I have heard many men preach on this subject. And, I do not believe that any man realizes more than i, it takes money to build church buildings, to support the pastors and their families, to support foreign missionaries, and the other expenses incurred by the church. But different men often see the same subject in different light, and therefore I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those brothers, if, entertaining as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs. Let me begin by saying that the bible, the written word of God is two wills. If a man makes to wills, it is only the last will and testament that is valid. So since the death of Christ Jesus on Calvary's cross the New Testament is in force, valid, the Old Testament is history. It is by the new testament that we the children of God shall inherit eternal life, and immortal body, and a city called New Jerusalem. We shall be heir, and joint heirs, with Jesus Christ, in the kingdom of God. Hebrews 9:l4 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? 15. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Saints of God, if you are a new convert to the Christian religion you may ask what is the tithe? The tithe was a tax that God put upon the tribes of Israel, for the support of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. The tax required all Israel pay one tenth of their earning of produce, increase in their flocks, and herds, and one tenth of the monies they earned. Reading from the book of numbers l8: 20 and the lord spake unto Aaron, thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 2l. And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Verse 26. Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the lord, even a tenth part of the tithe. You may wonder brothers, and sisters in Christ, why the tithing law was not brought over into the New Testament, and placed on the children of God? When we as children of God, are baptized out of the world, and into the body of Christ, and receive the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost: we become children of God. And, God the father is king of kings, and lord of lords: and kings do not tax their own children. They tax children of strangers. Reading from the gospel of St. Matthew l7:24 and when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to peter, and said, doth not your master pay tribute? 25. He saith, yes, and when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him saying, what thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or strangers? 26. Peter saith unto him, of strangers, Jesus saith unto him, then are the children free. 27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Beloved of God, those people that are outside of Christ Jesus are under the law of Moses, the old testament, which is know as the law of sin and death. But we, the children of God, that are in Christ Jesus, are not under the law of sin and death, but we are under the law known as the law of the spirit of life. Those people that are under the law of Moses, shall on judgment day be judged by that law : and by that law no flesh will be saved. But we that are in Christ Jesus shall be judged by the law of the spirit of life, and shall never come into condemnation as long as we abstain from the works of the flesh. Romans 8:l there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Let me read to you the works of the flesh, if you plan on making heaven your home, you should get a dictionary and look up each of these works of the flesh, and make sure you know the meaning of each : for if you do the works of the flesh you shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Many preachers preach do not sin, do not sin, but never get around to telling you what sin actually is: but this is it. Galatians 5:l9 now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 2l. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Holy children of God, there are many righteous acts in the Old Testament, but we the children of God cannot be made righteous by the Law of Moses. If we could have been made righteous by the Law of Moses then Christ Jesus would have died in vain. The apostle Paul recorded these words about the Law of Moses'. Romans 3:l9 now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the deeds of the law is the knowledge of sin. Galatians 2:2l I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if. Righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Saints of God, we the children of, are made righteous, made acceptable to God in word, thought, and deed, by faith in Jesus Christ, and by faith in the blood he shed on Calvary. The Old Testament is Judaism, the new testament is Christianity. We the children of God are to shape our lives by the New Testament. If a man preaches wrongly from the old testament, he will have God's children killing their enemies, offering up sacrifices, stoning stubborn children, killing witches, and many other things, that we as Christians are forbidden to do. Many men when they preach from the Old Testament never mention the name of Jesus Christ, for the name of the son of God was a mystery under the old testament. If we, the children of God cannot be made righteous by the Old Testament, if we are not to shape our lives by the Old Testament. Why do so many preachers preach almost exclusively from the Old Testament? Many preachers try to drag God's children under the law of sin and death so they can read to them these verses of scripture recorded in Malachi. Malachi 3:8 will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say wherein 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 receive it. Saints of God the law of Moses' is known as the law of sin and death, because it had to be kept to the letter. Notice this, there was not one person in all of Israel able to keep the tithing law to the letter, therefore, they all went under the curse. When the lord said they were cursed with a curse means that they were under a sentence of condemnation. If a man says that he is tithing, he is saying that he is giving a tenth of all his increase. God is a tremendous book keeper, he records your words as you speak, he counts your footsteps as you walk along, why he even has the hair on your head numbered. He knows if you have given a tenth of your increase. And if you are one lamb, or one cow, of one ear of corn, or one penny short you have broken the tithing law. If a man says that he is giving a tenth of his increase, when in truth he is not, remember annias, and his wife sapphira. Acts 5:l but a certain man named ananias, with sapphira his wife sold a possession. 2. And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles feet. 3. But peter said, ananias, why hath satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own ? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5. And ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8. And peter answered unto her, tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, yea, for so much. 9. Then peter said unto her, how is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the lord? Behold the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. L0. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth buried her by her husband. Brothers and sisters in Christ, there is a tremendous difference in a tax and a offering given in love. If you are short on a tax, then comes trouble: but if you have little to give on an offering given in love, the love offering is acceptable. These men that press down this crown of thorns, the tithe, upon the head of young men, striving to feed, and cloth their families, press down the crown of thorns on widows and children, are in my opinion enemies of Christ. Men that talk more about money than they do about the lord Jesus Christ, in my opinion are trying to fleece the flock. Philippians 3:l7 brethren, be follower together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. L8. ( for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. L9. Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. ) the question must arise, how should a child of God give to the church? The apostle paul has give the saints of God a good rule to follow in giving, and that is to let every man give as God has made him to prosper. When the apostle paul was trying together money for the poor saints at jerusalem he recorded these word as to how to give. L corinthians l6:l now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of galatia even so do ye. 2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come. And another time when the apostle paul was collecting money for the poor, he recorded these words about giving. Ll corinthians 9:6 but this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly: and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Holy children, may God surround you by people that love you