The tithe is holy to the Lord

 

The Tithe is Holy to the Lord

The tithe undoubtedly is ordained by the Lord and it is holy to Him, for it is stated in no uncertain terms that; “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 to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30).

But who receives the tithe, and what is the rationale for tithing? The tithe as it is clearly stated in scriptures is for the individual to come before the Lord and rejoice before Him with his household on the Lord’s appointed festivals, to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. For thus it is written; “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year, and you shall eat before the Lord you God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the first-lings of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord you God always.’

“And if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to bring the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far for you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set His name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses, and spend that money for whatever you desire, for oxen, or sheep, for wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves; and you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and rejoice, you and your household. And you shall not forsake the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you” (Deuteronomy 14: 22-27).

Clearly there is no ambiguity or misunderstandings concerning who the tithe is for, and how it is to be spent. Even on the third year which is designated as the year of tithing, the rationale and objective of the tithe is basically the same. It is for; “The Levites, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled; that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do” (Deuteronomy 14: 28-29).

Therefore, tithing, which is ten percent of an individual's income or provisions are for the individual/s to present themselves and their household before the Lord on His appointed festivals to worship and rejoice before Him. Therefore, worship service in the true sense of the word, is a holy assembly ordained by God, specifically for His holy people, to be observed on His appointed holy days, to offer to Him His food for His holy offerings, and to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness free from defilement, and to stand in awe of Him and take delight in Him and rejoice, by the proper use of His holy things which are His tithes and offerings, on His holy days in order to honor and glorify Him.

The use of the tithe is for the individual to honor and give glory to the Lord by coming before Him and rejoice with his household, the Levites, the fatherless, and the widows at the Lord's appointed feasts. We rob God not by failing to give the tithe to the church, but by failing to save the tithe in order to appear before the Lord, on His appointed feasts to rejoice before Him, and honor Him with the proper use of the tithe, and those attending these festivals, are required to present a freewill offering as an expression of gratitude for the blessings which they have received from the Lord.

For it is written; “Three times a year all males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and at the Feast of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:16-17).

The tithe except for the third year, which is the year of tithing should not be claimed by any church or organization, what should be given to the church according to the law of tithing is a heave offering, which is ten percent of the tithe, and the first fruit of one’s increase for we are to honor the Lord with our possessions, and with the first-fruits of all our increase.

Not giving the tithe which is holy to the Lord to a church or organization is not the way one robs God: for thus says the Lord; “Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God! I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me. I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds, for every beast of the forest is Mine, and a cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.’

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanks-giving, and pay your vows to the Most High, call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” The same principle applies to money for thus says the Lord of hosts; “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine” (Psalms 50:7-15; Haggai 2:8).

Yes! God is robbed of His honor and glory, when we fail to come to rejoice before Him, and by not making the proper use of the tithe which He has ordained for our rejoicing, for thus says the Lord; “… You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. For seven days you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place which the Lord will choose; because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice” (Deuteronomy 16:15) .

The sad thing is that the majority of those clamoring for the Lord's tithe are not even observing and honoring the Lord's annual festivals, their main objective is to satisfy their own personal and self- aggrandizement, what a shame.

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To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The heave offering

 

1.  Heave Offering

What is a heave offering? One hardly hears anything today about heave offerings. This terminology is seemingly lost and unheard of by many: what is mostly taught about is giving a tithe (10%) of someone’s income to an organization, but a heave offering is ten percent of the tithe which the Lord assigned to Aaron and his sons since they did not have any inheritance.

The other eleven tribes who had an inheritance were to give to the Levites a heave offering which would culminate in the Levites receiving a tithe plus a heave offering which they in turn had to offer a heave offering to the Lord as their offering. For thus spoke the Lord to Moses saying: “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: 'When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe.’

“And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the LORD from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the LORD's heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them” ( Numbers 18:26-29).

In our new dispensation however, this principle no longer applies, for the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. We now serve in a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. We now have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat, because, which minister today that does not have an inheritance? (Hebrews 7:12; 13:10).

Therefore, the instruction given to us by the Lord Himself is; “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves: Carry neither money bag, sack nor sandals and greet no one along the road, but whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you, and remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.”

Jesus also said; “And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money-belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for the worker is worthy of his food“ (Luke 10:2-7; Matthew 10: 7-10).

The apostle Paul’s input on this subject matter is this; “He who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?’

“Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than anyone should make my boasting void. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:10-18).

Paul’s advice with regards to the support of the work is; “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.” This is in agreement with the Lord’s concept of, “freely you receive, and freely you give.” Those who receives the Lord's word receives it freely from the Lord’s anointing who teaches them all things, they in turn are to give freely as they have freely received.

Unfortunately, the majority of churches today is requesting and even subtly demanding from their congregations, not evens the heave offering (10% of the tithe) which the Lord assigned to the Levites as their inheritance, but subtly demanding and coercing their congregation to pay the full tithe which is only supposed to be paid every three years.

For thus says the Lord, “At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your produce in the same year, and lay it up within your towns; and the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled; that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do” (Deuteronomy 14:28--29). 

I recall when I was required for twenty five (25) years to pay tithe (10% of my salary) to an organization, had to save another 10% to observe the annual festivals, and from this amount had to give a heave offering (10% of the tithe) to the same organization, and every three years pay another 10% of my salary to the organization again.

But what is the truth about tithing? Do not be naïve, it is written quite explicitly in scriptures that; “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 to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30).

It is also found in scriptures where the Lord is saying; “Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. “But you said, ' In what way shall we return?' “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ' In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts.”

 “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3: 7-12).

Unfortunately, this is the favorite scripture which is wrongfully applied, and widely used to coerce and manipulate others to tithe, and most people ignorantly give in to their appeal as it is prophesied saying; “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord Who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves.’

“Many (not the few) will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Remember, we are to; “Honor the Lord with our substance and with the first fruits of all our produce; then our barns will be filled with plenty, and our vats will be bursting with wine;’ but the million dollar question is how? 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M5T68T

To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Tithing in Our New Dispensation

The word tithe is first mentioned in the book of Genesis where it is stated that; “…Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; He was the priest of God Most High, and He blessed him (Abram) and said; Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he (Abram) gave Him a tithe of all” (Genesis 14:18-20)

The next encounter we have with the word tithe is when the Lord instituted the law of tithing as a means of support for the Levites, and this is what The Lord said to Aaron. “Here, I myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.” Also; “For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the priests (Levites) as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance” (Numbers 18:8-11;24).

And to Moses the Lord said; “Speak thus to the priests, and say to them; “When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe” (Numbers 18:26).

A heave offering, I wonder how many people tat are familiar with the word heave offering?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9QXQ4E

To be continued, stay tuned.

With brotherly love 

Lucius Joseph

The role of the ministry

 The role of the ministry

Since Christianity is one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ, where does the church fit in this dispensation, or the stewardship that has been entrusted to it?

Firstly, in this new dispensation we are all sufficient or competent Ministers of the New Covenant: “Not that we are sufficient or competent in ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Corinthians 3:4-6).

So then, what is the role of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers in the church? The role of those occupying these offices is first and foremost to shepherd the flock of God which is among them, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to them, but being examples to the flock; (1Peter 5:2-3; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:7).

Their responsibility is to equip the saints for the work of ministry; and edifying the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:11-14).

They are to warn God’s people of impending disasters, they are to; Cry aloud, spares not; Lift up their voice like a trumpet; Tell God's people of their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins.

Now the responsibility of the members is to follow their examples not blindly, but by considering the outcome of their conduct. They are to be obedient and submissive to their rule as we have been duly admonished saying; “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you (1Thessalonians 5:12-13).

They are to share in all good things with him who teaches, for If they have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if they reap your material things? For even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

For if the Gentiles (those who do not know God), have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

Therefore, the admonition is; “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages (1Timothy 5:17).

Now I think that this is an opportune time to address the very important but most misunderstood and abused subject, which is the principle of tithing,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M5T68T

To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The fifth integral part of grace

 

5.         The Gospel

The fifth aspect of the Grace of God is the gospel which is the medium by which one receives the word to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the means by which one can be renewed in the spirit of their minds, to put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,

God’s grace can be received in vain if one follows the example of the servant who received the one talent and did not invest it but hid it in a napkin. The gospel is the means by which one comes to the knowledge of the truth, and are therefore responsible to "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27).

Anyone who does not make maximum and effective use of the knowledge they have received, has unfortunately received the grace of God in vain. For it is written; “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:6-9).

No matter what portion of grace one has received, it is grace that trains and teaches us. Our teacher is the Holy Spirit whom the Father sends in the name of Jesus Christ to teach us all things and bring to remembrance all things spoken by Jesus Christ. We have an anointing from the Holy one and know the truth (John14:26; 1John 2:20).

When we do not believe and understand the truth, we allow the wicked one to come and snatch away what is sown in our heart. According to the parable, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19).

But the irony of truth is, “The anointing which we have received from Him abides in us, and we do not need that anyone teach us; but as the same anointing teaches us concerning all things, and is true, and not a lie, and just as it has taught us, we will abide in Him” (1John 2:27).

As the Spirit teaches, our duty is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are not to be conformed to this world, following the Status Quo, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God, and as we behold the glory of the Lord from what is learned from the scriptures, we are to be changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another.

Christianity is one’s personal relationship with God. It is, to him who knows to do what is good, and does not do it, to him it is sin. If one says, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? (Proverbs 24:12).

Each one will be rewarded according to his own work; For God repays man according to his work and makes man to find a reward according to his way. And we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Therefore, if anyone has faith, let him/she has it to him/herself before God. Happy is he/she who does not condemn himself in what he/she approves.

Since Christianity is one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ, where does the church fit in this dispensation, or the stewardship that has been entrusted to it?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Have we received the grace of God in vain (part four)

 

 

1. Jesus Christ

The fourth integral part of the grace of God is Jesus Christ Himself whom not only is eternal life and has granted us the gift of eternal life with all our unique gifts and talents but Himself as the great and Eternal High Priest who extends His forgiving mercies to all who seeks Him.

We have been duly admonished saying; “But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense (the first Adam) many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.’

“For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:15-18)

We have also been instructed saying; “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:5:1-2).

Jesus Christ encompasses all of God’s grace, God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2Timothy 1:9-10).

Jesus Christ is all and in all, for God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him and He is presently seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf as our eternal High Priest and left us with His flesh to eat in the form of the unleavened bread and His blood to drink in the form of the wine for our continual sanctification, redemption, justification and ultimately our glorification, but the million dollar question is, have we received this aspect of God’s grace in vain?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The grace of God' s forgiving mercies

1. God’s forgiving Mercy.

The third integral part and significant aspect of God’s grace is His act of forgiveness. The medium by which sins are forgiven, diseases healed, life redeemed from destruction as alluded to by the Psalmist who wrote; “Praise the Lord O my soul; and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalms 103: 2-5).

 If this aspect of God’s grace is not being realized one should question him/herself and ask why? It is further stated in the scriptures saying; “If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

“You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. ‘Because he loves Me’, says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:9-16).

And we have been given the assurance that, “God, who has called us into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful” (1Corinthians 1:9).

Therefore, if for any reason a true believer in Christ is not reaping the benefits of this aspect of God’s grace, it is simply because he/she does not have the faith and is not partaking of the provisions provided, maybe not as often as he/she should, or he/she is partaking of the provisions provided in an unworthy manner because, we have been clearly admonished saying; “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself, that is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep” (1Corinthians 11:27-30).

As often or whenever one eats this bread, and drinks this cup which represents the sacrificial body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he/she proclaims or makes known publicly, thus fulfilling the purpose for which Christ died, until He comes. Remember, the cup is the new covenant or agreement of Christ’s blood for the remission of sins, without which there is no forgiveness.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Now let us take into consideration the opposite side of the equation, if many among us are weak, sick and many have fallen asleep because the improper discernment of the Lord’s body, what will be the outcome of those who have the proper discernment of the Lord’ body? Will it not result in strength, good health and longevity? Food for thought!

So again I beg to ask the question, have we received this aspect of God's grace in vain?