FEATURE ARTICLE

Ejukwa OsamMonday, September 12, 2016
[email protected]
Calabar, Nigeria

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IN THIS ERA OF GRACE CAN CHRISTIANS ROB GOD OF TITHES?
BIBLICAL FACT CHECKING (CONCLUDED)

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Continued from Part 2

Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10).

he last two papers on the topic laid emphasis on prophecies of two ancient prophets who predicted the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and how He will bear the sins of the world. Centuries later the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was fulfilled as His death and resurrection nullified all Old Testaments laws including legalistic tithing. This enabled our Lord Jesus to become our advocate when interceding for our sins. As a result of His elevated position at the right hand of God Almighty, Jesus assures His followers with divine protection and forgives us once there is genuine repentance and forsaking of sins. Under the dispensation of grace obedience to 613 Old Testament laws are unnecessary as Jesus has fulfilled all those laws on our behalf. In its place the greatest commandment to humanity is total love towards Almighty God and our neighbours. In reality that ought to be the goal of every born again Christian who aspires to be a citizen of heaven.

In the second section of my last paper, I demonstrated with subthemes evidence of truthful perceptions on tithes and concluded that OT laws are literally dead. I argued that Jesus Christ is not a man to shift the doctrinal goal post by promising salvation by grace then reverting to salvation by works. I gave two options for believers, option one if you believe the Holy Spirit has revealed to you to pay legalistic tithes, simply ask the spirit to direct you to New Testament passages that relates to commandment for Gentile Christians to pay tithes. Option two if you are a legalistic tither be prepared to obey additional 612 laws of OT which you must not default, else the tithes will be a waste of your money and the biblical curse will be yours (Gal. 3: 10). On a general note if Church founders and General Overseers and their ancillary clergies insist our congregants must pay legalistic tithes, they must live by example and show evidence that they have adhered to all the OT laws. Please meditate on the biblical text at the top of page one. If your option is to legalistically tithe make sure you do not violate any of God's 613 OT laws, if you do stumble, you have violated all of God's laws you will then be automatically classified as a sinner (James 2:10). For a list of 613 OT laws check the reference at the bottom of the page.

In this last article, I will make the argument that legalistic tithing is irrelevant in the New Testament dispensation. Tithing can only be relevant if it is paid in faith. I will show examples of misrepresentation, "holy lies" and out of context citations by at least three churches that preach tithing before concluding with my analysis.

During my National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in Ore Ifesowapo LGA Ondo State April 1990 to March 1991, I worshipped with The Apostolic Church in Ore town. As a member of that church, I enjoyed the conduct of services especially during preaching sessions as I benefitted from the interpretations of the Yoruba language to English. After almost six months of membership, I was shocked when the leadership of the church stripped a brother from the position of an elder for failure to pay OT tithes. This brother had earlier in a hearing complained that although he had a job as maintenance officer with NNPC Ore terminal, his salary was barely carrying him to pay house rents and maintain his entire household. With a pregnant wife who was not working, this brother had the love and brought in two church members who were not relatives, he took over their studies and assisted them financially. I was wondering why this church of mine should sanction a brother not for a sinful act but for not paying tithes! Although I remained with the church until the end of my service year, I never forgot that incident.

I was invited to attend a district seminar on holiness in February 2014 at The Apostolic Church Okuni Town in Ikom LGA of Cross River State Nigeria; the seminar lasted for three days. On the last day was men only seminar so the overseer of the church whose past prophetic utterances have always come to pass gave a prophetic message urging all members to pay tithes. After we closed for the day I called him aside and politely inquired where the New Testament texts command gentiles to pay OT tithes? He calmly said it is obligatory for all Christians to pay tithes. I was hoping he will open his big Bible for us to deliberate. In any case our brief dialogue ended without seeing any evidence backing his prophetic utterances on tithes.

Folks it is indeed very dangerous for spiritual channels to utter a prophetic utterance based on doctrinal teachings that cannot be substantiated in the NT text. This man of God would not show me anywhere in the NT text where Gentiles were commanded to tithe. Because of his high position, brethren were scared to discern whether the prophecy was from God or his imagination. I will not belief any prophecy that directs me to obey OT Jewish laws, the exception is the Ten Commandments which has been summarised as love for God and neighbours in the NT. Sadly this humble elder and district overseer passed on last December 2015 at the age of 85 years.

The Deeper Christian Life MCC Road Calabar replicates their national headquarters by strictly emphasising on OT laws that includes legalistic tithing. All my Deeper Life friends claim they are holier than other Christians on earth. In fact the name Deeper Christian Life means their lifestyles are unique, their dressing is unique, their choices of words and calmness differs and mimic the founder Pastor William Kumuyi. Similarly their biblical morals are apparently deeper than the conventional Christian morals. From its inception, DCLF emphasises on OT laws matched by strict moral codes. This is done with no compromise, as their teaching on tithe is drawn from the OT texts; even as hell fire is the solution for every act including women leaving their hair uncovered, wearing ear rings or females perming hair or making attachments or spraying perfumes to smell good. In the month of April 2014 my late sister of blessed memory Miss Asen Edim attended DCLF on MCC Road Nipost Road Aka Effa Parish Calabar Cross River State. Although she was not a registered member of the church, the proximity from her place of residence to the church enabled her to occasionally worship there. There was a day I requested for the topic and her note of lesson; she willingly gave to me a jotter where the preacher's texts and sermons were written. On reviewing it was on tithes. I read through and did a biblical fact checking with my large NIV Bible that has detail footnotes, I was shocked to see many scriptural passages that were either out of context or a times unrelated to tithes. I saved that paper to analyse in this article.

The first citation Malachi 3: 6-12 OT texts unrelated to Gentile Christians, Mathew 23:23 is clearly out of context because at the time of Jesus physical presence every law was OT there was no NT Bible. Besides, Jesus was addressing the Pharisees and Scribes by name not gentiles.

In addition Jesus was yet to be crucified on the cross of Calvary; seemingly he was not yet glorified in order to save us from OT laws. Finally Gentiles were not the focus of Jesus initial ministry because He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mathew 15: 21-28). The next citation is out of contexts it reads "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get" (Luke 18: 12 NIV). Again this is pure lies and a sin of misrepresentation of contexts. The preacher quoted a parable from Jesus and left the entire context of the passage to focus on fasting and paying tithes see below in black.

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself God thank you that I am not like other men robbers, evil doers, adulterers or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his breast and said God have mercy on me a sinner. I tell you this man rather than the other went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18: 10-14).

The next scripture is again out of context as it has nothing to do with tithes read through

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6: 10 NIV) then the preacher linked his lesson to this

For rebellion is like the sin of divination and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king (1 Samuel 15: 23 NIV).

Again the text is out of context and unrelated to tithes. The next scripture is again out of context because it is now on giving which is a separate thing from OT tithes.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20: 35 NIV).

Then the preacher returns to Exodus 35: 4-10 totally unrelated to tithes again texts refers to the nation of Israel "Moses said to the whole Israelite community this is what the Lord has commanded….." Read through verses 4-10 this is totally out of point as it involves Israel!

May I remind readers that the ceremonial and even some moral laws of Moses were for the Jews not the Gentiles. The only exception was Jesus took the Ten Commandments and summarised it under love for God and our neighbours and instructed us to obey. See reference page for moral laws.

The teaching in the Redeemed Church of God RCCG is no different from Deeper Christian Life.

The cornerstone of Redeem is holiness and sinlessness. I am wondering where their pastors met a

sinless human being on earth. Since our righteousness is as filthy rags, it may be practically

impossible for any human being to be perfectly pure and sinless while in this human body; even

John Wesley did not assert he was sinless. The only exception is Jesus Christ. The Apostolic

Church has a song that goes "No man no man no man be like Jesus and it is repeated many times

during tarrying night sessions. I noticed a major discrepancy in the 2013- 2014 edition of the

Sunday school manual of RCCG. I disagreed with the church's teaching on tithes because there

were wrongly applied to believers in the NT. In many instances citations were either

misinterpreted or placed out of context. It is pertinent to copy out this lesson verbatim.

TODAY'S LESSON 25 February 2014 pages 63-64 RCCG MANUAL

1. OPENING

  1. Bible Passage Malachi 3: 6-12

  2. Memory Verse "Bring ye all the tithes into the store house that there may be meat in mine house Malachi 3: 10a

  3. Lesson introduction Today's study centres on an age-long principle and practice applicable in all dispensations, including this. As some try to infer, it was neither instituted during the dispensation of law nor terminated by the dispensation of grace. May the Holy Spirit teach and bless us mightily today in Jesus name.

TEACHER'S DIARY

A. LESSON/AIM

To study some biblical truth about tithing.

B TEACHING OBJECTIVES AND LESSON PLAN-At the end of the lesson students should be able to discover that

  1. Tithe was paid before and during the dispensation of the law.

  2. They should also be able to discover that tithes were also paid during the dispensation of grace and that a lot of blessings are waiting for those who pay tithes regularly and correctly.

To achieve these objectives, teacher should explain that paying of tithe is God's commandment. Teachers should also explain the need to pay tithe regularly and properly.

C TEXT REVIEW-Malachi 3: 6-12

The Bible describes tithe defaulters as robbers

  1. The defaulters will be cursed.

  2. Paying tithe ensures that there is food in God's store house.

  3. Paying tithe attracts blessing to the payer.

  4. Paying tithes destroy devourers

  5. It directs the nation's blessings to the payer

2. LESSON Outlines

1-Lesson Outline 1-TITHING BEFORE AND DURING DISPENSATIONOF LAW

  1. Abraham paid tithe to God. Genesis 14: 18-20

  2. Jacob paid tithes to God Gen. 28: 16-22

  3. God fearing kings paid tithe to God. Numbers 18: 21-24

  4. The Israelites paid tithe to God. II Chronicles 31: 5-12

  5. To partake of the tithing blessing pay it. Malachi 3: 12

  6. If you do not pay tithe, you are operating under curses.

Please read and fix appropriately Nehemiah 10: 37; 13: 44; Lev. 27: 3-33; Romans 4: 12

And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised (Romans 4: 12 NIV).

Reaction

Paul did not mention tithes in the entire epistles that he wrote. I read the whole chapter it was describing how Abraham was justified by faith and not by the works of the law. Why did RCCG editorial board include this? Was it a 'holy lie' or an honest error? Since no one is perfect perhaps it is an unintended error. In any case it is out of context and not related at all to tithes.

II TITHING DURING THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE

  1. Jesus did not condemn the Pharisees for paying or not paying tithe but for being hypocritical Mathew 6: 2; 5: 16; 23: 13-15

  2. Christ compared tithe paying with showing mercy and love. Math 23: 23

  3. Payment of tithe is acceptable to God as Christian duty.

Reaction: When Jesus was on earth OT laws were still in force throughout Israel so it was appropriate to pay tithes. Jesus was not addressing the Gentiles He mentioned the Jews by their sectarian names notably Pharisees and Scribes. The texts did not in any way include us Gentile Christians under grace.

LESSON 3- THE BLESSINGS OF TITHING

  1. Tithing increases the food in God's store house. Malachi 3: 10

  2. Pay your tithe where you are spiritually nourished (your local parish)

  3. Your tithe is used to support the ministers of the gospel (the full time pastors in your church nation-wide)

  4. Tithing opens up abundant rains of blessings on faithful payers. Malachi 3: 11-12

  5. Devourers shall be rebuked through tithing. Malachi 3: 11

Reaction: Given the 'holy lies,' it is relevant to comment on one aspect of the bulletin sub section iii. I am aware of the enormous cost of rents, paying staff, organising conventions and even training ministers of God and sustaining them. For goodness sake this ought to be directed at giving to support the work of full time ministers and ancillary staff of RCCG. It is inappropriate for a holy organisation as RCCG to lie and also neglect the other 612 OT laws to focus on tithe. Any born again Christian who does not give to the cause of Jesus ministry does not love God simple. I don't need to be lied to before I give to the ministry. Since I believe in giving it is relevant to give in love for the work of God.

Lesson 2 Outline

Tithing before and during dispensation of law

  1. Abraham paid tithe to God Gen 14: 18-20

    Writer's reaction: Abraham paid tithe to the mystical Melchizedek after defeating the king of Kedolaomer and their associates and freed Lot his family and servant. He paid the tithes from the loot of that war, it was not from his occupation or from an income. He paid purely on his own will without any commandment from God. There is no record that Abraham paid tithes twice.

  2. Jacob paid tithes to God Gen 28: 16-22.

    Writer's comments In the same vein no one commanded Jacob to pay tithes, he paid his tithe after making a vow to God. Carefully read this

    Then Jacob made a vow saying If God be with me and watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's and of all that you give me I shall give God a tenth (Gen: 16:22).

  3. God fearing kings paid tithe to God II Chronicles 31: 5-12

    Reaction: This is not a big deal in OT era, it was appropriate to pay tithes during the law.

  4. To partake of the tithing blessing pay it Malachi 3: 12

    Reaction Given the birth death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, New Testament supersedes or overrides all OT laws seemingly Christians have numerous biblical passages on giving see 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9, Mathew 6: 3, 4, Luke 6: 38, Proverbs 3: 9, 10; 19: 17

  5. If you do not pay tithe you are operating under curses.

Reaction: This is a lie, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus nullified OT laws so this overshadows the era of the OT laws. I and millions of non tithing Christians are still blessed without paying OT tithes. There may be other extraneous factors in our traditional African societies that are unrelated to tithes, but may evoke curses. These are the worship of idols, performing human or animal sacrifices to gods, embracing traditional rituals of demons, involvement in a secret and occultic societies and involvement in witchcraft and sorcery.

Given these discrepancies apparent lies and contradictions regarding RCCG emphasis on tithes and the NT principle of giving, I wrote to RCCG National Headquarters Education Unit in charge of Sunday School Manual and sought further clarification on two questions. One, show me where NT believers were commanded to tithe. Two show me any evidence of a curse placed on violators of tithes in the NT? The Pastor was kind enough to write back that he does not have that information! I forwarded the email to my Pastor and Assistant Pastor and a sister in the church as witnesses. If the editor of a teaching manual has no information on the true teaching on tithes, why is it still a core principle of Sunday school and believer's class? Daddy G.O. Adebayo ought to explain the NT sources of his pro tithe messages?

What I am saying is mega churches and indeed religious organisations must adhere to maintain the highest ethical standard and strive for the truth at all times. In the presence of God there is no holy lie, a lie remains a lie. If I an unintended sinner can take offense at these distortions; imagine a holy God in heaven. What many forget is churches cannot help God to gain glory as God is already a glorious God. Telling of lies to induce tithing will not resolve the paucity of funds in churches. It is a grievous sin for a church to lie on behalf of God.

Another lie about tithe is in the daily bulletin known as the Word for Today. According to the handbook the panacea for fear is paying OT tithes

Here are some scriptural strategies for conquering your fear of lack 1) Give God the first tenth of your income (Malachi 3: 8-12; Mathew 23: 23). Don't debate whether it is an Old Testament rule versus a New Testament requirement. Wouldn't you rather do more than required, than find out later that you fell short of God's expectations? (WFT p. 26 June 14 2016)

May I remind the writers of that bulletin that all born again Christians fall short of at least one or two biblical laws. In fact we all struggle in one or two areas of sin. Although not openly acknowledged due to pretence and hypocrisy of some believers including holier than thou clergies, there are issues we cannot overcome in this flesh. Reflect on this example on love in 1 Corinthians 13; ask yourself can I perfectly love Almighty God and do His commands? Can I love my neighbours or my enemies? Can I honestly love my enemies or persecutors who threaten to cut my tongue and rape and also kill my family? Even loving your neighbour who happens to be a church member is difficult, imagine loving an enemy or the other demons of violence and killings notably Boko Haram or Islamic State terrorists or a person of different faith who burnt churches and captured Christian girls and made them slaves. If you are a parent of Chibok girls are you going to pray for Boko Haram's prosperity and long life? I leave this to you to ponder.

Given the above discussion of false misrepresentations of OT tithes, I decry these illegal teachings done in the name of coercing members to pay tithes. This contradicts the true intention of tithes that God commanded the Jews to pay in the OT. Although money was a legal tender as early as the era of Genesis, agricultural products and monies were required to provide food for the widows, orphans, the hungry and less vulnerable ones (Coppenger, & Croteau, n.d). As a consequence food was in the store house to feed the masses.

Please contrast this to what goes on in most churches in Third World countries especially among Black populations in Sub Saharan Africa, Caribbean and in the Diaspora. Compare the inducement to pay tithes by contemporary churches to Paul's instruction about voluntary giving that has no stated amount. Paul had no formal employment that attracted a fixed income, yet he had personal needs to be met; even as he planted churches in Asia Minor and beyond. He had the worst financial plight, yet he did not mention tithes throughout all of his thirteen epistles. He never lied about OT tithes or threatened non givers with hell fire. Although an apostle of the highest order, he humbled himself to be a tent maker, he sought his own income. Furthermore, he suffered and endured brutal floggings, endured verbal abuses, survived ship wrecks, survived a bite from a poisonous viper, was imprisoned many times, suffered from hunger, persecuted for Christ sake, thrown out of cities and escaped near assassinations, but did not extort monies in the name of tithes even as he faced tremendous hardships. In all these experiences, Paul counted it as joy to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Compare Apostle Paul with today's televangelist preachers, Church founders, General Overseers, Bishops, Apostles and Senior Pastors. I saw online reports that Pastor Oyedepo of Winners Chapel owns four private Gulf Stream jet planes with a price tag of over $60 million dollars each. He gave the church two planes and kept the other two. The other teleevangelist also own private jet planes with similar prices. A majority drive expensive posh cars e.g. BMW, Mercedes Benz cars; variety of jeeps, flashy sports cars and even hire limousines if they travel for crusades overseas. Some own houses around the country and abroad. In addition they have very huge amounts in foreign currencies overseas. Unlike RCCG which is focused on evangelism, I know of some family churches in Calabar whose founders use tithes to invest in their personal businesses like building housing estates, sending kids overseas and investing in other businesses. The others too limited to invest in small ventures, decide to embark on expensive universities that their tithe paying members and wards cannot enroll! As at 2015 most Christian universities paid tuition fees of at least N500,000 to 1.5 million naira per session. This is in a country where the minimum wage is shamefully at N18, 000 a month. Even as the interest of senior church leadership is on OT tithes, the teaching that is so obvious exemplary and ethical in the whole NT Bible is deliberately and unethically omitted from series of sermons is the life of the early Christian converts as cited below.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods they gave to anyone as he had need (Acts 2: 42-43).

Moving ahead to confirm this rare lifestyles read the next one below it will shock you to note that

All the believers were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possession was his own, but they shared everything they had with great power (Acts 4: 32).

You will never hear Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Episcopal, Deeper Life, Winners, Redeem, Apostolic Churches or any church that is liberal or conservative dare suggest that community of Christians should sell their cars and houses and contribute to the church coffers. Their thinking is that of individualism like a White person in Europe and North America. Oh it is not our culture, the grace of God will help us; we cannot sell our cars, houses and lands and put the monies in a common fund because we are no socialists. Yet the ancient Christian community sold their assets and other individual items and brought the monies into a common fund! The evidence of God's support can easily be seen when Ananias and Sapphira conspired with his wife to withhold the proceeds of the land that they voluntarily sold. From the interrogation of Apostle Peter, the Holy Spirit killed the couple three hours apart! What was their offense? They sold their own property and kept part of the monies. This was done under grace not in the era of OT! How much more will pastors and church founders suffer for inappropriately deceiving congregants that we Gentiles under grace are commanded to pay tithes? Not only lying about tithes, some divert the tithes to buy expensive air planes, build large housing estates and buy expensive cars or send kids overseas. How much more will they account for the expensive tuition fees and universities they built? How much will some senior clergies account for their ostentatious lifestyles? What about the true use of tithes in our churches? Where is the food in the store house? Is the food in the store house available or is it monies in the banks? Are the very poor fed and hungry congregants assisted? Where are the social welfare ministries for the poor and jobless members of the congregations? These rhetorical questions are for self introspection by clergies and members who have been deceived to pay legalistic OT tithes.

It is so sad to note that senior church founders and high officials forget that the greatest commandment is not the payment of tithes, but exercising genuine agape love for God and our neighbours. If they love God and their neighbours, why not teach the right facts on tithes? Why deceive congregants about going to hell fire for not tithing? Why not teach the truth about tithes and adapt the principles of giving as enshrined in the NT? Sadly again they have automatically made OT tithe to be a contentious issue of our time simply because their interest is in your money and not your spirituality or even socioeconomic condition which is an indicator of your wellbeing. Their pro tithe messages come with bag of tricks and phrases e.g. it is not your money, you are robbing God of His monies, hell fire, not prospering, under a curse for not tithing, blessings are missed etc. Why must hell fire be for non tithers who do not wish to be blessed by OT laws? Does it then mean the blessing is compulsory? It does not make sense.

In order to effectively convey their messages, they unilaterally and illegally merged and also assume Old and New Testament Bible is one indivisible book that has no contexts. They also cunningly crafted their messages that born again Christians share the same spiritual ancestry with the nation of Israel. Seemingly our Judeo-Christian faith must be sustained as they have surreptiously incorporated some Jewish traditions into churches. As a consequence, church founders and their ancillary officials rely on some OT Jewish laws as a backup to NT regulations on moral or ethical matters only to reinforce their preaching that contemporary Nigerian Christians are the Jews of the ancient world! Once these preachers pick and choose financial regulatory laws that they deem appropriate, they add a few OT Jewish laws with anachronistic traditions like annual harvest and a few Jewish festivals as mandatory obligations expected of Christians in the 21st Century! The Apostolic Churches often organise annual harvest events to sustain the Judeo-Christian link! See details of Archbishop Gloria Grace's description of Jewish festivals in her article in the reference page.

Out of fear of ending in hell fire for robbing God, the brainwashed congregants unable to understand the differences between OT and NT suddenly join the band wagon of faithful tithers. The other members not yet persuaded are constantly berated by weekly announcements about paying tithes and openly condemned and judged by some senior pastors and elders to stop robbing God of His tithes. Since no robber will ever enter heaven (Adeboye, 2005; RCCG Manual, 2014), you can guess the emotional anguish that these men and women of God are subjected to each time they step into church halls. In a country where the minimum wage is a paltry N18, 000 and income is generally very low across the professions save for the political office holders and perhaps some high ranking military officers, it is the poor that attend churches more often and it is them that often bear the brunt of these inappropriate deprecations

Realistically since churches like Winners Chapel and their likes link the payment of tithes as a strong criterion to assess commitment to the church, it means that the sudden deaths of non tithing members may not be honoured with funerals! Assuming that were the case, it means for not fulfilling an OT obligation of tithes, the lifelong membership of individuals risk being expunged from the church registry! Since no one wishes to suddenly die and be abandoned by the church for reason of not tithing, Christians' folks have become like National Football League quarterbacks in the United States who are heavily blitzed from all corners by offensive formations of the opposing team. They are apparently confronted by three major concurrent challenges. These are preachers induced guilt, doctrinal induced psychological torture and the annoying challenges of poverty and how to meet the financial challenges confronting individuals. Torn by the reality of stagnant wages and declining purchasing power; no thanks to a harsh economic climate, the enormous needs of sustaining a large family and most likely caring for a jobless spouse and perhaps aging parents must be highly daunting on many Christians' psychological wellbeing. In an overpopulated and difficult country that lacks the essential welfare policies to ameliorate the suffering of citizens, the onus is on the believer to seek alternative means of income to shore his or her revenue; while facing the rising demands of surviving in a difficult world with a worthless currency and stagnant wages.

Given the above trends, clergies are not yet finished as their constant reminders and condemnation of members who fail to pay tithes may lead to some compliance as a number of folks may become reluctant tithers due to fear of hell fire and guilt! Disappointingly the emergence of second and third generation churches helped sustain the pro tithe messages as a significant number of such Bishops and senior pastors often boast on respective pulpits that they are tithers. As a consequence, a majority of the churches have embraced the selective adaption of OT legalistic tithing as evidence of command from God and a pathway to prosperity thereby neglecting chapters on giving generously without compulsion as a basis of prosperity (2 Corinthians 8-9). Apparently their acceptance of tithes as a major yardstick to measure membership and even financial faithfulness remain opprobrious and a sin before our Holy God. A few denominations notably the Deeper Christian Life, Assemblies of God, Redeem Church of Christ, The Apostolic Church the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria and Winners Chapel have made the teaching on tithes the core test of membership and financial faithfulness. Apparently with numerous churches sustaining the tithe messages, it has become sacrilegious to not paying it!

Rather than examine the contexts of OT tithes as pertaining to the Jews, Africans have automatically become Jews by birth! I can't understand this; simply because Abraham's blessings are ours, we have to bear the burden of anachronistic OT laws that are so useless and offensive in this era of grace. Aware of its difficulty to be effective, a few others still rely on the very OT laws that no Jew was able to perfectly obey! Evidentially every theological affirmation of homilies is not on Jesus but on OT prophets. In some churches throughout the sermons, no mention of the name Jesus is heard save for OT prophets and characters like King David who massacred thousands in name of fighting God's battles, yet the name above all names is our Lord Jesus Christ; by far the greatest sinless God to have existed. Without doubt Jesus is far better than Abraham Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel, Job and David and all the saints combined.

Regrettably commonsense will not dictate that we Gentiles are the spiritual Israel through Abraham and the death and resurrection annulled the laws of OT and Jesus impute on us His righteousness which after all can be gained by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 1: 17; 3: 21; 4: 13; 9: 30; Philippians 3: 9 I Corinth 1: 30; 2 Corinth 5: 21). Even as they pretend to be self righteous, the very OT they so love to rely on has already decreed that our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64: 6). Apparently no amount of Deeper Life holiness can meet the true standard of God's version of sinlessness. However the Mathematicians turned theologians Daddy G. O. Adeboye and Pastor William Kumuyi even Pastor David Oyedepo (Architecture) and a few of their likes who did not attend Bible Colleges, but are leading large mega churches try to spin holiness, sin is a constant reality among the holiest creatures on earth born again included.

How do born again Christians manage to navigate or possibly manoeuvre their way around the rising blitz or challenges such as family responsibilities and the rising demands of pastors in churches? There are two factors: one is your employment status and the income that you make, two the number of kids you chose to have and dependents around you. Both variables are highly vital if you understand the difficulty it takes to feed a family of five and take care of aged parents (if at all they are lucky to still be alive); and also meet the rising demands of donations, levies and more tithes. Within these challenges, church founders and their ancillary staff are yet to reconcile the survival of congregants in a difficult country as Nigeria where recession and the reality of low wages and unpaid salaries of civil servants in Nigeria have hit everyone's pocket. In Nigeria some states cannot pay workers without owing salaries. In states where salaries are paid the monies are riddled by overdue debts to creditors as such monies are so undervalued that you will think the salary arrears are meant for ex convicts leaving prisons!

Oblivious of the difficult world we were forced into, church administrators do not give a damn about the visible challenges congregants face even as they intensify soliciting for funds to sustain other wide elephant projects like building university campuses and funding it, building and expanding of huge church halls, buying jet planes for some of their decadent General Overseers and Bishops, the purchase of church buses, periodic purchase of gift vehicles for outgoing and incoming pastors and paying money minded preachers hefty sums to be guest preachers. Given the enormous burden of congregants, it takes the grace of Almighty God and the number of dedicated folks who are rich or are financially blessed to sustain such giving and to remain in such religious organisations.

The poor and exploited may seek alternative centre of worship where tithes are not required of worshippers. Those readers in Calabar can visit Harvest in All Nations 33 Okoro Agbor Street Calabar Cross Rivers State Nigeria. The presiding moderator is Bro Sam number is 08064937788. HIAN is on Facebook from any part of the world you can connect with them.

Conclusion

As a result of spurious accusations that I was robbing God of tithes by a few colleagues at work and in my local church, I became displeased so I had to express my theological ideas by using the Biblical teaching of legalistic tithes to prove my points. I welcome critical rejoinders from any part of the world including from some of my colleagues at the University of Calabar and my local RCCG parish in Calabar CRS of Nigeria. Your rejoinder must be based on NT teachings disproving my three articles on tithes. Our Lord Jesus will never shift the doctrinal goal post to impose OT tithes in the era of grace. Those who desire to give according to the principles of NT should not have any fear of hell fire or retributions for not paying OT tithes. Those who have been legalistically tithing, but are not prosperous, pray for a revelation for God to either increase your faith to tithe in faith or to give you a heart to do love offerings and generously give donations and support the ministries of churches within the limited resources at your disposal. God loves everyone especially givers and non tithers who rely on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I wish you all God's blessings.

CONCLUDED

References

Adeboye, E.A. (2005). The Ultimate Financial Breakthrough, Lagos: Church Media Services

Limited.

Coppenger, M. & Croteau, D. (online n.d) To Tithe or not to Tithe? Occasional Paper Southern Baptist USA

Grace, G. https://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/gloria-grace/040915.html

Grace so Amazing Foundation (2016). The Word for Today WFT 6(26).

Jewish OT laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_commandments

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Imputed-Righteousness

Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG (2014) Sunday school Manual p 63-64.

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