise. Though the monetary tithe was created out of context in the back rooms of religious leaders centuries ago. They also had a plan to ensure tithing would exist in future ages and they way that happened was to convince people they would be cursed if they didn’t tithe and to convince people of boutiful blessings if they faithfully tithed using Malachi chapter 3, which was redefined for the masses of christian peasants. The whole monetary tithe ponzi plan was based on financial interests and had nothing to do with the Bible. You can get signed paperbacks, just order Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Paypalme for $23.87

 

For those interested in what reviewer think about, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? go to Reader’s Favorite and learn more about what a reviewer thinks. 

A Tithing Study Presentation by Dr. Frank Chase Jr. de Dr. Frank Chase Jr

Jamie Reads Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

Thanks Daniel White for Joining the tithe converation.

Why Pay Tithes When the Bible Says to Eat Tithes?

Jamie Reads Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

Source: Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God A | Frank Chase Jr

In the face of overwhelming biblical truth that tithing is not money, why do people persist to think they are really tithing to God when they pay ten percent of their income to a church, which is later deposited into a secular bank? Not one penny they hand over ever reaches the hand of God. So what’s up with this picture. Believers blindly believe the monetary tithe doctrine because they are driven by the force of custom and habit. It really has nothing to do with the Bible, but more with trying to fit into a institutional system that tells you what to believe rather than you studying for yourself. Custom, habit and doctrine can be a powerful influence on people who depend on professional preachers to feed them the Word indstead of them feeding themselves. The desire to pay tithes of income is like an opioid addiction becuase there are many benefits promised to those who pay without question. There is also another addictive pattern that goes along with tithe blessings that is the fear of a curse. The prospect of a curse from God on those who don’t pay tithes reigns supreme in the minds of the fearful, so they pay up at all cost to avoid God’s wrath. This pattern of pay paying tithes strickly comes from the force of custom, habit and tradition established by men and not by God.  Tithing money has become an established belief system by the theology man’s traditions, customs and habits rising above the sovereignty and authority of the scripture. Tithing money is an act of elevating man’s tradition over God’s law. So then the practice of paying a tenth of your income to the institutional church is a tradition based on the living faith of the dead (that is dead family members who paid tithes and taught you to do the same) and tithing is based on traditionalism, which is the dead faith of the living (everybody tithes becuase everybody does it). It’s a form of religious mob mentality.

In this blog post, it will be evident that tithes are not money, but I wonder how many people will open their minds and hearts to consider the truth based on facts, hermeneutics and proper exegesis. If you look at Deuteronmy chapter 12 and 14 and Leviticus chapter 27, or any other of the tithe reference in scripture, it will be clear that God wanted grain, new wine, new oil, herds and focks as the authorized tithe from those who were given land in Israel. There can be no other interpretation of the biblical tithe and to try to convert the food tithe to money is nothing more than an attempt to high-jack scripture for financial gain. Do churches need money to sustain it itself with the secular banking system? The answer is yes. When churches operate in the 501c3 tax code system, they must abide by tax code rules and the contracts they signed with the back when they decided to become servants to the lender. Building a churh building takes a lot of money and many congregations or church orgainizations have to violate Proverbs 22:7, which say, “The rich ruler over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”  Signing a huge building loan from a bank, immediately thrusts pastors into a perpetual fundrasing mode for his entire life in the pulpit to pay lender back. The church, the board and all the membership become servants to the banker who controls them until the church loan is paid off. Many pastors have to resort to heavy handed tithe sermons with promises of blessings for those who pay and curses for those who don’t pay to keep from loosing the building in foreclosure. If you fear a curse from God, you’ll pay up and if you love receiving blessings, you’ll pay up. Not a bad deal on both ends as a form of fundraising. But the problems is, the Bible never endorses the financial methods emplimented in most fundraising efforts in today’s churches. The tithe was never God’s plan to fund churches or salaries for church workers. In fact, Paul endorsed the idea that all must work for a living to earn a salary, including pastors and church workers. I cover all of this in my book Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really robbing God Anyway?.  The tithe was an inheretence that God said belonged to the Levites along with other benefits.

We often for get that Ancient hebrews who lived in Israel operated as a agricultural theolocracy that required a tithe from the harvest and the every tenth animal from the livestock. This system was set up by God to support the Levitical priesthood which operated under sacrifical laws and offerings. If you notice, today we do not live under a theocratic system but a democratic system, which cannot sustain a monetary tithing system.   People love to claim that tithing is required in the New Testament but, you would have to find a verse or passage where the Messiah referred to tithing on Jewhish money such as Deanarius, Bekahs, Drachmas, Gerahs, Talents or Mites neither silver or gold of that time. There is not one single biblical reference where anyone paid a tithe on any of these coins. It should be known also that paper money was not invented yet.

Many claims are made about the tithe and many people believe them as if those claims come from the mouth of God or His word. What follows are claims that have no bearing in scripture and so you can just regard them as false claims driven by the force of custom and habit and not scripture.

False claim 1. The tithe applies to everyone. This is not true becuase tithing only applied to those in Isreal who who were farmers and ranchers among the 11 tribes who paid the tithe to the levites. It should also be known that the tithe was commanded for the Levites and since Jesus was from the tribe of Benjamin, the Bible says nothing about the tribe of Benjamin receiving tithes. Therefore, the arguement that you pay tithes to Jesus is false becuse he was not from the tribe of Levi.
False claim 2. God requires you to give 10% of your income to the church as a tithe. This is not true becuase there is not chapters and verse that covers monetary tithing. And becasue the tithe is empiracally defined as food, money was not the tithe of the Bible nor is money required as a tithe in church.
False claim 3. God will curse you if you don’t  tithe. This is true only if you did not tithe crops and livestock as God required in the law. There is not curse for not tithing money since the biblical tithe is all edible items.
False Claim 4. God will make you rich by pouring out blessgings from the windows of heaven. This is false becasue the windows of heaven is not about money, it is about the expanse of the sky from which rain falls. If you tithe money when the Bibles does not endore this action, there is no benefit to you because the practice is based on custom, tradition and man’s Law not God’s law.

In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? cover many more false tithing claims coming from the pulpit that can be biblically refuted. The list I’m providing below tell you exactly what the law says about tithing, taxes and T’rumah and you will find that not one time did God command a tithe of money. So the question is if God’s law’s does not require money as a tithe, why does man’s law insist in violating the Law God by commuting the tithe to money in opposition to the scriputure. Here are the the tithe laws.

That an uncircumcised person shall not eat of the t’rumah (heave offering), and the same applies to other holy things. This rule is inferred from the law of the Paschal offering, by similarity of phrase (Ex. 12:44-45 and Lev. 22:10) but it is not explicitly set forth in the Torah. Traditionally, it has been learnt that the rule that the uncircumcised must not eat holy things is an essential principle of the Torah and not an enactment of the Scribes (negative). See Brit Milah: Circumcision
Not to alter the order of separating the t’rumah and the tithes; the separation be in the order first-fruits at the beginning, then the t’rumah, then the first tithe, and last the second tithe (Ex. 22:28) (negative) (CCI19).
To give half a shekel every year (to the Sanctuary for provision of the public sacrifices) (Ex. 30:13) (affirmative).
That a kohein who is unclean shall not eat of the t’rumah (Lev. 22:3-4) (negative). See Kohein.
That a person who is not a kohein or the wife or unmarried daughter of a kohein shall not eat of the t’rumah (Lev. 22:10) (negative). See Kohein.
That a sojourner with a kohein or his hired servant shall not eat of the t’rumah (Lev. 22:10) (negative). See Kohein.
Not to eat tevel (something from which the t’rumah and tithe have not yet been separated) (Lev. 22:15) (negative) (CCI18).
To set apart the tithe of the produce (one tenth of the produce after taking out t’rumah) for the Levites (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:24) (affirmative) (CCI12). See Levi.
To tithe cattle (Lev. 27:32) (affirmative).
Not to sell the tithe of the herd (Lev. 27:32-33) (negative).
That the Levites shall set apart a tenth of the tithes, which they had received from the Israelites, and give it to the kohanim (called the t’rumah of the tithe) (Num. 18:26) (affirmative) (CCI13). See Kohein, Levi.
Not to eat the second tithe of cereals outside Jerusalem (Deut. 12:17) (negative).
Not to consume the second tithe of the vintage outside of Jerusalem (Deut. 12:17) (negative).
Not to consume the second tithe of the oil outside of Jerusalem (Deut. 12:17) (negative).
Not to forsake the Levites (Deut. 12:19); but their gifts (dues) should be given to them, so that they might rejoice therewith on each and every festival (negative). See Levi.
To set apart the second tithe in the first, second, fourth and fifth years of the sabbatical cycle to be eaten by its owner in Jerusalem (Deut. 14:22) (affirmative) (CCI14) (today, it is set aside but not eaten in Jerusalem).
To set apart the second tithe in the third and sixth year of the sabbatical cycle for the poor (Deut. 14:28-29) (affirmative) (CCI15) (today, it must be separated out but need not be given to the poor).
To give the kohein the due portions of the carcass of cattle (Deut. 18:3) (according to the Talmud, this is not mandatory in the present outside of Israel, but it is permissible, and some observant people do so) (CCA51). See Kohein.
To give the first of the fleece to the kohein (Deut. 18:4) (according to the Talmud, this is not mandatory in the present outside of Israel, but it is permissible, and some observant people do so) (CCA52). See Kohein.
To set apart t’rumah g’dolah (the great heave-offering, that is, a small portion of the grain, wine and oil) for the kohein (Deut. 18:4) (affirmative) (CCI11). See Kohein.
Not to expend the proceeds of the second tithe on anything but food and drink (Deut. 26:14). Anything outside of things necessary for sustenance comes within the class in the phrase “Given for the dead” (negative).
Not to eat the Second Tithe, even in Jerusalem, in a state of uncleanness, until the tithe had been redeemed (Deut. 26:14) (negative).
Not to eat the Second Tithe, when mourning (Deut. 26:14) (negative).
To make the declaration, when bringing the second tithe to the Sanctuary (Deut. 26:13) (affirmative) (CCI17). A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) 

In this list of tithe commands, you will notice that there is more than one tithe in Israel. What you also see in this list is food and not money in reference to the tithe. Now that is interesting because no church is practicing the other required tithes like Israel. In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway, I cover a lot of information about the different kinds of tithes required in scriptures. For those who like to claim they follow the tithe laws in their churc, they must also consider the that the Bible requries forgiveness from debts. According to Deuteronomy 15:1-2, 1 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. 2 And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release.” All debt is supposed to be forgiven and you start with a new clean slate for the next seven years. So according to the law, you can tell your banker that God said after seven years, you don’t have to pay your morgage. Since the tithe laws comes out of Deuteronomy, the Lord’s release from debt is no different.  Let’s see how far that goes. Because a pastor is not from the tribe of Levi, he cannot collect tithes.

Now for those who like to argue the Abram, Melchizedek tithe principle, there there is not way one can justify a monetary tithe based on what Abram tithed to Melchizedek. The first question one must ask it what did Abram tithe from, his personal wealth or what he captured in a war. The book of Hebrews bears this out that Abram tithe came from spoils of war not income. Here a good write up about Melchizedek getting a tithe from Abram.

Gal 3:10 (NRS) All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

A point often made is that since Abram gave 10 percent of the war-spoils to Melchizedek, the tithe came before the law and is thus not a part of it.

In a word, nonsense. For example, God killed an animal to provide a “covering” for Adam and Eve, and Able got this right in his approach to God by way of sacrifice, long before the sacrificial “covenant” spelled out the details. So did Abraham, Jacob and many others predating “the Law”. Does this mean we should still kill animals in sacrifice, since Able and Abraham did so before the Law of Moses was formally established? No. This would be so flimsy an excuse logically that it could only be made by someone with a strong hankering for the old wine. (Luke 5:39) Good grief, how far away from Christ do we want to go, and with what faulty logic as an excuse? What next, we can’t eat “apples” from certain trees… should be carried into the “new covenant”? In Christ the religious law is dispatched with in totality, and to embrace any part of it is to tacitly reject the reality of the incarnation of Christ and the promises of the New Covenant.

Imagine that someone actually asserted that we should not eat from certain apple trees because “this command predates the law, and thus is not part of the old or new covenant”. Wouldn’t this be a clear symptom of liking the old wine better than the new? Wouldn’t it also hark of an ignorance of biblical history and a penchant for religious myth as well? Was it an “apple”, as per popular fable, or a fig? What the tithe actually is in scripture is dealt with elsewhere, but for the purpose here we need to look at what happened between Abram and Melchizedek in context.

Melchizedek did not receive a tithe in the Deuteronomy 14:22-29 sense, obviously, even though the same Hebrew word is used since it was a “tenth”. Yet the context was different in many aspects. In the case of Melchizedek it was a “spoils of war” issue; more like a tribute or tax than the tithe. Melchizedek was a king and priest and had a higher standing than Abraham who was at that time a wanderer without a home, and thus Abraham paid tribute to “the greater”. This is the point of the citation in the New Testament. For the purposes of the point of the writer of Hebrews, the amount (5/10/20/50%) is not the point–it is that Abraham paid homage as a lesser to a greater. “The Tithe” in the old covenant had little to do with homage, rather the opposite. The greater were to give to the lesser (alien, Levites, widows, etc.) as can be seen in the definition of the tithe in Dt 14:22-29

Heb 7:4 (NIV) Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

From this precedent, and since Melchizedek was a priest as well as a king, the Old Testament priests got a sort of “tax” of 10% payments that were also termed “tithes” as a means to fund the temple, as well as getting gifts from Kings (later), and being included in the OT “tithe party” (Dt 14 style), as well as getting to eat the meat offered in sacrifice, etc., etc. As you can see, the Levites had multiple sources of income and providence, but the rules were strict: they were not allowed to own anything, they had no inheritance in this life. Their focus had to be on God, since by definition they could not own anything.

The spiritual point of this is full of meaning for us. The “priests” are not the clergy, right? As Russell Hobbs likes to say: “You are a priest of the Most High God!” yet our minds easily snap back to false religious notions that the Old Covenant priests were replaced by Pastors or Popes or Clergy. It is not so. If there is an application here, it is to all believers, not just a few.

So what is God saying here? We (the Levites, the priests of God) are to have no inheritance? It think so. Consider the lilies. Consider the sparrows. Sound familiar?

It is a hard teaching for “the rich”, and not many will enter the kingdom. But with God, all things are possible.

Luke 14:33 (Phi) “Only the man who says goodbye to all his possessions can be my disciple.”

In conclusion, remember that we are no longer under the shadow law in any sense, certainly not in a small detail of how the old-covenant priesthood was funded. Along these lines–if you have not read it already–I highly recommend the message entitled “The New Legalism“.

The new covenant makes most every aspect of the old covenant more severe and radical. All might be required, and presently. Jesus might look at us and say, “Sell all you have…” or just a field, or perhaps something else. There is no telling, and thus we must get rid of all sense of possessing. Jesus made the Old Covenant seem easy in many respects: “I tell you, if a man lusts in his heart…” and “He who hates has committed murder…” and so on. In like manner, Jesus takes giving/tithing/tribute to the radical and ultimate extreme. All is required, even if you get to keep some of it for a time. Our treasure is elsewhere.

Mt 6:24-34 (NIV) “No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Melchizedek Getting a tithe from Abram

For those of you who don’t know the law on tithing, the biblical tithing obligation applies only to agricultural produce in the land of Israel. That means no believer is obligated to tithe money because they live outside the land of Israel and are not from one of the 11 farming and herding tribes of Israel. If you study the tithing system closely as God set it up in the law to protect the less fortunate. Tithing was anti-aristocracy. In it’s purest form, it ensured no one would go hungry. The tithe system prevented an aristrocacy in Isreal. That is not the case today with mega churches. We have an aristocratic millionaraire class of clergy that has crated a system of haves and have not the body of Christ.  Instead of an aristocracy among a dominant, landed class of tribes that collects taxes from subservient tenants or serfs based on their ownership of land, the Torah presents the tribe of Levi as a model anti-aristocracy, a class of itinerant Levite scholars who collected tithes from from 11 tribes based their own lack of ownership of land. God said to the landed class in Israel, “Don’t abandon the Levite in your gates, for he has no portion and inheritance among you” (Deuteronomy 14:27).

I need to address to this problem about a teaching that’s been going around for years that God will bless you 30, 60 and 100 fold if you pay your tithes. Mark 13-1-13 and Mark 4:14-20 is one the most grossly mis-interpreted text to try to collect baseline income from God’s people. If you have knack for biblical foolery on tithing, the slide below will give you insight into what the 30, 60 and 100 fold blesssing really address.

 

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When I wrote my book, I set out to explain some of the passages and the logic behind some of the text in book bubbles. Many of the book bubbles share book excerpts and my thoughts about why I wrote the text or how the research affected me. My first  book bubble, The Fight Continues deals with the views that churches have about tithing. And even though I published a book, teaching and sharing the truth about tithing has been a centuries-old fight. What has been difficult about tithing is learning that everyone has their own personal meaning what the term mean, so in my second book bubbles, Understanding Tithing Starts With a Definition explains the meaning of the term tithing to set the foundation so people won’t go off the rails on unfounded definitions. You have to establish and empirical definition before you can start talking about a subject and what it means.  For me reasearch is important in getting to the bottom line of a subject, so my third book bubble, Research Brings Truth explains how I went about peeling back the layers of existing tithe doctrines in Christian theological circles. For many in the church, the argument has been that tithing existed before the law and that somehow justifies commuting the biblical food tithe to monetary tithing so that got me thinking about my forth book bubble, The Law Does Not Teach Money Tithing, which explains what the law actually taught about tithing and frankly the law did not say a utter a word about tithing income from a paycheck. One of the argument you will likely hear from the pulpit is that that Bible requires a tithe on the increase. Now on face value that is true, but what is the increase and how does the Bible define increase? That lead to my fifth book bubble, Tithing on Increase, which explains what the word means in context of scripture and not financial considerations of our current economic system. In the Bible the word increase has a different meaning and is confined to the economic system of that time. Tithing and giving have been conflated, redefined, taken out of context so much so that true giving is lost becuase of the confusion. In my sixth, book bubble, What Does True Giving Look Like? I try to explain biblical practice of freewill giving over the erroneous practice of monetary tithing which is not on the pages of the Bible. Many assume monetary tithing has always been the case, but in my seventh book bubble, Arguments Against Tithing Has a Long History, I share historical examples of people speaking out against the unlawful tampering of scripture to justify collecting money as a tithe. Long before many of us were born, many before us stood against the monetary tithe and paid the price with their lives. The debate has been whether the tithe is money or food, so to address that issue, my eighth book bubble, Monetary Tithing or Edible Tithing, Which One? puts to rest what the tithe is by sharing insight from the Jewish historian Josephus. Often when a financial system is threatened by exposing it fautly underpinnings, in this case church titing, there are no lengths the church will not go to make sure the status remain in tack. This lead me to write my ninth book bubble, The Church and its Money Grab Tactics to expose the different methods churches employ to collect ten percent of peoples paychecks. You would think that in scripture, one would be able to find a definitive postion on monetary tithing, and though we give Apostle Paut credit for penning much of the New Testament, my tenth book bubble, Paul Never Taught Believer to Tithe Money examines what Pau’s giving position was and how he viewed support gospel preachers. And guess what ladies and gentlemen, it was not tithing. Any time you have a conversation with a person who believes in tithing is to ask them to show you where Jesus paid monetary tithes. The first thing that will hit the person is cognitive dissonance because they won’t be able to find on verse to support their position. That is why my eleventh book bubble, Jesus and His Ministry Never Received Tithes talks about how the Messiah and the deciples received support and why Jesus could not pay or receive tithes. At some point in digging up the truth about monetary tithing after years of research, you have to conclude that as I did that tithing is not required, and that’s what my tweleveth book bubble, Official Orthodox Biblical Tithing Has Passed Away closes the book on the differences between tithing and giving by allowing context to define the tithe centuris ago and now as edible items (crops, livestock, grain, and flocks). This term first fruits, which is often confused with tihing is my thirteenth book bubble titled, What are First Fruits in the Bible? In this bubble, it is clear the Bible never defined first fruits as money as some do today, but in my author insight about the book excerpt, I make it clear that tithing and first fruits have exclusive meanings and can never be interchanged. Eating tithes verses paying tithes has been the quintessential question of the ages and yet when the Bible is pretty explicit that tithes are eatible items, some still won’t accept the truth of the word so in my fourteenth book bubble, Eating Tithes vs Paying Tithes I explain my thoughts on why people choose falsehood over truth. The first question one must ask when talking bout tithes is Jesus did not pay a tithe or collect a tithe, why should I be paying money the Bible does not require. I try to answer those question in my latest book bubble titled, Did Jesus Collect Tithes?  I hope these book bubble give you information that you would go to my website and purchase a signed copy my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? For those who are interested in giving in the New Testament, I completed a partial power point study titled, New Testament Giving. There you will find what I discovered about giving in the New Testament. The ebook is now available at Amazon. Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway on Facebook

 In this excerpt from my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway I talk about other tithe practices that seem unknown by most who claim they know what the Bible says about tithing. In chapter 7, The Tithe in Israel, i explain that:

 “Israel also practiced another tithe, which some experts call a third tithe, poor tithe, or the third year tithe. Before going any further, let me say that according to some biblical scholars, historical experts, and theologians, there was never a second or third tithe in Israel. It is believed that Israel had only one tithe that was used in different ways based on the sabbatical and agricultural cycles. Although, I use the terms first, second, or third tithe, it is for the purpose of separating the tithe in distinctive ways to help make sense of a complex tithing system. The historian, Josephus, mentions three tithes; however, biblical experts say his tithe writings stem from concepts devised later by rabbinical and oral decrees and not from the biblical instructions Moses received from Yahweh. Preachers today who teach the misapplication of tithing are not following the biblical commands God gave Moses about the food tithe; rather, they are following traditions and customs of men created in later times to establish regular financial support for churches. The important fact about the tithe is what God restates in the law in Deuteronomy. Tithing laws change from Leviticus to Numbers and the reason is that when they got to the land of Canaan, God says in Deuteronomy 12:8 that, “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today [the wilderness]—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes—….”
In the wilderness, they performed tithing and other sacrificial functions based on what was right in their own eyes. However, in Canaan, God instituted very strict tithing and sacrificial rules. One of them was that they could no longer offer sacrifices as they did in the wilderness or approach the temple in the same way. Under the law, the tithe is regulated in a more fair way. When you examine the Scripture, it is clear where the tithe went and who received it in Deuteronomy 14:28-29:

At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do (NKJV).

The third year tithe is also detailed in Deuteronomy 26:12-14. When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God: I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. (NKJV).

Based on the sabbatical cycle and the Scriptures, the tithe did not go to the temple. Every third and sixth year of the sabbatical cycle, the tithe stayed in the towns for people to eat? Excerpt From: Frank Chase Jr. “Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway.” iBooks. 

 It is clear God’s People ate the tithes. Levites, stranges, the poor, widows, orphans, the hungry all to part in eating the tithes that God approved. Before you say you know what tithing is in Israel it would be a good practice to study up on the tithe in Israel before you make a financial decisions to could up ten percent of your income based on a doctrine that is not in the Bible.  I wish I had, but 30 years is a long time to go without knowing the truth about the lies told about tithing.

In closing, another author Michael Morrison, in Sabbath, Circumcision, and tithing wrote:

Tithing in ancient Israel

In the Law of Moses, biblical commands about tithing generally concern grain, wine and oil. A different system of giving was required for some animals. In the last plague on Egypt, God killed the firstborn male of every animal and human, but he spared the Israelites and their animals. Therefore, God claimed ownership of every Israelite firstborn and firstling male animal (Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:13).

This applied not only to the generation that left Egypt, but every future generation as well. “Clean” firstlings were to be given to the priests and sacrificed (Numbers 18:15-17); priests and people ate them during the festivals (Deuteronomy 15:19-20; 12:6, 17; 14:23). Firstlings of unclean animals and humans were to be redeemed (Exodus 13:12-15; 34:19-20). This continued to be the law in Nehemiah’s day (Nehemiah 10:36) and in Jesus’ day (Luke 2:23). The people also gave firstfruits of their harvest (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Leviticus 2:14), but these firstfruits do not seem to be a fixed percentage. Tithing was required on flocks: “every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod” (Leviticus 27:32). Was this in addition to the firstlings, or was it instead of firstlings? We do not know exactly how these laws would be administered.

“A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30). The tithes and firstfruits belonged to God, and he gave them to the Levites (Numbers 18:12- 13, 21, 24). They could keep 90 percent of what they were given, but had to give 10 percent as an offering (verses 26-32).

Tithing was done in the days of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 31:5-6), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:35-39; 12:44) and Jesus (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). In Malachi’s day, tithing was required (Malachi 3:8-10), and physical blessings were promised for obedience, just as physical blessings were promised for obedience to the old covenant.

Two or three tithes?

In ancient Israel, a tithe of all agricultural produce belonged to the Lord; ten percent of the crop was “holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30). Ten percent of the herds were also holy (verse 32). God then gave these tithes to the Levites: “ I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 18:21).

However, Deuteronomy 12:5-7 says that the people were supposed to take their tithes to the festival site, and eat them! “You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose” (verses 17-18).  A different system of giving was required for some animals.The people were supposed to take their tithes to the festival site, and eat them. Deuteronomy 14:23 is similar.

Some people conclude that Deuteronomy is talking about a different tithe than Leviticus and Numbers are. They believe that Deuteronomy is talking about a second tithe, which was to be used only for festival expenses. This conclusion is based in large part on the logic that the same tithe could not be given to the Levites and eaten by the people at the festivals. However, this assumption may be wrong. For one thing, it would mean that Deuteronomy says nothing about first tithe, nothing about the financial support of the Levites, even though Deuteronomy was the “second law,” the re-stating of the basic laws of Israel. (page 160-161).

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In this installment of tithing, I first want to say that this blog post came about becasue of a news article I read that a single women was fined not tithing, The article is titled, Single Mom Fined $1,000 by Church For Not Tithing–Threatens to Remove Her. After reading the article, I shook my head in disbelief and knew I had to write another blog post to address tithing. I guess I will be for the foreseeable furture continue to write tithing blogs until the monetary tithing madness ends. Let me make this clear as day, what you give to your church is your personal business. However no pastor has a right to take scripture out of context as a means to sustain a finanical system the Bible never endorses. So let’s take a magnifying glass to  a scripture text to show that tithing in the Bible was not income but edible items. We know pastors love to quote Malachi but I will not start with that verse. You can get signed paperbacks, just order Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Paypalme for $23.87

Let’t take a look at  Deuteronomy 26:12. I’m going to cite the NET transliteration to show you how droctrinal isegetical bias happens to erroneously mistranslate the word tithe to money. Tithe teachers who mandate monetary tithing use the NET version to buttress their postition by saying, “Here’s proof that tithing money valid because it says, When you finish tithing all you income in the third year (the year of tihiny), you must give it to the Levites, the residents foriegns, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages. They say with confidence that your paycheck is required to be tithed to God. Not so fast with that silver tongue. Look at the verse again. It clearly talks about Levites, foriegners, orphans and widows eating something. Notice this is not the same tithe that is spoken about in Malachi chaper 3. Wow! This verse clearly talks about about a different tithe that was paid and notice that it was eaten in the villages and towns where they lived. So in Israel there was more than one tithe based on this verse. As I have always stated that you must be careful with the different translations because many of them superimpose their ideas into the text. So in Deut 26:12 how in the world could the verse say income as if it was money and then end the verse talking about groups of people eating the tithe, which is supposedly money. It makes no sense ladies and gentlemen and it defies all logic, reason and biblical hermanuetics. The translaters inserted the word income to prop up monetary tithing, which means they intended to mislead by incorporating their opinions to influence a different interpreation of the verse out of context. If you study all 42 references of the word tithe in the NET version, the majority of the translaliteration uses the word produce, crops or similar. Why they inserted the word income in Deuteronomy 26:12 indicates to me that they wanted to set up a psychological and religous belief system that tithing money is biblical. It is an epic fail becuase the verse ends with eating food and not eating income.  As the tithe is related to increase, I discussed its hebrew word Tbuwah in my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? So what happens today is that people view the word tithe through the lens of cash and coins based on their world view and their current economic persuation, while ignoring scriptural  context.

How to do you prove the text of Deuteronomy 26:12 overwhelmingly speaks of livestock the crops? That’s easy. Pull out your scriptural magnifying class and microscope and let’s compare different Bible versions to see if monetary tithing is a Bible doctrine or mandate.

Deuteronomy 26:12 

NET version: When you finish tithing all you income in the third year (the year of tihing), you must give it to the Levites, the residents foriegns, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages.

NIV version: When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

NASB version: When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

NLT version:  Every third year you must offer a special tihe of your crops. You must give these tithes to the Levites, foriegeners, ophans, and widows so that htey will have enough to eat in your town.

CEV version: Every year you are to give ten percent of your harvest to the LORD. But every third year, this ten percent must be given to the poor who live in your town, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. That way, they will have enough to eat.

BBE version: When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thy produce in the third year, the year of tithing, thou shalt give it to the Levited, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat in thy gates and be filled.

MSG version: Every third year, the year of the tithe, give a tenth of your produce to the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow so that they may eat their fill in your cities.

YLT version: When thou dost complete to tithe all the tithe of thine increase in the third year, the year of the tithe, then thou hast given to the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, and they have eaten within they gates, and been satisifed

ESV Version: When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled,

NKJV: When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled,

As you can see based on the preponderance of tithing evidence, there is no way anyone can conclude that the tithe in Deuteronomy 26:12 is money unless subterfuge is at play. Now this women based on the application of scriputure might fall in the catergory of widow, since she is single and if the verse 12 applied to money, her church was suppose to give her the tithe becuase she could have been poor. Pastors you can just interpret scripture as you see fit to maintain your finanical system. The NET translators took the Hebrew word for increase 08393 in Deuteronomy 26:12 and applied it to money and by doing so they intentionally clouded the original Hebrew langauage and the meaning of the word tithe which only deals with the harvest and not income. So when her church sent a letter with a fine of $1,000 for not paying tithes and by insinuating she robbed God is foolishness and I would tell her that she can ignore the words, Will a Man Rob God and know that she can eat her tithes and never have to pay tithes becuase her money is not what God wants as tithes.

Often you hear in church that God requires a tenth of your increase and that is true if your are talking about livestock and crops, but it is not true in the case of money. Now I know that’s a hard pill to swallow if you’ve been taught that all of your life. But that’s why I write blogs to explain what certain words mean in the scriptures. The word increase is one of those biblical words that has church members discombobulted. So I think is important to share with you what increase mean. In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway I give details on what increase really means and whether it applies to erroneous concept of monetary tithing. Here’s an excerpt from chapter 7 of my book, The tithe in Israel that should get you started on your research way so that you will not be fooled by scriptural shell games on what God considers increase. The ebook is now available at Amazon.

Every time the Bible mentions, it must always be linked with increases in livestock and produce rather than money. Only farmers, shepherds, cattle herders (of the 11 tribes), and Levites tithed in the land of Canaan. It is a scriptural fact that people ate the tithes, and nowhere does the Bible command a tithe from income as a substitute. It may be a good idea to explain what the word increase means as it relates to tithing. For non-Hebrew people unfamiliar with the intricacies of tithing, the system is basically non-intuitive for those not astute in Hebrew culture, practices, literature, and language.

In Canaan, they understood the tithing law applied to the land. Furthermore, only the people who lived in the Promised Land were required to tithe from the inherited land. Though the natural inclination of people is to accept teaching from the pulpit as unadulterated truth, churches have no biblical authority to receive tithes in the New Testament. The tithe law was only applicable to the Levites; Hebrews 7:5 is explicit in its instructions. As no pastor or minister holds the Levitical priesthood office, tithes are not applicable, as the tithe is passed down through the bloodline to the Levites.

When people use the word increase regarding tithes, they think it refers to money, crops and cattle. Increase in the text is not a command for people to pay 10 percent of their income. The word has numerous meanings in Hebrew. When a Scripture uses the word increase, the Hebrew meaning of the word must coincide with the context of the verse and chapter. For example, when you look up the word increase in Strong’s you will notice it says increase means income, i.e., produce (literally or figuratively). You will also see that the Hebrew word for increase means produce, i.e., crop or (fig) wealth. The problem is, people zoom in on income or wealth and assume tithing included money and forget the context of the verse and run theologically amok. For example, can you assume increase is money in Deuteronomy 14:28, which says, “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” (KJV). This verse actually refers to the tithe that is kept in towns for the people to use for food and has no connection to money.

When you read the verse in the NKJV, money is not a part of the context because even with the Hebrew word, the context drives the meaning of the word increase. Here’s how Deuteronomy 14:28 reads in the NKJV; “At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce [increase] of that year and store it up within your gates.” While I will not delve deeper into what increase means, you must do word study to understand that the word increase has no connection to paying tithes in money. When God said he wanted the Hebrew people to tithe against the increase in cattle, crops and flocks (animal births and crop growth); it was from an agricultural perspective. Yahweh’s increase in the yield applies in this formula: Gross yield less input or costs equals actual increase. That means, if you planted ten bushels of corn and only harvested ten bushels of corn, there was no increase, thus no tithe. If you harvested 20 bushels of corn, your increase was ten bushels and you would tithe 1 bushel of corn. When the word increase is used with tithing, God only expected a tithe based on the laws of agriculture and His labor. For example, He gave Israel abundant increase in food sources and expected a tithe from what grew from the ground and every tenth animal. God did not give the tithe to the Levites because they had no income. In fact, blessings from income in the Bible were not a result of people tithing money. People received income based on their hard work, including the Levites who worked when they were not on temple duty. The income from the work people performed belonged to the worker and the work God performed through increases in crops and cattle belonged to God. Therefore, the tithe came from the land through God’s efforts. The 11 tribes tithed from the land as a payment to God. The tithe was from something Yahweh created [the land] not from what man labors for as in income.

It is important that you avoid becoming a piece of merchandise in God’s Kingdom and the Bible makes this clear in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 3, which says, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” It is important to state that this single woman could not give from the heart as the Bible teaches, but she became a piece of merchandise to her church who wanted to fine her money for not tithing monetarily. Making merchandise of God’s people is the idea of selling something for money. The monetary tithe is being sold to members like snake oil and it is done by merchandising the the authentic biblical livestock and crop tithe based on greed. So I would advise that no believer should allow themselves to become a merchandise sidepiece in God’s kingdm by feeding the institutional church’s endless, insatiable deire for cash. That single woman should have taken that letter she got from her church and mailed it back stamped insufficient funds.

In the scriptures, Paul addressed the issue merchandising God’s people in several different places in the scriptures. He says that he would never practice merchandising or peddling the Word of God when he wrote, “For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” So the montetary tithe doctrine perpetrated acrosss the pulpit is peddling and trading of the word in an effort to gain finances from unsucpecting congregants who most likely do not study the Bible for themselves. And Paul continues his argument against merchandising in Acts 20:33-34 when he writes, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.” Paul would never offer the word for money and in his mind preaching the word for money was different from accepting and receiving gifts from believers which he made clear in 1 Cor. 9:14, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” This passage has nothing to do with tithing but everything do with receiving gifts from believers as a means of support.  When Paul says he coveted no man’s money, he made it clear that he worked and supported those who journeyed with him on his preaching endeavors. Paul worked so that his traveling companions would not become a public and financial charge to the congregations they visited.  Paul often foregoes his right of support as the higher calling rather than insisting on people paying him to preach. Now that is a true Apostle.

If you look at the context of Deuteronomy 26:12 then read verse 14, it is clear th subject is not money but food and here is the butter on the bread in verse 14,

I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me.

The tithe was not eaten in verse 14, it was given to the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the stranger. So it is certain that the tithe context in Dueteronomy is about food and not money. Paul did not mence words in his dialouge with the Corinthians and tells them in no uncertain terms that he did not live like a mega church millionaire preacher. He said he worked hard with his own hands in 1 Cor. 4:11-13. “11 Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don’t have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don’t have a place to live. 12 We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. 13 When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world” (CEV).  Paul was a strict Pharisee (Act 26:4-5); he knew the law intimately and he knew that the law of tithing did not apply during the gospel dispinsation of salvation, which is why he never mentions tithing in any of the letters he wrote to the churches or to individuals.

So for the all the ladies out there who have been fined for not paying tithes, this post is for you. And in the spirit of Paul, let me say it is better to obey God in your giving rather than man-made dogma that you owe God a tenth of your income. Now to make it clear, if you do perticipate in the IRS 501c3 tax return giving plan where you give a ten of your income as a tax deductible gift to the church, that is certainly OK becuase you get to file that tax deductible gift on your return, which is perfectly legal. But know this, a tenth of your income is not an authentic biblical tithe, it is payment of a temple tax to support the institutional church, which is a part of the IRS code as a 501c3 for tax exempt churches. In the end, paying ten percent of your income to church and filing it on your income tax return, does that mean you tithed to the IRS and at the end of tax season, the IRS acting as God sends you a blessing refund check, which comes from the windows IRS heaven? I’m being facetious, but you get the point.  When your pay ten percent to the church and file it on your tax returns, the IRS sends you a refund check in the mail. That has nothing to do with the Bible, tithes or curses from God.  I’m not against charitible giving to any instution and that includes the church as well, but it important to state that because some people’s income levels are so high, it will necessitate that they give a tenth or more away, to avoid a huge tax bill from the IRS. So here’s the hard truth and facts ladies and gentlemen, we give in churh not only to support churches but we also give to lower our taxable income to get a refund. That’s not tithing, that’s simply accounting 101. A tenth of income cannot be called a biblical tithe because the empirical definiton of the tithe is the Hebrew word Ma’aser, which means everything editable that comes from livestock and crops. According to leviticus 27:30-33, the Bible says:

 30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree [crops], is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, [livestock] of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 33 He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.’ ”

I hope this blog helps many people in search for truth about the tithe of the Bible. And I hope the lady who was sent a fine for not paying tithe one day discovers my book and know that she is not required to tithe to God, now, in the future becuase of grace and Christ sacrifice on the cross. And if need be I hope she read the New Testament givig slides below so she can be equipped to deal with modern tithe teaching that are not in the Bible. Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway is an ebook from Amazon and in PDF, iPad and Kindle from Book Baby.

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God Only Approves of Edible Tithing Not Monetary Tithing

In this installment of tithing, I first want to say that this blog post came about becasue of a news article I read that a single women was fined not tithing, The article is titled, Single Mom Fined $1,000 by Church For Not Tithing–Threatens to Remove Her. After reading the article, I shook my head in disbelief and knew I had to write another blog post to address tithing. I guess I will be for the foreseeable furture continue to write tithing blogs until the monetary tithing madness ends. Let me make this clear as day, what you give to your church is your personal business. However no pastor has a right to take scripture out of context as a means to sustain a finanical system the Bible never endorses. So let’s take a magnifying glass to  a scripture text to show that tithing in the Bible was not income but edible items. We know pastors love to quote Malachi but I will not start with that verse.

Let’t take a look at  Deuteronomy 26:12. I’m going to cite the NET transliteration to show you how droctrinal isegetical bias happens to erroneously mistranslate the word tithe to money. Tithe teachers who mandate monetary tithing use the NET version to buttress their postition by saying, “Here’s proof that tithing money valid because it says, When you finish tithing all you income in the third year (the year of tihiny), you must give it to the Levites, the residents foriegns, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages. They say with confidence that your paycheck is required to be tithed to God. Not so fast with that silver tongue. Look at the verse again. It clearly talks about Levites, foriegners, orphans and widows eating something. Notice this is not the same tithe that is spoken about in Malachi chaper 3. Wow! This verse clearly talks about about a different tithe that was paid and notice that it was eaten in the villages and towns where they lived. So in Israel there was more than one tithe based on this verse. As I have always stated that you must be careful with the different translations because many of them superimpose their ideas into the text. So in Deut 26:12 how in the world could the verse say income as if it was money and then end the verse talking about groups of people eating the tithe, which is supposedly money. It makes no sense ladies and gentlemen and it defies all logic, reason and biblical hermanuetics. The translaters inserted the word income to prop up monetary tithing, which means they intended to mislead by incorporating their opinions to influence a different interpreation of the verse out of context. If you study all 42 references of the word tithe in the NET version, the majority of the translaliteration uses the word produce, crops or similar. Why they inserted the word income in Deuteronomy 26:12 indicates to me that they wanted to set up a psychological and religous belief system that tithing money is biblical. It is an epic fail becuase the verse ends with eating food and not eating income.  As the tithe is related to increase, I discussed its hebrew word Tbuwah in my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? So what happens today is that people view the word tithe through the lens of cash and coins based on their world view and their current economic persuation, while ignoring scriptural  context.

How to do you prove the text of Deuteronomy 26:12 overwhelmingly speaks of livestock the crops? That’s easy. Pull out your scriptural magnifying class and microscope and let’s compare different Bible versions to see if monetary tithing is a Bible doctrine or mandate.

Deuteronomy 26:12 

NET version: When you finish tithing all you income in the third year (the year of tihing), you must give it to the Levites, the residents foriegns, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages.

NIV version: When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

NASB version: When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

NLT version:  Every third year you must offer a special tihe of your crops. You must give these tithes to the Levites, foriegeners, ophans, and widows so that htey will have enough to eat in your town.

CEV version: Every year you are to give ten percent of your harvest to the LORD. But every third year, this ten percent must be given to the poor who live in your town, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. That way, they will have enough to eat.

BBE version: When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thy produce in the third year, the year of tithing, thou shalt give it to the Levited, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat in thy gates and be filled.

MSG version: Every third year, the year of the tithe, give a tenth of your produce to the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow so that they may eat their fill in your cities.

YLT version: When thou dost complete to tithe all the tithe of thine increase in the third year, the year of the tithe, then thou hast given to the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, and they have eaten within they gates, and been satisifed

ESV Version: When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled,

NKJV: When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled,

As you can see based on the preponderance of tithing evidence, there is no way anyone can conclude that the tithe in Deuteronomy 26:12 is money unless subterfuge is at play. Now this women based on the application of scriputure might fall in the catergory of widow, since she is single and if the verse 12 applied to money, her church was suppose to give her the tithe becuase she could have been poor. Pastors you can just interpret scripture as you see fit to maintain your finanical system. The NET translators took the Hebrew word for increase 08393 in Deuteronomy 26:12 and applied it to money and by doing so they intentionally clouded the original Hebrew langauage and the meaning of the word tithe which only deals with the harvest and not income. So when her church sent a letter with a fine of $1,000 for not paying tithes and by insinuating she robbed God is foolishness and I would tell her that she can ignore the words, Will a Man Rob God and know that she can eat her tithes and never have to pay tithes becuase her money is not what God wants as tithes.

Often you hear in church that God requires a tenth of your increase and that is true if your are talking about livestock and crops, but it is not true in the case of money. Now I know that’s a hard pill to swallow if you’ve been taught that all of your life. But that’s why I write blogs to explain what certain words mean in the scriptures. The word increase is one of those biblical words that has church members discombobulted. So I think is important to share with you what increase mean. In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway I give details on what increase really means and whether it applies to erroneous concept of monetary tithing. Here’s an excerpt from chapter 7 of my book, The tithe in Israel that should get you started on your research way so that you will not be fooled by scriptural shell games on what God considers increase.

Every time the Bible mentions, it must always be linked with increases in livestock and produce rather than money. Only farmers, shepherds, cattle herders (of the 11 tribes), and Levites tithed in the land of Canaan. It is a scriptural fact that people ate the tithes, and nowhere does the Bible command a tithe from income as a substitute. It may be a good idea to explain what the word increase means as it relates to tithing. For non-Hebrew people unfamiliar with the intricacies of tithing, the system is basically non-intuitive for those not astute in Hebrew culture, practices, literature, and language.

In Canaan, they understood the tithing law applied to the land. Furthermore, only the people who lived in the Promised Land were required to tithe from the inherited land. Though the natural inclination of people is to accept teaching from the pulpit as unadulterated truth, churches have no biblical authority to receive tithes in the New Testament. The tithe law was only applicable to the Levites; Hebrews 7:5 is explicit in its instructions. As no pastor or minister holds the Levitical priesthood office, tithes are not applicable, as the tithe is passed down through the bloodline to the Levites.

When people use the word increase regarding tithes, they think it refers to money, crops and cattle. Increase in the text is not a command for people to pay 10 percent of their income. The word has numerous meanings in Hebrew. When a Scripture uses the word increase, the Hebrew meaning of the word must coincide with the context of the verse and chapter. For example, when you look up the word increase in Strong’s you will notice it says increase means income, i.e., produce (literally or figuratively). You will also see that the Hebrew word for increase means produce, i.e., crop or (fig) wealth. The problem is, people zoom in on income or wealth and assume tithing included money and forget the context of the verse and run theologically amok. For example, can you assume increase is money in Deuteronomy 14:28, which says, “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” (KJV). This verse actually refers to the tithe that is kept in towns for the people to use for food and has no connection to money.

When you read the verse in the NKJV, money is not a part of the context because even with the Hebrew word, the context drives the meaning of the word increase. Here’s how Deuteronomy 14:28 reads in the NKJV; “At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce [increase] of that year and store it up within your gates.” While I will not delve deeper into what increase means, you must do word study to understand that the word increase has no connection to paying tithes in money. When God said he wanted the Hebrew people to tithe against the increase in cattle, crops and flocks (animal births and crop growth); it was from an agricultural perspective. Yahweh’s increase in the yield applies in this formula: Gross yield less input or costs equals actual increase. That means, if you planted ten bushels of corn and only harvested ten bushels of corn, there was no increase, thus no tithe. If you harvested 20 bushels of corn, your increase was ten bushels and you would tithe 1 bushel of corn. When the word increase is used with tithing, God only expected a tithe based on the laws of agriculture and His labor. For example, He gave Israel abundant increase in food sources and expected a tithe from what grew from the ground and every tenth animal. God did not give the tithe to the Levites because they had no income. In fact, blessings from income in the Bible were not a result of people tithing money. People received income based on their hard work, including the Levites who worked when they were not on temple duty. The income from the work people performed belonged to the worker and the work God performed through increases in crops and cattle belonged to God. Therefore, the tithe came from the land through God’s efforts. The 11 tribes tithed from the land as a payment to God. The tithe was from something Yahweh created [the land] not from what man labors for as in income.

It is important that you avoid becoming a piece of merchandise in God’s Kingdom and the Bible makes this clear in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 3, which says, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” It is important to state that this single woman could not give from the heart as the Bible teaches, but she became a piece of merchandise to her church who wanted to fine her money for not tithing monetarily. Making merchandise of God’s people is the idea of selling something for money. The monetary tithe is being sold to members like snake oil and it is done by merchandising the the authentic biblical livestock and crop tithe based on greed. So I would advise that no believer should allow themselves to become a merchandise sidepiece in God’s kingdm by feeding the institutional church’s endless, insatiable deire for cash. That single woman should have taken that letter she got from her church and mailed it back stamped insufficient funds.

In the scriptures, Paul addressed the issue merchandising God’s people in several different places in the scriptures. He says that he would never practice merchandising or peddling the Word of God when he wrote, “For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” So the montetary tithe doctrine perpetrated acrosss the pulpit is peddling and trading of the word in an effort to gain finances from unsucpecting congregants who most likely do not study the Bible for themselves. And Paul continues his argument against merchandising in Acts 20:33-34 when he writes, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.” Paul would never offer the word for money and in his mind preaching the word for money was different from accepting and receiving gifts from believers which he made clear in 1 Cor. 9:14, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” This passage has nothing to do with tithing but everything do with receiving gifts from believers as a means of support.  When Paul says he coveted no man’s money, he made it clear that he worked and supported those who journeyed with him on his preaching endeavors. Paul worked so that his traveling companions would not become a public and financial charge to the congregations they visited.  Paul often foregoes his right of support as the higher calling rather than insisting on people paying him to preach. Now that is a true Apostle.

If you look at the context of Deuteronomy 26:12 then read verse 14, it is clear th subject is not money but food and here is the butter on the bread in verse 14,

I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me.

The tithe was not eaten in verse 14, it was given to the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the stranger. So it is certain that the tithe context in Dueteronomy is about food and not money. Paul did not mence words in his dialouge with the Corinthians and tells them in no uncertain terms that he did not live like a mega church millionaire preacher. He said he worked hard with his own hands in 1 Cor. 4:11-13. “11 Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don’t have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don’t have a place to live. 12 We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. 13 When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world” (CEV).  Paul was a strict Pharisee (Act 26:4-5); he knew the law intimately and he knew that the law of tithing did not apply during the gospel dispinsation of salvation, which is why he never mentions tithing in any of the letters he wrote to the churches or to individuals.

So for the all the ladies out there who have been fined for not paying tithes, this post is for you. And in the spirit of Paul, let me say it is better to obey God in your giving rather than man-made dogma that you owe God a tenth of your income. Now to make it clear, if you do perticipate in the IRS 501c3 tax return giving plan where you give a ten of your income as a tax deductible gift to the church, that is certainly OK becuase you get to file that tax deductible gift on your return, which is perfectly legal. But know this, a tenth of your income is not an authentic biblical tithe, it is payment of a temple tax to support the institutional church, which is a part of the IRS code as a 501c3 for tax exempt churches. In the end, paying ten percent of your income to church and filing it on your income tax return, does that mean you tithed to the IRS and at the end of tax season, the IRS acting as God sends you a blessing refund check, which comes from the windows IRS heaven? I’m being facetious, but you get the point.  When your pay ten percent to the church and file it on your tax returns, the IRS sends you a refund check in the mail. That has nothing to do with the Bible, tithes or curses from God.  I’m not against charitible giving to any instution and that includes the church as well, but it important to state that because some people’s income levels are so high, it will necessitate that they give a tenth or more away, to avoid a huge tax bill from the IRS. So here’s the hard truth and facts ladies and gentlemen, we give in churh not only to support churches but we also give to lower our taxable income to get a refund. That’s not tithing, that’s simply accounting 101. A tenth of income cannot be called a biblical tithe because the empirical definiton of the tithe is the Hebrew word Ma’aser, which means everything editable that comes from livestock and crops. According to leviticus 27:30-33, the Bible says:

 30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree [crops], is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, [livestock] of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 33 He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.’ ”

I hope this blog helps many people in search for truth about the tithe of the Bible. And I hope the lady who was sent a fine for not paying tithe one day discovers my book and know that she is not required to tithe to God, now, in the future becuase of grace and Christ sacrifice on the cross. And if need be I hope she read the New Testament givig slides below so she can be equipped to deal with modern tithe teaching that are not in the Bible.

New Testament Giving By Dr. Frank Chase, Jr from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

If you interested in where my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? is on the internet, please share these links below with all of your friends and network, so the world will know that tithing is not money.

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Monetary Tithing is a Foreign Language to the Scriptures Which Means Not in the Bible

Randolf is Reading Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

When the truth smacks people in the face, the response sometimes comes in the form of obfuscation. That’s the case with monetary tithing. For a lot of people in the religious community who stand by the docrtine of monetary tithing, many of them don’t realize they are behaving like peasants. What do I mean by that? Well, the literal informal meaning defines a peasants “as an ignorant rude, or unsophisticated person; a person of low social status.”  When it comes to tithing, many people go on the defensive and sometimes to the extreme to defend the monetary tithe doctrine that has no biblical support. At one time in history, the Bible was was entirely latin and during that time, the farming peasant community could not read so they had to depend on the religious elites to translate the words of the Bible, which made peasants vulnerable to whims of any transliteration or interpretation put forth by the religious leaders.  Today, most people don’t really study tithing in its purest sense. That’s why preachers can interpret the tithe as money and the peasant congregation just accepts the interpretation because they believe what the preacher tells them even when the evidence suggests otherwise. Though the monetary tithe was created out of context in the back rooms of religious leaders centuries ago. They also had a plan to ensure tithing would exist in future ages and they way that happened was to convince people they would be cursed if they didn’t tithe and to convince people of boutiful blessings if they faithfully tithed using Malachi chapter 3, which was redefined for the masses of christian peasants. The whole monetary tithe ponzi plan was based on financial interests and had nothing to do with the Bible.

One of the hardest things to do is to help people think outside of their religious dogmas when they are so endoctrinated to what they really believe is in the Bible. I find that frustrating when you think the goal of all Bible believers should be scriptural integrity, interpretation, hermanuetics and exegesis. However, scriptural authenticity oftens gets sacrifced on the alters of dogmatic eisegetical theology in the interest of mantaining the financial monetary tithe system God never endorsed. To maintain such a system, a certain amout of biblical ignorance must be preeminent, and being a scriptural peasant allows the monetary tithe system to continue unabated with its excesses and indulges running amuk. Even today we have created an aristocracy in Christanity with mega millionaire preachers and teachers of the Bible with mega churches and mega personal assets. Their are no shortages of haves-and-have-nots in the Church.  Just a couple days ago, I tried to purchase a book trailer video from a vendor who was obviously a believer. He refuned my purchase saying, “Due to my spiritual beliefs, I am unable to do your video book trailer. I have refunded your purchase. God Bless.” The only way he could refuse my purchase was that my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway went against his beliefs about tithing. Now I know he did not read my book, but made a judgement call without ever knowing what was written in the book. As a business owner, he had a right to deny my purchase, but I think he did so based on a mis-interpretation of scripture. If I met him personally, I would say, “Did you reject my request based on true spiritual beliefs or did you reject my purchase based on non-bibical ideological censorship? If you are truly interested in theology, interpretation and research, you must never hesitate to question your beliefs. Your faith will be strengthened from investigating your beliefs. Whe you find something uncertain about your belief system, the best way to find aswers is to undertake research and study. This is how you will come to know the truth. Do not deny yourself the opportunity to learn further and strengthen your faith.” 

I addresed the subject of tithing in my lastest video titled,  Actually Tithing is Not in the Bible. The video talks about what people believe is in the Bible and share what the Bible says especially tithing.

 

Tithing money is not in the Bible and especially in the New Testament because giving is not a tithe for these reasons.

Jamie Reads Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Dr. Frank Chase Jr

Source: Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God A | Frank Chase Jr

When I wrote my book, I set out to explain some of the passages and the logic behind some of the text in book bubbles. Many of the book bubbles share book excerpts and my thoughts about why I wrote the text or how the research affected me. My first  book bubble, The Fight Continues deals with the views that churches have about tithing. And even though I published a book, teaching and sharing the truth about tithing has been a centuries-old fight. What has been difficult about tithing is learning that everyone has their own personal meaning what the term mean, so in my second book bubbles, Understanding Tithing Starts With a Definition explains the meaning of the term tithing to set the foundation so people won’t go off the rails on unfounded definitions. You have to establish and empirical definition before you can start talking about a subject and what it means.  For me reasearch is important in getting to the bottom line of a subject, so my third book bubble, Research Brings Truth explains how I went about peeling back the layers of existing tithe doctrines in Christian theological circles. For many in the church, the argument has been that tithing existed before the law and that somehow justifies commuting the biblical food tithe to monetary tithing so that got me thinking about my forth book bubble, The Law Does Not Teach Money Tithing, which explains what the law actually taught about tithing and frankly the law did not say a utter a word about tithing income from a paycheck. One of the argument you will likely hear from the pulpit is that that Bible requires a tithe on the increase. Now on face value that is true, but what is the increase and how does the Bible define increase? That lead to my fifth book bubble, Tithing on Increase, which explains what the word means in context of scripture and not financial considerations of our current economic system. In the Bible the word increase has a different meaning and is confined to the economic system of that time. Tithing and giving have been conflated, redefined, taken out of context so much so that true giving is lost becuase of the confusion. In my sixth, book bubble, What Does True Giving Look Like? I try to explain biblical practice of freewill giving over the erroneous practice of monetary tithing which is not on the pages of the Bible. Many assume monetary tithing has always been the case, but in my seventh book bubble, Arguments Against Tithing Has a Long History, I share historical examples of people speaking out against the unlawful tampering of scripture to justify collecting money as a tithe. Long before many of us were born, many before us stood against the monetary tithe and paid the price with their lives. The debate has been whether the tithe is money or food, so to address that issue, my eighth book bubble, Monetary Tithing or Edible Tithing, Which One? puts to rest what the tithe is by sharing insight from the Jewish historian Josephus. Often when a financial system is threatened by exposing it fautly underpinnings, in this case church titing, there are no lengths the church will not go to make sure the status remain in tack. This lead me to write my ninth book bubble, The Church and its Money Grab Tactics to expose the different methods churches employ to collect ten percent of peoples paychecks. You would think that in scripture, one would be able to find a definitive postion on monetary tithing, and though we give Apostle Paut credit for penning much of the New Testament, my tenth book bubble, Paul Never Taught Believer to Tithe Money examines what Pau’s giving position was and how he viewed support gospel preachers. And guess what ladies and gentlemen, it was not tithing. Any time you have a conversation with a person who believes in tithing is to ask them to show you where Jesus paid monetary tithes. The first thing that will hit the person is cognitive dissonance because they won’t be able to find on verse to support their position. That is why my eleventh book bubble, Jesus and His Ministry Never Received Tithes talks about how the Messiah and the deciples received support and why Jesus could not pay or receive tithes. At some point in digging up the truth about monetary tithing after years of research, you have to conclude that as I did that tithing is not required, and that’s what my tweleveth book bubble, Official Orthodox Biblical Tithing Has Passed Away closes the book on the differences between tithing and giving by allowing context to define the tithe centuris ago and now as edible items (crops, livestock, grain, and flocks). This term first fruits, which is often confused with tihing is my latest book titled, What are First Fruits in the Bible? In this bubble, it is clear the Bible never defined first fruits as money as some do today, but in my author insight about the book excerpt, I make it clear that tithing and first fruits have exclusive meanings and can never be interchanged.  I hope these book bubble give you information that you would go to my website and purchase a signed copy my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

Now, I’m not the only one who writes about tithing. I am certainly not the only author whose published books on tithing. One of my facebook Friends Who Like Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? named Rob Robey wrote an excellent article about tithing. I would hope that one day the person who refused my order for a book trailer would read my book and this post to learn more about tithing before turning down business simply based on an unresearch religous belief. Here is what Rob Robey wrote about tithing.

The Lord gave me understanding many, many years ago.

The Monetary Tithe Requirement Doctrine: An Invention of Man

by Ronald W Robey

A few years back, someone told me that he had talked to five (5) different “Biblical Scholars” about my stance on Scriptural tithing and they all informed him that I was wrong.

My response was simple. I didn’t consult with “Biblical Scholars” to arrive at my conclusion… I went straight to the source… the infallible and inerrant word of God. I would hope this would be the actions of all who want to be approved (2 Tim. 2:15) in God’s eyes.

We are instructed by the Apostle Paul to “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:11) and above all to “take up the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:16-17)

How can one be taking up the word of God when one is embracing and teaching doctrine that is contrary to that which holy men of old penned down as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to do?

There are only a handful of instances where we find people tithing in the word of God. A true “Biblical Scholar” shouldn’t have a problem looking up those few instances.

The word “tithe” in relation to God’s commanded tithe appears only 14 times in 13 verses of the KJV. (Lev. 27:30,32; Num. 18:26; Deut. 12:17; Deut. 14:22,28; 2 Chr. 31:5; Neh. 10:38; Neh. 13:12; Matt. 23:23; Lk. 11:42) This tithe is from agricultural increase only.

The word “tithes” in relation to God’s commanded tithe appears only 23 times in 20 verses of the KJV. (Le 27:31; Nu 18:24,26,28; De 12:6,11; De 26:12; 2Ch 31:12; Ne 10:37,38; Ne 12:44; Ne 13:5; Am 4:4; Mal 3:8,10; Lu 18:12; Heb 7:5,6,8,9) This tithe is from agricultural increase only.

The word “tithes” in relation to a voluntary tithe appears only 1 time in 1 verse in the KJV. (Gen. 14:20) Context reveals that this tithe is from war spoils and not from Abram’s own property or riches.

The word “tithing” in relation to God’s commanded tithe appears only 2 times in 1 verse of the KJV. (Deut. 26:12) This tithe is from agricultural increase only.

The phrase “the tenth” in relation to God’s commanded tithe is found only 2 times in 2 verses of the KJV. (Lev. 27:32; Num. 18:21) This tithe is from agricultural increase only.

The phrase “the tenth” in relation to a voluntary tithe is found only 2 times in 2 verses in the KJV. (Gen. 28:22; Heb. 7:4) This tithe is from spoils of war and not from Abraham’s own property or riches.

The phrase “the tenth” in relation to a forced tithe by man is found only 2 times in 2 verses in the KJV. (1 Sam. 8:15,17) Those who choose man to rule over them tithe according to the invention of their ruler. They have rejected God.

The phrase “a tenth” in relation to a voluntary tithe is found only 1 time in 1 verse in the KJV. (Heb 7:2) This tithe is of war spoils and was not of Abraham’s property or riches.

That is a total of 36 verses in the entire KJV that refer to God’s commanded tithe. Of all those verses, not a single one instructs, or commands one tithing one’s monetary income. The 36 verses that refer to God’s commanded tithe refer to food, and they can be found in the dispensation of the Mosaic Law between Leviticus 27: 30 and Hebrews 7:9. (see the above references)

There is only one tithe in the entire Bible that may have contained money, and that is the tithe given to Melchizedek by Abram in the Valley of Shaveh.

Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of the spoils of war. Abram had promised God he would not keep any of the spoils as his own lest he give Bera, the king of Sodom, occasion to brag that he had made Abram rich.

This reveals that what Abram tithed was not his own property, but the property of others! Nor did Abram tithe his monetary income to Melchizedek. Rather, he tithed the spoils of war.

Further, Abram is never said to have ever tithed again. A one time tithe to Melchizedek,… of the spoils of war,… is this whose tithe we are to emulate? Then only a once-in-a-lifetime tithe is required; and that of war spoils, not of one’s monetary income.

Jacob is revealed to have promised God that he would give him a tenth of all that God would give him. A careful study of the word of God will reveal that what Jacob vowed to tithe was not monetary income,… he vowed to tithe a tenth of the land that God promised to give Jacob and his descendants.

And, once Jacob’s descendants moved into the Promised Land, God held them to their father Jacob’s vow. God required that tithe that Jacob had set apart for God. (Gen. 28:20-22; Lev. 27:30-34)

God required tithes of agricultural crops and livestock from the children of Israel. (Lev. 27:30-34) They were “holy” to God. Set apart by the Patriarch Jacob.

Are we to tithe in the manner that the children of Israel tithed? If so, then it is to be agricultural, restricting it to only landowners who have crops and livestock. It is to be taken to farming communities in the Promised Land, not anywhere else in the world. Of those tithes, the tither is to eat with his family. How many pastors tell their congregations to eat a tithe with their families? It is highly doubtful that any pastors do.

The long and short of it is, that which pastors tell their congregations is God’s tithe today, cannot be found anywhere in the pages of God’s Holy word. Today’s monetary tithe requirement doctrine is the invention of man, not a decree of God.

Brethren, open your Bibles and study. Don’t read, but STUDY. You will find what I have written does not conflict with what the word of God says concerning the tithe or tithes God has commanded in His word.

What does conflict with His word, is the monetary tithe being taught in the pulpits by men who are supposed to be teaching truth rather than error. They are supposed to preach the word, not inventions of man.

Our giving is not to be of necessity, (2 Cor. 9:7) yet pastors make it such. Our giving should not be because of guilt, yet pastors have no problem making their congregation feel guilty by accusing them of “robbing God” if they don’t tithe.

The Bible tells us to choose in our own hearts what we want to give. (2 Cor. 9:7) If we follow God’s instruction rather than distorted doctrine, God will be pleased with us.

Now, I ask, why does one need some kind of Theological Degree to study the word and come to the same conclusions I have on the topic of tithes? It appears that Theological Degrees have not helped the aforementioned “Biblical Scholars” to rightly divide the word of Truth, for they teach contrary to what the Scriptures teach on the subject of tithing.

Will I bow to the demands of the preacher who teaches that I am to tithe my money to the Church? Not until that preacher can provide Scripture from the word of God that says the Christian is to tithe his or her monetary income to the Church. In all my years of studying the word of God, I have yet to find said Scripture.”

 

Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? by Frank Chase Jr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book is very insightful and informative about the history of tithing and giving in the Church. The book is a fascinating journey into the land, language and literature of the Israelite people and their tithing practices. The author meticulously examines tithe verses and brings to light their meaning using the Hebrew and Greek language. Even if one does not agree with his analysis, it would be difficult to dismiss what the author’s findings reveal. If a person seeks to gain a real understanding and education about tithing and its original meaning, this book is a good place to begin your theological research journey. They say knowledge is power and this book certainly contains a lot of knowledge. Get a copy at http://www.fcpublishing.com/about_kle….

View all my reviews

So I’ll conclude with these two slides from from my New Testamment Giving Study. Maybe the ten percent you give to your church, although is ok if you give it from your heart, and so is someone who gives 3, 2, 5, 7 or 9 percent. The reason its ok not to be bound by percentage giving is that whatever you give must come from the heart. However, another thought is that your ten percent is not a tithe as we’ve already proven, but your tenth paid to your church represents a tax, a temple tax of sorts that you file on your income taxes and get a refund from the government, which does not amont to the windows of heaven opening up and pouring you out a blessing as erroneously taught from the pulpit. The income tax check from all your tithes paid to the church is blessing refund from the IRS not the windows of God’s heaven.

Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? Excerpt from Chapter 3, Abram’s Tithe Before the Law and the Established Covenants

Source: Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God A | Frank Chase Jr

One of the quintessential arguments pro-tithers make in defense of collecting a tenth of income from believers is that since Abram paid a tithe to Melchizekek before the law, somehow that onetime, single act makes every Christian obligated to pay Yahweh a tithe of their income for life. Most people sitting pews don’t think to ask what did Abram really give to Melchizedek. Well, let me tell you, it is a question everyone should ask before writing that check to the church for ten percent. No, I’m not saying you should not give to your church, but I am saying, scritpture interprets scripture and we get that from term line upon line and precept upon precept. In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 7, the writer explains what items were given to Melchizedek as tithes (verse 4), and who is authorized to collect and receive tithes from the congregation of Israel (verse 5 ) . In Hebrews, Chapter 7, the Bible is clear when it says:

4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 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: (KJV)

As you can see in the above verses, the key words is the tenth of the spoils. What Abram gave to Melchizedek come from the spoils of wars. In other transliterations the word plunder is used. And let me say this, if anyone looks at the customs of the time dealing with battles and wars. It was alway cutsom to give a tithe to the priest king of the winning side. Now let’s look at how the contemporary English Bible renders the text to see if we can get a little closer to what the tithe content was that Abram paid to Melchizedek. Now Genesis 14:20 does not identify what the items were that Abram took back from the losing Kings. So the question becomes what would waring soldiers and their leaders bring to the battle field and encampment? When you start putting on your thinking caps, it really gets hard to see how Abram paid a money tithe to Melchezedek. And it really gets insane, when you hear that since Abram tithed before the law, we tithe under grace.  First of all, the tithe Abram paid was not the same tithe instituted under the law in Leviticus. Now look at the words, a commandment to take tithes the levitical priesthood. Is your pastor a part of the Levitical priesthood? Is he a decendant of sons of Levi by direct bloodline? If not, I hate to bring you good news, but you are not required to tithe. In the verse, when it tithes were taken from the people, what people is the verse speaking about? Well, the people in verse 5 are the 11 tribes of Israel that farmed, herded cattle and raieded flocks who paid the tithes to Levites. The light should be shinning now and a question mark should appear over your head as to what a tenth of the spoils mean in reference what Abram gave. The greek word for “spoils” Strong’s Akrothininion (#205), It primarily means the top of the heap: hence the firstfruits offerings, and in war the choicest spoils. Since Abram captured all the other King’ss stuff, let’s examine what would be in the heap. If one does a theological search for spoils throughout the Bible, here is what you will find in a pile or heap on the battle field after a war. Their could be skin stripped off a pelt, weapons and vaulubles stripped off of enemy soldiers, the first fruits (crops), so that would be the food the soldiers brought, and because the Kings requested Abram to give back the captured people, the people were also a part of the spoils of war tithe that Abram would have given. However, he gave the people back.  So since the the Hebrew people were trying to understand Christ, the Hebrew writer wanted them to understand that the perfect priesthood of the Messiah notwithstanding his decent from Judah, replaces the imperfect and transitory priesthood of Levi, therefore no tithe command is passed on to believers in the Yeshua (Jesus)  who are in the Priesthood of Christ and that’s because we are all kings and priests according to Revelation 10:5 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. The tithe law was disestablished under the Priesthood of Christ and we know this becuase Hebrews says this:

12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, …

It was the Levites and priest who received tithes in the Old Testament. It is important to understand who the book of Hebrews addresses. It was talking to the Hebrew isrealite believers who accepted the messiah. He told them the priesthood changed so a change in the law would happen as well. What law was changed?  In this context, it is clear the tithing law changed becuase verse 18 says there was a annuling of the former commandment. Well, the former commandment in verse 18 aludes to was the tithing commandment mentioned in verse 4 of Hebrews, Chapter 7. This totally debunks a so-called grace tithe or any other tithe of money in the New Testament. Don’t be fooled by slick scriptural hermanutics that redefines biblical food tithing into monetary tithing.

So, when I did my intial tithing slides on Abram and the tithe before the law, I discovered some characteristics about Abram tithe. So check the slides below.

Check out new video book trailer for Kleptomaniac Who Really Robbing God Anyway?

Back in July I did a tithing interview with the Larry Love show on my new book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thelarryloveshow/2016/07/26/author-of-kleptomaniac-who-is-really-robbing-god-dr-frank-chase-jr

Check out these places for my book and the full book review for Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway on Midwest Book Review at: Midwest Book Review

Here an excerpt from the reivew by Diane C. Donavan, Senior Reveiwer MBR,

Dr. Chase’s attention to detail in covering the history of tithing and his analysis of what constitutes an authentic tithe in keeping with God’ Biblical directives includes a great deal of research into early Greek and Hebrew writings, creating a weighty yet authoritative, accessible piece filled with empirical evidence and discussions central to the tithe’s place in Christian theology. Although its research-backed history is not light reading, its attention to well-researched detail is impeccably presented, and represents a breath of fresh air to a topic typically laden with more emotion than reasoned inspection.

The result is a thought-provoking read which is very highly recommended for any Church member interested in the history and ongoing debate over tithes, their mandate, and where and how they are spent.

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Midwest Book Review Excerpt

Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway?
Dr. Frank Chase Jr., TH.D
Book Baby
ebook: 9780975521762 $2.99
Print: 9780975521779 $17.47
www.fcpublishing.com/about_kleptomani...

Kleptomaniac: Who's Really Robbing God Anyway? The Untwisted Truth About the Centuries Old Tithes and Offering Deception examines the history of church tithes, a practice from the early days of Christianity which takes a darker turn as its history and connections to actual Scripture are probed from its original applications to modern times. But if readers expect a supportive Scripture-based emphasis on the value of tithes, it should be advised that Kleptomaniac does not toe a party line of religious propriety but offers a sobering and critical examination of the notion of tithes and how it has changed over the centuries.

Church-goers who struggle with the idea of tithes and Church donation processes will discover that there's reason for their concerns. There is an ongoing battle for truth and orthodoxy surrounding these matters, and this too is covered as Kleptomaniac analyzes the Biblical roots and intention of tithes and how the Church has applied them over the centuries.

This book is dedicated "To those who have suffered the wrath of family, friends, pastors, churches and other Christians for changing their giving practice from mandatory tithing to New Covenant, post-tithe freewill giving, remember, this fight to reveal the truth about tithing started centuries ago. People from many denominations and religious groups have held views against tithing long before we were born and the debate still rages on in the annals of theology." Reviewed by Diana Donavon, Midwest Book Review

Did Paul Have a Right to Claim Tithes as His Form of Support from Believers?

Do you really want to know the truth about tithing? Read this investigative manifesto before you commit to tithing ten percernt of your income.

Source: Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God A | Frank Chase Jr

Back in July I did a tithing interview with the Larry Love show on my new book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thelarryloveshow/2016/07/26/author-of-kleptomaniac-who-is-really-robbing-god-dr-frank-chase-jr

There’s a lot of conversation about what Apostle Paul really taught concerning financial support. On any given Sunday, pastors proclaim with certain authority that that tithe is the Lords, but in reality they are pontificating about how to provide personal pastoral support as tithes of ten percent of your income, which he claims belongs to him as a salary and to support the church. This so-called monetary non-bibical tithe of ten percent is about providing money pay for the brick and mortar building. That’s really not New Testamment ministry.

The question is, why are so many believers and pastors not clear about Pauls’s intentions concerning financial support. Anyone who studies Paul’s life and Hebrew cultural background should know that it was always taught that a Hebrew male teacher should never use the Torah as a means of financial support and should have other means of financial support work. Although Paul had a right of support, he often refused it becuse he wanted to have finaicial integrity so he took the high road and worked as a tent maker for his necessities, which he stated many times in the scriptures. Before we get into this matter of Paul’s financial needs, let’s categorically establish the content of the tithe that God wanted and describe in the the scriptures. Take a look below at the slide and see for yourself what God requires as a tithe. But if you think tithing money is required, read my book bubble titled, Money Tithing is Not a Foregone Conclusion.

If the scripture is indisputable and infallible, why do churhces and pastors persist to teach a mandatory monetary tithe in opposition to the clear teachings of the Bible about tithes being crops, cattle and grain. Below, the slide gives some explanation as to what is going on in the institutional churches around the country. As you read the slide below, think about it. Do you really think that monetary tithing has been a centuries-old acceptable practice. Well, history bears out that the answer is in fact no. Arguments Against Tithing Has a Long History and before you make a decison to dimiss my book or my findings, it would behove to click on the link to find out what my book bubble says on this subject. Make a note in the slide that it states that tithes were used as sin offerings also. However, although bulls and goats could be a tithe, they were for the levites food. The sacrifice and offerings Isael offered to Yahweh continually could be the same animals but some believe in what is called a sin tithe.

To explain the seventh bullet in the slide above about sin-tithe, Author Scott Wallace Brians who wrote a pamplet titled, Rethinking the tithe, and he said this about the original covenant,

For the beginning, to increase the accuracy of terminology and avoid confusion leading to false results, I will present two new terms and their definitions; the “grammatical tithe” and the “sin-tithe”. Sometimes I will use just the word “tithe” for convenience, but in context it should be clear as to which tithe is meant.

First and foremost, we look at the grammatical definition of the word “tithe”. In Hebrew, the word “tithe” is a derivative of the phrase “ten percent”. “Tithe” in and of itself properly translated means “to give or receive ten percent” according to Abingdon’s Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1980.

Therefore, when I pay 10 cents for a ware out of the dollar in my pocket, I am correct if I say that “I have tithed”, for I have payed 10%. It is important to remark that this tithe has no religious value, nor does it have any connection whatsoever with the obligation tithe described by Moses.

When studying the tithe, it is very helpful to insert the phrase, “pay 10 percent” or “receive 10 percent”, which is allowable, since this is the proper meaning. In this way, many of the supposed inherent contradictions and sources of error disappear. Giving the word “tithe” a meaning beyond this is incorrect.

I submit the term “sin-tithe” for use in this study to avoid confusion. “Tithing” means “paying or receiving 10 percent”. The tithe defined by Moses is a special type of tithe. Since the tithe according to Moses was embedded in the sin-sacrifice-system (priestly services at the altar), I name it the “sin-tithe”. It is only natural that Moses make use of the word “tithe”, as the obligatory payment is calculated to be “10 percent”. This nomenclature is necessary to differentiate between the general “tithe” and the tithe described by Moses. We can say then, that not all tithes are sin-tithes any more than all cars are Fords.

Another source of error is avoided when we realize that a tithe is not an offering, and an offering is not a tithe. No transfer of wealth could be both simultaneously. Not realizing this has caused much confusion.

An offering is a gift, a thing of the heart between the giver and the reciever, not an obligation. The sin-tithe, as described in the Bible, is a command, indeed an obligation. The choice of the offering and the obligation of the sin-tithe are mutually exclusive.

The verses found in the bible regarding the sin-tithe can be broken up into two classes. One class comprises the law, while the other is the recorded history. It is not only of assistance to read what the Torah tells us about the sin-tithe, but also the recorded happenings. The historical records provide insight about the sin-tithe as it was practiced not found in the law itself, March 2002, Pages 6-8.

It would behove you to read the rest of Scott Wallace Brians sin-tithe information on pages 9-13 in Rethinking the Tithe.

 

Now, personally, let me make it clear that I don’t care what a particular congregation does to support their pastor or church as longs as scriptures are not used out of context to jusfify a mandatory tithe. Also, using scare tatics from the book of Malachi that God’s people are cursed with a curse if they don’t tithe is not scriptural but manipulative. We know Malachi was not dealing with money but with food tithing. So when people tell you to give until is hurts is liking drinking the cool aide of the late infamous Jim Jones. Giving unitl it hurts is committing financial suicide. In my study of Paul’s life I found it fascinating that tent-making in his day was a lucrative business. So those who aspire to become full-time pastors, there is no scriptutral mandate for you to follow that path in ministry becuase your example from Paul, is that he was a bi-vocational apostle. Wow, what a novel way to do ministry. Be a bi-vocational pastor and reduce the financial strain on God’s people in the congreation, especially for those who struggle financially. In many churches, it’s not unusual to find pastors driving expensive cars and members driving hoopdi’s waiting for their financial spiritual ship to come in, as long as they keep tithing that ten percent. For many of them, the mantra heralded from the pulpit is, this year is your year and every year following, the windows of heaven never open for them. Paul would frown his face at the modern church today for corrupting his words about money and his need for financial support. So when you look at  Paul’s language in 2 Corinthians you have to understand that he did not suggest tithing in none of his letters to the assemblies or congregations. Take a look at some of what my research turned up before I wrote Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?https://store.bookbaby.com/book/klept....

In my book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway, I cover a great deal about Paul and money in chapter 15, titled, A Discussion of Paul’s Work History and Ministry Needs. Here is an excerpt from my book, titled, Paul’s Rights as an Apostle.

First Corinthians Chapter 9 is the standard bearer for those who say tithing 10 percent of your income is required. Many people cite Paul’s written dialogue to the Corinthians as the foundation for tithing. However, does Paul teach tithing in this chapter or something else? How does one conclude that rst century believers practiced tithing based on Paul’s instructions when there is no direct scriptural evidence to prove he taught tithing in the letters? When examining Paul’s language in chapter 9, you have to nd where and when his teaching directly says Christians must tithe and somehow come up with language that God commuted the agrar- ian tithe law to a money-based tithe for Gentile believers. Let me forewarn you: many pastors will tell you that Paul voluntarily decided not to insist for his rights of support and because he did, they are not obligated to follow Paul’s voluntary example. Some pastors have no problem saying they will pursue whatever means necessary to sustain themselves, their family, and the church within scriptural authority. If tithing is a New Covenant Law that requires believers to support ministers of the Gospel, then First Corinthians is the place to discover the tithing doctrine. But Paul does not expound on tithing in First Corinthians. What First Corinthians 9 tells us is more about Paul’s attitude of self-denial than his need for money or support. Let’s follow his logic by examining his thoughts.

The context of chapter 9 is Paul’s response to those Corinthians who felt like his rights for support did not matter and they were not obligated to provide for his needs. Paul wrote the book in response to a letter from the Corinthians who asked a series of questions they wanted him to address along with support. In 1 Corinthians 7:1 he says, Now for the matters you wrote about (NIV marriage); in 1 Corinthians 8:12 he says, Now about food sacriced to idols (NIV); in 1 Corinthians 12:1, he says, Now about spiritual gifts (NIV); in 1 Corinthians 16:1 and 2 he says, Now about the collection for God’s people and Now about our brother Apollos (NIV). As you can see, Paul was addressing issues that were taking place with the Corinthians centuries ago based on culture and context of a speci c time in history.

In 1 Corinthians 9:1 Paul says:

“Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?

Are not you the results of my work in the Lord?” (NIV).

Paul is establishing his relationship to the Corinthians and the spiritual work he invested in their coming into the knowledge of Christ. However, the Corinthians had some misgivings about supporting Paul so he tried to help them understand his authority as an Apostle to them.

In 1 Corinthians 9:2 Paul says:

Even though I may not be an Apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord (NIV).

is statement by Paul is precise and clear. From the context, I may not be an Apostle to others, indicates that Paul was not an Apostle to every believer. e context implies that Paul spent personal time with the Corinthians, wrote letters and played a role in their spiritual maturity and success. is proves his apostleship was authentic because they were witnesses to it.

In 1 Corinthians 9:3-6 Paul says:

is is my defense to those who sit in judgment of me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brother Cephas? Or is only I and Barnabus who must work for a living? (NIV).

In this verse Paul has to answer accusations from those in Corinth who thought his and Barnabus’ motive for preaching was to obtain a fulltime salary so they could abandon work at the Corinthian’s expense. Paul was not arguing for a salary and neither was he asking for tithes. Paul addressed his right of support as a traveling missionary and with that responsibility he could choose not to work while traveling and preaching to them. He told the Corinthians that support was due him and a wife, if he brought her along on the trip. He stated that other apostles participated in this right of support and called out the Lord’s brother Cephas as an exam- ple. is perhaps took place because other apostles had visited Corinth prior to Paul and received support. Paul was somewhat a newcomer and people o en questioned his apostleship not only in 1 Corinthians but also in 2 Corinthians Chapter 3. What is not understood about 1 Corinthians Chapter 9 is that Paul’s argument for support can only be applied to traveling missionaries not stationary pastors, senior pastors or elders in a congregation. In the text, Paul instructs elders to work for a living.

It’s important to establish that the context of Paul’s argument addresses his right to food and drink. Now is food and drink literal or general or can it apply to money? Is Paul only asking for his right to food and drink from the Corinthians, or is he using an expression of language to inform them of his right to ask for support based on his need whether it be hospitality, money, food or drink until he returns home?

Check out new video book trailer for Kleptomaniac Who Really Robbing God Anyway?

When you examine the text of the scripture, there is no way you can say Paul taught tithing and if you do, you have just distorted the scriptures for financial gain.

So even after all that is said and done, many people will still deny the truth of scriptures about tithing and will never study for themselves because the truth requires making a decision that will change the course of your life and depending how you process the changes, it will be something you will never forget. And I can tell you for sure that you childrens children will thanks and sing your praises for saving their financial futures by your discovering the truth for generations to come. But just in case you still have doubt, check out my video Tithing Facts or Fiction.