Ibiyeomie, the pastor of Salvation Ministry, compares tithe payment with tax, saying both are punishable and defaulters won’t make progress
Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministry in Port Harcourt, has called those refusing to pay tithe as criminals.
Tithe is 10 per cent of agricultural produce in the Old Testament, not money. In Deuteronomy 14:24-26 where the law of tithing was given, it spells out what happens to tithe if the product is too heavy to be transported to the Temple.
“(24) And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, (25) then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses (26) and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.”
But Ibeyeomi described those who fail to remit their tithes to church as criminals, stressing that the offence is punishable.
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Ibiyeomie discloses this while speaking at the church’s service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, saying that some Christians experience near success syndrome (failure at the edge of breakthrough) because of their reluctance to pay tithes.
He added that failure to pay tithes attracts curses.
He said, “Tax is the government’s share, so you don’t say I want to give the government my tax, you say you want to pay tax, that is how tithe is God’s own. Leviticus 27:30. God is the owner of the tithe. So, what do you do?
“You pay, it’s only in Nigeria you don’t pay tax and they can leave you, in the Western world it is a big criminal offence, if you don’t pay tithe, you are a criminal, your offence is punishable, tithe is simply one-tenth of your income, 10 per cent of your income goes to God.
“Near success syndrome will not happen. If you’re experiencing near success syndrome don’t go for deliverance, you’re not a tither. Anything that I do, when it is close to manifestation, the thing will just go off, you’re not a faithful tither.
“Many deliverance ministries, they just go for deliverance, this is the problem, they don’t pay tithe faithfully. Yet, they will say anything I want to do, when it is about to click it will just go off.
“It is near success syndrome. Correct it from tithing, don’t correct it from seven days deliverance. Hear this, tithe must be paid first otherwise the curse will remain,” he added.