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Tag: tithe

  • As a mathematician, I doubted paying tithe, but God convinced me tithing was right – Adeboye

    As a mathematician, I doubted paying tithe, but God convinced me tithing was right – Adeboye

    The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has spoken again on the raging tithe controversy sparked by controversial On-Air-Personality, Daddy freeze.

    This time he said God himself convinced him that tithing was right for Christians.

    Recall that in a previous reaction to the tithing controversy, Adeboye warned Christians against the dangers of non- compliance to paying of tithe.

    However, the cleric, on Sunday, 3rd December, 2017 edition of his Daily Devotional, titled: “Open Heavens”, said the command to pay tithes on one’s earnings simply places a demand on the Christian to trust God.

    Writing on the topic, ‘Tithing Is Trusting’, Adeboye said: “To experience exploits in your life, you must have a personal relationship with God. You must believe that He lives and love Him with all your heart. You must also learn to trust in Him.

    “The command to pay tithes on your earnings simply places a demand on you to trust God. Your response to this command shows the level of trust you have in Him.

    “If you can pay your tithes correctly, it shows that you trust God for your livelihood, but if you find it difficult to be faithful in doing this, it simply shows that you trust more in your earning than in God to sustain you.

    “However, down the line, God convinced me by Himself and I observed remarkable changes in my life.”

  • Pastor Mazino Egbuwoku reacts to ‘Did Christ apostle pay or receive tithe?’ [1]

    Pastor Mazino Egbuwoku reacts to ‘Did Christ apostle pay or receive tithe?’ [1]

    Read the reaction of Pastor Mazino Egbuwoku to the article titled, “Did Christ apostle pay or receive tithe?” written by TheNewsGuru.com publisher, Mideno Bayagbon, and published on this website on the 13th of October, 2017.

    RE: Tithing: Is it a new testament command? – Egbuwoku

    The subject of tithing has been a very controversial one though it really ought not to be. Tithing is strongly and traditionally rooted in many churches, such that any argument against it, is usually frowned at, often times viciously. However, every Truth seeker must desire to always go deeper in the knowledge of God.

    Hebrews 6:1

    Therefore leaving (going beyond) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (maturity, a deeper place)..
    Scriptures are quite clear on everything, for God has given us ALL things pertaining to life and godliness, but we must seek prayerfully for His knowledge.
    2 Peter 1:3
    According to as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue…

    There is a need to address this topic now, in light of the “spirit jesus’”, threats of perdition, and strict laws of tithing imposed by many churches today. For me, if there were no threats and bondage of legalism associated with this subject, ordinarily, I might not have seen the need for addressing it with urgency, in the same way Jesus saw tithing as a less important matter of the law, or for the same reason that the Apostles never mentioned it once as a new testament command, nor nearly with the monumental place of importance it has been elevated to in todays church age.

    I have studied quite widely on the reasons why tithing is imposed on the new testament church. The three major arguments are: Jesus told the Pharisees that tithing was good; Tithing was a practice before the law, particularly by Abraham, who tithed to Melchizedek who was a type of Christ and the “there and here” reference of Heb 7:8; tithing opens the windows of blessings for Christians. If anyone has any other bible based reason, I’ll be humbly glad to learn of them so I do not run in vain.

    I want to briefly submit my doctrine on this matter. I am open to superior DOCTRINAL not “heaven or hell” revelations on this matter, if any.

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, AND HAVE OMITTED THE WEIGHTEIR MATTERS OF THE LAW: judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

    Jesus told the Pharisees to tithe because they were still under the law as at that time: “these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone”. It is no different from Him telling the lepers whom He had healed, to go and show themselves to the priests, which was the standard practice of the law. This in no way makes tithing commanded in the new testament.

    And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

    Today, even though Jesus told the lepers to show themselves to the priests as the law demanded, no one need go show themselves to any priest after being healed because we are no longer under the laws of Moses.

    Part 1 continues…
    Part 1b

    Abraham tithed to Melchizedek who was a type of Christ (a good topic for another day) and did it before the coming of the laws of Moses. Melchizedek was typified in comparison with Christs endless priesthood and the levitical order to receive tithes as priests. In other words, Melchizedek like the Levites, received a one time tenth part (and never again repeated) of the “spoils” of Abrahams victorious war against the kings – confirming His priesthood, but beyond that he had no genealogy of days to his priesthood – just like Jesus. The allegory or simile of Melchidek and Jesus was not to establish the ordinance of tithing, but the endless eternal priesthood of Christ. As we see, JESUS NOR HIS DISCIPLES NEVER ONCE COLLECTED A TITHE and if at all anything, it was a MITE that caught Christ’s attention. (Mt 12:41-44).

    Abraham did give “a tenth part of the spoils of war” once, but also entered into something higher than giving a tenth, called the covenant seal of circumcision: all these before the laws of Moses. Circumcision was the biggest ordinance, sign or seal of covenant from Abraham to Moses and until Christ, yet we know that now, circumcision is nothing in Christ. If circumcision is nothing, is tithing something greater?

    1 Corinthians 7:19

    Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
    Galatians 6:13-16

    For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

    16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

    Clearly in Christ’s view, the Pharisees should have understood that truth or judgement, mercy or love, and faith or absolute trust in God, were more important according to the spirit of the law, than tithing. They knew the letter but not the spirit of the law, but thank God for Jesus, because in Christ we now walk knowing the mind of God or knowing the substance of what was once revealed by it’s shadow.

    Romans 7:6

    But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

    lease stick with me till the end before you tune off, as you might see things a little clearer and this will help us test and prove all these “christs” appearing in the deserts and secret chambers, threatening non-tithers with hell fire. This is one way to prove which spirit is speaking and which doctrines Christians are imbibing, and also whether or not we are being bewitched and falling from grace.

Matthew 24:24-26

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Israel was governed by the 10 commandments which were enforced through the law of ordinances. They were respectively known as the moral and ceremonial laws of Israel. One major effect of the redemption we have in Christ, is that He has delivered us from ALL the ceremonial laws of Isreal, even circumcision and the Jewish ordinance of Passover, which were the “highest” ceremonial practices of the Jews, as they represented Israel’s seal of covenant with God at various times. Again, ALL the hundreds of ordinances in Israel, (not the 10 commandments), have been blotted out by Christ on the cross…ALL!

>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; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days..

Part 1 continues…

All ordinances are gone and done away in Christ, therefore “let no man judge you in meat, drink, holy day, sabbaths etc”. In other words, let NO MAN JUDGE YOU ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW OF ORDINANCES.

Ephesians 2:15

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace..
In the new covenant, God no longer forces men to do His will, rather gives us a new conscience by which we can draw near to Him. The ordinances of the old testament were IMPOSED ON PEOPLE until the time of reformation.
Hebrews 9:8-10

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, IMPOSED ON THEM UNTIL THE TIME OF
REFORMATION.

In Christ, we have been reformed to a new man, who is a new conscience in strong affinity with Gods Will. In other words, God NO LONGER forces or imposes His wishes on people, but works though their hearts to make them desirous of seeking to do His will. As they desire Him, they become equipped to do His Will by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 9:13-14

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

So, what is tithing?

Malachi 3:8-10

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. 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

Sadly, most people quote Malachi 3:8-10, but omit or overlook verse 7.

Malachi 3:7
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from MINE ORDINANCES, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

Tithing was an ORDINANCE of the old testament and has been abrogated in Christ. In fact, as we go forward in this study, you will see how tithing is contrary to the spirit of the new testament, and undermines full development into true Christlikeness and prevents many from becoming entirely Spirit controlled Christians.

Colossians 2:20-22

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

SO IT IS CLEAR THAT TITHING WAS AN ORDINANCE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME IN THE REFORMATION OF CHRIST. ALL ORDINANCES, INCLUDING THE TOP TWO OF ISRAEL UNDER MOSES (CIRCUMCISION AND PASSOVER) HAVE BEEN CANCELLED IN CHRST.

It is actually dangerous to seek to practice any ordinance, because scriptures teach that if we must practice one, we have to practice all. Some zealous brethren were trying to impose circumcision on the Galatian church, and the implications were far reaching. Many of us need to properly read the book of Galatians. THE MAJOR PROBLEM FOR WRITING TO THESE CHRISTIANS WAS THE IMPOSITION OF ORDINANCES ON THEM. THIS IS A SIN CALLED LEGALISM. IT IS NOT JUST A SIN, BUT A CURSE UPON ANY HUMAN OR EVEN ANGEL WHO TRIES TO TAKE THE CHURCH BACK TO LEGALISM. NO ANGEL FROM GODS THRONE WILL ATTEMPT SUCH, THEREFORE, IT IS ONLY DISGUISED ANGELS OF LIGHT WHO WILL APPEAR TO PEOPLE IN A BID TO TAKE THE CHURCH BACK TO ANY LEGALISTIC PRACTICE. TITHING IS LEGALISM.

Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, CURSED IS EVERYONE THAT CONTINUETH NOT IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW to do them.
Galatians 5:3
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

(Part 2 continues..)
  • Did Christ, Apostles pay or receive tithe? – Mideno Bayagbon

    Did Christ, Apostles pay or receive tithe? – Mideno Bayagbon

    By Mideno Bayagbon
    On Air Personality, Daddy Freeze, stoked the hornet’s nest recently with his half-baked, selective and attention seeking jibe at Christians and exploded bottled up grievances, amongst Nigerians, against the perceived exploitation of Christians by, mainly Pentecostal pastors, on the issue of tithe and tithing.

    The debate has been fierce and expectedly emotion laden. It for once provided an avenue to bring into the public space the question of whether paying of tithe today is logical, biblical and indeed in tandem with the grace which God extended to mankind, when he sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to come into the world to give his life as a ransom for our sins, and thereby reconcile the world back to Himself.

    The emotions have been fermenting, and it was only a matter of time, an opening of which Daddy Freeze calling all Christians who pay tithe to Nigerian pastors, as goats, provided, before it exploded. Poorly handled, it can also lead to an implosion in Christendom in pentecostal Nigeria.

    What most Nigerians don’t know, however, is that Dr Femi Aribisala, the trenchant and very controversial TheNewsGuru.com columnist on Sundays, has been in the vanguard of the campaign against Christians paying tithes for almost a decade that i have known him. Educated, erudite and a former Pastor of one of the leading Pentecostal churches, Dr Aribisala, never known to shy away from confronting very controversial issues, was the first, to my knowledge, to call Nigerian pastors, some by name, as thieves for collecting tithes and appropriating them for their personal use. He accuses them of using the pulpit to steal from Nigerian Christians, to feed their mammon quest for personal wealth.

    For those who have read him over the years in Vanguard newspapers, and now in TheNewsGuru.com, Dr Aribisala has produced tomes of scholarly and ecclesiastical treatises on one, Apostle Paul and secondly, tithes. He dismisses Apostle Paul, for example, as one trying to supplant the Lord Jesus Christ, as one who wrote things that are clearly not in tandem with the teachings of Christ. Christians, he argues, should be followers of Jesus Christ and not of Apostle Paul. Most Pentecostal pastors think he is mad to even have the effrontery to question the apostleship of Paul.

    The tithe debate, interesting, controversial and emotional as it has been, can be said to be a part symptom of the general malaise and disquiet among Christians and non christians alike, who have continued to see the leading pastors wallow in unearned affluence while their congregants stew in agonising poverty. The superstar-like affluence exhibited by some of these pastors, their annoying flamboyance as seen in the state of the art cars, the private jets and the out of this world, at least by the poverty standard in Nigeria, school fees charged by the schools owned by them, have stoked bottled up anger in the general public. This, the argument goes, is clearly in sharp contrast to the life of abject poverty, of selfless service to humanity which Jesus Christ and the Apostles embody.

    Easily, the Pentecostal pastors’ lifestyles, from the public view, are being fuelled by the tithes congregants pay to the churches, in seeming obedience to biblical injunctions especially the most popularly quoted Malachi 3: 8-10: “Will a man rob God? Yet 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 store house, that there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if l 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.”

    The raging controversy to which none of the known pastors of the big Pentecostal churches has contributed, indisputably is trying to exam a number of issues. First, is the old testament order to pay tithe, which is ten percent of a person’s income, to the levites still tenable? Are there still levites in the church today given that Christ asks all his followers to go all over the world and preach the gospel and all are now joint heirs with Christ? Even if tithing is still tenable, some ask, what was the original intention of God in ordering the Israelites to pay it? As many bible scholars have noticed, even though today’s pentecostal pastors conveniently only emphasise Malachi’s rendition of tithing, colouring it in such a way as to coerce the congregants into believing that not paying tithe is a one way, irredeemable passport to hell, while paying it is the sole passport to moving God to transform them from a life of poverty to wealth, there are indeed earlier prescribed ways by which tithe is to be used; and who it was meant to benefit.

    For example, in several chapters of Deuteronomy, the tithe payer is supposed to bring his/her tithe to the house of God and provide a love feast for himself, his family, friends, the needy, the poor, while a part is separated for the Levites. Even in the Malachi angle, the tithe so paid is not meant for only the levites, but it is supposed to provide food for the poor, the strangers and the levites. It is supposed to be the progenitor of the current welfare system which the developed world administers for their citizens. Evidently, tithe is supposed to be for welfare of Christians, the poor, the fatherless, the widows. Churches are supposed to impact their communities for good using the money from tithe.

    This is especially so, when it is seen that nowhere in the ministry of Christ, or the expanded one by his disciples, did they ask for or indeed collect tithes from their followers now called Christians. If Christians are to be Christ-like, should they then still continue the old testament tradition of paying tithe for the upkeep of the levites and the poor? Are they not supposed to pattern their lives after the messiah?

    My answer, which is experiential, is yes. When i became born again in 1994, i joined the bandwagon and began payment of 10 percent of my income as tithe. Yet things were indeed so rough and tough. My poverty was such that when my first child came, my family could hardly feed and fend for even the basest of necessities. Yet I was a tithe payer. That continued until i could bear it no more. A day came that i rebelled and told God plainly i would no longer pay tithe. I told God he had failed in His promises encapsulated in His words. How could I have a little child, a wife and relatives in the house, yet I could not afford baby food; no food in the house and no money to fuel my car or even pay for transport to work? That day, I summoned God to a meeting and He showed up miraculously. Since then, my fortunes have been transformed in tandem with the promises in the same Malachi 3: 8-12 where God promised to open the windows of heaven and bless and protect all who honour Him with their tithes and provide food in His House, the church. So since then I have been paying tithe for my personal, selfish reasons, to hold God to His promise to bless and protect.

    In doing that, I have restricted myself to obeying God, who so richly rewards Obedience. I pay my tithe and by His Grace will continue to pay it. It is left for those who have been placed to manage it according to God’s will to do so. Anyone can see that the church today needs a lot of money for evangelism, missionary work, to build schools, hospitals, and for the general welfare of all the identified beneficiaries.

    Undoubtedly, however, while my answer as to whether Christians should pay tithe is yes, i do not believe it should it be appropriated by pastors for themselves and themselves alone. I suspect a lot of Nigerian pastors truly will have a lot to answer for when they come to the judgement seat of Christ on the last day. So many of them will explain why they served the god of Mammon while pretending to serve the Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ.

  • Re: Of heresy hunters, tithe controversy and all that – Ken Tadaferua

    Re: Of heresy hunters, tithe controversy and all that – Ken Tadaferua

    By Ken Tadaferua

    Not very long ago, I engaged in a church controversy on Facebook on which a dear friend had very strong views that I considered most contentious. For daring to disagree publicly with him I lost his warm friendship. Now I am going to engage another close friend on church matters but with some trepidation and hope that he sees my perspective, sharply differing from his, as an honest contribution to church dynamism not some form of demonic destruction.
    Permit me to make a recourse to 500 years ago in 1517, the year Martin Luther, a German Catholic monk and scholar wrote his 95 Theses. That document was critical of some Catholic Church dogma and practices. The church labeled him a heretic. He was excommunicated by the church. He was declared a persona non grata by the German emperor.
    But Luther’s writings became responsible for “fractionalizing the Catholic Church and sparking the Protestant Reformation.” If the church had reasoned with him and done some reform, perhaps the church would have not fractionalized as it continues to do today.
    Isn’t it an irony that adherents of the latest fruits of christian church fractionalization, the Pentecostals, seem quite intolerant, even ultra reactive to criticisms and are wont to reject, even label Christians not in accord with some Church traditions and practices of today.
    It is in this light I respond to the treatise titled “Of Heresy Hunters, Tithe Controversy and All That” written and posted on Facebook by my good friend, a no-nonsense, ardent and well respected Pentecostal Christian and pastor, Jackson Ekwugum, publisher of LifeWay, a richly enlightening Christian magazine.
    But I beg to differ with my friend on the key issues he addressed in his treatise. He lampooned and indeed deployed pretty harsh words, even labeling, verging on emotional overdrive, on those he considers hunters of heresy (that word again after 500 years) and controversy seekers over matters of the church in particular tithe matters.
    Jackson is clearly upset and quite uncharacteristic of him, he really lays on with a heavy hand on the “heretics” for ruffling the smooth feathers of the church today. Here’s some of his descriptions of them:
    • “Heresy hunter and self appointed truth campaigners.”
    • “Those engaging in ill advised campaigns.”
    • “They have unwittingly become tools in the hands of Satan.”
    • “Those who are accusing the pastors of greed are the ones in the grip of mammon.”
    • “Mark those who want us to believe that they love the poor more than the rest of us. They always have a hidden agenda. Remember Judas Iscariot?”
    • “The current tithe controversy is demonic in origin. It is a well orchestrated distraction from the pit of hell.”
    But really? That Christians, not even atheists or humanists, who say we see hypocrisy in some of the ways of the church today can be so coloured in such frightening hues? I cannot be in accord with these characterizations.
    First, many of those advocating for change are Christians, even ardent Christians like Jackson. Second, they have not condemned Christianity. Third, they have not criticized all of the Church’s practices, worships, prayers and works. Four, they have as Christians, to whom the gifts of the Holy Book and Scriptures are also abundantly provided, focused on only two key issues for which they seek reforms. The two issues are: the increasingly ostentatious lifestyle of the priesthood and the payment of tithes to the church rather than in feeding the poor directly as scripturally directed in the book of Deuteronomy.
    These two issues are not new. They have always been contentious. However there is a growing wave of protestations on social media, even traditional media on these issues. It would appear that the Pentecostals have resolved to confront this snowballing queries head on by labeling the protesters as being “in the grip of Mammon” and as “Judas Iscariot.” But this will not do. It is, in my view, a wrong approach to the matter.”
    I believe that a scriptural address of the issues without defensive anger and a willingness to even co-opt some reform will be to the benefit of Christendom. It is heartwarming that my friend does with candor declare: “I will be the first to admit that we have some problems/issues in the church.” Sadly he did not elaborate on those problems and issues. I know some he had addressed in his magazine which I subscribe to and read voraciously.
    We must admit, in a country where 70 percent of the population or over 100 million people live below the poverty line, where pervasive corruption has mushroomed into sickening culture and where jobs, healthcare, social amenities and other human development indices are horribly abysmal, that both spiritual and political leaders have largely failed in compassion and charity.
    That in this environment, the spiritual leader who splurges in the luxury of private luxury jets costing millions of dollars in buy and maintenance, gleaming shoes, top range Italian suits and flocks of beefy body guards, is not exactly the image of one who cares for the flocks and who clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, visits the sick as directed by Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:36-40).
    I believe firmly that the purpose of the tithe, which of course ought be paid, is to avoid this situation where a few men, priests and elders of the church, decide what to do with the money and it is for Christians to feed the poor directly in show of gratitude for God’s blessings. On what to do with the tithe, Deuteronomy 14:29 says: “And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.”
    Note the people listed are the lowly, the weakest, the people of God that we must take care of. When you do not feed these people, you rob God. Can we truly say that we are not robbing God today with 100 million poor people and still growing? Are we not robbing God when we build mighty church edifices, expensive schools, collect tithes while the people of God are hungry, sick and naked yet ignored. Imagine each homestead using its tithe to feed monthly or any timelines the poor of the community. God speaks wisdom always.
    Another issue on which I disagree with my friend Jackson is his declaration that the church is not a place for activism and quotes Ephesians 4:11-16 that warns against being “carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” True this is but Ephesians 4:17 tells us how to resolve knotty issues that might deceive us: “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” It is the truth spoken in love that will set us free. Apostle Paul also in I Thessalonians 5:21 admonishes that: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
    Neither do I agree with Jackson’s postulation that: “Nobody has the right to sit in judgement over the church, its ministers or members. That is usurping the position of our lord and master Jesus Christ. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” If that is so, was Martin Luther, wrong 500 years ago when he judged the leadership of the church? Were the prophets, lowly men God raised to speak against religious leaders splurging in abominations, also wrong?
    In Matthew 23:2-4, Jesus himself told the multitudes: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”
    Jesus himself railed against the Pharisees and Scribes and Elders of Israel in public before the people to change their lifestyle of iniquity. He could have done so privately within the hallowed chambers of the temple or synagogues. But he did not. Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ said to gather the tares and wheat but will one not be part of the tares if one does not preach the word and speak the truth to the lost sheep, even to pastors and elders of the church if they go wrong?
    I believe we should subject objections to our possibly well intentioned dogma or traditions to rigorous scriptural scrutiny and to critical examination of the fruits thereof. My friend Jackson says: “Many churches all over the world collect tithe. It is a church tradition that people grew into.” The question: Is that tradition scriptural? It is imperative to state here that tithing was not even taught nor practiced in the first century church but rather the apostles focused on free giving which I support wholeheartedly.
    I respect Jackson Ekwugum for his passion for God and I hope he would see my intervention as contribution to healthy debate for a stronger church. I do not believe that those who protest against tithing in the church and ostentatious lifestyles of church leaders are demons from the pits of hell. They have a different viewpoint, sometimes put without love, that ought be listened to. If not 1517 might continue unabated.
    May God Almighty bless all of us and may the Holy Spirit strengthen us with wisdom and knowledge as we strive to appreciate the scriptures. This I pray through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
    Be blessed folks.