Ken Ham Vs Hugh Ross

I found this the other day...this best part is when Ken Ham hands Hugh Ross the Bible and says "show me the millions of years". Ken Ham is clearly scripturally right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNDzt84PcYA

The "tithing" curse...(part 2)

Here are twenty more point against tithing. I am not sure who the original author was that wrote them, but I first found this exact list from Pastor David O'Steen's blog: http://kjbstudy.blogspot.com/

1. The English word "tithe" means a tenth (compare Gen. 14:20 with Heb. 7:4). Most churches preach tithing as a means of supporting their ministry. There are variations in how they teach this is to be done. Some pay the local church one tenth of their income after taxes and bills are paid; some pay before. Others demand tithing on unemployment, inheritance, gifts, tax refunds, social security and even gambling winnings. The tithing issue has caused a great deal of strife and division in our churches over the years. 

2. Perhaps the most well known passage on tithing is Malachi 3:8-12. This passage is the proof text for "Storehouse Tithing." Simply stated, the congregation is exhorted to channel all of their giving through the local church (storehouse). If they want to give to a Christian organization, radio or television broadcast, etc., it must go through their denominational machinery in order for the local church to get "credit." Also the pastor and elders often must make the determination if the cause supported by the giver is "worthy." 

3. This use of the Malachi passage is a good example of Scripture being taken out of its historical and dispensational context. "This whole nation" in verse 9 is the backslidden nation of Israel, NOT the present day church (Mal. 1:1; 3:6). They were under the law of Moses as a system of conditional blessing (obey=blessed; disobey=cursed). The blessings of keeping the law had to do with Israel's LAND (3:11-12). Believers today are not under the law but under grace (Rom. 6:14; 7:4-6). As such we have already been blessed by God with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph.1:3). 

4. This should put an end to the common charge that believers who don't tithe are "robbing God" and will be "cursed with a curse." God did not command us to tithe so how could we be robbing Him by not doing what He never told us to do? We cannot be cursed by the law for not tithing (Mal. 3:9) as members of the body of Christ (Gal. 3:13). The storehouse mentioned in verse 10 is not a local church but a storage bin or silo in the Jewish temple where the grain from the Hebrew's tithes was stored (2 Chron. 31:4-12). 

5. Under the law only agricultural products were tithed. They included grain, fruit, and livestock. Only products produced within the boundaries of the land of Israel were to be tithed (Lev. 27:30-34). 

6. Others exempt from the tithing law included the hired hands, fishermen, miners, lumber workers, construction workers, soldiers, weavers, potters, manufacturers, merchants, government workers, and priests. In short, all who were not farmers were exempt. 

7. A farmer with only 9 cattle did not tithe because the law specified the "tenth which passeth under the rod." Likewise a farmer with 19 sheep paid only 1 sheep to the Lord's tithe. 

8. The Jewish farmers in the land could redeem (buy back) the tithes of their crops with a penalty of one fifth. In other words, if a farmer wanted to keep his tithe of grain worth $1,000, he could pay the cash equivalent of $1,200 (Lev. 27:31). 

9. Livestock could not be brought back nor could the farmer exchange a good animal for a bad one or vice versa. Any attempt to substitute any other animal other than the tenth which passed under the rod would be penalized by the farmer forfeiting both the tenth and its substitute (Lev. 27:33). 

10. God ordained the Levites to be the ones to whom the tithe was paid (Num. 18:21). They were one of the 12 tribes of Israel to whom no inheritance was given in the land. The Lord Himself and the tithes of the children of Israel was their inheritance. It was used for the service of the tabernacle (later the temple) (Num. 18:20-28). 

11. It was unlawful for anyone outside of the tribe of Levi to receive the tithe, such as prophets, preachers, kings or evangelists. 

12. The Levites paid one tenth of their tithes to the high priest. Not all Levites were priests but only the sons of Aaron. The priests did not tithe. 

13. The Lord Jesus Christ did not ask for or receive a tithe for support of His ministry. Being of the tribe of Judah (not Levi) He could not without breaking the law (Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5). 

14. Neither Peter (not of the tribe of Levi) nor Paul (of the tribe of Benjamin) could receive tithes for the support of their ministries. 

15. Even the Jews do not practice tithing today because there are no Levites, priests, or temple worship in Jerusalem. Jewish rabbis know biblical law well enough to know that tithing under the present circumstances is unlawful. According to them, when the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem with a consecrated altar with priests and Levites officiating, all Jews living within the biblical tithing zones will tithe. 

16. Those that teach tithing is binding on believers today use the argument that it predates Moses and the law. But this reasoning is not valid, for the Sabbath also predates the giving of the law (Ex.16:23-29) and yet it is not binding on God's people today (Rom. 14:5-6; Gal. 4:9-10; Col. 2:16-17). 

17. Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, king of Salem, but this was the spoils of war, not the legalistic tithe of the land which Moses commanded. Also, God did not command the tithe, Abraham chose to give it of his own free will (Gen. 14:17-23; Heb. 7:1-10). 

18. The only other scriptural reference to tithing before Moses is Jacob. Again there is no command to tithe. In fact Jacob puts up numerous conditions to be met before he will pay the tithe to the Lord (Gen. 28:20-22). 

19. The biblical references which address the tithing issues are: Gen. 14:20; 28:22; Lev. 27:30-32; Num. 18:20-32; Deut. 12:6-7, 11-12, 17; 14:22-23,28-29; 26:12-15; 2 Chron. 31:1-12; Amos 4:4-5; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; Lk. 11:42; 18:12; Heb. 7:5-10.

20. Paul the apostle to the Gentiles for this present dispensation of Grace does not mention tithing but says a great deal about grace giving (Rom. 15:25,26; 1 Cor. 9:7-14; 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8 & 9; Gal. 6:6-10; Phil. 4:10-19; 1 Tim.  5:9-18).

The "tithing" curse...(part 1)

Here are 20 reasons why you should not observe the tithe, but rather follow the principles of giving that Paul delivered to the Body of Christ under Grace. They come from Pastor Justin Johnson of Grace Ambassadors Church: http://graceambassadors.com/prophecy/law/reasons-to-stop-tithing 

20 Reasons You Should Stop Tithing

Among pastors there is a terrible abuse of using law tithing to place the church back under the condemnation of the law. This must be stopped (Titus 1:11). Jesus taught the church of Paul’s dispensation a better way of giving without the law. Below are some reasons you should stop law tithing.

Download this List: PDF

1. We are not under the law of tithing
   Tithing was part of the law. We are no longer under it. (Rom 6:14)
2. The law of tithing is weak
   A required tithe does not change the heart or the action. (Mat 23:23, Gal 4:9, Rom 8:3)
3. The law tithe is beggarly
   Law tithing always requests more. It is not a gift. It is merely fulfilling an obligation (Gal 4:9)
4. The church is not God’s covenant people
   The old and new covenants were made with Israel and Judah and so the requirements were never intended for Gentiles (Heb 8:8). Gentiles could be blessed by honoring Israel, and worshipping Israel’s God.
5. There is no Levitical priesthood today
   The most popular tithe today is the tithe that went to the Levitical priesthood (Num 18:21). There is no Levitical priesthood today.
6. The pastor does not replace the priest
   Preachers and teachers in the body of Christ church are not priests. Christ is the only mediator (1 Tim 2:5).
7. We do not inherit Israel’s land
   The tithe given to the Levites was because they had no land inheritance (Numbers 18:21).
8. There are no more temple sacrifices
   Since Christ paid it all there is no need to pay (tithe) someone else to do this service.
9. The local church does not replace the temple
   Know ye not that you are the temple of God not your building! ( 1 Cor 3:16)
10. The church does not observe required feast day celebrations
    It was three times a year in Deut 16:16. At certain feast days is where the tithes would be offered. One tithe even allowed you to stay home and spend it on what you desired (Deut 14:26).
11. Law tithing requirements were greater than 10 percent
    Deut 14:28 is one example of the tithe on the increase every 3 years that was above the regular Levitical tithe. There are other required offerings also according to Mal 3:9.
12. Physical blessings are no longer granted
    The law tithe taught physical blessings to Israel from God for tithing (Mal 3:10). Without a covenant with God, a priesthood, a promise, or a temple tithing for profit will not work.
13. Christ has given the church all spiritual blessings
    Those blessings are in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3)
14. God provides all our needs without tithing
    Phil 4:19 says your needs are supplied according to his riches in glory in Christ. What you need is not physical it is spiritual.
15. Law tithing obligates the doer to the entire law – Gal 5:3, James 2:10
16. Peace with God is attained without tithing - Romans 5:1
17. We work to provide for our needs in this dispensation
    Paul makes it clear that if we don’t work we don’t eat (2 Thess 3:10). Mat 6:11 and Mal 3:10 are not effective today. If we do not provide for our own today we are “worse than an infidel (1 Tim 5:8)
18. The tithe was required
    Giving today is not “of necessity” (2 Cor 9:7). This is an important distinction between generosity and obligation.
19. The law tithe places you under a curse
    If you do not continue tithing then you can be cursed (Gal 3:10)
20. Christ has redeemed you from the law of tithing
    Law tithing represents ignorance or negligence of Christ’s cross (Gal 3:13, 1 Cor 1:17, Gal 2:21).

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. ” – Gal 2:21

Editor’s note:
This resource is not intended to dissuade giving generously to the Lord’s causes. God loves generosity as a reflection of your thanksgiving to Him. While this resource explains why Paul’s doctrine teaches you to stop law tithing, God does not teach lesser generosity. 

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” – 2 Cor 9:7

Since I am a "Stammite"...(Romans 10:9-13)

Since I have been accused of being a "Hyper Diaper Stammite" because of my position on Romans 10:1-13, I thought I would share what Cornelius Stam actually did believe about Romans 10.

From Commentary on The Epistles of Paul to The Romans by Cornelius Stam pages 213-215,

Copyright, 1984 BEREAN LITERATURE FOUNDATION 7609 W. Belmont Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60635 

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. 

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

-Rom. 10:9-13

In these sublime words the Apostle Paul sets forth God's simple plan of salvation in this "dispensation of the grace of God." This, he says, is "the word of faith, which we preach." How grateful we should be that both Jews and Gentiles are included in this program while God's blessings to Israel as a nation

are being held in abeyance!

The alarming extent to which the Church has departed from Paul's "gospel of the grace of God," however, is evidenced by the fact that today even many Fundamentalists, who claim to preach "the word of faith," have introduced into the very words of Paul in Vers. 9-11 the element of meritorious works.

How often babes in Christ are urged to get to their feet in public testimony on the basis of these words! They are reminded that, in addition to believing, "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth... thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

Frequently Christian workers, not rightly dividing the Word of truth, support this argument by an appeal to the words of our Lord in Matt. 10:32,33:

“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. "But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven."

And thus the element of meritorious works is injected into "the word of faith, which we preach." Newborn babes in Christ are given to feel that a heart faith is not enough to make them secure; that not until they have risen in public testimony is their salvation fully confirmed.

While few of our leading Fundamentalists would stand by any explicit statement to that effect, we dare say that most of them in their comments on these verses give the impression that this is so.

But what, then, does the Apostle mean by these words? Does he not plainly say, "If thou shalt confess... thou shalt be saved"? Yes, but here again, as with so many other passages of Scripture, a traditional meaning has been super-imposed upon the actual words of God.

What does the English word "confess" mean? Simply to "acknowledge," to"admit." And this is exactly what the original Greek word means too, nor does Rom. 10:9,10 say anything about confessing before men.

The trouble is that the idea of confession has been changed to profession-even public profession-and multitudes have followed the tradition of the fathers instead of examining the Word to see what it actually says. Thus "the word of faith" has been perverted.

But, it may be argued, does not the Apostle clearly say, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth... thou shalt be saved"? Indeed he does, and he adds, "and shalt believe in thine heart."

Let us consider this thoughtfully. Is it with the physical organ which pumps blood into our veins that we believe in Christ as our Savior? No! All admit that this is merely a figure of speech; that somehow the heart is associated with believing. Yet some would insist that it is with the physical mouth that we must confess in order to be saved. Can mutes then not be saved? And what does the Apostle mean in Acts 28:27, where he quotes Isaiah's words: "And their eyes have they closed."

Must we not see that the heart and mouth in Romans 10 are both used symbolically? While believing is naturally associated with the heart, confessing is naturally associated with the mouth.

If indeed the Apostle meant that with the physical mouth public "profession" must be made for salvation, then salvation is not by faith alone after all, but by faith plus works. If, not only before men, but before God as well, a question mark is placed after the name of the believer who has not testified before men, then most assuredly, salvation is not "the word of faith, which we preach."

The Apostle says that we must confess and believe to be saved. This is different, and here quite naturally the heart and mouth become symbolically significant.

As if anticipating the misinterpretation of his words, the Spirit-inspired Apostle continues:

"For the Scripture saith, Whosoever BELIEVETH on Him shall note ashamed" (Ver. 11).

"For whosoever shall CALL upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Ver. 13).

This is "the word of faith, which we preach."

It is when the sinner comes to the end of himself and confesses, acknowledges that Jesus is Lord, and believes in Him as the risen, living Savior, that he is saved. Any work of righteousness he might add for salvation would be useless, for salvation is "by grace... through faith... not of works" (Eph. 2:8,9). And so:

“With the heart man BELIEVETH" (Ver. 10).

"With the mouth CONFESSION is made" (Ver. 10).

"For whosoever BELIEVETH on Him shall not be ashamed" (Ver. 11).

"For ... whosoever shall CALL upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Ver. 13).

Years ago a Christian woman kept urging her unsaved husband to attend large Saturday night evangelistic services. He went, week after week, to please her. It seemed to her, after a time, however, that he was under deep conviction, so as they walked home together she asked him, "Dear, why didn't you go forward tonight?" He replied, "I guess I'm just a coward. I didn't have the courage to get up out of my seat and go forward. Maybe next week." But is salvation, then, by courage or by faith? by some human effort, or by trusting in the finished work of Christ? Yet this man and his wife had associated being saved with going forward in a gospel meeting, and there are multitudes like them.

We do not for a moment mean to minimize the importance of Christian testimony. Only, we would not frighten God's dear children into witnessing for Him. We would not cast doubt upon their salvation just because they have not had the courage to bear public testimony, nor give them to feet that salvation is incomplete without human works. Some of the finest people-and the best Christians-are very retiring, and find it difficult to ever express themselves publicly. Above all, we would not adulterate the message of grace, or alter the written Word of God.”

Commentary on The Epistles of Paul to The Romans by Cornelius Stam pages 213-215,

Copyright, 1984 BEREAN LITERATURE FOUNDATION

7609 W. Belmont Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60635

Abraham's salvation and dispensationalism

How was Abraham saved? How do you reconcile Romans 4 with James 2?

The Bible teaches that Abraham received imputed righteousness by faith in Genesis 15:4-6 and that he received justification in Geneses 22:10 with the offering up of Isaac. The offering up of Isaac is said to have "fulfilled" the statement "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness" (Jam. 2:23). James said that "faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect" (Jam. 2:22). If the Bible says what it means and means what it says, then Abraham was justified by faith, but by perfected faith. That is what the text says. The initial statement in Genesis 15:6 is something that had to be "fulfilled" and "made perfect". Justification has always been by faith, but in the Old Testament and the Gospel of the Kingdom justification was by the faith of man and not the faith of Christ. Man's faith can "draw back" (Heb. 10:39), be "weak" (Rom. 4:19), be "wavering" (Jam. 1:6), and it must be "tried" (1 Pet. 1:7). However, under Grace we are justified by the faith of Christ, which is already perfect and proven. Which is why we receive imputed righteousness and justification at the same time (Rom. 4:1-5:1, Acts 13:38-39). We which have believed on Christ are justified by the faith of Christ under Grace (Gal. 2:16, 2:20, 3:22, Rom. 3:22, 1 Thes. 5:23-24, 2 Tim. 2:13, Eph. 3:12, Phil. 3:9). This spiritual blessing was not available to those before the cross (Gal. 3:22-23). Jesus Christ was obedient unto death, in full faith in the Father, and we are justified by His faith as members of His body (Eph. 5:30, 2 Tim. 2:13). Interestingly enough, the believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom are commanded to keep the faith of Jesus, His same faith of being obedient unto death (Rev. 14:12, Phil. 2:8, Heb. 4:15, 5:8-9). 

Some people (non dispensationalists) disregard James 2 as having anything to do with Abraham's salvation and they teach that it is referring to "justification before men" and how it takes faith plus works to help our fellow man. I am sure that everyone agrees that we should help people and that faith alone will not help feed/clothe our friends, only our good works will help them in that regard. But the issue is that James 2 is not just about helping people. James 2:14 asks IF faith can "SAVE" a man, shifting the context to justification and salvation. I don't see where the Bible teaches that we are to be justified before men, "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15) When James asks "what doth it profit" the context is how will it profit the person, not the brethren...What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (Jam. 2:14)

--Eli Caldwell