THE TRIAL OF PASTOR JONES: The Truth About Tithe.

THE TRIAL OF PASTOR JONES.

The Truth About Tithe:

 Judge: Mr. Jones you have been charged with multiple counts of extortion. Your crime spree covers 20 years, with thousands of victims. You have defrauded people out of their money with fear and manipulation, telling them they had to tithe, 10% of their income, as per the LAW, to your registered organization (called Church) and that God would bless them if they did. You also told them that if they didn't pay the tithe, God would curse them.

 How do you plead? Mr Jones!

 Mr. Jones: I plead not guilty your Honor.

 I have done nothing wrong. I have only preached what the Bible says. In the Bible, Abraham paid tithe  to Melchizedek, and God blessed him for his faithful giving. The Bible even says he was rich in silver and gold!!!

 Judge: Is it not true, Mr. Jones, that in Genesis chapter 13 verse 2, the Bible says Abraham was already rich with livestock, silver and gold?

 Mr. Jones: Yes, you are exactly right, that's what I just told you.

 Judge: OK, we read about Abraham being a rich man in chapter 13. Is it not until Genesis chapter 14 that we read about Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek? Abraham was already a rich man before he paid the tithe  to Melchizedek, wasn't he?

 Mr. Jones: Yes, I suppose you are right. My Lord!

 Judge: So his riches were not because he paid tithe to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: No. Not because he paid tithe, sir, Your Honor!

 Judge: Mr. Jones, you also said that God blessed him for his faithfulness in giving, to Melchizedek . How many times was it recorded that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: Well, just once. Your Lordship!

 Judge: So the Bible never said that he gave week after week? The Bible did not say, also, that Abraham paid monthly tithes to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: No it does not. My Lord!

 Judge: Where did Abraham get the things that he gave to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: Well, the Bible says it was from the plunders of war?

 Judge: So you are telling me that he gave from the plunders of war?

 Mr. Jones: Yes that's what the Bible says. My Lord!

 Judge: So he basically took things that were not really his, in the first place, and gave them as the tithe?

 Mr. Jones: That is what the scripture seems to indicate. Your Honor!

 Judge: Is it recorded that he ever took anything from his own possessions, and paid them to Melchizedek or anyone else, as tithe?

 Mr. Jones: I guess not, my Lord!

 Judge: You "guess" not, you are a teacher of people, and you are only guessing? Is it or is it not written that he ever gave any of his own possessions as a tithe to anyone?

 Mr. Jones: No it was not written anywhere that I have seen. My Lord!

 Judge: Is it recorded as to what exactly Abraham did give to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: I believe it says plunder?

 Judge: So plunder could be any number of things?

 Mr. Jones: Yes, I suppose. Your Honor!

 Judge: It could have been food, cattle, sheep, the people's possessions or any number of things. It does not say it was all money, correct?

 Mr. Jones: Yes you are correct, it does not say just money! Your Honor!

 Judge: As a matter of fact money was never mentioned in that account at all, was that correct Mr. Jones?

 Mr. Jones: Yes your Honor, money was never mentioned just goods and food and people.

 Judge: So there is no way you can say with any certainty that Abraham in fact gave Melchizedek any money, at all?

 Mr. Jones: That is right. My Lord.

 Judge: I only have one last question for you Mr. Jones. Did God command Abraham to give this plunder, tithe, to Melchizedek?

 Mr. Jones: No, it appears that he did this voluntarily. Yes, Your Honor, by his own volition!

 Judge: So are you trying to tell me that because of this voluntary, one time gift by Abraham, that may not have even consisted of money, all Christians everywhere are obligated to bring 10% of their weekly paycheck to a local registered organization-church?

 Considering all the evidence, I would say you are, beyond any shadow of a doubt, guilty of deliberately trying to make the scriptures say things they have not said, for your financial gains. 

 Mr. Jones: Ok your Honor, I can see how foolish I was, to try and use the story of Melchizedek to get the people to pay tithe, money. But there are many other verses that will support my belief on tithing: Jacob said he would give God 10% of everything. I think we should follow his example.

 Judge: Let's see what Jacob said. Please read the verse you are talking about for me Mr. Jones.

 Mr. Jones: In Genesis chapter 28 starting at verse 20 it says. 'Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you." '

 Judge: You said we should follow Jacobs example, is that right Mr. Jones?

 Mr. Jones: Yes that is right, Your Honor, he vowed to give a tenth and we should, too!

 Judge: Let me point out one thing to you Mr. Jones. Jacob said he would Give God a tenth, ONLY if He blessed him first. So as you said previously, we should follow Jacob's example and tell God that we will only give him a tenth if he blesses us first. Is that right?

 Mr. Jones: That is not what I meant. My Lord!

 Judge: What did you mean, then?

 Mr. Jones: That we should give God a tenth also. As Jacob did. Your Lordship!

 Judge: There you go again, trying to make the scripture say what you want it to say, for your benefit. I would also like you to tell me the scriptures that say that Jacob kept his vow with God. I would also like to know where he paid the tenth, because there was no Temple, no Levites, to give it to, at that time. As in Hebrews chapter seven verse five.

 Mr. Jones: I can not think of any scriptures that say where or if he ever paid the tithe after his vow. Your Honor!

 Judge: It seems fairly obvious to me that Jacob made a voluntary, and conditional vow to God. This in no way can be used as a reason to demand others to bring their income to you or any other place. Right?

 Mr. Jones: Your Lordship, I do have a few more scriptures, that I believe will show that we are supposed to pay  tithe.

 Judge: You have not said anything yet to convince me a little bit, that people are obligated to tithe money to the local organizational institutions -churches, and that you were justified in what you were doing. You have taken scripture and misapplied it to your beliefs and for your gain. But in order to be fair to you I will allow you to present more evidence.

 Mr. Jones: In the book of Malachi chapter 3 starting at verse 8 it says, "will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, In what have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now with this, 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." So you see your Honor, we are commanded to bring the tithes into the storehouse or God will curse us.

 Judge: Answer me this Mr Jones, Who was God Speaking to here?

 Mr Jones: To the People of Israel

 Judge: Can you please read Malachi 2: 1 Please Mr Jones

 Mr Jones: "Now This command is for you O PRIEST !!"

 Judge: Was God not talking to the Priest in chapter Two? In chapter Three from verse Six, was God not speaking specifically to the "Children of Jacob", in the flesh, Mr Jones?

 Mr Jones: You are right, your Honor!

 Judge: Answer me this Mr. Jones, were you aware that God never required anyone to pay tithe, with  money?

 Mr. Jones: No I didn't know that.

 Judge: The tithe spoken of here was always edible products, and not money!!!

 Mr. Jones: Well, your Honor, that was because they didn't have money at the time, so God had them tithe food instead.

 Judge: Not true!!! Money was first mentioned in Genesis, and Malachi was written hundreds of years later. God had them bring food in, so that the Levites, the Fatherless, the Strangers, and the Widows may eat and be satisfied. The tithe was used mainly to take care of people. Also notice it says in the verse you quoted, that there may be food in my house." The food was the tithe. How do you completely overlook the word "food", in those verses?

 Mr. Jones: I don't know, your Honor.

 Judge: I also want you to know that these verses speak to the nation of Israel, under the Old Testament law. Because, God gave them a Land of Canaan. The payment of tithes was because of the Land of Canaan. Leviticus chapter twenty seven verses thirty to thirty four. As you may or may not know Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law. The Law is no longer binding, on the Israelites, even on Christians as well.

 Once again you have tried to completely taken a scripture out of it's context and applied it to others, for your financial  benefit. Can you give me a single scripture where God changed the tithe from food to money?

 Mr. Jones: I do not know of any. My Lord!

 Judge: So if God never changed it from food to money who did?

 Mr. Jones: Man must have. Your Honor!

 Judge: So far, Mr. Jones, you have taken the Old Testament scriptures out of it's context and you applied  it to Believers under the New Covenant. Is this all the proof you have? Mr Jones?

 Mr. Jones: I do have a New Testament scripture that will show you, my Lord, that Jesus told us to pay tithe!

 Judge: OK, let me hear it.

 Mr. Jones: Jesus said in Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone." See, Your Lordship, Jesus said we should be tithing.

 Judge: Let me ask you a question, who was Jesus talking to?

 Mr. Jones: Your Honor. The scripture says "the Scribes and Pharisees."

 Judge: Are you a Scribe or a Pharisee?

 Mr. Jones: Of course not. My Lord!

 Judge: Jesus also said in that passage, "you have left undone the weightier matters of the law." Are Christians under the Law of Moses, Mr. Jones?

 Mr. Jones: No! My Lord

 Judge: Why not?

 Mr. Jones: Because Jesus Christ had fulfilled the Law!!!

 Judge: When did Jesus fulfilled the Law?

 Mr. Jones: When He was crucified. Your Honor. 

 Judge: So the law was still in effect until Jesus' death?

 Mr. Jones: That is correct. My Lord.

 Judge: I think you know where I am going with this, don't you? Mr. Jones?

 Mr. Jones: Yes your Honor. Since Jesus had not yet been crucified and the Law was still binding, the Pharisees were required to tithe because it was part of the Law. Once the Law ended, tithing ended also.

 Judge: Yes, even the priesthood of the Old Testament was changed. There is a new priesthood of the New Testament. Hebrews chapter seven verses eleven, and twelve. I want you to take a look at that verse twenty three of Matthew twenty three, again. Also tell me, what were they tithing?

 Mr. Jones: The scripture says it was mint, cumin, and anise! My Lord.

 Judge: Was Money mentioned?

 Mr. Jones: No, it was not. Your Honor.

 Judge: Once again, it was the edible products, that they were tithing, and not Money. Do you have anything else you would like to say?

 Mr. Jones: If people were to tithe only edible products, like the scripture says, then how would the church survive? We have our Mortgage payment, Utility bills, Staff salaries  and a host of other things that we have to pay each week. We depend on the money from the people, to survive. How will I feed my Family, as a Minister of God? We feed on tithes, my Lord!!!

 Judge: By "church" you mean your organization isn't it Mr Jones ?

 -The need does not justify the means. In other words, just because you have all these bills, to pay, does not give you the right to twist and manipulate scriptures and cause people to give to you, under fear of being cursed by God, to meet your needs. Does It Mr Jones?

 In closing, let me recap a few things for you Mr. Jones.

 -The tithe in the Bible, was never money;

 -The tithe was an Old Testament law, which is no longer binding. When it was binding the tithe was used to take care of people, not buildings. Galatians 3vs10, 19, 23-27; 5v4.

 - We are under a New Covenant of Christ now. Colossians 2vs13-23.

 Paul instructs the Corinthian believers how they are to give. In chapter sixteen verses one, and two.  He says in second Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7, Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. So each believer is supposed to give as he or she has determined in his or her heart. God did not determine the percentage anymore, but the required attitudes of giving. 2Corinthians 8v5, 12.

 Christians give only on the first day of the week, willingly, and freely. With the liberty to determine the value of the quantity. If you are trying to make people give under the threat of being cursed or any other reason even blessing, you are wrong. Someone can not give cheerfully if they are being forced to give. If your church can not survive, on freewill offerings, maybe God is not part of your church at all.

 Mr Jones, Do you intentionally put your people under a Curse or a Bondage?

 Mr Jones: Of Course Not!!! My Lord.

 Judge: Can you read in context, Galatians 3:10-11 "...For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them .... "

 AND

 Gal 5:1-4 "...Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.... "

 Mr. Jones: I never realized all these things, my Lord. I have always been taught that we had to tithe with  money, to the local church, and that is what I have always been teaching. I can see now, that I was completely wrong. I did not study the scripture for myself, I only took mans word for it.

 Yes ' am guilty. I will not teach this error anymore. My Lord! Please have mercy on me, and on those who have made the same conscientious error, as I have. I plead for MERCY.

Judge: Remember this "...And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Rev 22:10-14 NKJV. http://bible.com.

 (Got this from Bro. Abraham Akintunde, though largely edited by Benson Omole, for use on Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Progress FM 100.5, Ado Ekiti, on the 17th of August, 2017).

May our Lord God, the Almighty, bless the Author, for His Own Glory, Amen!