What is my Motivation?

Recently, I was asked what my motivation was for teaching anti-tithing messages. Well, my first response was, “I'm motivated by love, grace and truth. John 1:17 - “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

However, that is a very broad answer and may be unsatisfactory to some readers. To be more specific, I will give you my disclaimer that I usually post along with my facebook notes and blog posts.

It states:

“It is most certainly not my intention to offend, hurt somebody's feelings, upset, insult, be rude to, cause offense or rub anyone the wrong way with this theologically based note. It is not my intention to convert, win over, convince, talk into, induce, persuade, talk round or bring around anyone’s mind about my beliefs or teachings. Please, let it be known that this is not a personal attack on anyone specific or any church or institution’s foundational beliefs and statements of faith. On the other hand, it is my clear intention to share, communicate, let somebody in on, impart, reveal and disclose my principles, opinions, views, theories and philosophy. It is because of my love for people, teaching the truth taught in the Holy Scriptures and discovering the endless and unfolding knowledge of God that I am compelled to write these things. I personally believe that I am moved and motivated by the Spirit of God to share the great and wonderful news of Christ with those whom I know and have known in the past. It is my heart‘s desire to share the passion I have for the love of Christ, the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the heart of God with freedom and liberty. If you are offended or have hurt feelings, have resentment towards me, or irritation, anger, or displeasure by this note; then I humbly and sincerely apologize from the heart with all gentleness and hope that you are able to forgive me beforehand. However, if you find yourself convicted or possibly swayed, or not in anyway offended and have the courage and humility to become different than the way you were before after reading and engaging in this note; then I most certainly commend you. Furthermore, I am delighted to know that because of this, we are able to share in this unique endeavor and great adventure that we call “life.”

I guess that if I had to summarize my motivation it would be righteous indignation. I am justifiably angry that I was taught wrong doctrine. I am outraged at the wrong and unfairness that contemporary pastors, preachers and teachers are teaching about money these days. Everything they teach about giving is based upon Old Testament Law of Moses.

All of their Scriptural are references for giving are from the Mosaic Law; which in fact, are not about giving freely for a purpose led by the Holy Spirit to help the poor and needy but instead are a religious and obedient law-following command given to Israel for land owners, farmers and cattle owners to give to the Levite priests for support in the Temple.

The modern definition of tithing is defined as giving 10% of your weekly or monthly on-going income to support the local church by paying it’s electric bills, staff salaries and special programs.

I hate to see my brothers and sisters in Christ being subtly deceived into giving 10% of their on-going pay-checks every week to their local church to pay bills, staff salaries and special programs. It’s not that these things are bad; their not. But, you don’t have to con people into giving when they would gladly give anyway if grace led the way.

Jesus said that tithing was an aspect or "matter of the Law" (Matt 23:23) and being under the Law is a curse (Gal 3:10). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (Gal 3:13). Therefore, it is by having faith in Christ that we are blessed and we should be a blessing to those in need (Rom 4:13,16; Gal 3:8-14).

I know that God has called me to tell the church that we must do away with legalism and false teaching. We must get rid of the Old Testament thinking and start living by faith in truth and love with all the fullness of grace found only in a personal relationship with Christ. We must prepare our hearts for Christs return.

Worldly wealth is temporary and unreliable, so stop thinking that by legalistically giving 10% of your income to your local church somehow pleases God, it does not. Only by having faith in Christ can God be pleased.

Titus 1:11 "They [false teachers] must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money (NLT)."

2 Timothy 2:15 “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth (NLT).”