Examining Tithing Deceptions

One of the most consistent falsehoods in churches today is that you are obligated to "pay tithes." There are no such instructions anywhere in God's Word. The purpose of this Blog is to examine false doctrines in today's teachings on tithing. Anyone claiming that a Christian must tithe is teaching a falsehood. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." - Acts 17:11

Thursday, February 26, 2026

MATTHEW 23:23 BREAKDOWN PHRASE BY PHRASE

Matthew 23:23; "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

MATTHEW 23:23 BREAKDOWN PHRASE BY PHRASE, FIVE PARTS...

>> ONE...

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

Target audience; hypocritical scribes and Pharisees. Ergo; Israelis under the Law and Commandments of Moses during the time of the Law, not the New Testament Church which was not in existence at the time Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees. Under the New Testament, the Law of Moses, including any command to tithe, is discontinued; Hebrews 7:18 - "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." Acts 15:24 - "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:"

>> TWO...

"for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,"

Jesus confirms that the holy tithe was agricultural products being tithed on, not money from income; Agricultural products; Nehemiah 10:38, Lev. 27:30, 32, Num. 18:27, Num. 18:28, Deut 12:17, Deut. 14:22, Deut. 14:23, Deut. 24:21, Deut. 26:12, 2 Chron. 31:5, 2 Chron. 31:6, Neh. 10:37, Neh. 13:5, Mal. 3:10, Matt. 23:23, Luke 11:42.

>> THREE...

"and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:"

Deuteronomy 27:26 - "Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen." James 2:10 - "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Galatians 5:3 - "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised [i.e., keeping the Law of Moses], that he is a debtor to do the whole law."

>> FOUR...

"these ought ye to have done,"

Jesus confirms that YES they should be tithing, as they were doing at that time being under the Law of Moses, but the church is NOT Israel, and the church is NOT under the Law of Moses. See; Malachi 3:7, Malachi 4:4, Hebrews 7:5, AND; Acts 15:24 - "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave NO such commandment:"

Romans 6:14-15 - "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."

>> FIVE...

"and not to leave the other undone."

Jesus corrected their lack of observing and not obeying the more important matters of the Law such as judgment, mercy, and faith;

Mercy; Exodus 33:19 - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy." Leviticus 19:18 - "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."

Judgment; Exodus 18:16 - "When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws."

Faith; Leviticus 18:5 - "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD." James 2:17 - "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."

CONCLUSION

Jesus' words in Matthew 23:23 are not a commandment to the New Testament Church to hand over ten percent of their income to a church or minister. Jesus was addressing the legalistic hypocritical tithing practices of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus went on to say to them the following;

Matthew 23:24-28 - "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." ...ETC.

This strong rebuke in Matthew 23:24-28, etc, was to the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees of Israel. If Matthew 23:23 is directed to the New Testament Church, why isn't Matthew 23:24-28 also directed to the New Testament Church?

Clearly it is not. Matthew 23:23 is not a call or commandment for "Christian tithing."

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Wednesday, February 25, 2026

HEBREWS 7:8; A CALL TO CHRISTIAN TITHING?

HEBREWS 7:8; A CALL TO CHRISTIAN TITHING?

Tithing teachers often refer to Hebrews 7:8 as justification, and a directive for Christians to tithe to a New Testament church or minister. They claim that because Abraham tithed to Melchisedec this is "proof" that Christians must hand over ten percent of their income to them.

Levi tithed through Abraham being in the loins of Abraham when Abraham tithed to Melchisedec...TO MELCHISEDEC (not to a church)...proving the superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood over the Levite priesthood;

Hebrews 7:9-10 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him."

Nothing in the Bible, God's word, cites the Tribe of Levi and their receiving of tithes, or paying tithes through Abraham as a commandment or an example of tithing to be followed by New Testament Christians. On the contrary; the Levite priesthood has ended, and related to tithing under the Law of Moses not the New Testament;

Hebrews 7:5 - "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:"

CONCISE EXPLAINATION; Hebrews 7:8

The Levites in and through Abraham gave a tithe to Melchisedec, Melchisedec received the tithe thus completing the transaction and proving the superiority of the Priesthood of Melchisedec; ergo; the eternal Priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 7:9 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham."

Psalms 110:4 - "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."

Hebrews 1:8 - "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."

No accurate interpretation of Hebrews 7:8 would conclude that Hebrews 7:8 is stating that ten percent of a Christian's income must be handed over to a church or ministry.

INFERIOR

The Levite priesthood is inferior;

Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."

Why would God direct the New Testament Church to tithe doing so after the manner of an inferior dying and defunct priesthood? Clearly God did not.

Hebrews 7:15-16 - "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."

Hebrews 7:11 - "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?"

TITHE TO MELCHISEDEC?

One could argue that aside from Levi tithing to Melchisedec, Melchisedec being an eternal priesthood of the New Testament should be tithed to. This claim has many problems for the tithing teacher rarely, if ever addressed. They are as follows;

1. The reason for Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec was that Abraham carried within his loins the tribe of Levi, therefore Abraham's tithe, including Levi, proved the superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood over the Levite priesthood; that superiority has forever been established and proven beyond any doubt; Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." No amount of any attempt to continual to "tithe to Melchisedec" will serve to prove it further.

2. No New Testament church or minister has been authorized to collect tithes on behalf of, because of, or for Melchisedec.

3. No Apostle stated that any church or minister of the New Testament is to collect tithes of any kind; tithes to Melchisedec or to anyone.

4. Hebrews chapter seven, while addressing Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec in detail, makes no statement to the Nation of Israel or to the New Testament church that Melchisedec is to be tithed to, or that Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec is to be seen as an example to be followed.

5. Hebrews 7:8, which states the following; "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." tells us one simple fact; The Levites in Abraham gave a tithe to Melchisedec, and Melchisedec received the tithe proving Melchisedec to be superior... NOTHING MORE. No statement in that verse states that the tithing to Melchisedec is to somehow continue as cash, or anything else, to be given to churches or ministers in the New Testament.

CONCLUSION;

Hebrews 7:8 is not a verse or command establishing "Christian tithing" or "New Testament tithing."

>> Consider...

Romans 16:18 - "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

Philippians 3:19 - "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"

2 Peter 2:3 - "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

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Tuesday, February 24, 2026

TITHING BEFORE THE LAW?

TITHING BEFORE THE LAW?

"God is not restricted by earthly timelines."

Revelation 1:8 - "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

HEBREWS CHAPTER SEVEN

Tithing teachers, and those who they deceive into a false model of tithing routinely claim that "tithing was in practice before the law" (before the Law of Moses), and therefore "should continue to be practiced after the law in the New Testament era."

There are multiple reasons why this is false and deceptive. There is no logical reason that "tithing before the law" proves that tithing after the law is a rule or principle to adhere to. The sacrifice of animals was practiced "before the law;" why not after? Why just tithing?

Consider the following...

>> ONE; No scripture cites Abraham as a reason or example of tithing to be followed, not before the Nation of Israel, not to the Nation of Israel, or to the New Testament Church.

>> TWO; The Levites, the very embodiment of the law, paid tithes to Melchizedek;

Hebrews 7:9 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham."

How could one claim that Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek was "before the law" when the very embodiment of the law, the Levites (Hebrews 7:11), were involved in tithe paying by and through Abraham to Melchizedek?

Additionally; God's purpose of Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek was to reveal and prove the superiority of the Melchizedek priesthood over the Levite priesthood to the Nation of Israel and the world. This has been accomplished and no further tithing is needed to Melchizedek or to anyone to prove it over and over again. The Levites were a type of the law involved in paying tithes (Hebrews 7:9), NOT BEFORE THE LAW FROM GOD'S ETERNAL FRAME OF REFERENCE, BUT LITERALLY AS THE LAW AT THE TIME OF ABRAHAM, AND REPRESENTING THE LAW. (Study the principle of Federal Headship).

If the Levites had NOT been in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchizedek, Abraham's tithe would have been of little or no value to God and proving nothing to the Hebrew people.

The Law, that is to say the Levites being in Abraham, and by therefore tithing to Melchizedek, proved the following...

Hebrews 7:15-17 - "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

Hebrews chapter seven clearly reveals God's purpose in Abraham's tithes to Melchizedek, and it is not a record to be used by tithing teachers to convince the gullible and unlearned Christian to hand over ten percent of their income to a pastor or church.

In short; the Law was in Abraham via the Levites when Abraham tithed to Melchizedek making the Law contemporaneous and together with Abraham's tithe.

Romans 16:18 - "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

Philippians 3:19 - "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"

>> THREE; No scripture cites Jacob as a reason or example of tithing to be followed, not BEFORE the Nation of Israel, not TO the Nation of Israel, not AFTER JACOB to the New Testament Church. No scripture records Jacob tithing anything to anyone. Jacob spoke a VOW to tithe, God did not command Jacob to tithe or to make such a vow. No record of any vow to tithe exists in the New Testament by any Apostle or any other Believers.

>> FOUR; NO COMMAND to tithe directed to the New Testament Church existed before or after the Law of Moses, or before or after Abraham.

CONCLUSION;

The Levites and Abraham; The tithe of Abraham to Melchizedek was not an event "before the law" from God's point of view. It was an event clearly INCLUDING the very Type of the Law; the Levites, who were the Law givers and Law administrators (Hebrews 7:11).

Jacob; The Vow of Jacob does not compel any New Testament Believer to tithe anything to anyone.

>> Footnote; is there any other scripture recording Levites paying or offering tithes? Yes...

Nehemiah 10:38 - "And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house."

Numbers 18:26-28 - "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest."

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Thursday, February 12, 2026

THE FALSE CLAIM ABOUT HEBREWS 7:8

THE FALSE CLAIM; "Hebrews 7:8 is instructing a Christian to tithe ten percent of their income to a church or minister."

THE VERSE; Hebrews 7:8 - "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."

THE COMMENTARY AND CLARIFICATION of Hebrews 7:8 is found in Hebrews 7:9 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham."

Note; "And as I may so say" ... the writer of the Book of Hebrews is telling us that he is about to make a clarifying comment or commentary of what he wrote in Hebrews 7:8.

The commentary on Hebrews 7:8 is as follows...

>>> From Hebrews 7:8 ... "And here men that die receive tithes" (...which received was under the law of Moses [citation A]);

> The commentary and clarification in Hebrews 7:9 ... "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes"

>>> From Hebrews 7:8 ... "but there he 'receiveth them,' of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."

> The commentary and clarification in Hebrews 7:9 ... they [Levites] "payed tithes in Abraham." (...to an eternal priesthood, once and for all time proving the superiority of that eternal priesthood of Melchisedec; [citation B], [citation C], citation D])

CONCLUSION;

Hebrews 7:8 and Hebrews 7:9 make NO CLAIM that New Testament Christians are required to hand over ten percent of their income to anyone, or that the New Testament church should tithe as Abraham did to Melchisedec.

In order for the New Testament church to fulfill Hebrews 7:8 as "tithers" they would have to be a LEVITE (under the Law of Moses; [citation A]) in the loins of Abraham, and pay tithes through Abraham to Melchisedec. No New Testament Christian can do so. The church would also have to be tasked by God to prove the superiority of the Melchisedec Priesthood by tithing; the church has no such task required of it.

OTHER SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES CITED;

[A]Hebrews 7:5 - "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:"

[B]Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."

[C]Hebrews 7:15-16 - "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."

[D]Hebrews 8:6 - "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."

NOTE;

Hebrews 8:6 states that we have a better covenant, that fact was ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME proven by Abraham, with the Levites in his loins tithing to Melchisedec; Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." The "better" is a reference to Melchisedec who represents the better (or superior) covenant, The New Testament; Hebrews 7:19 - "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God."

No further tithing to Melchisedec, or to anyone else is required to establish the fact of the superior New Covenant. Hebrews 7:8 is not a call for "Christian tithing." Hebrews 7:8-9 is simply stating (in keeping with the entire 7th chapter Hebrews) the superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood which will live forever having the power of endless life. ___________________________________________________________________

THE MODERN DAY CHURCH

WHAT TITHING TEACHERS WILL NEVER TELL YOU

>> If you do this...

Malachi 3:10 - "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, 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."

>> Then you are also bound by this...

Deuteronomy 27:26 - "Cursed be he that confirmeth not ALL the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen."

And this...

James 2:10 - "For whosoever shall keep THE WHOLE LAW, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

And this...

Galatians 5:3 - "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised [i.e., keeping the Law of Moses], that he is a debtor to do THE WHOLE LAW."

>> Because of this...

Malachi 3:7 - "Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances [the Law of Moses], and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?"

Malachi 4:4 - "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments."

>> Why? Because Malachi 3:10 was written pursuant to, based on, and under the authority of the Law of Moses. Malachi 3:10, bringing tithes to the storehouse, originates from the Law of Moses;

Numbers 18:26 - "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe."

Which is explained (expanded) in detail here...

To tithe based on Malachi 3:10 places a person under the Law of Moses, and therefore subject to the results of not obeying the whole Law of Moses.

ADDITIONALLY...

>> And; if you are tithing money, if your tithe consists of money, you are in violation of God's word that states the following...

Deuteronomy 14:22-27 - "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee."

...consume the tithe yourself, or sell the tithe for money, bind the money to your hand, DO NOT USE IT TO PAY A TITHE; money must be spent on you and your family, part of your purchases shared with a Levite within your gates.

>> To Israel, not to the New Testament Church;

Malachi was written to the Nation of Israel under the Law of Moses; the church is NOT Israel, and the church is NOT under the Law of Moses. See; Malachi 3:7, Malachi 4:4, Hebrews 7:5, AND; Acts 15:24 - "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave NO such commandment:"

Romans 6:14-15 - "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." ___________________________________________________________________