The Tithe Question by Brother Eric O. Okhuakhua (Winter)
Introduction
As I begin this investigation into the
controversial subject, which does not only raise dust in the steepled-towers of
Babel, but also seems to be an issue of interest among the people of Zion, my
mind ponders on the question some people asked the disciples of our Lord,
Jesus: “Doth not your master pay tribute?”
I understand from Adam Clarke’s commentary that “this tribute was not a
tax to be paid to the Roman government; but a tax for the support of the
temple. The law, Exodus 30:13 obliged
every male among the Jews to pay half a shekel yearly; for the support of the
temple”. The Response of our only Master in verses 25, 26 and 27 of Matthew chapter
17 is a clear indication of the Christian principle on the observance of
similar dictates of the mosaic codes. However, there are even clearer leads to
settle an honest enquiry into the truth of the matter. It is my humble prayer
that the Holy Spirit will leave no doubts in our hearts as to “what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”, so that we will “have always a
conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men”.
The Truth I found about Tithes and Tithing (Hebrew: ma`aser, pronounced: mah-as-ayr')
I found out some shocking truths for
myself, which denominational pastors will dare not show their congregations.
Space will fail me to lay down everything the way they are. I will try to
compact them as much as possible and trust that the Holy Spirit who is the Teacher
of us all, will guide us into all truth; for in “making many books there is no
end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh”. I believe I am indebted to
all who sincerely seek the truth. I am also fully convinced by the word of God
that truth has no value except it makes one truly free.
Tithe is not
money Honest men will agree that there is not a
single mention of the practice of paying monetized tithes in the scriptures.
Even in days of Christ when money was in use, the law experts paid “tithe of mint and anise and cumin”,
which are farm produces, not money substance! However, modern men think they
have the authority to modernize everything “modernizable” and monetize
everything “monetizable”. May I humbly pause here and ask, “By what authority”?
Le 27:30 says “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.” It is clear that the Lord preferred the
actual tithe to its money substitute. The following verses explain this point. “And if a man will at all redeem ought of
his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof”. How many pastors
today follow the letters of this law, if they honestly believe it? The only
condition upon which monetized tithe was allowed in the law according to
Deuteronomy 14:24 and 25 is “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”...“shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money
in thine hand, and shalt go unto the PLACE which the LORD thy God shall CHOOSE”.
This verse also contains another truth, which we shall look into, presently.
Tithe was meant
to be paid only at the Jerusalem Temple Deuteronomy 12:11 “Then
there shall be A PLACE which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name
to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt
offerings, and your sacrifices, your TITHES, and the heave offering of your
hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD”. Also see verses 5,
6 and 13. This truth precludes EVERY HIGH PLACE on earth that covets a tenth of
any man’s wages. Sadly, this Temple was destroyed in 70A.D. in fulfillment of
the prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our beloved brother Paul says, “I have
coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the
weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more
blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:33-35.
There are more
than one type of tithes According to Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary,
“Every Jew was required by the Levitical law to pay three tithes of his
property (1) one tithe for the Levites; (2) one for the use of the temple and
the great feasts; and (3) one for the poor of the land.” This truth is clearly
made plain in Deuteronomy chapter 14 verses 22 through 29, chapter 26, verse
12, and Amos chapter 4, verse 4.
Tithe is an institution of the Mosaic Law, which
is not binding on believers The claim that “Abraham gave a tenth part of
all his POSSESSION” is nothing short of wresting of scriptures. When text is taken out of context what is left is con. So, if we allow a con to con us, we will be, of all men, most confused! Abraham gave a tenth part of all the LOOT, or SPOIL, of war, not all his possession, as the evil men and seducers teach. (See
Hebrews 7:4) By twisting this point of scripture they hope to establish that
tithing preceded the Law of Moses. Even if they are able to establish this
point, (which I am fully persuaded they cannot) can they also say the same
thing about clean or forbidden meat, animal
sacrifices and circumcision, which occurred before the Mosaic Law? Abraham gave
ten percent of the plunder of battle to Melchizedek, as his way of thanking God
for victory. Scripture does not indicate that Abraham consistently tithed to
Melchizedek. Abraham made an offering. He was not paying a spiritual tax. Abraham
did not pay this tithe in deference to any decree; he was not under any
compulsion or obligation; his action was voluntary; hence, it is different in
nature to the modern tithes of sects, which is laden with the curse of Malachi 3:9.
(Thankfully, Paul says “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, “Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” and “as
many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the
book of the law to do them”). There is no other mention of Abraham paying
tithe. He willingly paid tribute to the “priest of the most high God”, who gave
him victory in the war. This was an act of thanksgiving.
Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the
priest of the most high <'elyown> God <'el>.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God,
possessor of heaven and earth:
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies
into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
It may be of equal importance to mention that Abraham did not use any
part of the loot for himself, but returned them to their original owners,
saying: “I have lift up mine hand unto
the LORD (Y@hovah), the most high God('elyown), the possessor of heaven and
earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I
will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made
Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of
the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their
portion.” Can these men who look to Abraham for mentorship do and say the
same?
What about Jacob? We may not need to
dwell much on that. Jacob only made a vow. Modern tithe is not predicated on a
vow. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me
in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So
that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all
that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee’.” In other
words, if such and such do not take place, I will not tithe. If tithing was a
normal practice in Abraham’s family, would there have been any need for such a
vow? Some even go as far as using the offerings of Cain and Abel in defense of
pre-law tithing. I sincerely think it is ridiculous to do so, as there are no
connections. The first positive legislation on tithes is found in the Law of
Moses.
The inspired writer of the book of
Hebrews used the account of Abraham and Melchizedek to illustrate the supremacy
of Christ and His priesthood over the Levitical priesthood instituted by Moses.
This illustration in the seventh chapter of the book of Hebrews is NOT a lesson
about tithing. It is a proof that Melchizedek (who was a type of Christ, “made
like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually”) was greater than
Abraham, and, by extension, Levi, his descendant (who fathers the priests of
the Old Covenant). This truth is expressed succinctly in the fourth verse:
“Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.”
Therefore, it would be but a travesty
of scriptural analysis to make out a different inference from what the writer
intended. I doubt that anyone could do such a thing and still be considered
honest. There are severe warnings for anyone who thinks “above that which is
written”. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye
diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God
which I command you”. “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou
shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it”. “Add thou not unto his words,
lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar”. “A false witness shall not be
unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape”. “For I testify unto
every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in
this book”.
Only Levites are
entitled to the tithes There is no way now to establish the offspring
of Levi, the son of Jacob, since the record of the 12 tribes was destroyed in
the war of the year 70A.D. Any imposter that lays a claim to a tenth part of
the land should be asked, ‘“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”, according to
the book of Hebrews chapter 7, verse 5. Now, where is the scripture that
entitles you to take tithes of these “peculiar
people”, “the church of the living God”?’ If they fail to produce a scripture, which
I am sure they will, they will be called ‘thieves’ and ‘robbers’, because they do
not only rob God but also men. Honestly, there is no single scripture to
support their practice. (I say these things with pure Christian love, hoping
that all they who are led into this error innocently can find place to repent
sincerely, in “dust and ashes” “and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.”).
But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work
of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive
a reward.
If any man's work shall be
burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Let saints make haste therefore to set
ablaze this straw brick of error. Let it not be once named among us. In this
way, let every doctrine, which is not founded upon the solid rock of God’s
eternal truth be razed, precept upon precept; line upon line, so that there
shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Origin of modern tithing
Now here is the shocking fact. With
all sincerity, there is nowhere in the holy writ where Christ collected tithe
money from anyone during His earthly ministry, neither did the first apostles. Let
those who propound tithing in the early morning church provide the scriptural
proofs. I think it is as anachronistic to search for a Caesar in modern Rome as
it is to search for tithing in the New Testament church of God. So, where and
when did the Christian church start practicing tithing? Since it is not in the
Holy Bible, let us search world history:
‘In the beginning…
spontaneous offerings of the faithful [was sufficient for the church]. In the
course of time, however, as the church expanded and various institutions arose,
it became necessary to make laws which would ensure the proper and permanent
support of the clergy. The payment of tithes was adopted from the old law and
early writers speak of it as a divine ordinance and obligation of conscience.
The earliest positive legislation on the subject seems to be contained in the
letter of the bishops assembled at Tours in 567A.D. and the Cannons of the
councils of Macon in 585A.D. …’ from www.newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm
‘Although
rejected [tithes] were mentioned at Tours in 567A.D. and at Macon in 585 A.D.,
they were formally recognized under Pope Adrian 1 in 787A.D.
It is safe to
assert that no tithe was officially collected by the church until about 700 years after the exit of the first apostles. Gentile knew
nothing about tithing. It was only a Jewish practice. Therefore, it is very clear that carnal men and the rulers did take
counsel together to add unto the words of the prophecy of this book, which was
once delivered unto the saints.
This is one of the things that
affected my trust for the famous Clergy of Mystery
Babylon, that great whore that sitteth upon many waters, and her whorish daughters. Are they not aware
that the practice they shamelessly uphold was formally recognized under
Pope Adrian 1 in 787A.D? The Protestant clergy initially rejected
the beast of Rome (which was wounded around A.D. 1530 through the exploits of
Luther and others) but he himself has “two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a
dragon”, exercising “all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth
the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly
wound was healed”. The “voice from heaven” is still “saying: Come out of her,
my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues.” Thank God I heard and obeyed the voice around May, last year. It is
my humble prayer that my voice may also be used of Him to get all His people
out of this confusion. May this writing “speak, and not lie” like the vision,
written and made “plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it”. Let them which are in the midst of it depart
out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. Flee, save
your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. Flee out of the midst of
Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for
this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
Tithe war
It may also be worthy of mention that
a war was fought because of Christian
tithes. Some European and Latin American governments took over the
collection of the tithe money from their citizens. In Ireland, this led to war.
The majority non-Anglican population resisted the Anglican government from 1831
to 1836. This period in Irish history is known as the Tithe War. How it hurts
to think of the lives lost to what is considered a service to God!
Personal Interest
I developed interest on this subject
in the year 2006, by which time I was still in the Babylonian exile of denominational alliance. The John 10:12 and 13 hirelings,
or the Zechariah 11:17 idol shepherds, who are also fondly called “reverends”
and “founders”, would lay a guilt trip on the congregations with the curse of
Malachi chapter 3, verse 9. (How such a teaching helps them fleece the sheep
they ought to feed, fulfilling Ezekiel 34:2!) I was bothered with that kind of
teaching, which is noticeably missing in the New Testament. These unruly and
vain talkers and deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake, speak
aloud where the Bible is silent. They made me wonder if Christ would stand
before the congregation of believers to place them under a curse because of
tithing. This, of course, spurred my curious mind to an honest enquiry into the
position of the New Testament and the early morning church on the question of
tithes and tithing. This research brought out an unexpected and shocking truth
that made me see the true nature of the Babylonian lords: “evil men and
seducers” who “wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” After my
little discovery I went to the Press to publish my findings, but quickly earned
an image as an anti-church advocate. The honorable ministers of Babel (confusion)
attacked my personality instead of addressing the points I raised in my
article, which was rightly captioned: Corruption
in the Temple (a copy is attached herewith). This is one of the things that made me come out of Babylon.
Personal anguish
At the end of my informal
investigation, I became very angry with all religious leaders who mislead
ignorant people just because they lust after their money. I was filled with
indignation against the “unruly and vain talkers and deceivers”, “whose mouths
must be stopped”, because they “subvert whole houses, teaching things which
they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.” That was when my search for the true
church began. I sought after sincere men who do not hold the truth in
unrighteousness. I found out that almost every church was directly or
indirectly guilty of this sharp practice. Some members of the Jehovah witness cult, who had read my article
and agreed with its contents, tried to woo me over to their Babel Tower society,
insisting that they were the true church I was seeking for. However, the
lifestyle of most of their members who lived around me preached a different
message to me. It was a far cry from that of the saints in pages of the book of
Acts and elsewhere. I was like a lonely voice in the wilderness of River
Euphrates. I sat like an outcast by the river of Babylon. The idol shepherds
warned their flocks about me. This discovery of mine could shake them to their
very foundations. What would happen to their vast religious business empires if
this fraud is exposed and stopped? The lost sheep in their divided folds look
on with confusion, undecided. I groaned to God in my spirit, because there
seemed to be no one in the land that fear the LORD and walk in His way of
truth. I considered the question of the man
of sorrows: “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,
because they keep not thy law. And I
wept much, because no man was found worthy. It was then God showed me the church of God
in the year 2010. In my state of deep disillusionment, I was amazed to hear
from sister Health, a neighbor of mine, that their church was not guilty of
this evil thing, which prevails among the churches of men. I wondered if there
was any such church in the land. Her lifestyle however attested to this truth. My
curiosity led me to make a research into the people known as the church of God.
[D3] This study exposed my hungry soul to “things the angels desire to look
into”. I must confess that the only thing which disturbed my joy at the point
of this discovery is the disunity which the enemy came and sowed while men slept[D4] , that is, after the decease of D S Warner in the evening of 1895. Even
now, I am so full of thanksgiving in my heart to the God of our fathers for the
present move of unity and purity in Zion.
What shall we say then? Shall we delete Malachi chapter 3 from the Holy
Bible? God forbid!
First, we need to understand that the
entire book was written specifically to the old nation, Israel. The first verse
of the book says it is “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by
Malachi”. Even the curse of verse 9, chapter 3 is sufficient to show clearly
that the “whole nation” of Israel of that time is herein meant. This was
written because they were backslidden and did “deal treacherously every man
against his brother, by profaning THE COVENANT OF OUR FATHERS” and “ye are
departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have
corrupted the covenant of Levi”. What is this “law”, “covenant of our fathers”
or “covenant of Levi”? Let us search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Ne 13:29 Remember them, O my God,
because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood,
and of the Levites.
Ex 34:28 ¶ And he was there with the
LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.
And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
De 4:13 And he declared unto you his
covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he
wrote them upon two tables of stone.
2Ki 23:3 And the king stood by a
pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to
keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart
and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in
this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
Space will fail us to consider the
other passages of the Bible that shows that this covenant only points to the
Mosaic Laws written on “tables of stone”, “the ministration of condemnation”,
“the letter (that) killeth”, “the ministration of death”, “written and engraven
in stones”, “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us”, “contrary to
us”, “which is abolished”, which the LORD Jesus “took … out of the way, nailing
it to his cross”. In order words, the law of tithing is part of the old
covenant. “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
The book of Malachi (a name that means
messenger) was written by God's
messenger to the Jews (Mal1:1). At that time, the ancient nation had abandoned
the covenant of their fathers (Mal2:10), as a result they were cursed (Mal3:9).
Whereas, the law and the prophets was supposed to remain till the fulfillment
of all things (Luke16:16-17, Matt5:18, John19:28, Rom10:4, Heb8:13). So the
message was for them to return to the Mosaic Laws, which included the tithe
(Mal3:7). For avoidance of doubt, Malachi did not proclaim a new law; rather,
he affirmed that which had been. He was not unaware of the better covenant
which was then yet to come. By the Spirit of the living God, he prophesied of
our time when Levites would be purged, or purified, to give the right kind of
offering to God (see Mal3:3). That offering is our very lives (100%, no more
10%, which was representative of the whole, like an antitype) according to
Romans chapter 12, verse 1. Christ, our only High Priest, has the right to a
hundred percent of our lives and our belonging. Everything we have belongs to
the Lord. “Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the
LORD of hosts”. [Zec 14:21]
“Sell that ye have, and give alms;
provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that
faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.”[Lu 12:33]
“Just as no one of you who does not
detach himself from all that belongs to him can be a disciple of mine.” [Lu 14:33, Weymouth’s New Testament]
“And I say unto you, Make to
yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they
may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which
is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust
also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,
who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful
in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No
servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these
things: and they derided him.” [Lu 16:9-14]
“Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for
the brethren.” [1Jo 3:16]
“And that he died for all, that they
which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died
for them, and rose again.” [2Co 5:15]
“And all that believed were together, and had
all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all
men, as every man had need.” [Ac 2:44-45]
“The multitude of them that believed were
of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things
which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” [Ac 4:32]
“Charge them that are rich in this
world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the
living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that
they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying
up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they
may lay hold on eternal life.”[1Ti 6:17-19]
“But this I say, brethren, the time is
short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
…and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world,
as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”[1Co 7:29-31]
“Now concerning the collection for the
saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon
the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath
prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”[1Co 16:1-2]
“But just as you excel in everything –
in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for
us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you,
but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the
earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His
poverty might become rich. And here is my advice about what is best for you in
this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the
desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it
may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the
willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not
according to what he does not have. Our desire is not that others might be
relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the
present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their
plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is
written: He who gathered much did not
have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” [2Co 8:7-15]
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap
generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is
able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times;
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work; as it is written:
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the
poor; his righteousness endures forever. Now He who supplies seed to the
sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and
will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every
way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your
generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” [2Co 9:6-11]
Moses said, “thou shalt eat before the
LORD thy God … the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil … that thou
MAYEST LEARN to FEAR the LORD thy God always.” [De
14:23]. Thus, as saints go about in “our earthly house of this
tabernacle”, the knowledge that “we live unto the Lord” is enough to instill
His reverential fear in our hearts always. What more need be said on this? Hear
now our beloved brother Paul in 1Co 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink,
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Malachi said our Lord Jesus
“shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of
Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an
offering in righteousness.” If you truly have been purified and purged as gold and
silver, you will have no problem with the truth that “we brought nothing into
this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” Therefore, “having
food and raiment, let us be therewith content.” The LORD says in John 6:27 that we should
“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God
the Father sealed.” Let us not lust, as the heathens do, after the things of
the flesh, which they think payment of tithes will afford them. “Even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; because that, when
they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened; professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and
fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” Foolishly they perceive the Almighty
God as their “money-doubler”, who is supposed to double their income because
they pay a tithe of “filthy lucre” and “unrighteous mammon”.
The evil men and seducers who bewitch you! (Galatians 3:1)
Hear what Adam Clarke says about
2Ti 3:13: “Evil men and seducers shall wax
worse] They will yet get on for a
season, deceiving themselves and deceiving others; but, by and by, their folly
will become manifest to all, 2Ti 3:9. The word goes, which we render
seducers, signifies jugglers, pretenders to magical arts; probably persons
dealing in false miracles, with whom the Church in all ages has been not a
little disgraced.”
Dr Barnes
commented thus on 2Ti 3:13: “The word rendered seducers “goes”--occurs
nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, properly, a juggler, or diviner;
and then, a deceiver, or impostor. Here it refers to those who,
by seductive arts, lead persons into error. Deceiving.
Making others believe that to be true and right, which is false and wrong. This
was, of course, done by seductive arts. And
being deceived. Under delusion themselves. The advocates of error are often
themselves as really under deception, as those whom they impose upon. They are
often sincere in the belief of error, and then they are under a delusion; or,
if they are insincere, they are equally deluded in supposing that they can make
error pass for truth before God, or can deceive the Searcher of hearts. The
worst victims of delusion are those who attempt to delude others.”
{Strong’s
Greek 1114 goes, pronounced “go'-ace”
is derived from goao (meaning: to wail); properly, it means a wizard (as
muttering spells), i.e. (by implication) an imposter:--seducer.}
John Wesley
equally noted that “He who has once begun to deceive others is both the less
likely to recover from his own error, and the more ready to embrace the errors
of other men.”
Koye Oyerinde, a friend I met on the internet, said “When you tell a lie long enough
it becomes "truth". The same with the doctrines of tithing and
pastoral authority, their foundation is based on greed. The Bible says to
beware of wolves in sheep's clothing...whose God is their bellies. It is of late
that the ministry gift of 'pastor' became so popular. There are five ministry
gifts and even in order of listing, the 'pastor' (correct translation is
shepherd) does not come first until many began to see the possibilities of
financial gain, the corrupted unbiblical rendering of that ministry gift, could
bring. Not too long ago, when most believers were truly passionate for the
Lord's work, the vogue was to be an evangelist. However, this meant you would
have to trust in the Lord to meet your needs, so we hardly see any evangelists
out there anymore. Everyone seems to be called to be a pastor these days. Even then,
these ministry offices are not titles to be flaunted around. [D5] The practice of using pastor,
reverend, bishop, apostle, etc [as a title] is an abomination which reveals
man's desire to make a name for himself (remember Nimrod?). These are names of
blasphemy. Offices and gifts are verbs (sic) explaining what the Holy Spirit
does in and through us and not nouns to be flaunted like degrees and accomplishments.
A gift is not an accomplishment! Even when we do labour (labour to show
yourself approved, a workman...) to be like Christ, the fruit of such labour
would make us decrease and Christ increase!”
Mal 3:5
warns: “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness
against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false
swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his
right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.” {oppress: or,
defraud} (Qarab mishpat mahar `ed kashaph na'aph sheqer shaba `ashaq sakiyr sakar
'almanah yathowm natah ger yare' 'amar Y@hovah tsaba'). Strong’s Hebrew 03784 Kashaph, pronounced kaw-shaf': a primitive root; properly,
to whisper a spell, i.e. to enchant or practice magic:--sorcerer, (use)
witch(-craft). Strong’s Hebrew 05003. Na'aph,
pronounced naw-af' a primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to
apostatize:--adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh
wedlock. Ministers, do ye defraud or
oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and turn
aside the stranger from his right, and fear not God? Are ye adulterers and
adulteresses? Ac 24:16. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a
conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (KJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said,
I'll never leave thee, nor forsake thee... By Him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving
thanks to His name. (Heb13:5&15).
If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God
giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom
be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen. [1Pe 4:11]
Grace and peace be multiplied unto the
churches of God through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
This day, Monday, October 24, 2011
May 31,
2006
CORRUPTION IN THE TEMPLES by saint Eric Winter
‘Trust ye not in lying words,
saying, “The temple of the LORD,” “The temple of the LORD,” “The temple of the
LORD, are these”… Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my
name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your
fathers, as I have done to Shiloh,’ Jeremiah 7: 4, 14.
Issues
Whenever the word temple is
mentioned, feelings of awe and scruple are elicited from our collective
consciousness. Thus, brows are creased when it is aligned with a concept as
mundane as corruption in a write-up. In the context of this article, corruption
is viewed as a dishonest manipulation of a system in order to obtain undue
advantage. In other words, it is the contorting and distorting of a structure
from its original order, especially in a bid to gratify the self. Temples, on
the other hand, refer to physical (as opposed to figurative) structures
designated as places of worship. Concise Oxford Thesaurus lists its synonyms as
‘house of God, shrine, sanctuary, church, cathedral, mosque, shul…’Oxford
University Press 1995 and 2002. According to Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, it
is ‘an edifice constructed for worship of a deity. Features include a sanctuary
and an altar…’ 2005 Encyclopedia Britannica Incorporated. Merriam-Webster
Collegiate Dictionary states that it is ‘a building for religious practice…’
Merriam-Webster Collegiate Thesaurus, 2005 Merriam-Webster, incorporated. Its
etymology is ‘in Middle English, from Old English tempel and
Anglo-French templ, both from the Latin templum denoting space
marked out for auguries; probably akin to Greek temenos denoting sacred
precinct. It is now widely used to describe a house of worship for a number of
religions. The principal words for Christian architecture are: basilica,
cathedral and church. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the use of the word temple
is not at all unusual, but in English the term church is often substituted, and
in Slavic languages ‘church’ and ‘temple’ are used quite interchangeably, for
example Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia. Beginning in the late
eighteenth century after the Enlightenment, some Protestant denominations in
France and elsewhere began to use the word ‘temple’ to separate these spaces
from a Catholic church; 2005 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, www.wikipedia.com/temple and
International Learning Systems Corporation Ltd, The New Universal Library,
volume thirteen, p.303, London, 1967, 1968, 1969.
However, the term temple was used in
figurative sense in several parts of the New Testament to refer to the body of
Jesus Christ (John 2:18- 22, 1Cor. 3: 16-17, 2Cor.6: 16 and Eph. 2: 21). For
this write-up, the use of the term temple is restricted to the sense of a
Christian architectural structure.
This article seeks to highlight the
corruption of the system known as Christianity, in places designated as temples
(churches).
Rising crime rate in Christian
communities
Most people would expect
that the increasing number of Christian congregations in our society today
would translate to a proportional decrease in the crime rate. Reality shows
that the opposite is the case. This should be a cause for concern for right
thinking individuals, since it is understood that sermons in these assemblies
do not support vices.
Could the pews’ consciousness of what goes
on behind the pulpit be responsible for their contravening the dictates of the
sermons? (Jeremiah 7: 11, ‘Is this house, which is called by my name, become a
den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.’) As
the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. A maxim like: do
what I say not what I do may not be yielding the same results these days.
Or what would a lay man make of a situation where he is treated with less
recognition in a congregation because his financial contributions to the
offering box are insignificant? Some would take home the impression that they
would be better recognized as their contributions increase. As you know, some
Nigerians love being recognized in any gathering, and they can do anything to
be. Some even believe that the end justifies the means! Surprisingly the Holy
Bible, which is our guide, does not support discrimination or favoritism on
basis of wealth or poverty (James chapter 2). Some preachers even claim that it
is a sin to be poor! I sometimes wonder whether they are not bourgeois.
Conspiracy of
ignorance (Hos.4: 6)
Few avaricious men have taken advantage of
the ignorance of the majority to actualize their selfish ends. Ignorance
thereby plays an active role in the enthronement of arbitrariness. Ignorance is
no excuse (Romans 1 verses 20 to 22). More often than not, man is ignorant of
what he ignores. The truth is obvious for those who make an effort to obtain
it. People who are misled by religious leaders are cowed by their own
indulgence. The Christians of 1st century Berea had the practice of
cross-examining the Holy Scriptures to validate a preacher (Acts 17: 11). Most
of us do not search the Bible. We even denigrate those who do. It is not a
surprise that write-ups like this are viewed with contempt. The writers are
seen as idle-minded busybodies. People think it is not necessary to delve into
issues like this. Yet they affect our very lives. I must submit right here that
the church is mostly responsible for the ills which affect our world! Need I go
into the gory details of the havocs committed by the church during the dark
ages, the crusades, the church endorsed world wars, human slavery and support
for various anti-people governments around the world and ages? The judgment
shall begin from the house of God.
A deliberate cross-examination of the Holy
Bible would reveal that the system referred to, as Christianity today is quite
distinct from the one found on the pages of the Bible. At what points did these
deviations come? Why did they come? Who benefits from them? These and other
questions are what sincere Christians who are concerned about issues of the
faith should contend with, if we are to allay the worries of Christ when he
asked, ‘Shall I find faith on earth when I return?’ [Lu 18:8]
Temples built with hands (Acts 7: 44-50)
One of the early leaders of our faith
proclaimed, as he addressed some Athenians in the Areopagus meeting, that God
does not live in temples built by human hands (Acts 17: 24). But some Chief
Executives in priestly robes claim otherwise, setting up sanctuaries and
altars, placing sacred objects to elicit the awe of worshipers who are
encouraged to bow down a la objects worshipping. These priests are
distinguished from the laity. (For further study, check Hebrews 8: 11, Matthew
23: 9, 2nd Peter 2: 5, and Revelation 1: 6). True Christians are all
priests before God.
Jesus Christ envisioned a time when true
worshipers of God would neither worship on the mountain nor in the Jerusalem
temple, but in Spirit and in truth (John 4: 20-24). From his speech it can be
deduced that the issue of urgent importance is not the place of worship but the
manner of worship. Little wonder His followers bothered less about building
earthly temples for worship, meeting instead in the houses of members (Rom. 16:
3-5, 1st Corinthians 16: 19, Colossians 4: 15, Philemon 1: 1-2).
These faithful disciples knew that they, not physical structures, were the
Temple of the living God (2nd Corinthians 6:16 and Ephesians 2: 19-
22). Bob Fitts, Senior, in the April, May, June 2002 edition of his publication
Acts asserts that ‘the early Church did not have church buildings. Such
official buildings did not appear until…AD 232. The most explosive period of
church growth took place during those early years when there was no buildings’.
Church administrators on the other hand
insist that ‘the Church of Christ is a visible organization; it must therefore
embrace a visible priesthood, worship and temples. These must be maintained. As
a consequence, the church must acquire property both movable and immovable…’
(Excerpt from www.newadvent.org/cathen/03761b.htm). Some
cite verses encouraging believers to meet, hence the need for a place of
meeting. They, however, fail to describe the link between a place of meeting
and an earthly sanctuary. These days, a lot of myths and superstitions abound
around these structures. Some people hold that the altars are so potent that
they can do the unimaginable. Does that not amount to misplacement of faith?
(Jeremiah 7: 14, ‘therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my
name, wherein ye trust and unto the place which I gave to you and to your
fathers, as I have done to Shiloh’).
Motive - the
driving force
It is important to note that the prominent
factors responsible for the rapid and expansive growth of the early church were
the grasping of the revelation of the long awaited Messiah and the overwhelming
urgency to spread the message of his kingdom. In direct contrast, a sizeable
proportion of today’s church is mainly concerned with boasting of having the
largest congregations and buildings. It is doubtful whether such would continue
if pecuniary incentive was not involved. The money factor has made the priestly
vocation an all-comer affair. Nowadays, individuals claim ownership of churches
with ‘if-you-can’t-stick-to-my-rules-find-your-way-out’ mien. Whereas Apostle
Paul who founded most churches in Asia Minor, did not claim ownership of any.
He did not impose himself on the members as the head pastor. Some of them even turned
away from him (2nd Timothy 1: 15, 1st Corinthians 1:
12-17 and Ephesians 4: 4-6).
Partial rejuvenation of the Mosaic order (Luke 5: 36-39, Gal. 4: 9-11)
Since the church traveled back to the era of
building temples, the need for funds for the project and other pressing
material need of the organization gave rise to a partial restoration of Mosaic
laws observance. It was observed that voluntary contributions, as prescribed by
the apostles, could no longer cover the growing church needs. Thus, a return to
the compulsory payment of tithes was recommended.
‘In the beginning, spontaneous
offerings of the faithful [sufficed the church]. In the course of time,
however, as the church expanded and various institutions arose, it became
necessary to make laws which would ensure the proper and permanent support of
the clergy. The payment of tithes was adopted from the old law and early
writers speak of it as a divine ordinance and obligation of conscience. The
earliest positive legislation on the subject seems to be contained in the
letter of the bishops assembled at Tours in 567 and the Cannons of the councils
of Macon in 585 …’ from www.newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm and www.wikipedia.com/tithe
‘Although rejected [tithes] were
mentioned at Tours in 567 and at Macon in 585, they were formally recognized
under Pope Adrian 1 in 787,’ from www.wikipedia.com/tithes
The law was supposed to be a guide for the
common wealth of Israel, to prepare them for the Messiah who would fulfill
God’s promise to the world through Abraham. The Messiah was to prepare the
priests (the saints) for the right kind of giving (Mal. 3: 1-3, Gal. 3: 19,
23-25). Romans 12: 1 shows that giving ourselves as a living sacrifice to God
is the right kind of giving. Psalm 40: 6, Hebrews 10: 5 and 1st
Samuel 15: 22 also reveal that God prefers the giver to his gift. Right living
is better than sacrifices. Instead of giving publicly to receive men’s praise,
we are encouraged to help the less privileged who may not be able to pay us
back (Luke 6: 34). Our acts of charity should be done unannounced. Our father
who sees what is done in secret will reward us openly. Perhaps some of you have
noticed that some of our churches keep records of tithe payment of individuals.
These records determine who qualify for assistance from the church as the need
arises. This is a way to enforce the faithfulness of members in tithe payment,
especially those who desire help from the church. Good business ideas, that is.
But I think a different name should be given to this form of giving, not tithe.
The tithe of the Bible serves a different purpose and has a different mode.
Much as it is known that Jewish tithing has got profound scriptural support to
stand on, the same cannot be said of the modern practice of our churches.
It must be noted that tithing in Christian
setting is nothing short of an anachronism. There is no record that either
Christ or his followers 700 years after him practiced it. The law of tithing
was made binding by Moses. The ritual laws in the Old Testament are described
as a shadow of the real thing in Hebrews 10: 1 and Col. 2: 17. The early
tithing is mainly of agricultural nature. The tithes were shared among the
Levites and the less privileged. The Levites were not capitalists like most
preachers today: they had no land possessions (Deut. 14: 22- 29). Malachi 3:
8-11 which is the delight of these preachers, amazingly did not define tithe.
This is because it was referring to an already defined and established law
contained in the books of Deuteronomy, Numbers and Leviticus. It has to do with
food. Malachi even spoke about the food (Mal. 3: 10).
Seven
lessons about tithes some preachers would not like their members to know are
that:
·
Tithe payers are allowed
to eat part of their tithes (Deut. 14: 26, ‘And thou shalt bestow that money
for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or
for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there
before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
{desireth: Heb. asketh of thee}). Preachers avoid this verse for reasons best
known to them.
·
Tithe is agricultural
rather than financial. (To convert agricultural tithes to financial tithes, the
value is to be increased by 20 percent, Leviticus 27: 31).
·
Levites only were to
receive the tithes on the third year (Deut. 14:28, Amos 4: 4, Tobit 1: 6-8).
·
Tithes were not to be
paid on the seventh year (Exodus 23: 10-11).
·
Tithes were to be paid
only at the Jerusalem Temple (Deut. 14: 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.’ De
12:5-7, 17-18; 15:19-20).
·
Neither Christ nor any of the Apostles, for
that matter, demanded for, or received tithes from Jewish or Gentile believers.
The Jews had good knowledge of the tithe laws. Would they be made to bring
tithes, meant for Levites in the Temple, to the Church? This is a fundamental
problem for those who preach that Christ sanctioned tithes in Matt. 23: 23. If
He actually did, who has He authorized to receive the Christian tithes? The
truth here is that Christ was not addressing His followers. He was rebuking
Pharisees who, like our preachers, emphasize tithing at the expense of right
living.
·
Tithing was not included
in the Apostles’ letter to the Gentiles in Acts 15: 29. Since that letter
contains the important moral and spiritual code of conduct for the believer, it
is rather disappointing that a ‘weighty’ issue as tithing was overlooked.
Those who say Christ did not come to abolish
the law (Matt. 5: 17- 18) ignore the concluding clause in verse 18: ‘until
everything is accomplished’. Before he gave up the ghost, Christ said, ‘it
is finished’, and the temple veil tore apart (John 19: 30, Luke 23: 45).
But who are the Levites? Levi as a tribe was
chosen by God to represent the saved 1st born sons of Israel when
their Egyptian counterparts were killed in the plagues. God chose and separated
them for himself. They foreshadowed the saved and separated sons of God—the
Church of the first born, mentioned in Hebrews 12: 33. (Also see Numbers 3:
12-13 and Deut. 14: 29). They, like Levites, are to keep their lives free from
the lust of earthly possessions (Luke 12: 33; 14: 33, Acts 2: 44-45; 4: 32,
34-35).
Selective
observance
It is of equal importance to note that
adherents to the law of tithing hardly observe the other aspect of the Torah,
like the Sabbath, etc. There is hardly an agreement among the tithe-collecting
church owners on which day is the Sabbath, between the 1st and 7th
days of the week. Animal sacrifices and circumcision, which were essential
parts of the law, have been set aside. Laws concerning the use of candles,
incense, cleanness, uncleanness and shaving of the beards have also been
jettisoned in the bid to renew the observance.
Some are of the opinion that tithing
predates the laws of Moses since Abraham and Jacob observed it. But they cannot
say for sure, whether Abraham paid a tenth of all his possessions and income.
The questions sincere people should ask them with are:
·
how many times did
Abraham pay tithes in his lifetime?
·
was it actually a tenth
of his all earnings or a tenth of the spoils of war, which he even claimed did
not belong to him? (Gen. 14: 20-24)
·
in Jacob’s case was it
not actually a vow he made to God, to pay a tenth of all his possession if
certain conditions were met? (Gen. 28: 20-22)
·
is the observance of
tithing supposed to be based on such conditions as raised by Jacob?
·
is there any evidence
that Jacob fulfilled his pledge?
If we assume that tithing predates the law,
we should not leave other pre-law practices, which became part of the law.
Examples of these include animal sacrifices and circumcision. Their
pre-existence before the law does not justify their continuation under the new
order.
Sense of duty
1 Cor. 16: 2 seems to support Christian
tithing on the surface. But with a look at the entire chapter and comparing it
with Acts 11: 27-30 and 2 cor. 8 and 9, it will become clear that voluntary
contribution for believers in Judea during the famine, rather than tithing is
what is indicated here.
Some of us give ceremonially to fulfill
certain customs and statutory requirements, with a sense of duty. Others do so
egotistically to promote self or to avoid embarrassment. But some others give
selfishly to make profit, since they are told they will receive more when they
give. However, God prefers selfless, willing, and cheerful givers.
Free will offering, not tithes, is what the
New Testament supports. The saved are to give, not out of a sense of duty, nor
with regrets, but gladly and willingly (2Cor. 9: 7). The hallmark of tithing is
the sense of duty or obligation.
The curse of
the law
Imagine Christ or any of the early Apostles
standing before believers to pronounce them cursed on an account of tithe and offerings!
It sounds absurd, does it not? But the result of observing tithing by
Christians, is that they are placed under the curse of the law (Mal. 3: 9; Gal.
3: 10). Very few tithe payers actually pay the correct proportion of their
possession as tithes. Consequently they live with guilt. But we have been
redeemed from the curse (Gal. 3: 13). In fact the whole of Galatians chapter 3
addresses the issue of observance of the laws in this era.
There is the tendency for tithe payers to
feel proud over their works of self righteousness like the Pharisees of Luke
18: 9-14 (Two men went up to the Temple for prayer; one a Pharisee, and the
other a tax-farmer. The Pharisee, taking up his position, said to himself these
words: God, I give you praise because I am not like other men, who take more
than their right, who are evil-doers, who are untrue to their wives, or even
like this tax-farmer. Twice in the week I go without food; I give a tenth of
all I have) and Matt. 23: 23 (A curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false
ones! for you make men give a tenth of all sorts of sweet-smelling plants, but
you give no thought to the more important things of the law, righteousness, and
mercy, and faith; but it is right for you to do these, and not to let the
others be undone).
Love of money
If you carry a truckload of cassava roots to
your pastor as payment for your yearly tithe as a farmer, you will find out
that it is your money he wants not really the tithe. Owing to the economic
hardship in the country today, some profit eyeing proprietors project that more
people in the church could translate to more money, hence the scramble for more
members among themselves. They are the sole owners of their churches. They set
rules and regulations which are binding on adherents, whose loyalty and
perpetual dependency must be ensured. Like most business enterprises these
churches are incorporated. Members of the churches’ boards of trustees are
often members of the families of the head pastors, who are also the sole owners
of the church. Devout members pay their tithes as unto God. But in the long run
the lot of the head pastors and their families is insured. This is an easy
escape from the prevailing poverty in the country. No wonder the pastoral job
is recommended for ex-service people.
Another striking aspect of this trend is
that members of the church are encouraged to amass wealth for themselves here
on earth as opposed to biblical injunctions in the following scriptures: Matt.
6: 19-21, Luke 6: 24; 16: 13; 3: 11; 12: 33; 14: 33, Heb. 13: 5, Proverbs
23:4-5, Mark 10: 21-27,31, Acts 2: 44-45; 4:32,34-35, Eccles. 5: 10, 1st
Tim. 6: 5-9, 2nd Corinthians 2: 17, 1st Thessalonians 2:
3, 5 and James 5: 1-6.
Is it not amusing that these men would
prefer that you send your money to them as tithes instead of giving to the poor?
What if Christ came as a poor beggar seeking your help, would it be right to
say to him, ‘ho, I have already paid my tithes and dues to the church’? (Matt.
25: 45; 6:1-4).
Tithe war
Did you know that a war was fought because
of Christian tithes? Some European and Latin American governments took over the
collection of the tithe money from their citizens. In Ireland, this led to war.
The majority non-Anglican population resisted the Anglican government from 1831
to 1836. This period in Irish history is known as the Tithe War. It hurts to
think of the lives lost to what is considered as a service to God.
Spiritual
prostitutes
Church members who often migrate from one
church to another are usually themed derogatorily as spiritual harlots by
church entrepreneurs in a bid to discourage the practice. We wonder where they
get such terminologies. Could this be another business gimmick to retain
patronage? In actual sense these men who serve both God and Money are the real
spiritual hookers and hustlers. When Christ proposed the planting of His Church
did he intend for greedy people to set up their own organizations in His name
for their gratification? Christians now meet in the names of their
denominations instead of Christ’s name. There is so much corruption in these
temples.
Cleansing of
the temples
Should I conclude this article by hoping
that Christ would someday act like EFCC and drive out these business experts
who buy and sell prayers and other services in the temples, in the fashion of
Luke 19: 45? Rather than wait for such an unlikely event, is it not right for
all well meaning Christians to add their voice to the struggle against
corruption in the temples?
Before we rush in to this all important
battle, let us, being the true temple of the living God, start with ourselves,
by quenching the urge in us to contort established truths in order to gain
undue advantage for ourselves. Remember that Matthew 6: 33 says: ‘seek ye first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and every other thing shall be added
unto you.’
[D2]You
are starting out this study with some very strong words for those on the other
side of this issue. Doubt that you will get too many to read much further.
