Senior Pastor of Day Star Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, has reiterated his position on tithing, insisting that the practice can’t be established in the New Testament.
He re-established his stance on the subject during a recent live chat monitored on TVC’s Journalists Hang Out, a popular programme where issues of public interest are discussed by journalists.
It will be recalled that Adeyemi had preached against tithing about five years ago when the issue generated so much heat and controversy in the country.
Asked if he still holds to his views, he said: “When the controversy about tithing came up, I did what every preacher should do.
“I went back to the Bible and did my research on the subject. I sent my findings to my theology teacher and he said I could go ahead with my findings.”
The Church, according to him, has always had a way of resolving doctrinal issues right from the time of the apostles.
“In Acts 15, you will see massive debate on the issue of circumcision. The apostles had to resolve the issue by reaching an agreement on certain things.
“What you will notice is that after Jesus died, the requirement for salvation changed. Everything changed. That is what we applied to the tithing issue.”
Making reference to Abraham who gave tithe, he said: “Tithing predates the law. People who follow the principles have prospered in business.
“But what we found out is that there was no instruction for anybody to pay tithe after Christ died.
“There were only historical references to tithing in the New Testament. We also looked at the practice of giving. We found out that people gave more than 10 percent in the New Testament.
“We now saw that we can’t apply what we had under the law to the New Testament dispensation.”
Adeyemi said some of the references in Deuteronomy even instruct tithers to eat their tithe.
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away),
25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose.
26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.
27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Adeyemi continued: “Some references (like Verse 28 of Deut 14) have to do with paying tithe once in three years. There were also instructions that you have to carry your tithe to certain places.
“So, the statement in Malachi 3v10 that those who don’t pay tithe are under a curse has been nullified with the death of Christ on the cross. “The book of Galatians says Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.”
The Day Star Founder however noted that the debate on tithing is still ongoing adding also that tithing is an exchange for value.
