Nepotism, Deconstructing the The Family Run Church PT 16

NEPOTISM in the CHURCH?
Who "runs" your church"?

-by rory moore

The topic of "nepotism" was observed firsthand so often in the "church" system we left behind.
 A bit of research from Wikipedia regarding the term "nepotism" yields the astounding revelation that the practice itself was begun in "Christianity"!

What is "nepotism ?
"Nepotism is the showing of favoritism toward relatives, based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability."

Where did nepotism originate?
From Wikipedia: "Nepotism gained its name after the church practice in the Middle Ages, when some Catholic popes and bishops — who had taken vows of chastity, and therefore usually had no children of their own — gave their nephews positions of preference such as were often accorded by fathers to sons[1]. Several popes are known to have elevated nephews and other relatives to the cardinalate."

Nepotism is one of the meeting places where historical practices from Catholicism and the modern denominational/ institutional church world shake hands.

  This is what scripture calls "respect of persons".
It fosters  position and title seeking that are the exact opposite that Jesus taught His followers.

We see this in Matthew 20 when the mother of "the sons of Zebedee" lobbied for some special position for her two sons:
"And Jesus said to her, What would you? She said to him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy kingdom."
She wanted her sons elevated in the eyes of men, in God's kingdom.

Again in Matthew 23 Jesus strictly admonished His disciples in regard to title seeking as He pointed out the religious leaders of Israel:
 But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6  and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 and the salutations in the marketplaces, and  called of men, Rabbi.
8 But do not be called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and ALL YE are brethren.

9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he who is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters (leaders) : for one is your master, even the Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Recalling our church-system sojourn, we now recognize how thoroughly the Institutional Church is permeated with nepotism and gives the common folk yet one more reason to examine the lack of difference between the church and the world.
It is one more reason to leave when realizing the difference between  man's organization and God's kingdom .



 It is very common practice for a family to run a "church" and pass it along to their children like any other family business. 

Family members and favored persons are put in positions, given titles, and treated in a manner suggesting they have special status.
Churches are referred to as "Pastor So and So's church" and the "successful ones noted for more people, more buildings, more money.

One of the largest in Texas called "Lakewood", belongs to the Osteen family. A multi-multi million dollar business and as of this writing, the Osteen's son is being groomed to be the next "pastor".

Many "preacher's kids" are ruined by this practice.
They are marked for special and extra attention by reason of their family's role in the oversight of a church;  many are groomed for the professional ministry and many become jaded by what they witness behind the scenes of "church" life.

It is typical of church members to give special treatment (favoritism) and consideration to the children of church leaders, sometimes in an effort to gain favor from those leaders. There are also more than a few "owners" that take lingering offense when their children are corrected or admonished by someone in the church.

Rather than following the scriptural teaching of Jesus in regard to true servanthood, a pastors' family becomes "king, queen, prince, and princess" as they serve themselves of the people. This is exactly what the apostate kings of Israel did and indeed they are the scriptural role models for the kingdom of pastor-run churches today.  (The majority of "Godly" kings of Israel transferred their kingdom to their children who usually fell away from following the LORD).

In denominational circles with families that have generational "roots" in the organization, it is common for these families to take on an air of royalty within their denomination.  One may gain access to position and status within denominations when marrying with "name brand" families, and the majority of denominations, Bible Colleges, and Big Name ministries are filled with this SOP. (standard operating procedure).

Many times a lucrative church (one that has great people and cash-flow) are looked upon and desired as inheritable assets. We saw and heard of many examples of this while we were in the institutional church system and we knew many people that thought nothing of doing things this way. "Their" churches, populated by loving, trusted people, were as much family run enterprises as they were "churches".

New converts are the innocent fair game for their ministries. The typical new convert is usually more interested in spiritual matters and easily manipulated by the professionals behind the pulpit who wrestle Bible verses to justify their unscriptural practices.  For 24 years, as loyal, loving,  members we also accepted these practices without careful scriptural scrutiny.

We remember two particular examples where a pastor died or retired and intended to pass the mantle of his office and administration to his son or daughter and son-in-law.
But those churches did not cooperate with the pastor's desire to pass along the family-run church and the children felt great rejection and robbed of their inheritance.

Another area church pastor retired and installed his son-in-law into the Senior Pastor position and thus protected his retirement benefits and continued to pull strings from behind the scenes while he and his wife led a comfortable life of travel as retirees. 

These are shepherds who do not know what it is to live the faith they say they proclaim, instead relying on their own ability to provide themselves security through "bigger barns", medical insurance, life insurance, and a slice of the church financial pie.

BTW, the church is given the loving instruction to care for it's members and have "equality" and NOT through mandated, corporate contractual arrangements which are now SOP for the privileged clergy.

In the business world of the local church (many of which are yoked to the government through 501c3 IRS law), pastors appoint yes men, business people, and relatives to their *church boards in order to maintain control.  (just google 501c3 churches for an eye-opener!) 

This insures and facilitates that the "ministry" staff is benefitted by perks such as housing, education expense, travel, conferences, insurance, and retirement packages.
These become un-scriptural binding contractual obligations levied upon the body of Christ.  BTW, Paul admonished the overseers of the churches he ministered in to work and support the weak and needy.
Jer. 50:6 My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray; ...

Here are a few Nepotistic examples:
1. A pastor's wife is appointed either co-pastor or has a title  such as "Pastor Betty".
2. A pastor's son is appointed as a Youth Pastor, Music Director, or similar.
3. The pastor gives postions and titles to family, financial supporters, or other favored folk.
Novices, young converts, and naturally gifted people are put in ministerial offices which is directly contrary to the teaching of the Bible. 
4. Church finances are closely controlled, guarded, and administrated by the pastor's family.
5. The management of the "church" is kept within a family and their children are groomed to take over their church when they are old enough and trained. (This may or may not include Bible College where numerous classes are offered on church financial and business management).  
6. When the "senior" pastor retires, his son or son-in-law takes over the church.  
    Retirement "benefits" are usually part of the package as they seek the security of temporal provision.
7. A senior pastor appoints a family member, relative, or a hand-picked "yes-man" to a church board or other position of church oversight.  (the recent financial house-cleaning at ORU illustrates this) 

The list above are all symptoms of an apostate church that has no example for such in the New Testament.  No pastor has any God-given authority to name his wife "Pastor" or treat God's people like a family business. Yet when the mask comes off, this is what we find despite the protestations, justification, and affirmations of love and loyalty. 

This is simply the sad truth of what we observed in 24 years of church life as we observed this in our own assembly's, those in the fellowship we were part of, and the system blinded both them and us.

These are practices that breed "respect of persons", create carnal authority, sustain the hated "Nicolaitane error", and corrupt the majority of those that God has called to serve.

The story of "Eli" in 1Samuel 2:22 aptly illustrates Old Testament nepotism. Eli, out of favoritism and his position with God's people, allowed his two sons to take privileges. Like the blind, apostate ministers of our day, blind Eli was acting contrary to God's command and respected his family relationships more than he did the Word of the Lord. (1Sam 2).

What we saw and heard over the course of 24 years as we sat in on board and staff meetings, as we listened to conversations of church leaders, and observed the lives of church leadership is now, frankly, astonishing to us. In the name of Christianity, the churches we were part of were in reality family owned business' and/or denominational franchises.

 As outsiders we now look back and recognize that the church world we left is exactly what Jesus observed when He said:
"For this people`s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them." 

The glory of God departed from the apostate leadership of Israel for departing from God's Word, so history repeats as God's glory and power has, and is departing from Christianity's apostate leadership in our day.

*church boards: an unscriptural term and practice that is a common part of many churches corporate business structure that conforms them to IRS rule, regulation and reporting.  This is a literal "married to the world" practice common in the Institutional Church of today. If you attend a church with a board, you are supporting an apostate institution.


© Rory Moore, all rights reserved 

Deconstructing Church The Nicolaitane Error Jesus "Hates"?? PT 16

The MYSTERY OF THE NICOLAITANES Jesus "hates"
-by rory moore 7-12-2012

In this post on the Nicolaitane error, we will recap the scriptural profile of what the New Testament ministry model and government looks like.

Revelation 2: (To the church at Ephesus)

6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate;

15 So you have also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them (the Nicolaitanes) with the sword of my mouth.

For 25 years I wondered what Jesus was speaking of. Jesus hates it. I sure did not want to do what Jesus hates, but nobody actually knew what it was. Knowing the truth would undo the majority of the Christian churches if the people knew.
The missing key is found in the meaning of the name itself, and results in people following "leadership", rather than Jesus Christ.  And so down the "broad way" road we all went.

Here is the truth:

"Nicolaitane" is from two Greek words "Nike" and "Laos" The Greek word "nike" means "to conquer"…to dominate, overcome, manipulate. It means the exercise of carnal hierarchial control, like the world. It results in ruling by subjugation, dominion, and force or by position and title. The word "laos" means "the people", that is, the laity. Kings and their subjects.  Rulers over God's people.

Thus we have by definition the deeds and teaching of those who conquer, dominate, manipulate, and "lead" the laity, or the people. What makes it difficult to identify the Nicolaitanes is that the labels changed.
Jesus faced opposition from  sects of his day, the Pharisees, Saduccees, Sanhedrin, and the religious leadership establishment.

 He rebuked them for their deeds in Matthew 23 and pointed out their love of Titles, position, even their religious apparel.  
Do we think the church system is immune to the things the scripture warned about repeatedly?

Why does Jesus "HATE" their deeds and doctrines?
Simply put, it puts men in the place of God, whether they be called the church board, elder, Senior Pastor, Bishop, priest, or one of the many ecclesiastical titles.

In short, the Clergy (ministry) over laity (people).

 And it virtually guarantees the majority of God's people never mature but remain part of their kingdoms to support, work for, and finance. -People become followers of man and their systems, the sects of Christianity.

It enshrines “respect of persons”, i.e. it breeds distinctions of division and position in the eyes of people resulting in favoritism and political maneuvering for favor and privileges within the body of Christ. –in direct opposition to what Jesus taught His apostles.  

Denominational, factious, competitive Christianity has given the church a hierarchial, professionalized, titled, system of church government foreign to scripture.

There is no Senior Pastor, Pope, cardinal, bishop, priest, monsignor, Youth Pastor, Music Minister, or denominational structure in scripture.
There is no scripture giving any pastor-priest solo authority, headship, or rule over God's people.
There are no bishops overseeing pastors, arch-bishops, boards, or General Superintendents.
There are no church boards, Assistant pastors, Co-pastors, associate pastors, or senior officials.
There are no presidents, superintendents, youth pastors;
There are no Capitalized Apostles, Prophets, Bishops, Senior Pastors, Deacons, or Reverends.

There are no formal titles or labels attached to any of New Testament disciples including the obvious ones like the apostles.

The word "pastor" is used only once in the New Testament and not even one Titled pastor, “Senior Pastor”, “Youth Pastor”, Reverend, or Bishop is named or titled. How many TITLED pastors are mentioned in your local phone book?

In Revelation 2, one of the admonitions for the people of God who have eyes to see and ears to hear is given. "HE WHO OVERCOMES.."    
How do you "overcome" the Nicolaitans' you ask?

In a great majority of instances it usually means walking out the "church" doors, going home, and asking God Himself to take their error and deeds out of our hearts.

And it means NOT going to find another group that calls itself a church yet has the same error unless there is clear direction from the Lord.

The called of God often experience the Lord raising up personal opposition so that  they kick YOU out.
We have heard from many where this occurred.
The clergy is not our enemy, they are part of a system unknowingly that works against themselves and the people they seek to save.

If this speaks to you, then read Ezekiel 34, and  Jeremiah 23. 
When the Lord opened this up to me, I saw the hated Nicolaitane error all through scripture.
In Genesis 47:22 Pharaoh had his clergy class.
In Judges 18:30 the apostate tribe of Dan set up idolatrous priests.
When Israel desired a man as king, 1Samuel 8.

By the time of Christ, there were synagogues ruled by men, a clergy-class of Scribes, Pharisees, various sects, and the Sanhedrin. These were all rebuked and chastised by Christ, and they all gathered against Him.
Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth set themselves in array,
And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

Peace and grace to you.

Deconstructing Church part 7 The Business of Church and 501c3 Incorporation

Should a church become a non-profit 501c3 organization?

If you do not know what this means, please google "501c3 church" to find out.  by Rory Moore    The fact is we absolutely do not need to incorporate and register as a 501c3 non-profit corporation, yet most have, including every denomination.   There was Constitutional protection for churches for nearly 200 years and churches were just fine.  But in 1954 an ungodly, wicked man named Lyndon Johnson pushed through the 501c3 law and churches enroll for tax benefits and deductions.   Should we exchange our "giving in secret" for the benefit of a tax write off? 501c3 Incorporation is OPTIONAL  and the supposed "benefit" of tax deducting and "legal protection from lawsuits" is but another way for government to track and monitor you. Some Biblical History might help us choose. At the time of Christ, circa 30 A.D., there was agreement between the leaders of religious Israel and government. In fact, the Jewish religious system and leadership over God's people were threatened by the Word and ministry of Jesus. Because they too were in agreement with the government of Rome  (whose symbol was (coincidently?) the eagle), they feared the loss of their status, position, and authority.   Notice they said: John 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. Because the religious leaders of Israel were corrupted by the love of money, position, and status, they sought to preserve the system from which they benefited. Does this sound familiar? It should. The present system of "giving" in the church as  we know it benefits the modern clergy just as it did in Jesus' time.  Jesus referred to the clergy "hierlings", and rightly so.  But the 501c3 church is an un-necessary agreement, a marriage, a union, a contract, an "unequal yoke" with the state for financial benefit and state recognition. As it was in Jesus' time, the clergy and most "ministries" today benefit most from the financial system imposed on God's people.  The devil in the details. This agreement by law, conforms the church to IRS corporate law and requires the creation of:  unscriptural church boards  an unscriptural CEO President, (usually the pastor)  unscriptural membership enrollment unscriptural recording of one's giving for tax reporting  and unscriptural submission to governmental regulation of what may or may not be taught  in the church assembly. 501c3 legal notes: 1."A corporation is a creature of the state... " Its rights to act as a corporation are only preserved to it so long as it obeys the laws of its creation..." (Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43) 2."[A corporation is] an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state." Black's Law Dictionary West Publishing Company, 1991; 6th Edition, page 340 3. "A corporation derives its existence and all of its powers from the State and,therefore, has only such powers as the State has conferred upon it. 4. ... the source of this power is the charter and the statute under which the corporation was organized." Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 796 Romans 12:2(NET Bible) Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. As we conformed by agreement to 501c3 law, we volunteered to permit the secular state to have lawful authority over the churches. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.   Who are the wolves? The scriptures tell us they are hierlings, leaders of God's people that take authority, position, and their living from those under them. The wolves have willingly become yoked to a worldly kingdom of rulers who are run by their spiritual head, i.e. satan. We are non-political and do not believe in political salvation by any political party. God will use good and evil people in politics to bring His people to their cross as He has done with His people over and over starting in Genesis. The 501c3 is a physical-and lawful agreement that brings the "leaven of Herod" into the pulpit. It also turns a church into a non-profit business. Under the guise of having the benefit of donations, tithes, and offerings being tax-deductible, churches have been snared by the government into a union with a satanically ruled system. Many churches are a denominational franchise, a family-run business, or a "non-profit corporation". Forgive my blunt assessment, but we will gladly and cheerfully give in secret and our Heavenly Father is far greater a rewarder than a tax write off.   Actions to take: 1. Ask the Lord about the ideas and scriptures in this writing. IF you are persuaded, 2.  Find out if your church-denomination or organization is a 501c3 corporation. 3. Renounce and disavow all unscriptural  legal "membership" (yokes) from churches and man-made organizations. 4. Ask the Lord where He would have you give and to whom apart from the manipulation and scripture perversions from people that personally benefit from the offering plate. 5. As God leads, you may need to repent and withdraw from an anti-christ beast system that has taken the church into captivity. 6. Be prepared for leaders who are part of the system to "explain" and justify these ungodly practices in an attempt to persuade you to stay. 7.  You can withdraw "membership" without leaving your assembly as it is the "system" we are departing from, not the church which is the spiritual body of Christ. For more truth about this, we invite you to read: "Should the church HIRE a Pastor?" "Two Ways to Answer God's Call"

How to Keep A Proper Sabbath Observance

Keeping the Sabbath

      As modern Christians we considered our desire to please God and observance of the 7^th day of the week, the Sabbath, has come to our attention on more than one occasion.
The day came and a  thoughtful reading of Sabbath scriptures was due. 
For a time we even attended a Friday night service hosted by a Messianic Jewish brother, and considered purchasing a talith prayer shawl like Jesus wore.

But our traditional church meeting time was Sunday morning and we really had no clear Biblical teaching while in our old church, we only had a minimal understanding about the Sabbath observance. (in contrast to weekly exhortations to tithe, attend church, and the latest growth program).

In the Evangelical Christian world we were part of, we did not “observe the Sabbath because we were under “grace.”  We knew of 7^th Day Adventists and Baptists, Messianic Jewish Christians, and others who strongly emphasized “keeping the Sabbath” like they were. 

But we were not clear…  we saw where Jesus sort of observed the Sabbath and Paul was observed going to Synagogues to witness to his Jewish brethren that Jesus was Messiah. 

The scriptures say that a proper and Biblical Seventh day, as literally defined by God in the Old Testament, begins at sunset. 

In Genesis 1:13 for example, God said:

 “There was evening and there was morning, a third day”, and the other 6 days of creation are spoken of likewise. 
So a proper Biblical day began at sunset and a new day began the following day at sunset (on our Saturday evening)

There is no specific mention of the “Sabbath” until Exodus 16:23, which was about 2,500 years after creation.
 God did not give Abraham Sabbath observance when making Covenant with him. (However Abe was commanded circumcision)

We fast forward to Exodus and the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.  After 430 years of serving the rulers of Egypt as slaves, the Lord told Moses and Aaron it was high time to get out of Goshen.  (Exodus 12).

The Lord God called the month they were called out of Egypt “the FIRST month (aka Abib)” (Ex.12:2), and they were given instructions for the next 14 days (which included two sabbaths).

The Lord commanded the mandatory requirement of sacrificing a lamb without blemish, and applying the lamb’s blood to the doorposts of their homes so the death angel would “Passover” and spare their lives.

This was to be observed and diligently kept as “an ORDINANCE FOR EVER”.

The Lord ordained also a mandatory feast called “Unleavened Bread” of “seven days” as an observance “an ordinance FOREVER":

And in verse 16 “And in the first day there shall be an holy *convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy *convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.”
 (*convocation: means a public meeting, rehearsal, assembly)

Here God gave them the weekend off, and no work. Hooray!

 He also gave command to eat unleavened bread for seven days, in fact, the Lord ABSOLUTELY required that “there be no leaven found in your houses” or “eaten that which was leavened”  under penalty of death!   -Exo.12:3). 

God was very particular how and what they ate or it might be their last meal. 

The children of Israel were doing well so far, the Lord giving them specific instructions regarding the observances of the Passover and the seven days of Unleavened Bread, including a FEAST on the 7^th day, and admonishing them that when they went back into the Promised Land of the Canaanites they were to keep these observances “FOREVER”. 

Seems they were happy with this arrangement and God was with them:
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light”.

Many “oohs” and “ahhs” were heard at this time in the camp of Israel, and the word “WOW!” was invented to express awe.

Shortly after this, evil King Pharaoh decided to do some “ethnic cleansing” but God intervened by permanently baptizing the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (not to be confused with the Dead Sea). 
 “PRAISE GOD!!” –cried the Israelites and they celebrated joyously as the final bubbles surfaced over the watery grave of Pharaoh and Co.  

For three months the folks of Israel were given a desert tour by God, being fed, watered, and given specially anointed footwear guaranteed by God not to wear out

Unfortunately, those sorry excuses for victorious believers murmured and complained about how God was treating them.
So in Exodus chapter 16, God gave them some loving correction, and got a little more direct with them about the sabbath too:
Ex 16:23 And he said to them, This is that which the LORD has said, To morrow is the Rest of the holy sabbath to the LORD: bake or boil that which you will bake to day.

And the Sabbath gift was introduced.
Exodus 16:29 “See, for that the LORD has given you the SABBATH”.

Life was good, no taxes, a nice day of rest, God was feeding them, leading them, and they were getting real comfy with their walking tour through the countryside.

By chapter 19 of Exodus, it was time for God to give Moses more complete rules for His people, so He called Moses to come meet Him up on Mt. Sinai, and bring the people so they could fellowship and find out about God’s plan for their lives. 
 The Lord mentioned them being so special and how He wanted to bless them.  

But then in chapter 20, God stopped being “seeker-sensitive” while giving them His “Best Life Now” agenda for prosperity.
When “all the people saw the thunderings, and lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. “  

Then it happened: “WHOAA!! –we’re outa here!” they said when they saw and heard God was really awesome, serious, and they skee-daddled away from the mount where Moses was receiving the LAW.. 

“Ten’s enough for me!!!” - they hollered over their  shoulders as they “removed”.  -“Next thing ya know, He’s gonna bring up tithing!”

God had only got as far as giving the Ten Commandments when this happened. After the dust settled, He and Moses got back to work up there on Mt. Sinai, and the rest of the folks got back to their sports, games, and small talk about their neighbors and the weather. 

So The Lord and Moses worked out the rest of the details regarding God’s contract with Israel including things like “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” (Ex. 21:24), smiting those that broke it, 
and… the SABBATH.

Sabbath times…

God was very picky when it came to His orders about the Sabbath.

It began on sunset Friday, (that was before Friday was invented, back then they only had numbers).  And the new interpretation (from God Himself) of the 3 month old Sabbath rules went like this:

Ex 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Ex 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Everyone, even slaves and animals had chores, no tasks for your employees, and no dishes or laundry.  No honey-do’s, no campfires, no stove cooking. 
And please do not make sabbath breakers of the “waitress”, or the chef in the restaurant that you used to visit after Sabbath before you read this.

Ex 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Ex 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 
 Now there’s some strong incentive to be Sabbath-careful! 
Keep that in mind when you read the next one!:

Ex 35:3 Ye shall *kindle no fire throughout your living quarters on the sabbath day.
  (*means consume, to burn, or heat.) 
You know, like the heater or house furnace, your car’s engine that burns gas, or the blow dryer for your hair. 

Now here’s a super Sabbath for you, it lasted a whole year!
Lev 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest to the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. 

No plowing, planting, pruning so with that death penalty, we recommend not pruning the lawn either, just in case.  Even the ground itself got a vacation.

Suddenly, keeping the true Sabbath becomes challenging, and don’t forget that death penalty in Exodus 31:15.  

If you are going to keep the Sabbath now, you just can’t pick and choose verses, you know.

Num 28:9  on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: (was also commanded for the Passover Sabbath)

According to the law of the Passover Sabbath, you must remember to kill two spotless lambs, give two tithes of wheat flour with oil, and a drink offering to the priest.

Lev 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall *afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.  *humble, submit, weaken, abase. 
Sports fans and football play-off watchers…beware!

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 

 Now here’s a special little Sabbath you probably never heard about…  And a bit more about that:

Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even to even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 

Now hold on, God just said there was a special SABBATH on 7-1, 7-9, and 7-15 of the Jewish calendar??!  

Hmmm, how about that, God snuck another Sabbath or three in on the folks just to make sure they were paying attention!  

Lord have mercy, this Sabbath keeping just got complicated and you have us on a different calendar to boot!

And just to make sure they got the Sabbath correct, this happened in Numbers 15:
32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.  They put him in JAIL for sticks on the Sabbath?

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Whoaa, you mean the church had to take that guy out and let him have it with the rocks?  Yes, that’s what God told them to do because he violated the Sabbath law.

About this time you may be thinking, “this Sabbath thing is pretty scary and they sure didn’t explain all those OTHER Sabbath scriptures to me very well.” 
 If you thought that you are CORRECT! 
And if you thought observing the Sabbath only meant driving over to a meeting Friday night or Saturday morning you were WRONG!

We could stop now with just those verses from the OT Law, and you would have plenty to think about.
 Remember, when Christ and the early church apostles came along, they knew those verses. 
All of them, death penalty and taking a year off from farming included.

So when someone tries to put you under the Sabbath, chances are 100% he does not keep the Sabbath law the way it was given either.

 Let’s see, to summarize a few points about really keeping the Sabbath:

-It was a mandatory observance upon penalty of death.

-In the 7^th year Sabbath, no planting or pruning. 

-No fire.  Period. Not the one in your cars engine, the house heating system, nor the stovetop.

-No work. Not for you, your kids, your employees, or your servants like the waitress and cook at the restaurant.

-No travel.  Whoops! –there goes the trip to church in the car whose engine burns gasoline for fuel.

-Observance of those tricky 7-1, 7-9, and 7-15 Sabbaths of the Jewish calendar you forgot to buy, and then there is that Passover Sabbath with the two lamb-sacrifice to watch out for.

Please don’t stone me, go back and re-read those Sabbath verses for yourself.
 About now you may be thinking:     "we got us us sabbath problems here"

Why even the apostle Paul said to the church in Galatians: 3:¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all  which are written in the book of the law to do them.

But not to worry, dear reader, the NEW Covenant is called a “BETTER covenant” than the Old Covenant which Paul said “was done away in Christ”, and “Christ is the END of the Law to all that believeth”, and “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace –Eph. 2:15; you can have peace with God and be free of the obligation of trying to keep the law of the Sabbath as given in the Old Covenant. 

See article "Tell Me, You Who Desire to be Under The Law"  

for a more thorough Scriptural explanation of our relationship to the OT law.  

Abraham Failed to Tithe Before the Law?

 Did Abraham Fail to tithe,  before the law?

We were often taught to pay tithes of 10% on income to our churches... Abraham "before the law" was often cited to make this appeal to our congregation.

But, as Paul Harvey said "Here's the REST OF THE STORY"...   

The reasoning went because Abram gave the king-priest "Melchizedek" tithes from the spoils of battle, we should follow suit if we are true to God. 

An emotional appeal to show our own thankfulness to God through a 10% expression may be followed by a verse or two read from the Bible, usually a passage from the law such as Malachi 3:9-10.   

What is NOT pointed out by well-meaning leaders that may benefit from those tithes is: 

 1. Abram only tithed ONCE........... *once in scripture*

   (Genesis 14:20)

 2. Abram then gave the other 90% away also! ........**hmmm** ......:
     (Gen. 14:23)

 3. A few chapters later, we find out a little secret, that in Genesis 20:14 Abraham was bestowed with sheep, oxen, and servants as a free gift, including a financial increase.
   And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. (16)  And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver..... 

 -What?!  1k of SILVER, besides "sheep and oxen and women servants"? 

What happened to Melchizedek?
What happened to faithful Abraham tithing?
Where's the tithe on his increase?

Did Abraham "rob God"?
How come the Man of God in the Suit behind the pulpit did not notice this passage "before the law"?

What if he is blinded by tradition and dependence on tithe-income from the pew?  

Abraham paid no tithes on all that money and livestock... "before the law".

Of course the people who may financially benefit most from the unscriptural tithes collected from the trusting folks in the pew, will rarely admit the error and missing the Genesis 20 details. ..........

Using the example of Abram's one-time  tithe from material he captured in war and not from his own wealth, should be strongly challenged as a "pay your tithes" church doctrine. 

The Biblical reality that good 'ole Abraham paid no tithe in Genesis 20 exposes the fact that many are defrauded by the teaching that we should pay tithes based on the "before the law" reasoning... 

Have you ever heard "the children of the kingdom are free" as Jesus said, as the plate was passed? 

A warning from Colossians 2:8 (NIRV) 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Christ never taught money-income tithes)

Pastor, will you cease from teaching the error of tithing from income based on "before the law" now?

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Regarding Genesis 20, Let's point out:
1.  there is no mention of tithes, therefore we cannot add or assume what is not stated.
2.  No other writer in scripture witnessed to Abraham tithing in Gen. 20.
3.  Of note, Abraham was rich long before he tithed in Gen. 14.
4.  The tithe to Melchisedek was not from Abraham's own wealth. -it was spoils of war.
5.  Abraham gave the other 90% away also. Gen 14;23
6.  God did not establish tithing in the Abrahamic covenant. 
7.  Abraham was given a covenant of circumcision which was confirmed as an on-going obedience.
8.  "BEFORE THE LAW"; what other matters are found?
a. Abraham had children by his maid servant without sin.
b. Abraham married his niece, his brothers daughter.
c. Abraham wore a robe, like Jesus, and like God gave Adam and Eve, (ok, humor me). 
THINK! -We do not follow other "before the law" practices such as circumcision (and it was a command), plural marriage, having concubines, or slavery.  
9. Therefore we cannot use Abraham's example to justify tithing nor did the apostles instruct so in the New Covenant. 


We should never "cherry pick" what we like or don't like from scripture to impose as doctrine something the apostles never instructed or commanded the saints to do. Abraham's failure to pay tithes in Genesis 20 illustrates the error of using him as an example for us to pay 10% of our income to a pastor or denomination.