You can call me Jessie but my First name is James:
Robbing from God has always seemed to be an interesting proposition to me. Simply stated according to the modern day interpretation of Malachi Chapter 3 verse 8, if you don't give to God your 10% in the weekly offering basket you are in some strange way committing a class A felony against the creator of the Universe. Thus making you a bandit unlike any other. A bandit extrodinaire!
I can't begin to go into the many, many countless reason's this practice is so wrong but I will be bold enough to say that it is nothing short of religious extortion and deceitfulness coming from the pulpits of these modern day Jessie James pastor types. Now before any pastors out there who reads this and gets their underwear in a bunch, I'm referring to equating God's blessings with any type of a works mentality. We need to abandon our Old Testament mindset of law and sacrifice and read God's Word more honestly in the context that it was written. The Biblical tithe always involved providing food for the priests of Israel who were not permitted to do any other work but to serve God in His Holy temple. No such requirement is needed today because the temple we all now serve is Jesus Christ. It is truly a crime against the Scripturally challenged and an insult to the completed work of Christ and His cross.
There are more honest way's of asking for help to meet the individual needs of a functioning church body. But if you actually believe your heavenly blessings are based upon the percentage of your income you tithe each week than you need to revaluate the meaning of God's boundless grace. For it would seem that your grace can be bought for a price which is nothing short of spiritual goffyness.
Todays standard for the tithe is born of the heart found in servanthood and good will towards your neighbor. In this you will be truly blessed and you will not fall victim to the shameless use of Scripture as a loaded gun pointed at your head each Sunday morning telling you that you have the ability to rob Almighty God of anything that is His already.
James Robert Kessler
Because of Him Art Ministry 2007
Robbing from God has always seemed to be an interesting proposition to me. Simply stated according to the modern day interpretation of Malachi Chapter 3 verse 8, if you don't give to God your 10% in the weekly offering basket you are in some strange way committing a class A felony against the creator of the Universe. Thus making you a bandit unlike any other. A bandit extrodinaire!
I can't begin to go into the many, many countless reason's this practice is so wrong but I will be bold enough to say that it is nothing short of religious extortion and deceitfulness coming from the pulpits of these modern day Jessie James pastor types. Now before any pastors out there who reads this and gets their underwear in a bunch, I'm referring to equating God's blessings with any type of a works mentality. We need to abandon our Old Testament mindset of law and sacrifice and read God's Word more honestly in the context that it was written. The Biblical tithe always involved providing food for the priests of Israel who were not permitted to do any other work but to serve God in His Holy temple. No such requirement is needed today because the temple we all now serve is Jesus Christ. It is truly a crime against the Scripturally challenged and an insult to the completed work of Christ and His cross.
There are more honest way's of asking for help to meet the individual needs of a functioning church body. But if you actually believe your heavenly blessings are based upon the percentage of your income you tithe each week than you need to revaluate the meaning of God's boundless grace. For it would seem that your grace can be bought for a price which is nothing short of spiritual goffyness.
Todays standard for the tithe is born of the heart found in servanthood and good will towards your neighbor. In this you will be truly blessed and you will not fall victim to the shameless use of Scripture as a loaded gun pointed at your head each Sunday morning telling you that you have the ability to rob Almighty God of anything that is His already.
James Robert Kessler
Because of Him Art Ministry 2007
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