Contradictory Mormon Tithing Definitions

23 January

Leviticus 27:30 “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.”

Last week we came across an interesting article on Reddit where someone posted a request for info on all the definitions for tithing the Church has used over the years.

He listed a few examples from LDS canon, and offered a small monetary reward if someone could add to his list. As you might imagine, the Church’s definition of tithes is all over the board. Today we’re comparing part of that list with God’s word.

One thing is certain. The Church has gone to great extremes in confusing its membership. Check out what they’ve said –

Book of Mormon • 10% of all possessions ~

Alma 13:15 “And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.”

Doctrine and Covenants: • 10% of all interest ~

D&C 119:4 “And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.”

Gordon B. Hinckley  • 10% of income ~

“Reporters whom I have met simply cannot believe that we pay 10 percent of our income as tithing…” — General Conference, ‘Look to the Future,’ October 1997 — Gordon B. Hinckley

George Albert Smith • 10% of “Interest” ~

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith (2010) “The Lord has given us the privilege of contributing one-tenth of our interest, for His Church, for the development of His work in the world. Those who pay their tithing receive their blessing. …” — George Albert Smith

Joseph Smith  • no tithe = no salvation.

D&C 64:23 “He who is tithed will not be burned”. Smith gave this prophecy in Kirtland, OH

Joseph Smith • consecrate everything or get cut off.

D&C 85:3 “It is contrary to the will and commandment of God that those who receive not their inheritance by consecration, agreeable to his law, which he has given, that he may tithe his people, to prepare them against the day of vengeance and burning, should have their names enrolled with the people of God.” – Kirtland, OH, November 27, 1832

Here’s what Got Questions said about tithing –

GotQuestions.org “Tithing is an Old Testament concept. The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which the Israelites were to give 10 percent of the crops they grew and the livestock they raised to the tabernacle/temple…the Old Testament Law required multiple tithes— … —which would have pushed the total to around 23.3 percent. Some understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the needs of the priests and Levites in the sacrificial system.”

And as the site above continued to show, there’s nothing in the NT stating the law of tithing was to continue after the death of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Law was fulfilled through His sacrifice. Giving gifts whether monetary or otherwise, should be kept within the means of the giver and wasn’t based on the OT Law.

NT tithing is based on what the believer felt he was able to give. As the article above mentioned, sometimes that meant more than 10%, and other times it meant less. 1 Corinthians 16:2.

The main lesson I personally learned after I came to the Lord was through the husband of a friend. I asked Kevin about a sermon our pastor had given the previous week wanting insight on how tithing works. Because he and Jan had Catholic backgrounds, I knew he’d understand my trepidation about the subject. What he said changed my life, and subsequently the life of my husband, Kirk, as well.

He said, ‘Michelle, when God lays on my heart the amount He wants me to give at church, or anything like it, I give it to Him and trust He knows what He’s doing’. He went on to say that it’s important to make sure you have access to know where the money is going, but ‘your heart has to give the money up’.

He and Jan became good friends from that night forward. It became another example of how being a Christian means you’re in a relationship with God. Jesus became even a closer friend to me that night than He was before.

We pray this for every Mormon. The ever-changing totalitarian god of Mormonism isn’t the God of the Bible. There are many examples from the NT showing why.

‘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 Corinthians 9:7

These definitions of tithing from the Church are contradictory, unbiblical, and leads you away from God, not to Him!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor 1:18

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