Passover, at least in the Church of God, a time of self-reflection over past sins and actions that separate members from one another. It was a time of recommitment to never do it again, but almost everyone did the next day after Passover, hard-heartedness reigned supreme when the law is used as your saviour.
Living Church of God's Rod McNair is taking Passover reflection a step further. Examine why you don't save enough money to go to the Feast. LCG is getting sick and tired of helping members.
Saving—and Spending—the Festival Tithe: Passover time is self-examination time. It is time to evaluate our lives. And time to adjust and correct areas where we may be falling short. We can ask ourselves, “Am I being faithful in setting aside the Festival tithe?” Over the years, some brethren have fallen into the trap of thinking that saving Festival tithe—also known as second tithe—is optional. In other words, if they cannot afford it, they don’t need to save it. But Scripture shows just the opposite. Saving the Festival tithe is a command that teaches us to have an appropriate fear of God, keeping our focus on Him providing for our needs (Deuteronomy 14:22–23). In “Self-Examination: A Vital Key to Growth,” (LCN, March/April 2009), Mr. Richard Ames explains that we can even “ask God for the ability to give,” and that tithing shows God we “trust and honor Him.” Reviewing that article might be helpful during this season.Then Rod McNair has to treat LCG members as the idiots he thinks they are because they are too stupid to know how to spend their money at the Feast. Even though he and the rest of the Meredith clan used the second tithe to live the high life at Feast sites. Who can forget Lil'Jimmy Meredith bragging about water skiing, snorkelling and jet ski riding at the Feasts in Hawaii? One standard for the LCG elite and another for the lowly members.
Another question we can ask ourselves is, “Am I spending my Festival tithe correctly?” Deuteronomy 14:24–26 shows that the Festival tithe is for going to or using at the Feast. Certainly, that includes the Spring Feasts. If you know you will have enough Festival tithe for the coming Feast of Tabernacles, it is certainly appropriate to use a small portion of it during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread season. Many brethren use a small part of their Festival tithe for the Night To Be Observed meal. On the other hand, some have, over the years, fallen into the trap of thinking that the Festival tithe can be used for household items or other things throughout the year, or as emergency funds, which have no relation to God’s Festivals. Let’s be careful not to stretch the application of the Festival tithe command beyond its intent.
Why talk about the Festival tithe in March, when the Feast of Tabernacles is over five months away? Because now is the time to examine our Festival tithe saving—and spending—habits.
Passover is only three weeks away!
Have a wonderful Sabbath,
Rod McNair
Church of God News is asking if this is Rod McNair's start of no longer assisting LCG members.
Do Rod McNair's comments, in the March 8th update, mark the end of festival assistance? If you are so poor that you are unable to save the festival (second) tithe, he instructs you to do it anyway, and “ask God for the ability to give.”
The church has always expected members to tithe, even when they cant afford it. It was far more important for the church to get their cut of the money than it was for the members to live lives according to what they can afford. That is why it is important to enforce the tithing doctrine, even though there is no spiritual proof that the New Covenant calls for it. How else can the LCG elite live their lives of luxury?