The Church of God's greatest con man is back trying to make his followers believe that tithing is a New covenant command. Nowhere in the New Covenant is tithing commanded. Jesus never instructed people to do it and none of the apostles did. Yet, the con men running various COG's claim that is a requirement. They do so because it keeps their so-called ministries alive and for most a paycheck being deposited into their bank accounts.
The Great Bwana to Africa and 100 Caucasians has to rely upon old discredited Worldwide Church of God booklets and articles printed as an attempt to force members to tithe. We have come to expect such things from the Great Bwana because he apparently is unable to come up with an original thought in his head when it comes to doctrines and church teachings. None of it is ever scriptural but is instead cut and pasted from WCG authors.
Also, as usual, the Greatest self-appointed prophet the church has ever seen in 2,000 years got his delicate butt hurt by a previous article here on tithing.
A while back, the anti-COG site, calling itself Banned by HWA, ran an old letter purportedly written by former WCG member Harry Eisenberg opposed to tithing. Here are some extracts:
I was a paid researcher on the staff of Ambassador College for over four years. Generally speaking, my work involved providing “proofs” for the pet concepts and theories held by Mr. Herbert Armstrong and/or his son, Garner Ted. …In January 1973, I was asked by my supervisor, Brian Knowles, to research the subject of tithing. In particular, Mr. Knowles was interested in learning who paid what to whom and how in ancient Israel.
And so I began a systematic study of the tithing doctrine by listing each Biblical verse which in any way refers to tithing. What followed was a study of commentaries, encyclopedias arid various historical sources. The result was inevitable! I came to see that the tithing concept as promulgated by Ambassador College and the Worldwide Church of God was contrary to both the Old and the New Testaments.
Scripture makes it plain that the right to collect tithes was given to the Levitical priesthood in exchange for their service in the Temple. There is no evidence that this right was ever passed on to the New Testament Church. …
Harry Eisenberg
Apparently, there were not enough butthurt salves stocked in the local pharmacies in Grover Beach and Arroyo Grande to soothe the pain the great Bwana felt and still feels.
But are all the claims in that letter accurate?
No.
Furthermore, the New Testament teaches that tithing changed from the Levitical priesthood because of Jesus (Hebrews 7:4-16). Early Christians understood that they were to tithe.
It does nothing of the sort!
The Old Covenant command that Armstrongites look to was an obligation. A requirement in order to gain salvation (along with a myriad of other useless demands). The New Covenant asks people to respond from their hearts. It is an act of worship to give as one sees how they've been blessed. Giving as an obligation accomplishes nothing but hinders them into thinking they have done enough.
The required tithes were in addition to other religious obligations mandated by the Mosaic law including the first fruits, first born animals, redemption money for the first born child, offerings required for the release of vows, the annual half-shekel temple tax, the annual wood-gathering, and free will offerings. F. C. Grant concludes that “the sum total of religious obligations levied upon the people by the various Old Testament codes was nothing shore of enormous” (The Economic Background of the Gospels, p. 97).
All Bwana Butthurt needs to do is look at 1 Cor. 16:1-4 where giving is to be done regularly (on the first day of the week), Giving is to be part of the believer's regular worship. Giving is always proportionate. Those with less give less, those with more give more. The amount is NOT important but what is on the heart of the giver. Giving was always to be done without pressure. Paul asked for offerings to be taken up BEFORE he arrived in cities so that people were not compelled to give because he was there.
The Great Bwana continues:
For those unfamiliar, let me state that the old WCG (Worldwide Church of God) taught three tithes.
That is what the Bible teaches as well.
What about historical evidence?
Well, it exists–historical evidence supports the idea of three tithes like the old WCG taught.
It does not matter that Harry Eisenberg purportedly claimed otherwise.
No one, not even Eisenberg ever disputed that it was taught in Old Testament times. It was a command for the Israelites only. Once that connection ended with the New Covenant Christians were no longer under the command or the law. No matter how much Bwana Bob wants to wave his little arms that tithing is commanded. It is not. That is a fact he cannot dispute.
No one should allow the Old Covenant law of tithing to become a stumbling block. New Covenant Christians are to embrace the behavior of generosity.New International Version14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.Slaves to Righteousness15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!New International Version5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Galatians 3:15 - 4:7.
The Law and the Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[i] meaning one person, who is Christ.17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Children of God
23 Before the coming of this faith,[j] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of Godthrough faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 4:1-7
New International Version
4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Don't get conned by the lies of Bwana Bob or the rest of the COG ministry who command tithing. It is not a New Covenant command. Never was and never will be!
When Christians are instructed to give to the poor, they aren’t commanded to give “the poor tithe.” Instead, they are instructed to be generous in helping those in need (Acts 2:43–47; 4:32–37; 11:27–30; Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:1–4; 2 Cor. 8:1–9:15). For example, 1 Corinthians 16:1–4—a passage often cited in popular circles in support—doesn’t mention tithing; it relates to a one-time gift for poor saints in Jerusalem. 7 Reasons Christians Are Not Required to Tithe
Although the original apostles were all Jews, obligated to tithe under the law, there is no word from them or anywhere in the New Testament that Christians are to tithe under the New Covenant with God. The tithe is not even used as illustrating a helpful method concerning how one may give to the church. The Apostle Paul calls on believers to use a completely different method when presenting their offering to the work of the church. Are Believers Obligated to Tithe to Their Church?
TITHING PUTS THE WRONG EMPHASIS UPON GIVING.Tithing emphasizes your obligation to God; New Testament giving, as we shall see, emphasizes your willing, loving response to God’s grace. Furthermore, tithing limits giving by making a person feel that he has paid his dues (so to speak) and thus nothing more is required, when, in fact, much more could be done. Tithing has a tendency to put a person on a legal basis with God, rather than a love relationship. It’s the wrong emphasis. Why You Should NOT Tithe
Generous grace giving is the New Testament standard.When you say “grace,” a lot of people, unfortunately, connect it with hang-loose, undisciplined living. But that is not grace! Nor is grace the balance point between legalism and licentiousness. Rather grace (as a system) is totally opposed both to legalism and licentiousness, which are two sides of the same coin.Legalism and licentiousness both operate on the principle of the flesh. Legalism is an attempt to earn standing with God through human effort and leads to pride or condemnation, depending on how well you do. Licentiousness casts off restraint and lives to gratify the flesh.But God’s grace is His unmerited favor based on Christ’s sacrifice. The motivating power in grace is the indwelling Spirit of God. The person under grace responds out of love and gratitude to God and depends upon the indwelling Holy Spirit to conform his life to what God requires. With that basic understanding of grace, let me spell out some things that grace giving is not, and then some things that grace giving is. Why You Should NOT TitheGRACE GIVING IS BASED ON ...(1) God’s example in Christ (2 Cor. 8:9). Aren’t you glad that God did not just give a tenth! He gave all. The Lord Jesus Christ was infinitely rich. He dwelled in the unimaginable splendor of heaven, apart from the sin and corruption of this world. But He gave that up, laid aside His privileges, and took on human flesh. He could have chosen to be born as a prince in palatial splendor. But instead He was born and lived in poverty. He ultimately impoverished Himself to the maximum by taking upon Himself the sin of the human race in order that we might become rich (2 Cor. 5:21).Grace giving looks to the nail-pierced hands of the Lord Jesus, who gave Himself so that we might be rescued from the wrath of God, and says, “Lord, You gave all for me! What can I give back to You?”Why You Should NOT Tithe
28 comments:
This is way, way above Herbert's and Bob's pay grab, er, grade (including "feasts"):
1. There is no record of a tithing law before Moses.
2. There is no third tithe in the Bible, only a third year.
3. "Removing" (Heb 12:27) and "change" (Heb 7:12): translated from same Greek word.
1. Feasts (chags)-Ex 23:14-16: DUB 7 days; Pentecost; FOT 7 days
2. Fixed times (moeds)-Lev 23: the feasts; sabbaths of Tishri 1, 10, 22.
Harry was a classmate at AC. Unlike many of the incoming students, he did not come in fresh from the farm. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Because of this, he did have a somewhat unique personality as compared to many of our classmates, but he was always good natured, not malicious, and he was respected for his intellect. Harry had actually spent his summer vacation following our freshman year searching for Charlotte, one of our classmates who had been tricked by her family into leaving AC. As to the tithing paper, he made a sincere effort to perform clean sheet research on the tithing issue, and this came at a time when other issues such as the church's divorce and remarriage policies were being revisited. Knowing Harry, he would never have done a rubber stamp job. That wasn't within his dna. The conclusions by which he stood required a great deal of courage.
I recall being in the AC Gym for Friday night Bible Study and hearing GTA lampoon Harry after reviewing his paper. It wasn't pretty. He actually questioned Harry's mental health and sanity. Imagine Harry having to show up at work Monday morning and facing the fallout from that! In spite of all the changes during the mid 1970s, it was not a completely warranted assumption that because the church was reversing itself on divorce and remarriage, and cosmetics, that they would do the same with tithing. The door for loosening did not work like that, no matter how strong the proofs. The D&R changes, in theory, would actually bring more tithe-paying members into the church. Ditto makeup. Harry's conclusions, if seriously considered, heeded, and implemented, would undoubtedly have reduced the income stream for the church.
Harry became a folk hero for many of us who were hoping for massive reform and correction, and were avidly reading Ambassador
Reports in the aftermath of the Great Disappointment of 1975. I have no idea how he found the courage to stand up to HWA and GTA. I wouldn't have. I walked away, below the radar, without confronting so much as a local elder. Don't know where Harry landed, but I hope he has had the good life which he deserved.
Stop the steal. Take the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Class. You meet once a week for 9 weeks & pay $100? You will destroy debt by cutting up credit cards and direct where your money is going. It is very common sense. You can have a nice retirement and leave an inheritance for your children and grandchildren. The Bible condemns debt so any leader that tells you to put money on credit cards does not represent God.
No one has ever been hired by a poor person. God does not want us poor finally.
I would give all my tithes to a no kill pet shelter protecting God's creation where animals give love back
before giving them to the abusive manipulative Armstrong cults & offshoots.
Jesus said that where your heart is, there you treasure will be. How we spend our time and money (treasure) is a reflection of what we truly value. How do you get people to give more? Help them to value what is truly important in life and the money and time will follow. When the WCG stopped demanding tithes, the income dropped. This tells you what the people valued about the "work of God."
Only Isrealites where required to tithe, it didn't apply to Gentiles. The tithes where to be paid to the Levitical preisthood. And the tithes where to be paid in the form of agricultual products not currency. So unless you are a farmer who is Jewish and there is a Levitcal preist hood that is in existence you are not required or obligated to tithe. Religious leaders wrongly preach that because tithing was commanded in the O.T. that it is also required in the N.T. and somehow the Christian ministry is just a carry-oVer of the O.T.Levitical preisthood, that N.T. Christains are still required or obligated to thithe. The O.T. Tithing command is totally taken out of context and used by religiuos leaders to wrongfully extract large sums of money from the sheep. Shame on them!
I forgot, let me add to my previous post. As was preached in the WCG the idea that if you send "God" 10% of your hard earned income he will bless you so that you will somehow recieve more then the 10% back from him in the form of blessing is totally unprovable. The fact is it just makes you 10% poorer!
For those who still want to "give a tithe" , here is a work around.
Buy a $1 million life insurance policy, and name your favorite cult as a beneficiary. Transamerica has a 20 year term policy available for about $30 a month. Church gets more than 10% of your lifetime earnings after you croak, and you get the use of your money while still living.
In his latest broadcast, Gerald Flurry has cut back his Ming the Merciless beard. He looks normal now.
5:22, wrong on points #1-3, and you omitted LGD in point #4, and Tishri 15 in point #5.
How long are you people going to keep blaspheming Christ and the law?
That priesthood (and law) that you want to remove (the Levitical) is the one that paid tithes to Melchizedek (the Christian) originally. (Heb 7:9) What? Abraham just dreamed up an arbitrary percentage?? Whether you use "change" or "removal" in Heb 7:12 it doesn't change or remove the fact that the Melchizedekian priesthood is still better and exists in heaven and earth (Heb 7:8). And if it exists, you have an obligation to it, esp since the Levitical one didn't save you from your sins. If the Pharisees were not to "leave off" tithing as the Lord said, how much more is the Christian? (Mt 23)
Why are you so violently against the commandments that you don't like, even though you say, "We worship the Lord every day (and don't need sabbaths)", and, "We give freely every day and every week (but don't you dare ask us for 10%)."
If you are so in love with God's grace and cheerful voluntary giving, why are you so violently against the commandments, since you apparently don't mind giving more than 10-30% of your income from resources that God formed from the beginning, and over which He has the right of ownership as much as your redeemed soul?
(Re Heb 7:12 and 12:27, as I said, your assertion doesn't change anything. If you want to "remove" the Levitical priesthood and tithing you are changing things, which is what the Lord did. This still doesn't change the fact that the prototypical Melchizedkian/Christian priesthood is now in charge, which held the original right to receive tithes. This fact you cannot refute. As for what traditional Christianity believes it is as much irrelevant as it is divided and powerless.)
Look at Mt 22:21, ye hypocrites. If Caesar threatens your life if you don't pay taxes to him, you submit. But if God asks for a certain perecentage, you don't want to give it to Him? What? Caesar issues imperatives but God doesn't?
Don't worry folks, it appears that all Herb's prophesies will soon be invalidated. That will destroy all these dumb cults.
What did Herb say? That we will NOT be fighting Russia.
As reported on the Duran, we seem to be creeping inexorably towards a situation where US troops will be fighting Russia in Ukraine. The counter offensive is failing miserably. Poland will probably go in next and lose. They have already lost their best troops who have been fighting in Ukranian uniforms. Only the USA has a chance to kick Russia out of Ukraine. Expect a USA-Russia war. What will Bob say then?
Gerald Flurry looks normal? LAMO.
Yikes Anon @ 9:22. Clearly God has not yet removed the veil of Moses that covers your eyes and prevents you from understanding the New Covenant.
Fantastic article! Concerning our littlest false prophlet of all, me thinks he is really feeling the pinch of the recent defections. This reeks of desperation (not unusual for Bob) of a man who knows he has lost control, both financially and mentally of his membership of 100 deceived Caucasians.
Note to Bob: just once, stop reading bible verses and start reading bible passages. Most of the time they end up saying the polar opposite of what it would appear. Your proof texting model only betrays your ignorance of Scripture and desire to emulate HWA above all else, biblical truth be damned! Before the cash flow totally dries up, please splurge on new curtains. Between your flailing, flapping hands and those hideous curtains, people's eyes are totally overloaded and they can't concentrate on your brilliant, deep, complete grasp of all things biblical. :-)
HWA taught us that following what you outlined, and all his other teachings, was why God revealed to him, and through him to us, our forgotten identity and the meanings of end time prophecies from the books of Daniel and Revelation.
If he had been correct, we would have gone to Petra in 1972, would have risen to meet Christ sometime in 1975, and we would now be 48 years into the Millennium. He literally linked the fulfillment of the prophecies to the things which he taught us to obey. One was a dorect function of the other! What he told us that God had revealed to him clearly failed. Therefore, he obviously missed the right combination in teaching us what must be obeyed. God had not revealed that to him either! There is nothing but confusion in COGdom today. Stalwarts still believe that it was only the math which HWA got wrong, The fact that someone even felt as if they had to do some math proves that HWA and his lackeys did not have two way communication with God. They were obviously attempting to figure it out on their own. God would have revealed that it is on such and such date at so and so o'clock that My Son will return! And, it would have happened. I'm sorry, friend, but the old wineskins have burst! The man to whom you looked for your spiritual guidance was a fraud.
Anonymous Sunday, June 11, 2023 at 9:22:00 AM PDT,
Abraham was returning from rescuing his nephew and defeating Kedorlaomer and his allies when Melchizedek came out and blessed him. As a consequence of this blessing, we read: "Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered." (See Genesis 14) In other words, this was a gift of gratitude - NOT the payment of an obligation!
Was the Torah commandment about tithing based on this gift of Abraham? Probably. God doesn't need our resources. Hence, any amount which would have been designated would have had an air of arbitrariness. And, as with most things related to Torah, the tithing designated to support the Levitical priesthood was a very practical remedy for that purpose. The agriculturally based economy of ancient Israel would contribute the tenth part of the INCREASE of their produce and livestock - NO wages - NO money! Now, of course, there were many offerings of gold, silver, bronze, and other materials precious to the ancients; but the tithe was clearly based on the results of their agricultural industry.
Of course, there were a number of things that were implied in the Torah system of the tithe: 1) Land ownership was assumed, 2) Livestock and seed were assumed, and 3) the housing, feeding, and clothing of the farmer and his family was assumed (In other words, those costs were NOT considered part of the INCREASE). Hence, we can see that it would be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to duplicate these circumstances and assumptions in the Twenty-first Century. We must not forget that this system was designed for a particular people, time, and place. Thus, while we could conceivably adopt the principle of ten percent, our practice of that principle would necessarily bare little resemblance to the system envisioned by Torah.
Finally, I know that this has been a particularly difficult concept for Armstrongites to absorb, but Christians are NOT obligated to observe the dos and don'ts of Torah. Christ's disciples are operating under a New Covenant with better terms and promises. Yes, God loves a cheerful giver, and "He" clearly expects "His" people to encourage and support each other. Nevertheless, what each person contributes to that effort is a PERSONAL decision and is ENTIRELY between that person and their Creator. God's imperative is that we love "Him" and each other - PERIOD!
Meanwhile tithes somehow continue to go to these TV stations or that stations without boldly preaching against this or that. Instead of just using the internet.
Meanwhile tithes go to hotel places instead of having your own local church buildings. This will be a problem when "persecution comes" or other epidemics occur.
Meanwhile members have to use their 2nd tithes to go to a feast to these expensive hotel room rates just for a week instead of just using tents or booths or not having a local church building).
Meanwhile the economy is failing and inflation is insane right now. As a "member" I don't care about any more booklets being produced, heck I can produce a great booklet just like them. You don't see any of the fruits on a local level.
Aw, c'mon, guys! Beto needs those tithes so that he can build his campus, and have his plane!
I'd love to read Harry's report. Not that I'm necessarily against the tithing concept but I love a underdog hero. The needs to be more Harry's in the Church.
What an berk Garner Ted was at times. Frightened of his income stream being ended so went on the attack no doubt. Did he attack Harry's report in private ? No as public as it could be so to ruin Harry's reputation. That still goes on to this day. Berk behaviour.
TITHING to Fraudsters
After the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in January 1986, and especially since the Great Apostasy of January 1995 in the Worldwide Church of God, all sorts of splinter groups have arisen, with all sorts of false prophets and other con-artists trying to get their hands on the people's money. They want the people to GIVE generously to them while they remain firmly on the GETTING side of the relationship.
All of HWA's other teachings are open to being edited, changed, deleted, and added to by these self-appointed leaders, but the tithing idea is kept.
That's what I always thought. But we are led to believe that paying one, two and three tithes will enable you to live your life in style, with big beautiful houses and beautiful new cars. I'm still trying to do the math, and it still doesn't work. I must be missing something.
True, God does not want us to be poor. But he may cause/allow you to become poor if that is the only way of humbling you to repent.
He must have shaved off his goatee. The Bible forbids the wearing of goatees. See Lev 19:26-27
Here's my challenge to Bob: stop tithing for awhile, and tell us what happens. If he then loses everything and ends up on the street, we have a basis for a dialog. Then, start tithing again and, if God restores his fortunes, I'll be convinced. Think he'd go for that deal?
Amen to that.
'Not by power nor by might .... but by my tithes!
Yes, if they could agree on anything, it would be your money.
Sure I’ll tithe again, if all the splinter groups merge back together again. 🤔
The world is full of all sorts of lying, thieving CROOKS who try to tell you that they are God's representative on planet Earth, that your money belongs to God, and that you must hand your money over to them.
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