Open Forum
with
Tendai & Tinta Mbofana
IS today's Christian church truly the body of Christ, which was established by the original apostles in the New Testament, or is merely a man-made establishment that has been founded on man-made rules seeking self- aggrandisement?
Are we truly making disciples of all nations and leading people to Christ and salvation, or are people being misled from one evil world into another?
Are churches obeying everything Christ commanded (Matthew 28: 18-20), or have they become collection points for money, instead of predominantly teaching the Gospel?
For instance, according to Deuteronomy 14: 22-29, tithing is simply the presentation of a tenth of one's income at a place of worship, which will then be used for a thanksgiving feast.
Tithing is, therefore, not giving a tenth of one's income to the church, as is done in today's churches, for use by that church, but should be used by the tither to enjoy a feast of thanksgiving at his or her place of worship. For the church to accept, and even coerce believers to tithe to it, is nothing short of robbery, which God deplores (Jeremiah 7:11).
Actually, churches have left believers poorer, instead of helping the poor, while enriching pastors and elders. (James 1:27)
Granted, the church may request collections from the congregation for varied purposes, such as, for church sustenance (Exodus 35), or assisting the needy (1 Corinthians 16: 1-3), or other purposes agreed upon, but tithing and offerings are totally different.
Additionally, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 makes it clear that these offerings are not only according to what one can afford, but also is voluntary and should never leave the giver in need. But in today's churches, people are manipulated, which is the same as forcing, to give - even their last dollar, with promises of blessings, with some pastors even asking to be paid to officiate at weddings.
All this excludes blatant sexual abuse of women seeking assistance, fake healings and much more.
This culture of stealing by the churches has left them stagnant, as pastors and believers stay in one place where they feel comfortable, instead of emulating the first apostles who would never be in one place, but going to all nations and making disciples - without even the basic comforts.
That is why in Luke 10: 1-16, Jesus sent out some of His followers without the basic needs, and instructed them to eat and drink whatever they were offered in homes where they would be welcome.
This should teach us to focus on spreading the love of Christ to all people, without focusing on money.
This stagnation has not only slowed down the spreading of the Gospel, but has even left believers detached from the Holy Spirit, as they have become dependent on pastors for things that they should otherwise be getting from the Holy Spirit. Pastors have now been made idols. After the believer receives the Holy Spirit, He (the Holy Spirit) alone should be the helper, comforter and counsellor in all matters.
Instead, it is so sad to see believers turning to pastors for healings, constant teachings, blessings, etc, when in fact by receiving the Holy Spirit, any believer is able to receive these straight from Jesus Christ (John 14: 12)
This dependency on pastors has been deliberately created so as to keep believers attending these churches, and so provide a ready source of income for the pastors. In other words, the church as an institutionalised organisation is unscriptural.
That is why today we have so many competing and even hostile churches. The church should simply be the body of Christ. Anyone who receives Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, automatically becomes part of that church.
It is not an organisation. It is spiritual. Therefore, joining an organisation is not part of God's plan. These organisations calling themselves churches are man-made and that is why their doctrines differ so much, and yet claim to hear from one Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4: 14-16).
God is not an author of confusion. That is why pagan beliefs are still part of these churches, such as Christmas, so-called white weddings, Easter, etc. We will explain why these are pagan in future instalments.
We are not against the gathering of believers, as God encourages these (Hebrews 10: 25), but these would be in the form of informal gatherings, not institutionalised organisations we have today.
In future instalments, we will also look deeper into the roles of pastors, teachers, etc, and what these informal gatherings entail.
Believers should now stop listening to fables and focus on spreading the love of Christ, and forsake today's churches which are evil man-made money-making schemes which lead to destruction (Timothy 6: 3-10). Choose Life.
Amen.
- Tendai R. Mbofana and Tinta Mbofana are independent Christian commentators, and write in their own capacities. Should any one wish to communicate with them, please e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Show/Hide commentswritten by Tendai and Tinta Mbofana, March 15, 2012
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written by JCgirl, February 27, 2012
David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
2 Sam 6:14-16
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
Study show thy self approved! Read your Bible!
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written by L. Bo, February 13, 2012
The two tithes are in order:
1st tithe: Num 18:21 - 26 - 'Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform.. (v26) When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance..."
This is the tithe offered to the priesthood for the functions of the Church, it is ordered by God. You can find much m*re by actually researching the topic in the Bible itself but these five verses lay it out clearly. The modern priesthood is the extension of the Levitical priesthood.
Malachi 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings."
True Christians today are commanded by God to tithe, those who do not tithe are counted, by God, as the real thieves.
2nd tithe: Deu 14:23 "And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil..'
Notice this is a different tithe. And also notice, it isn't where *you* choose to worship, it's where God chooses. This is an entirely different tithe, that you eat, you cannot eat the 1st tithe if you've given it to the priest, thus this *has* to be a totally different, 2nd tithe. Do not confuse the two.
Jesus Christ did not come to do away with the law or the prophets. The law says, you shall surely tithe.
Mat 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."
Mat 16:18 "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
If He will build his Church, and if it will not die, you are responsible to find it, and attend it. It exists, He said it would. Do you believe what He says in His own word?
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written by chaporonga, February 09, 2012
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written by svinurai, February 07, 2012
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