Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. - 1Timothy 5: 8 (NIV)
I have to be honest - I just do not understand how some of the false preachers live with themselves. I do not understand how they operate within the things of God without the fear of God. I find myself making excuses; thinking that maybe they are sincere but sincerely wrong. While I am sure that is the case for many I continue to think that many more know exactly what they are doing. Surely they must. Enter this week's walk through heresy - Robert Morris.
Morris is the Pastor at Gateway Church in Dallas Texas, which averages about 20,000 attendees per week. He is a mega church pastor to say the least. What he is probably best known for however is being the poster child for abusing the tithing message that churches are propped up by today. That message is perpetrated throughout modern Christendom through an abusing of Scripture, primarily Malachi Chapter Three. Recently, I did an entire series on Malachi and addressed the tithing issue here:
http://www.828ministries.com/articles/Malachi-Chapter-Three--Ti-by-Anthony-Wade-130825-597.html
Morris spoke this month at Life Church where he said the following:
"Don't give the first portion [of your income] to the mortgage company because the mortgage company does not have the power to bless your finances. Only God does. Don't give the first portion to the electric company, the electric company cannot bless your finances, only God can. Would you rather live with 100% of your income and all of it cursed, or 90% of your income and all of it blessed. That's what the Bible says."
Beloved this is most certainly NOT what the Bible says. I have seen and heard of the most abusive tactics used by preachers in the name of tithing. I have heard pastors tell newlyweds that they were not conceiving because they were not tithing correctly! I have heard preachers advocate people give them their last $50 so God "has something to work with." Now we have this latest garbage from Morris. Actually guilting people into ignoring their responsibilities of homeownership or keeping their utilities turned on so they can send him money. The height of disgusting. Listen, if you are in a church that spreads nonsense like this you must understand it is nothing more than bondage. It is not from God at all. Do you want to know God's simple principle for giving? The Bible teaches us:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2Corinthians 9: 6-7 (NIV)
Beloved there is most definitely a principle of sowing and reaping but the tithing system is no longer in affect. The tithe system was in place so the Levites would have food as they attended to the things of God. The tithe itself was always agriculture, never money. God lays it out for us here very plainly. God never wants us to give to the kingdom reluctantly or feeling like we are compelled to - you know like when charlatans such as Robert Morris threaten curses upon us if we do not. No, God loves a cheerful giver. He loves when a child of God prays to the Holy Spirit and is led to give as God directs.
I said this in the previous piece but the truth is that demanding tithes shows an incredible lack of faith on the part of the preacher. The truth is that if you leave giving up to the born again believer and God you will do better than 10%. The enforced 10% gives people a way out quite frankly. But here is the real hidden truth. The majority of watered down, seeker friendly, purpose driven mega churches are not filled with the children of God. They are filled with consumers. They are filled with unconverted goats. They may be "churched" but that does not make them saved. We all know that the Bible says the things of God are foolishness to those who are perishing so I understand why so many preachers are so uncomfortable leaving giving up to the people. Why they feel they better enforce cheerful giving. Why they better threaten the people with the curses of God if they disobey.
That is Morris' shtick. He is good at it and he even wrote a book about it. He latches on to a few verses in Malachi, rips them completely out of context, and then adds his own twist. In the preaching world of Robert Morris your money is actually cursed until you tithe to redeem it. If you refuse to tithe then you choose to remain cursed. What utter nonsense. Do you honestly believe that God would prefer that you tithe to Robert Morris than pay your electric bill? Or your mortgage? If so, then read the key verse very slowly and realize your error. Anyone who does not provide for their own household has denied their own faith! Not only that - they are considered worse than an unbeliever! Think about that and let God speak to your heart today.
If you want to have a discussion about Biblical stewardship and living within your means, fine. But the notion that tithing has to come before taking care of your family is an unbiblical non-starter. God loves a cheerful giver not one who holds an eviction notice staring into the dark wondering why their seed hasn't produced a harvest. I have heard Morris claim the most ludicrous of things. Like the sin of Achan or the story of Ananias and Sapphira had to do with tithing - NONSENSE. I have heard other snake oil salesmen insist that tithing started in the Garden of Eden. Enough already! Stop it! One day we will all stand before Christ and give an account for every careless word. I thank God I serve Him who holds everyone to account. For every Robert Morris, pushing the very widows and orphans the Bible implores us to help into bankruptcy by threatening curses he made up and attributing them to God. I used to try and find excuses for the Robert Morris' of this world and now I just pray that God has more mercy on them then they have for the sheep they were supposed to tend to.
Rev. Anthony.
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