Visitors| Extortion By the Scriptures |
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What do you think of politicians that vote to raise their own wage or sign corrupt legislation that profits them personally? You probably think the same about CEO's finagling bonuses for themselves with no regard to the employees that are under them. Of course the legislation is justified in the politicians own mind and the CEO is somehow able to justify his obscene salary and bonuses in his own mind and conscience.
Politicians are supposed to recuse themselves from matters that would bring them profit. Corruption is often identified in a politician's vote that funds his / her own pocket. This type of corruption is reminiscent of the tithe preacher. The tithe preacher is directly benefited in dollars by the tithe doctrine he espouses to. Preachers who are the most ardent concerning the tithe are those whose ministry is funded by it. Today the success of a preacher is often cited by numbers. The numbers that come on any given Sunday and the numbers that are in the church budget. It goes like this, 'When I started here we were just a little country church of 35 people and a yearly budget of $30,000 now by my pastoral expertise we have 400 people in attendance and a budget of $675,000 .' Are these statistics proof of God's movement or just good salesmanship? The salesmanship of the tithing doctrine brings in cash. Entertaining preaching brings in the people for the sale of the tithe doctrine. The merchandising of God's people is identified in scripture. Wolves that fraudulently fleece the flock are evidenced all about Christendom today by the prevalence of the tithe doctrine.2Peter 2:2-3 says, "Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." The tithe preaching organization thinks in terms of numbers. The successful businessman who is making $175,000/yr represents a fat annual contribution to the budget of $17,500. The truck driver is not as big merchandise he only makes $36,000 /yr so this only represents $3,600 contribution to the budget. To these merchandisers of the gospel the tithe doctrine represents a bigger budget that will provide a larger salary with benefits. When the ox is unmuzzled beware of its teeth and horns. Paul could say with a clear conscience, Acts 20:33-35, "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Today's tithe preacher cannot say this. |