Zion and Jerusalem, June 25, 2013

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

(New Testament | Matthew 5:17)

Teachings of President Lorenzo Snow chapter 12 Tithing

Posted on June 22, 2013 by miketea

“The law of tithing is one of the most important
ever revealed to man. . . . Through obeying
this law the blessings of prosperity and
success will be given to the Saints.”

Lorenzo Snow

http://mormonisminvestigated.co.uk/2013/06/22/teachings-of-president-lorenzo-snow-chapter-12-tithing/#comments

The LORD Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Before he was born, he was known in the Old Testament of the Bible as the Great Jehovah. In the New Testament of the Bible, he came to the world to his own knows as the GREAT I AM; even as the told the Jews who questioned his divinity, that they should not think that he came to destroy the law and the prophets but to fulfill or to be obedient to Elohim or to the Father in all things. Because he is the law, the light and the life and who walks with him or in his truth, laws and commandments cannot walk in darkness.

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

(New Testament | John 8:58)

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

(New Testament | John 8:12)

But there are a great many in all parties’ sects and denominations of the Christian world that cherry pick the scriptures and in so doing they discriminate or select the laws and commandments of God that they are willing to admit and keep. And at one point or another in our existence we all have fallen short of obedience and as a result of breaking or ignoring the laws of GOD we are required to sacrifice. Hence the prophet said, it is better to obey than to sacrifice and to pay attention than the fat of rams.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

(Old Testament | 1 Samuel 15:22)

The LORD Jesus Christ is the only one I know who well pleased the father in all things. Everybody else, which includes me and you and all the prophets regardless o nobility, faith power and greatness, fell short of the Glory of GOD or of godly perfection. But I do not say this as a complaint or degradation to them, but as a gesture of oblation for they have fallen from grace but have landed higher than my lofty successes. This makes me the least of my brethren in the kingdom of heaven.

Now you scripture cherry pickers and you doctors interpreters of the law, how can the LORD be a just God if he required obedience of some things from those who followed him in the past or anciently and not for those in follow him today and in the future? That will make of him a changeable and discriminatory God who makes exceptions which we know it is not true. Because if you say that there is no law, you say that there is no sin, and where these are not, there is no condemnation. And if there is no condemnation, there is no justice, mercy and righteousness. And if these things do not exist, God does not exist. And if that were the case, we are not, for there could not be a creation of anything for all things must have vanished away. But as sure as I live, you and I are here and I am writing and you are reading these words.

And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:13)

“The Law and the Light”

Elder Boyd K. Packer

The Law

“The first word is law. A law is an invariably consistent rule, independent and irrevocable in its existence. Consequences always follow the observance of, the breaking of, even the ignoring of a law. Laws govern the physical universe with such constancy and precision that once man has discovered them, he can demonstrate their existence, generally by their effect, with unfailing accuracy. Laws do not change. A law, like truth, “abideth and hath no end” (D&C 88:66). A theory is tentative, subject to change, and may or may not be true. A theory is a means to an end, not the end in itself.”

https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-jacob-through-words-mormon-learn-joy/1-law-and-light

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 7:11 - 12)

Now, concerning the laws, statutes, faith, truth justice and judgments of GOD which are the weighty matters of the law, as given to man before and after Moses; the first commandment ever given to man was to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. That same commandment was immediately ratified with the second Adam or Noah after the taxation or tithe exacted by the great flood. And to my personal and current understanding and knowledge as per the declaration of the living prophets, in the Family, a proclamation to the world, that same commandment to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth has not been revoked. This in itself asserts that GOD is the same yesterday, today, and if he has not spoken to our prophets today, which I doubt, he will yet speak to them tomorrow.

The Family, a proclamation to the world

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=por

Likewise it is with the Ten Commandments that we all know were received under Moses, which are the foundation of eternal life. Whether they were given to us or know, deep within us we know that to Kill, to lie and to steal is wrong. Therefore, break three and a fourth commandment, and your life will sink as fast as the titanic which could not keep itself a float in like manner after a third and a fourth of its floating compartments were breached by the ice as a result of the laws they broke inside which include Idolatry, adultery, theft, covetousness and pride. The commandments we know existed before and after Moses. Abraham is called the father of the faithful because he was a follower of righteousness and so were his sons, Isaac and Jacob. He must have known the commandments as we do with the difference that he did his best to be a better follower of righteousness than we do. And Jesus Christ ratified the commandments to his disciples in the sermon of the mount and when he said to his disciples; if you love me keep my commandments. It is implied that he was taking about the ten commandments and he added a new one as an antidote of the law of eye for aye and toot for tooth, which is Love one another, including our enemies.

There in the OLD and in the New Testament we had the law of sacrifice, both before and after Moses, which existed from the beginning, many think that the law was abolished but it was not, instead the LORD Jesus Christ who came to fulfill the law he gave modified it. From Adam to Moses and from Moses to Jesus Christ, the people of God offered as sacrifice the first fruits of the crops and of animals. In the new covenant, the LORD still required sacrifices, but instead of blood, he asked for true repentance or a broken heart and contrite spirit; which is a sacrifice not easy to make but only by the true penitent. And in addition to these we have the law of chastity and the law of consecration and the laws of health. All these laws and others in between like the law of tithing have existed interconnected from the very beginning or perpetually in the following orders. 1^st, The Law of Obedience, 2^nd, The Law of Sacrifice, 3^rd, The Law of the Gospel, 4^th, The Law of Chastity and 5^th, The Law of Consecration.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

(Old Testament | Psalms 51:17)

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:7)

And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:20)

In the OLD Testament of the Bible, in The book of Malachi, concerning the law of tithing, the LORD speaks both of things past and of things future, because there is a commandment, not to steal, so he charges the people to return unto him, and bring the tithes and offerings so there is meat in his house. This law also existed before and after Moses. Abraham paid tithes of all he had to Melchizedeck, not only of the spoils of war as the cherry pickers do say. So did Isaac and Jacob.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

(Old Testament | Genesis 14:18 - 20)

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.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 13:15)

And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

(New Testament | Hebrews 7:8)

The apostles and prophets of the New Testament do not mention much about tithing and sacrifice but it is implied because as they quote much of the Old Testament, and the deeds of Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, the Psalms and Isaiah among others, it is implied that they taught and accepted it as the word of GOD as much as we do it in our day. The only thing that was abrogated was the school master or the rituals of the Law of Moses.

Nevertheless, thus far we have been speaking about things past. Most Christians today live in the past because under a broken covenant anyway. They reject the works of salvation which is to keep the commandments, the ordinances of salvation and the laws of God. Instead thy prefer the soothsayers that teach their own wisdom and reasoning, and who say that we are saved by grace alone. And that works of faith like faith in Christ unto repentance, the burial ordinances of the gospel, obedience to the commandments and endurance to the end are not necessary. The priesthood of GOD us useless to them; they imply authority from GOD to preach, to baptize, to marry and to perform other sacrament in the name of the LORD just because they read the Bible and memorized it or by a divinity degree in a world university. And by departing from the priesthood from the beginning, they changed the ordinances of salvation from immersion for the remission of sins to aspersion or sprinkling. This is so called priest craft broke their communion with GOD that eventually enveloped the whole earth in darkness and gross darkness in the minds of people until the times of the restitution or the restoration of all things. But most Christians are in denial, that they live under apostasy under a broken covenant of dead works and this is why they conveniently interpret and cherry pick the scriptures to their convenience and advantage Like Bobby and Miketa do. And this is a sign that darkness covers the world and gross darkness the minds of people.

www.lds.org

In order to restore his church in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ, all the doctrines, laws and ordinances of salvation and the priesthood had to be restored anew. And by so doing GOD shows unto the world that GOD is the same yesterday, today and forever. If you fail to believe that he does not act today with man as he did anciently, then you believe in a partial GOD. You do not know him and you honor him with your lips but your heart is away from him. And as a result you teach for commandments the precepts of men, having form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Most Christians today are like the ancient Jews, that is the Pharisees, the Sadducees who professed to know the law of Moses and taught it, but none lived it. And for this cause the LORD sent John the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare the way before them to exceed the righteousness of the fallen priests and in so doing take away the scepter of power from the Jews and dethrone their kingdom to be given to another people to produce the fruits thereof. And as Christians, you all profess to know Jesus and teach his doctrines, but none of you practice them. And again, some are sent in the power and spirit of Elias to prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus Christ, to exceed your righteousness, to take away the scepter of power from the gentiles, to dethrone their Christianity kingdom and retune the gospel to the Israelites or former owners to produce the fruit thereof never to be given to another people. For if the LORD burned his own house with that was like a tender plant to him and consumed with scorching fire, what shall become of dry wood or the gentiles when the fire approaches them.

I am a pure Israelite, even descendant of the ancient inhabitants of America at least partially, for I am half Jew or from the tribe of Judah; and half from the tribe of Joseph. And the book of Mormon is natural light to us; we take it at face value. And no one understands the bible better than a Jew who also take it at face value. It does not need interpretation to us because it is plain or open to us. The doctrines and precepts that appear to you all obscure in the Bible are indeed magnified to its correct understanding in the book of Mormon; because it exists to precisely to bring additional light to the world and to dethrone false doctrines and beliefs.

In the Book of Mormon the Jesus Christ is know as the GOD of Israel and the one who gave to the Israelites thru Moses the LAW. It is recorded that the Resurrected LORD visited my fathers and as in the New Testament of the Bible, he again said to his people in America that he did not come to destroy the law and the prophets but to fulfill it and then he ratified the commandments, even as he did in the Sermon of the mount.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

(New Testament | John 8:12)

Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 15:9)

Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 15:4 - 5)

Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil; For verily I say unto you, one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled. And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled. Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God; But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:17 - 22)

They, my fathers, did not keep the law of tithing at all, for they lost trace of that practice in their history since they left Jerusalem, and they did not have the words of Malachi, for they were a separate people and had no knowledge of what had been taught after Jeremiah. And the LORD when he came to them after his resurrection gave them those precise scriptures written by Malachi that they lacked and were important to them. And the people were confused and astonished when the LORD called them thieves for not paying tithing as he does in the book of Malachi in the old world. And that law was restored to them at that time so that they were in harmony with the teaching of the people in Jerusalem in all things. And in the process of time they prospered as no other people upon the whole planet and all were converted unto the LORD in the entire continent for a considerable period of time.

Therefore, the law of tithing was there also in the New Testament, and not only the law of tithing but the law of consecration, which is a higher and more perfect law. But apparently, mysteriously or conveniently these laws and other clear and precious parts of the scriptures including the everlasting gospel vanished or were taken or done away as most Christians conveniently dismiss it today. And as a result may do stumble and fall and are taken captive by the devil for a prolonged season or until the light of the restored gospel reaches them.

But Now, in the book of Doctrine and Covenants of the church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints, or the Restored Church of Jesus Christ, the law of tithing and the commandments and the everlasting gospel was restored and ratified to all the saints. And perhaps some of them were sloppy in keeping or obeying these things for which they were persecuted and disciplined. And when the law of consecration was given, they also failed and were severely vexed of the LORD for not complying with it. But it was the Law of tithing, or that principle and faith in it that got the church out of financial bondage during the day of Lorenzo Snow even up unto this day.

I could I could extend my discourse further and farther try to explain to the incredulous that the practice of that law is binding upon all people to day whether they belong to the true church of God or not, but since Christianity is a fallen system, because they know they do not have divine authority they cannot enforce it. They lack the faith and therefore the power to open the window of heaven to life and salvation. The heavens appear like brass to them and the earth like iron. And the result is famine, pestilence and destruction by water, by war and by fire. The laws of nature certainly by natural law time and again take a heavy and increasing toll on them in the form of tithing. This is why most of the European countries and beyond are abolishing property and are in peril of social degeneration and decay as the ancient Israelites. In the case of my fathers, because they had greater laws and light, when they departed from their GOD the nor only degenerated in unbelief but lost all traces of civilization and became the so called Aborigines or American Indians. Sooner or later to those who forsake to live by these laws, the earth is like a Garden of Eden before them and after them a complete desolation.

But believing or not does not prevent any individual familiar with that law to practice its validity and efficacy today as it was yesterday to test the validity of the challenge GOD gives in Malachi. Instead of talking about it, why most Christians don’t practice the law of tithing as we do to know for sure with absolute certainty if the LORD is a liar or not. I personally live in a fixed income and I am about a third of my income in deficit six months out of every year. Yet I never fall short of paying my essential bills. I do practice the Law of tithing with all my family and we have no room to keep all that the temporal and spiritual stuff that LORD blesses us with. Above all, I receive revelation from heaven every day that I have ceased recording it. So, instead I write blogs to give away the excess of fat. And that is not all. With all the temporal things I have in store that I cannot expend it all, it is a must for plagues to come to destroy the grain, the linen and what not. But even in that the LORD protects us . It is rarely that our food goes to waste or spoiled.

If you believe in the book of Revelation in the bible, you must also believe in the law of tithing. All the plagues that will precipitate and culminate with the end of the world will be as a result of not living that LAW. We are already seeing it everywhere. Therefore, if you do not keep the law of tithing, prepare and expect to be burned with fire because sooner or later the LORD will tithe you. For it is written not only to a religious society but to a whole nation regardless of belief and adherence, will man rob god?

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

(Old Testament | Malachi 3:8 - 12)

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my 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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.

Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee? Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 24:8 - 18)

And the most important thing, about the LAW tithing is that it sanctifies the land and their laws and crops look greener because the Lord waters them. And their ground is visited by clean and not hateful birds. Only the people of GOD live it with integrity can attest to these marvelous facts. For of this it is also written in these latter days.

VERILY, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion, For the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church. And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.

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.

Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you. And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you. And this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion. Even so. Amen.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 119:1 - 7)

And if you do not live it, continuously, it is only because you are not of his true fold. And this is how we can discern the righteous from the wicked within and without our ranks. Again, if you do not believe in the law of tithing today as it was then, Prepare to be consumed, because the LORD CHANGES NOT. The scriptures are available to all; you have them with you and ours also. We can help you keep the law of tithing for your own congregations. We all know about them, but lacing faith only to whom it was given live the principles therein instead of theorizing about them as you hypocritically do in your blogs Miketea. For the LORD has said:

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, 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? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

(Old Testament | Malachi 3:6 - 18)

Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming. For after today cometh the burning—this is speaking after the manner of the Lord—for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 64:23 - 24)

As you see Bobby Gilpin and Miketea and all your friends and companions, I have discerned you. Unlike you all, we are called by many a blessed people because as a church or collectively, we are not in bondage. We are a body or a people and not wandering stars as you. We belong to a church, to quorums and to a holy government where our freedom is measured by the laws we know and keep. We have not only the record of the Jews or the Bible, and besides we have the book of Mormon and the book of Doctrine and Covenants. So, we have more doctrines, commandments and laws that we can obey because if we want to live in the presence of GOD and not somewhere else, we have to be like him. Because as a result of knowing all things and being able to keeo all laws, God has ultimate freedom, which is Righteousness. And we seek after those things by imitating his godliness in all things. Most things we own today in the church if not all are free and clear because we can say that we believe in all things, if there is anything lovely, virtuous and of good report; or in other word as our articles of faith make it manifest, we follow the admonition of Paul:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:11 - 13)

OF these things I solemnly testify humbly and honorably with a single eye for the honor and glory of God the Father in the sacred name of his son, even the LORD Jesus Christ, amen.

Attentively Yours from an unworthy servant in the hands of Christ.

Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez