Many today hear their pastors preach from the pulpits that the Word of God requires them to tithe their money to the Church. As proof-text, pastors will have them turn to the book of Malachi and read the scathing indictment that was leveled at the priests in Malachi's day, the accusation that they were "rOBbing God" by not bringing tithes and offerings into the Temple storehouse.

Pastors will generally take their flock into the twenty-seventh chapter of Leviticus to show them that "The tithe is the LORD's," and therefore they need to give the Lord what is rightfully His. They fail to tell the congregation that the tithe is no longer the Lord's.

What? No longer the Lord's? How can you say that?

Because I did what we are all commanded to do... I studied the Word. I studied history as well. When Aaron was told that "the tithe is the LORD's," it was the year 1450 B.C.. Twenty years later, in the year 1430 B.C., God again spoke and said that He had given His tithe to the Levites because they had no land inheritance. (see Numbers 18)

The tithe was no longer God's. He gave them to the Levites.

Can the New Testament Christian tithe today? According to the Word of God, he cannot. At the Jerusalem Council 35 A.D., the Apostles met with the religious leaders in Jerusalem to discuss the Gentile Converts to the faith of Christ. The religious leaders contended that the Gentiles should be required to be circumcised (ouch) AND to keep the Law of Moses.

Many suppose that the request was only to be circumcised, saying that in doing so they would be keeping that Law of Moses. But context reveals that the religious leaders were wanting to put the yoke of the whole Mosaic Law on the necks of the Gentile Converts. Peter said in addressing their request, that none of them were able to bear that yoke that was being put forth. Wait!!! Weren't the Apostles and religious leaders circumcised the eighth day of their lives as the Law required? If so, how can it be said that they "could not bear" it? It is highly doubtful any of them remembered that event that happened when they were eight days old, so it is doubtful Paul was speaking of the circumcision as "too hard to bear."

No, my frriends, it is evident the Council was demanding the Gentile Converts keep the whole law... all 613 commands written in that Law... not just circumcision. And Peter's response was straight and to the point. In requesting that the Gentiles who had trusted God keep the Mosaic Law, the religious leaders were "tempting God."

James stood up at last in the meeting and told the council that no greater burden should be required of the Converts than they OBserve four necessary things. Tithing was not one of those necessary things.

By the way, James' conclusion was also the decision of the Holy Ghost.

Go to Galatians 3, and you will see that Paul said the Galatians were foolish to allow themselves to have been bewitched into placing themselves under the Law having begun in the Spirit. Paul said "Cast out the bondwoman and her son." For one who submits oneself to any part of the Law, that person is "cursed if he does not continue in all things written in the Law to do them."

To the Romans, Paul stressed that once one is married to Christ, that one should not be committing spiritual adultery by going to the house of the Law for union. (Romans 7:1-4) We are dead to the Law.

Let's look at 1 Timothy 1, 1-10, shall we?

1 Timothy 1:1-10 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disOBedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

A lot of meat in that passage. First, Paul tells young Timothy to preach "no other doctrine." No other doctrine... nothing contrary to what Paul had delivered unto him. Would Paul teach the Galatians and the Romans not to submit to the Law, but tell Timothy the opposite? Of course not! Paul said, 'don't give into fables." In other words, don't believe things that are told that are contrary to sound doctrine. If some religious doctrine being taught cannot be found in the Word of God, it is a fable.

Paul said those who desire to teach Law have no understanding, a harsh indictment for those who teach that God requires tithing of Church members.

But the harshest indictment is Paul's accusation that those who teach contrary to sound doctrine are not righteous, but rather are listed among the unrighteous.

Since the Apostles stated that the commandments written in the Mosaic Law were not to be required of the Gentile Converts, teaching the flock that God requires tithes is "contrary to sound doctrine." The pastor that teaches such should be marked as a false teacher.

Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.