All religions adopt the Pastoral System where the leaders exercise authority and supervision over the members. The leaders receive remuneration for their services. In Christianity, this is called Tithes and Offering. The basis for this practice is found in the following verses. In the beginning, after Abraham won over his enemies, he thanked and praised God and gave Him tithes.

Gen 14:20 "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."

Jacob, a descendant of Abraham, followed the practice:

Gen 28:22 "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."

The Israelites were directed by God, through Moses, to give "all tithes of the land:"

Lev 27:30 "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD."

The Levites that composed the priests, the workers in the tabernacle, were entitled to the tithes:

Num 18:21 "And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation."

Even after the Israelites left the wilderness, they continued with the practice:

Neh 10:36 "Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: 37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and …of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage."

What were required to be offered to God were: wheat, salt, wine, oil (Ezra 6:9), unleavened bread, fine flour (Lev 2:1), ram without blemish (Exo 29:1-2), corn, ox, sheep, first of the fleece of sheep (Deut. 18:3-4), the firstborn of both family and herd (Exo 13:2), the firstfruits of harvest (Exo 23:19), young pigeons or turtledoves (Lev 1:14), and "10th of the herd that passes the rod (Lev 27:32)."

Jesus Christ saw the Jews following this provision of the law, especially the religious ones:

Mat 23:23 "... ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

Today religious people also follow this law. However, because not all people are farmers who raise cattle, sheep, pigeons, and produce wheat, wine and oil, the tithes and offering is now expressed in monetary unit of: dollar, peso, rupee, yen, franc, pound, mark, guilder, schilling, ringgit, lire, rupiah, baht, dirham, won, peseta, and other currencies. The tithes and offering are used for the sustenance of the full-time workers in the church. The practice purportedly finds support in the following verses:

1 Cor 9:7 "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?"

1 Tim 5:18 "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."

This scheme seems to have been endorsed by the following:

1 Cor 9:11 "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?"

The "spiritual things sown" are thought to be the religious services of the leaders. The "carnal things" are the financial and material remuneration for their livelihood in the form of tithes and offering. Thus, it is concluded that the professional preacher, evangelist, priest, religious teacher, or pastor should live, together with his family, out of the support of the members of the church:

1 Cor 9:14 "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

Also from tithes and offering are taken the expenses for the building of chapels, churches, and cathedrals of the sect or denomination. Any excess is invested in ventures that earn revenue for the church organization. That is how modern churches are run. The leaders and members are extremely aware of this particular part of the law of God, especially because of the warning given in:

Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Mal 3:9  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

In the view of many Bible readers, if this law is faithfully followed, Jesus Christ seems to confirm the great blessings in:

Luk 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

No wonder, people are zealous in the payment of their tithes and offering. The result, all Christian sects witness a tremendous expansion of their operations. Material prosperity is the right word to describe modern Christianity, side-by-side with freedom from paying taxes enjoyed from the government.

This is how many people, with the “letter” of the word, understand the law on tithes and offering. We are only wondering why Jesus Christ who is supposed to be the model showing the way did not preach the way man understands it. Nowhere in the four gospels can we find Jesus preached this law. Yet He said:

Mat 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Neither did Paul and the other apostles, in their Epistles, preach and practice the way Christian sects follow this law today. Paul, the leading apostle, went to the extent of saying:

1 Cor 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

Like Jesus Christ, Paul and the other apostles never received tithes and offering from the Christians of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Thessalonica, Philippi and Colosse the way the Law is applied today. On the contrary, Paul emphasized the value of earning his living:

Acts 20:33 "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me."

2 Thes 3:8  Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

Jesus Christ worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Paul must be a hard working tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Jesus Christ, Paul, and the other apostles preached on the Sabbath, because people then "kept the Sabbath holy" therefore had their free time on that day. Jesus and the other apostles must be working during weekdays earning their living, as Paul conveys in 1 Corinthians 11:1 and Acts 20:33-34.

"I did not come to destroy the law."

Jesus Christ said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill”. (Mat 5:17) He said that because the Jews found Him violating many of the laws in the Old Testament. To them, Jesus worked on the Sabbath day (John 9:16). He preached love instead of revenge (Mat 5:43-44). He seemed to nullify the law on "unclean food" (Mat. 15:10-11). The Jews and the religious leaders thought Jesus was not of God because, in their perception, He did not follow the Law. That is one cause of His death.

Who are we to believe? Jesus Christ who said He did not come to destroy the Law or the religious leaders who thought otherwise? Perhaps, no one among Bible believers today will side with the religious leaders at that time.

The “tongue” of God

Jesus Christ followed the Law on Tithes and offering not literally but spiritually. The bone of contention rests on the “tongue” of God. While God uses the language of man with which the Holy Bible is written, His words however are expressed in parables.

Eze 20:49  “Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?”

Psa 78:2  “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.”

This was demonstrated by our Lord when He told His listeners:

Joh 2:19  “…Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews by taking the “letter” of the word even used it to denigrate our Lord:

Joh 2:20  “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?”

As Jesus was laid on the cross:

Mat 27:40  “And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

The Disciples of our Lord, not relying on their own understanding, waited for Him to expound on His words.

Joh 2:21  “But he spake of the temple of his body”.

Joh 2:22  “When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.”

Even the Apostles could not understand what our Lord meant with His words. Illustration:

Mat 16:6  “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

Mat 16:7  “And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?”

Our Lord was not referring to the leaven of bread but to the doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Mat 16:11  “How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread…?”

Mat 16:12  “Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

While many people read the following, their thought has missed it because too much trust is laid on people instead of on God who alone could expound on His words.

1. Did Jesus speak except in parables?

Mar 4:34  “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”

Where Peter, John, James, or other apostles authorized to expound on the words of our Lord that are expressed in parable?

Mar 4:34  “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”

2. Are not the words of our Lord spiritual?

Rom 7:14  “For we know that the law is spiritual…”

Joh 6:63  “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

SPIRITUAL EQUIVALENT OF THINGS TO OFFER

These are the offerings as expressed in the “language” of God:

Blood of lamb, ox, and ram symbolize the blood of Christ shed on the cross:

Joh 1:29 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

The lamb, bullock and ram without blemish perfectly match what Peter wrote about Jesus as a perfect offering:

1 Pet 1:19 "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

Flour, wheat, corn, cake, and unleavened bread symbolize the “pure word of God.”

All these are food for the sustenance of physical life. The WORD of God is the equivalent for spiritual life:

Jer 15:16 "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."

Mat 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Joh 6:63 "... the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

The “tongue” or language of God as it relates to food is clearly demonstrated in the following:

Rev 10:9  “And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.”

Rev 10:10  “And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.”

Very clearly demonstrated from the foregoing, the different objects of offering refer to the word of God. Now little by little God is revealing what Jesus meant in the following:

Joh 6:35  “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”.

Joh 6:51  “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”.

If Jesus said He is the “bread of life,” He must be referring to Himself as the Word of God:

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Rev 19:13 "And he (Jesus) was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."

But the Jews could not comprehend this:

Joh 6:41  “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.”

What Jesus meant in saying He is the “bread of life” refers to the truth in the word of God.

Joh 14:6  “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the truth, and the life…”

"Unleavened bread" therefore refers to the pure word of God, unadulterated with human reasoning through philosophy. Jesus “without blemish" refers to the pure word of God, when He told His listeners:

Joh 6:55  “For my flesh is meat indeed…”

Pigeons and turtle doves symbolize the Holy Spirit.

Luk 3:22 "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit also.

1 Sam 10:1 "Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?"

1 Joh 2:27 "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie..."

Wine symbolizes the blood of Christ. Its shedding on the cross fulfilled the Testament of Father God in the person of Jesus. With this, the Holy Spirit was made available to the chosen of God. (Reference: Cross the Eternal Symbol for Truth).

Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

The bread, for the “letter” of the word, and the wine for the “blood” symbolizing the Holy Spirit, are the two witnesses to the truth.

Firstborn symbolizes Jesus Christ

Col 1:15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:"

Rom 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Jesus therefore, in His role as Son of God, is the model of the chosen. As Jesus shared the truth, those who believed also become firstborn as He is. They are the greatest offering to God.

Heb 12:23 "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"

Firstfruit symbolizes Jesus Christ

1 Cor 15:23 "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruit; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

If Jesus as model, then chosen to whom the “giver share the truth” also become “firstfruits” who are the greatest offering to God.

Jam 1:18 "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."

Rom 11:16 "For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches."

Fleece of sheep symbolizes the “garment of salvation”

The fleece of sheep is used for covering -- clothing. God speaks of spiritual clothing or garment in the following:

Isa 61:10 "...My soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness ..."

Salt symbolizes the physical life of the chosen

It is the physical life of the chosen that is the show window of their being followers of Christ.

Mat 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

Spiritual Tithes and Offering

Tithe is the Truth in the Word!

In a nutshell God reiterated the law on Tithes to His chosen people:

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

Deu 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.”

God requires the giver or offeror to eat the tithes. From this alone the current practice of offering money does not go well with the requirement.

The symbols for each of the tithes enumerated and their respective significance are clearly revealed. They consist of the following:

• For corn, wheat, cake, and unleavened bread, they symbolize the “letter” of the Word of God
• Oil and wine symbolize the Holy  Spirit
• Firstborn and firstfruit refer to Jesus Christ, the truth

The “letter” of the word and the Holy Spirit are the two witnesses to the truth. Tithes therefore refer to the truth. For details, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/The_Two_Witnesses_to_the_Truth

THE “TWO WITNESSES” TO THE TRUTH

• The testimony of one witness is not sufficient to establish the truth.
• It requires another witness to substantiate the authenticity.

Worthy to note now is the following that is being ignored by many people professing belief in the word of God:

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

“Place” of offering

From man’s point of view, this pertains to a certain location. But to God, the “place” refers to the beneficiaries. Tithes are to be offered to the “priests and Levites” the order for priesthood.

Num 18:28  Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes …to Aaron the priest.

Neh 10:37  And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings…of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

Neh 10:38  And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

In essence, the “place” refers to the chosen of God as revealed to Peter and John as priesthood is bestowed to them:

1 Pet 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

“Eat” the tithes

Further, the tithe is to be “eaten” that clearly points to the TRUTH in the word. The “place” designated by God are the “poor in spirit” (Mat 5:3), the “little children” (Mat 18:3).

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

As the TRUTH in the word is shared, both the “giver or offeror” and the “recipient” “eat” of it. Jesus Christ in His role as SON of God demonstrated following this law spiritually. Before, His Apostles did not also understand:

Joh 4:31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

“The will of the Father” is the TRUTH in the word that Jesus shared with His Apostles/Disciples. Tithe that means “tenth part” was revealed after Jesus fulfilled His Testament of salvation by dying on the cross. Of the one hundred twenty who deserved to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, ten percent (10%) of them are His twelve (12) Apostles that represent the firstborn or first fruits.

Act 1:15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

After Pentecost, the Apostles/Disciples continued our Lord’s work sharing the truth as commanded.

Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

This is what real Christians have been doing. Spiritual instead of literal (“letter of the word”) application of the  law on Tithes and Offering are clearly distinguished. It is this truth that Paul enjoins the believers:

1 Cor 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Act 20:33  I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

2 Thes 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Today, how many people believe the following?

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The foregoing revelations on the subject of tithes are made possible by avoiding the following taboos on matters pertaining to the word of God:

• The danger of trusting men instead of depending on God:

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

• The folly of relying on personal perception instead of trusting God:

Prov 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

• The pitfall of emotionalism:

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jesus showed the Way

Ignoring the foregoing taboos, the following are irreconcilable:

Rom 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Mat 5:17  “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil”.

Man would use philosophy trying to reconcile this seemingly irreconcilable truth. But our Lord Jesus in His role as Son of God showed the Way by demonstration. He followed the law on Tithes based on the following:

God is concerned of things unseen that pertain to the soul and spiritual salvation:

2 Cor 4:18  “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Mar 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

The law is spiritual:

Rom 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual…”

The words are spirit and the body gains nothing:

Joh 6:63  “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

The Holy Spirit “quickens” or gives life to the different objects to offer in tithing by giving the spiritual equivalents, for “wheat, corn, bread, and for oil, wine, etc.” We appraise the following again:

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

Deu 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.

Since the object for tithes is the word of God (wheat, corn, bread) with the revelation of the Holy Spirit (oil, wine) which is the truth, Jesus demonstrated following the law:

Joh 4:31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

The apostles did not understand what Jesus was saying:

Joh 4:33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me…

Jesus followed the requirement:

• “Thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God”

He “ate the truth in the word” as He shared it to His Apostles/Disciples and to other listeners. But the Disciples did not understand this until they themselves were following this law after Pentecost. At Pentecost they received the Holy Spirit who taught and guided them follow this law which, in effect, is evangelism!

• “In the place which he shall choose to place his name there.”

This refers to people who would believe the truth and thus carry “His name” as revealed to John in:

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

• “That thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

Compared with the literal application that promotes boastfulness, the spiritual instills “fear of the Lord” for both the giver and receiver of tithes “eating the truth in the word.”

Futile justification for literal tithes

Paul said:

2 Cor 11:8  I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

Many preachers imagine this to refer to financial matter. But Paul said he worked with his hands to provide for his material needs and was glad for doing so:

Act 20:33  I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

2 Cor 11:7  Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

Paul’s “robbing other churches” therefore clearly points to taking with him what the Christians in other churches shared with him of the spiritual blessings as in:

Rom 1:11  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

This cannot be material or financial for he said:

2 Cor 11:9  And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man…and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

On robbing God of tithe

Before looking into the accusation of robbing God of tithes, we need to know His plan for salvation:

Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me…

The justifications for the “literal” application of the law on Tithes and Offering are now clearly seen to apply to the spiritual.

1 Cor 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

As Paul preached the truth, his life was a mirror of he preached. We read how he worked with his hands (Act 20:33-34) as a tent maker (Act 18:3) providing for his personal material necessities.

1 Cor 9:7 "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?"

Paul saw this in our Lord as He preached (ate) the gospel (the tithes). Did not our Lord tell His Apostles/Disciples how He “benefited from His labor?” In sharing the truth, Jesus gained following the “will of the Father.”

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me…

1 Tim 5:18 "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."

The scheme seems to have been endorsed by the following:

1 Cor 9:11 "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?"

The spiritual application of the law on tithes brings mutual benefit both to the giver and to beneficiaries. After truly being “born again,” the chosen of God acquire “spiritual life” aside from their “physical life.” Not only do they talk about their spiritual blessings, but are also exchanging views benefiting their physical life.

Rom 1:11  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

The cheerful giver

With God’s revelation of the real message for spiritual tithing, a cheerful giver is one who wholeheartedly share whatever things he/she received from the Lord with the end in view of glorifying God.

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

The chosen, in effect, are working towards their spiritual perfection and which is their pleasure.

1 Thes 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s plan for salvation

The image of man

In creating man, it was God’s plan to have eternal companions. That is why He created him “in His own image” (Gen 1:27). God was referring to man in the image of Jesus Christ, a physical being, “who is the image of the invisible God.” (Col 1:14-15)

If Jesus was pictured at a “Lamb” (Joh 1:29), so was man in that likeness at creation. However at the Fall, man no longer was in the image of Jesus when he was separated from the Tree of Life (Gen 3:24). Henceforth no longer was man portrayed as a sheep but of goat (Mat 25:31-32). God’s plan for salvation therefore is the miracle of man’s conversion from goat back to sheep. This is the meaning “born again” (Joh 3:3,5).

2 Cor 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

For God to restore the “original image of man,” He made a testament of salvation. This requires the death of the maker or testator of the covenant:

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

This therefore necessitated God’s manifestation in the flesh:

1 Tim 3:16  (KJV and Bishops Bible) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit…

Everybody knows it is Jesus Christ (Phil 2:6-8) who is alluded to in this great mystery prophesied in the Old Testament:

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

This was fulfilled at the birth of Jesus:

Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Everybody professed there is only One God. However this is not taken seriously

Neh 9:6  Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein…

Isa 44:24  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isa 43:10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

In the beginning GOD was known as the FATHER:

1 Cor 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

What is overlooked by many is that it needs a “miracle” or the “revelation of the Father” to identify Jesus! This was demonstrated to the Disciples when the people at Caesarea Philippi saw and heard Jesus speak but could not recognize Him, by saying, “He is John the Baptist, Elias; Jeremias, or one of the prophets (Mat 16:14). Jesus asked His Apostles/Disciples:

Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

It was not only to Simon Peter, but to Andrew, Nathanael, Martha, the Samaritan woman and other Apostles/Disciples that this “miracle” of identifying Jesus was revealed:

Joh 1:40  One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41  He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

Joh 1:49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Joh 11:27  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

While many people also call Jesus, “The Christ and the Son of God,” they could not comprehend His two roles. By divine revelation, Christ and Son of God are two different roles that are clearly discerned by the chosen.

ON THE CROSS:

FIRST ROLE – Jesus in His role as Son of God was to show the Way (Joh 14:6) to the chosen:

Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

• By example:

1 Pet 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

• As mediator:

1 Tim 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

• Called the eldest Son as model:

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

SECOND ROLE - Jesus in His role as FATHER God, the testator of the Testament of salvation, had to die:

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

• Fulfillment of the testament:

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Confirmation of Jesus in His role as FATHER God:

• Jesus speaking:

Joh 8:24  (KJV and Bishops Bible) I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

• Father God speaking:

Isa 52:6  Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am hethat doth speak: behold, it is I.

1 Joh 3:16 (KJV and Bishops Bible) Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…

For details, click:

CROSS THE ETERNAL SYMBOL FOR TRUTH

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Cross_the_Eternal_Symbol_for_Truth

On robbing God of “tithes and offering”

God said:

Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

After God revealed the real meaning of “tithes and offering” which is evangelism, disobedience to this law would setback the plan of God of gathering the chosen to His fold. This is where God is being robbed “of souls.” And this is the work of Satan and his cohorts.

Joh 10:1  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Did not our Lord command His Disciples to preach the gospel?

Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Is not the law on tithes; in essence is evangelism, to gather the souls that are symbolized by “wheat” in the following?

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

While sects and denominations claim obeying this command, their basis or way of gathering God’s chosen is not in accordance with the TRUTH!

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa 55:1  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

“Jesus Christ is the end of the law.” Truly the literal application of tithes has ended. Christ “did not destroy the law.” Instead He followed it spiritually. We have seen Paul and other Apostles followed it as our Lord showed the way. Today, only real Christians have realized this truth.

Open windows of heaven

With God’s joy for His chosen following this law on tithes and offering, He promised the following:

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

It was in the Great Deluge that we heard God “opened the windows of heaven.”

Gen 7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

With the opening of the “windows of heaven,” great amount of water poured down on earth that people perished and only the family of Noah was saved. Before God revealed the truth on the law of tithes and offering, perhaps many people would be wondering what relevance is this to the subject. But the clue is given in the following:

Deu 32:1  Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2  My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.

Very clearly out in the open now, just as “literal water” killed many people at the Great Deluges, so does “spiritual water” representing the truth in the word we find many souls being killed all the time.

If the “opening of the windows of heaven,” the pouring of “literal water,” was to Noah’s great blessings, so is the spiritual “opening of the windows of heaven” (Mal 3:10) to real Christians’ blessings in our time. This is the kind of benefit our Lord Jesus told His Disciples.

Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

With the spiritual application of the law on tithes and offering, that is, sharing the truth in the word, Paul expressed his great spiritual joy for the salvation of souls!

1 Thes 2:19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? …20  For ye are our glory and joy.

Phi 2:18  For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

The shepherds of God

Tithes and offering bring forth fruits that are actually the souls that God wants His shepherds fill His “storehouse.”

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse…

This is accomplished according to His way:

Isa 55:1  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

In contrast, from the application of the “letter” of the word on the law of tithes where money is contributed, what benefit or joy does God have when this results in things contrary to His aspiration? God does not need chapels, churches, and cathedrals! Never did we see Jesus and Apostles during His time, and after He left them, built these physical structures.  Physical temples are only for the heathens.

Act 7:47  But Solomon built him an house. 48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Does God need Seminaries and Bible schools? Divine wisdom?

Jam 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

1 Joh 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Who taught Peter, John, and James -- simple fishermen of Bethsaida? Who appointed Paul and taught him when Jesus no longer was on earth physically at that time?

Rom 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God said:

Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

It is our Lord who appoints “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers” (Eph 4:11). God assigns this function to any of His chosen at any given time, and under certain circumstances. Nothing is written that these appointees were addressed as such. They are but the “moon” (Songs 6:10) that reflect the “light from the sun (Psa 84:11).” Or they simply act as “speaker system” and provide the sound coming from the “microphone.”

Origin of the Pastoral System

The Pastoral System was adopted from the heathens. This came about when Samuel in his old age warned the Israelites:

1 Sam 8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old... 3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel … 5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

1 Sam 8:6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.  7  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

1 Sam 8:9  Now therefore hearken unto their voice: … and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10  And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you…

1 Sam 8:14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards.... 17  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

1 Sam 8:19  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

1 Sam 8:21  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22  And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.

From the foregoing, it appears as if the Israelites were talking of political matters. Let us remember God gave us His words primarily for the salvation of souls.

Mar 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Cor 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

God will now make us understand His resentment and bitterness on the “shepherds of Israel.”

Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant … 11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Jer 2:8  The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Jer 10:21  For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD…

Jer 12:10  Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

To another prophet, Ezekiel, God poured out His bitterness on people professing to work for Him:

Eze 34:2  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel…Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds … that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

Eze 34:5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

Eze 34:7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

Eze 34:9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

Eze 34:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

Eze 34:15  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

During the time of Christ, the shepherds alluded to clearly point to the doctors/lawyers/teachers of the law, the priests, and the Scribes and Pharisees. Our Lord never saw these “shepherds” feeding His people with the truth in word. Jesus said, “Heaven and shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” And Jesus is the Word, He is the truth.

Jesus overthrew the tables in the temple

The incident our Lord finding the merchants in the temple now presents a clear message that it was not just a story:

Joh 2:13  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

God revealed the spiritual equivalents of oxen, sheep, doves, and “buying milk and wine without money” (Isa 55:1). The temple is not a physical edifice:

Act 7:47  But Solomon built him an house. 48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

The temple refers to the chosen of God:

1 Cor 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Cor 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Therefore tithing taken literally clearly points to our Lord’s “overthrowing of the tables and driving out the merchants from the temple.” This is His demolition of every belief and practices on His words that are contrary to the truth.

The chosen now realize that indeed “Christ is the end of the law” (Rom 10:4) and the literal application of law on Tithes and Offering is an “ordinance” that is against them.

Col 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"

Spiritual vs. Religious Fellowship

Therefore without the practice of Pastoral System, how do the “sheep of the Shepherd” gather together? Our Lord said:

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The “name” of our Lord does not simply relate to His literal name, Jesus Christ, but to the truth in His words.

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Our Lord spoke the word of God in any convenient places, “in houses” (Mar 2:1-4), “by the sea” (Mar 4:1), in the “mountain” (Joh 6:2-5), in the “synagogue” (Mat 13:54). The Apostles after Pentecost, in like manner, went from “house to house” (Acts 20:20), in the “synagogues” (Acts 9:20), or “by a river side” (Acts 16:13).

The “three thousand souls” who heard the word after Pentecost where just like the great multitudes that followed our Lord:

Act 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

• But these “disciples” left when they could not understand what our Lord was saying.

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

• They were only after “the bread they ate and were filled.”

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

• For Jesus said:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Chapels, churches, and cathedrals therefore were not necessary since “only few” (120) truly followed our Lord who deserved to receive the Holy Spirit:

Act 1:15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

The real Christians in our time, because they are only few, following the example of our Lord and the Apostles do not have these physical structures (chapels and churches). They enjoy talking about the word of God (spiritual fellowship) in any convenient places, in a garage, or houses, and opportune time even in parties and other social gatherings.

For a demonstration of Spiritual Fellowship, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Spiritual_vs._Religious_Fellowship

SPIRITUAL VS. RELIGIOUS FELLOWSHIP

• Who is the HEAD in Spiritual Fellowship? In Religious Fellowship?
• What is the presumption in Spiritual Fellowship?
• Can any congregation conduct Spiritual Fellowship?

And many people would be startled to find that Jesus is hated instead of being loved. Click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Christ_and_Satan_in_Contrast

CHRIST AND SATAN IN CONTRAST

• Who would say, "I hate Jesus Christ and love Satan." Or, "I hate truth and love falsehood?"
• Perhaps nobody in his right mind would say that. However, Christ saw it in His time.
• The truth is people do not know what they are saying.

The Christian banner:

Psa 56:10  In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
Psa 56:11  In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Psa 56:12  Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
Psa 56:13  For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

END