Trail of A Pastor
Trail of A Pastor
Trail of A Pastor
Judge: Mr. Jones you have been charged with multiple counts of extortion. Your crime spree covers 20
years and thousands of victims. You have defrauded people out of their money with fear and
manipulation, telling them they had to tithe 10% of their income as per the LAW to your Regd.
organization (called Church) and that God would bless them if they did. You also told them that if they
didn't tithe God would curse them.
I have done nothing wrong. I have only preached what the Bible says. In the Bible Abraham tithed to
Melchizedek and God blessed him for his faithful giving. The Bible even says he was rich in silver and
gold.
Judge: Is it not true, Mr. Jones, that in Genesis chapter 13 verse 2 the Bible says Abraham was rich with
livestock, silver and gold?
Mr. Jones: Yes, you are exactly right, that's what I just told you.
Judge: Ok, we read about Abraham being a rich man in chapter 13 but it is not until Genesis chapter 14
that we read about Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek. So Abraham was already a rich man before he tithed
to Melchizedek, wasn't he?
Judge: So his riches were not the result of his tithe to Melchizedek?
Judge: Mr. Jones, you also say God blessed him for his faithful giving. How many times is it recorded that
Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek?
Judge: So the Bible never said that he gave week after week?
Judge: Where did Abraham get the things that he gave to Melchizedek?
Mr. Jones: Well the Bible says it was from the plunders of war?
Judge: So you are telling me that he gave from the plunders of war?
Judge: So he basically took things that were not really his in the first place and gave them as the tithe?
Judge: Is it recorded that he ever took anything from his own possessions and tithed them to Melchizedek
or anyone else?
Judge: You guess not, you are a teacher and you are only guessing, is it or is it not written that he ever
gave any of his own possessions as a tithe to anyone?
Judge: It could have been food, cattle, sheep, the people's possessions or any number of things. It does
not say it was all money correct?
Mr. Jones: Yes you are correct, it does not say just money
Judge: As a matter of fact money is never mentioned in that account at all is that correct Mr. Jones?
Mr. Jones: Yes your Honor, money is never mentioned just goods and food and people.
Judge: So there is no way you can say with any certainty that Abraham in fact gave Melchizedek any
money at all?
Judge: I only have one last question for you Mr. Jones, did God command Abraham to give this plunder
tithe to Melchizedek?
Judge: So are you trying to tell me that because of this voluntary, one time gift by Abraham, that may not
have even consisted of money, all Christians everywhere are obligated to bring 10% of their weekly
paycheck to a local Regd.Organization-church?
Judge: Considering all the evidence I would say you are beyond any shadow of a doubt guilty of
deliberately trying to make the scriptures says things they have not said for financial gain.
Mr. Jones: Ok your Honor, I can see how foolish I was to try and use the story of Melchizedeck to try and
get the people to tithe money. But there are many other verses that will support my belief on tithing.
Jacob said he would give God 10% of everything. I think we should follow his example.
Judge: Let's see what Jacob said. Please read the verse you are talking about for me Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones: In Genesis chapter 28 starting at verse 20 it says. Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be
with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, so
that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, then this stone, which I
have set up for a pillar, will be God's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to
you."
Judge: You said we should follow Jacobs's example, is that right Mr. Jones?
Mr. Jones: Yes that is right, he vowed to give a tenth and we should too.
Judge: Let me point out one thing for you Mr. Jones, Jacob said he would Give God a tenth, ONLY if He
blessed him first. So as you said previously, we should follow Jacob's example and tell God that we will
only give him a tenth if he blesses us first. Is that right?
Judge: There you go again, trying to make the scripture say what you want it to say for your benefit. I
would also like you to tell me the scriptures that say that Jacob kept his vow with God. I would also like to
know where he gave the tenth to because there was no temple or levites to give it to at that time.
Mr. Jones: I can not think of any scriptures that say where or if he ever tithed after his vow.
Judge: It seems fairly obvious to me that Jacob made a voluntary and conditional vow to God. This in no
way can be used as a reason to demand others to bring their income to you or any other place.
Mr. Jones: I do have a few more scriptures that I believe will show that we are supposed to tithe.
Judge: You have not said anything yet to convince me one little bit that people are obligated to tithe
money to the local organizational institutions -churches and that you were justified in what you were
doing. You have taken scripture and misapplied it to your beliefs and for your gain. But in order to be fair
to you I will allow you to present more evidence.
Mr. Jones: In the book of Malachi chapter 3 starting at verse 8 it says, will a man rob God? yet ye have
robbed me. But ye say, In what have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse:
for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may
be food in my house, and prove me now with this, 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. So you
see your Honor, we are commanded to bring the tithes into the storehouse or God will curse us.
Judge: Answer me this Mr. Jones, were you aware that God never required anyone to tithe money?
Judge: The tithe spoken of here was always edible products never money.
Mr. Jones: well your Honor that is because they didn't have money at the time so God had them tithe food
instead.
Judge: Not true, money is first mentioned in Genesis and Malachi was written hundreds of years later. God
had them bring food in so that the levites, the fatherless and widows may eat and be satisfied. The tithe
was used mainly to take care of people. Also notice it says in the verse you quoted, that there may be
food in my house. The food was the tithe. How do you completely overlook the word food in those verses?
Judge: I also want you to know that these verses speak to nation under the Old Testament law. As you
may or may not know Jesus fulfilled the law, it is no longer binding.
Judge: Once again you have tried to completely take a scripture out of context and apply it to others for
your benefit. Can you give me a single scripture where God changed the tithe from food to money?
Judge: So far all you have done Mr. Jones, is take Old Testament scriptures out of context and try to apply
it to believers under the New Covenant. Is this all the proof you have?
Mr. Jones: I do have a New Testament scripture that will show that Jesus told us to tithe.
Mr. Jones: Jesus said in Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe
mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But
you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. See Jesus said we should be tithing.
Judge: Let me ask you a question, who was Jesus talking to?
Judge: Jesus also said in that passage, you have left undone the weightier matters of the law. Are we
under the law Mr. Jones?
Judge: I think you know where I am going with this don't you?
Mr. Jones: Yes your Honor. Since Jesus had not yet been crucified and the law was still binding the
Pharisees were required to tithe because it was part of the law. Once the law ended, tithing ended also.
Judge: I want you to take a look at that verse again. Also tell me, what were they tithing?
Mr. Jones: The scripture says it was mint, dill and cumin.
Mr. Jones: If people only tithed edible products like the scripture says, then how would the church
survive? We have our mortgage payment, utility bills, staff salary and a host of other things that we have
to pay each week. We depend on the money from the people.
-The need does not justify the means. In other words, just because you have all these debts does not give
you the right to twist and manipulate scripture and cause people to give under fear of being cursed by
God to meet your needs. Does It Mr Jones?
-The tithe was an Old Testament law, which is no longer binding. When it was binding the tithe was used
to take care of people, not buildings.
If they determine to Give 10% well and good, If they keep aside some every week to meet this more
better.If you are trying to make people give under the threat of being cursed or any other reason even
blessing, you are wrong. Someone can not give cheerfully if they are being forced to give. If 'your church
can not survive on freewill offerings maybe God is not part of your church at all.
Judge: Mr Jones, Do you intentionaly put your people under a Curse or a Bondage?
Judge: Can you Read in context Gal 3:10-11 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them ....
AND
Gal 5:1-4Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage....
Mr. Jones: I never realized all these things, I have always been taught that we had to tithe money to the
local church and that is what I have always taught. I can see now that I was completely wrong. I did not
study the scripture for myself, I only took mans word for it.
Next... ( now please wait till you make up your mind on this subject, till then ponder on this Subject )