20) In the Church offering to the Lord. We with a thankful heart worshiping God in Spirit and truth are to give financially to the work of the Lord as part of our worship of Him. Around 500 years before the Law of Moses in Genesis 14 vs 18-20 Abram set us the godly principle for freewill tithing. Abram gave tithes of all to where he had been spiritually fed. Today we have free will tithes and free will offerings to where we are spiritually fed.
The important thing to the Lord is that we give cheerfully and not begrudgingly or under compulsion.
We give under grace as we are not under the Law of Moses, therefore a Christian is not under a curse if they don't tithe. Weekly or monthly giving unto the Lord, by giving into the church ministry where we are spiritually fed, blesses the Lord and His Church and the outreach. Missionary etc.

When believers give to the Lord, we give into the church where we are spiritually fed. Our giving effects these four parts of the ministry.

1) Provision for the needy, especially believers. Galatians 2 vs 10. Galatians 6 vs 10. 1 John 3 vs 17.1 Corinthians 16 vs 1-3.
Romans 15 vs 25-27.

2) Evangelism outreach, advertising, reaching the lost people. Romans 10 vs 15. Matthew 28 vs 18-20. Acts 1 vs 8. Luke 24 vs 47. Mark 16 vs 15-16.

3) Church planting and upkeep. Titus 1 vs 5.

4) Expenses. Support of the church office and the pastoral ministry. Gal 6 vs 6-10. 1 Cor 9 vs 14. Mat 10 vs 10. Luke 10 vs 7. Luke 9 vs 7.

Due to Jesus teaching us of the importance of giving in secret, its unbiblical to have an open tray as an offering plate, or to encourage Christians to write their name on the envelope containing their gift etc. We should do all we can to help Christians give in secret.

In the Holy Scriptures all Christians are encouraged to give financially to glorify the Lord. But remember its important to give out of what belongs to us. Paying our bills on time etc is all part of upholding a good testimony. 2 Cor 8 vs 12-15.
Our Lord does not want us to put our electric money or our tax money or our parents essential upkeep in the offering Mark 7 vs 9-13. Jesus said give to Cesar what is Cesar's and give to God what is God's. Our Lord supplies all our needs and everything we have belongs to the Lord. As Christians we are to learn to be good stewards with with what our Good Lord has provided. Giving is a joy and God blesses the whole ministry. Whether the offering bag or container comes around in the church service or not, our regular giving into the church, is part of our service to Christ. Acts 20 vs 35. Jesus said its more blessed to give than receive. Most Christians have experienced what Jesus mean 't by this. The Joy of giving. 2 Corinth 9 vs 6-14 is a must to study. Matthew 6 vs 24-34. Luke 6 vs 38 Give and it will be given to you. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Please don't miss out. Read all the entire verses from your own bible, remembering to understand them within the context of there setting.

When you choose to give along with others in the fellowship, remember Jesus said “Give in secret”
Matthew 6 vs 1-4 Jesus promised when you give in secret, “Then your Heavenly Father who sees in secret , will Himself reward you openly. The right motive for our giving should be out of our gratefulness to Jesus and not because of our reward. Free will tithing or free will offerings should be a joy for a Christian, not bondage, then there is greed. For many tithing 10% is a good minimum guideline, considering all we have already belongs to the Lord. As we learn to be good stewards with what our Lord has entrusted to us, we glorify God and learn to contribute financially into the work of Christ.
Church financial records are to always be made available within a congregation on request.
Question 75. Do you agree with the whole of the above section ?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.



A) Extortioners will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6 vs 9-10. Do not keep company with anyone named a brother who is an extortioner, not even to eat with such a person. 1 Corinthians 5 vs 11. This is the Lord's Command to the Church.
So we should not, can not, must not, support, condone, promote, any persons ministry that twists the Scriptures out of context to obtain money. These men and women are the money preachers, they are the prosperity preachers that go beyond the Word of God and fall into the sin of extortion. They have many clever deceptions. The hundredfold return is one of the worst scams to hit the Christian Church in our generation. The scam basically goes like this. They say that God promises in His Word that if you give an amount into their chosen ministry then God will give you a hundredfold in return. Meaning, you give for instance £100, and then God promises to give you £10,000 in return. Then they share testimony's of how some Christians have become wealthy through giving. Now the giving is good, it ought to be encouraged, but not by using Scriptures out of context.

Jesus want's us to look at the Scriptures concerning the hundredfold teaching. You will see that the money preachers have changed the Scriptures original meanings, to make promises that Jesus never made, all for their ministries financial gain. When people don't receive what the preacher presumptuously promised, and they ask the preacher, why hasn't God returned to me a hundredfold, the preacher says. You don't have faith to receive.

Lets look at the Scriptures that the money preachers twist to support their hundredfold scam. There are two Scriptures.
Genesis 26 vs 12-14. And Mark 10 vs 30. When we look at Genesis 26 vs 12-14. Isaac sowed in the land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold and the Lord blessed him. This Scripture teaches us the important principle of sowing and reaping and God's blessing. But it is not saying for us to give into a persons ministry, with a promise from God of one hundredfold return.
When we look at Mark 10 vs 30. Jesus hundredfold promise is tied in with a believer leaving home and traveling as a Christian missionary, working to fulfill the Scriptures of Acts 1 vs 8. Not giving money into a persons ministry and believing that God has promised a hundredfold return here on earth.
The outworking's of Jesus promises are seen in the New Testament. Acts 4 vs 32. This was the beginning of the attitude that fulfilled Mark 10 vs 30.
If you are a minister who has been caught up in the hundredfold scam, and not realized it until now. Then praise God. You can now bring God's truth. Repent and expose the scam and our Lord will bless you.

Due to all the modern day money preachers who twist the Scriptures to flees the sheep, extorting money through lies and deception, prosperity has become for many a dirty word. Ah don't mention prosperity otherwise the discerning will think your a false teacher. I would agree, we need to be very careful not to give the Lord's money to those who twist the Scriptures to get it. But we must not overlook what God's Word actually says concerning this important subject. Its OK to pray that a person will prosper. John the apostle did in John 3 vs 2. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. Remember these. Hebrews 11 vs 6. Matthew 6 vs 19-21. Matthew 6 vs 25-34. Matthew 6 vs 8-13.
Question 76. Do you agree with the whole of the above section A?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.



B) Remember we who are in Christ are not under the Law of Moses, but to help with our study concerning tithing we have the following bible study. There were four kinds of tithes under the Law of Moses.

The first tithe for the Israelites to pay, was a tithe to the Levite's. Leviticus 27 vs 30-34. Numbers 18 vs 24.
Those Levite's who were specifically descended from Aaron the brother of Moses, made up the Levitical priesthood, they were called by God to serve in the tabernacle. The Levite priests had special responsibilities. The Levite's priests were the custodians of the Torah they were the guardians the keepers of the first five books of the bible called the Torah. The Torah was not only to teach about the worship of God in the Temple. The Torah was their legal code, it was there public health code. The Levite's were the teachers, they taught the people how to read the Torah. The Levite's were the physicians, they ran the health service, they were the public health inspectors, they were the meat inspectors and the agriculture inspectors. The Levite's were the fish inspectors. All the tribes of Israel except the Levities had an inheritance in their land. From Aaron onwards the Levities were to have no inheritance in the land. The beginning of this can be seen, by the word of the Lord in Numbers 18 vs 20. The Lord Himself would be their inheritance. The Lievites had to look after, not only education, they had to look after medicine, health care, and even disease control. The Levitites were the Law enforcers. They enforced the Law of Moses, protecting peoples rights, they were the Justice ministers. When you read from the Torah all that the Levite's did. It can be seen, that the 10% tithe that they received from Israel, was what we today pay our taxes for. Schools. National Health Service. Police etc. Not only did Israel, because of their relationship with God, have a higher level of education than other societies, It was because of their relationship with God, they had a higher standard of public health than other societies. So all of Israel gave a 10% tithe under the Law of Moses to the Levite's for all their social services.

The second tithe was the tithe the Levite's themselves payed to the Lord. This payed the Livitical priesthood who worked full time in the Temple.
These Levite's who worked full time in the Temple were Temple priests, they were the direct descendants of Aaron, they had specific responsibilities in the Temple, they were the payed clergy. This second tithe payed by the Levite's, and guaranteed that the Temple would be paid for, and that the salary for all those Levitical priests who worked full time in the Temple would be paid. Numbers 18 vs 25-26.
Question 77. Do you agree with the whole of the above section B ?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.



C) The third tithe the Israelites kept for their annual pilgrimage to the place the Lord would choose. This was a 10% tithe for their pilgrim feasts.
Deuteronomy 14 vs 22-26. Leviticus 23 vs 1-44. Israel's pilgrim feasts were to God's glory. God wanted His people Israel to remember their needs that He met in their past, for them to have faith, to trust Him for the present and the future. God had ordained the Sabbath rest for man. God had also ordained pilgrim feasts. Passover-Feast of weeks Pentecost-Feast of tabernacles. These were God centered holidays. 3 times a year the Lord had His people relax
together. Focus on the Lord in thankfulness at the feast. Each feast had teachings to remind the Israelites young and old of all that the Lord had done.
Believers today are seen to follow this God given principle by saving their money so that they will have the money to attend Christian Conferences, God centered holidays, where us believers relax together. Where we focus on the Lord in thankfulness, as we eat together. Where we enjoy regular bible teaching each day, to remind us of all that our Lord has done, and to remind us of all the promises that we have in Jesus Christ the Jewish Messiah.
Question 78. Do you agree with the whole of the above section C ?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.



D) The forth tithe was at the end of every third year. It was to the poor, the orphans and widows, it was like a social security, income support.
Deuteronomy 14 vs 28-29. At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands which you do. Deuteronomy 26 vs 12. The Lord's ongoing care for the poor and the stranger in the land is shown very well in Leviticus 23 vs 22.
Question 79. Do you agree with the whole of the above section D ?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.



E) Making sense of it all. The total of these tithes was 33.3%, but the Israelite's themselves only payed 23.3% per year, as the second tithe was only from the Levite's to the Lord. The above was all their legal, social, financial obligation to God under the Law of Moses, free will giving was in addition. Deuteronomy 28 vs 1-68 reveals God's blessings and cursing's. Blessings for the Israelite's who were obedient to God's Commandments and curses for the Israelite's who were disobedient. The bible goes on to reveal that all Israel was disobedient to God and had broken God's Commandments and was therefore under a curse. In fact the bible latter reveals, that whole of the human race revealed its sinful nature by braking God's Commandments, and is therefore under a curse. Galatians 3 vs 10-14 says For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them. But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for the Just shall live by faith.
Yet the Law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them.' Vs 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree") that the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Praise God. This means that once a person repents, and in faith gives their lives to Jesus, then Jesus Christ has redeemed them from the curse of the Law. Many otherwise good bible teachers miss this vital point, and mistakenly warn their congregations, that they are under a curse if they don't tithe. Malachi 3 vs 6-12 is to the sons of Jacob meaning Israel, they were under the Law of Moses.
To apply Malachi 3 vs 6-12 to the church is serious error. Most church leaders who have made this mistake have done so because they heard someone else, perhaps another elder make the same my stake.
We all make mistakes, we can all be thankful to God for correcting us. Bad teaching puts Jesus sheep in bondage to a lie, giving for the wrong reason.

If a person want's to go back under the Law of Moses, then they have to keep all of it, and if they don't keep all of it, then they are under the whole curse of it. Due to mankind's sinful nature its impossible to keep the whole Mosaic Law, even when Israel had a Temple and an earthly High priest, with a Levitical priesthood, it couldn't keep it. How much less now, without a Temple and a High priest etc.
Read these. Galatians 5 vs 1-15. Acts 15 vs 19-31. Concerning the Law of Moses. Only the Laws ethical and moral instructions have continued relevance, as shown through the New Covenant of Christ.

The principle of tithing and offerings are upheld by the Christian faith. Not due to the Law of Moses, but due to our free will. Due to God's grace, in purchasing us by the blood of Jesus. God owns us who believe, therefore everything we have is the Lord's. We are to learn to be good stewards of the Lord's money. Regular free will tithing or giving to the Lord, means giving into the ministry where we are spiritually fed. This ought to be the church we regularly worship Jesus in. If your church is a church that promotes false teaching, and won't listen to biblical correction, then pray for God to lead you to church where the truth is taught, where God is glorified. And were your giving will honor God by promoting truth and not lies. As said, before the Law of Moses in Genesis 14 vs 18-20 Abram set believers the godly principle for freewill tithing. Abram gave tithes of all he had to where he had been spiritually fed. Our Lord by His grace in our lives, causes us to be a giving people. What our Lord want's in us is a right attitude. 10% is God's and 90% is mine is wrong and is therefore the wrong attitude. If I give this money then God will repay me is the wrong motive.

Luke 18 vs10-14 shows the importance of having a right heart attitude when we come before the Lord in prayer. Our heart attitude is what counts.
We need to be doing things for the right reason. This is also why its important to understand the Scriptures. To know God's Will.
We give unto the Lord out of our deep appreciation and worship of Jesus Christ. In giving we each contribute financially as a member of God's family.
If possible we give in secret just like Jesus himself taught us. Under the Law of Moses, Israel payed tithes in order to be blessed, and if they didn't pay their tithes, God withheld their blessing, and in some cases imposed curses, which were the opposite of the forfeited blessing. Under the New Covenant the Law of Christ. Matthew 26 vs 28. 1 Corinthians 9 vs 21. Christians are under God's grace. Grace is a system of unconditional blessing for all those who are born again living in Jesus Christ. A Christian tithes/gives to the Lord because he is blessed. Not to earn a blessing. Everything that our Lord blesses us with, financially or otherwise, is only by His grace. Because our Lord provides, by His grace, we can all share in the joy of giving.
When we give, our heart ought not to be on the reward, but on He who rewards. My Christian brother or sister, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Question 80. Do you agree with the whole of the above section H ?
As part of your Christian fundamentalist course work, you will need to answer this question.

Alpha and Omega Churches together Bible Course. .www.lifetothefullchurch.com...for prayer or spiritual advise contact Stan Earle in Stan's Gym 01708-227072.