Part 1: Joseph Prince, on tithing, claimed that God spoke to him when it was the devil who did – he lied 4 times and made God a liar – By Rev George Ong
Joseph Prince, who uses social media extensively to preach his heresies, is a serial liar – Lie No 7
Part 2: Joseph Prince’s teaching on tithing and the relationship between the tithe and Jesus/salvation/cross/burnt offering is heretical – By Rev George Ong (Dated 12 August 2023)
Here is an excerpt from Part 2:
In the sermon, Joseph Prince said:
“Last night, the Lord spoke to me and the Lord said,
“Son, I set up the whole world like this.
My Son is the firstfruit, I gave Jesus,
He (Jesus) is the tithe.
And the world with of course evil intentions,
took the tithe (Jesus) but unbeknown to them,
they did something that I (God) wanted them to do,
they offered the tithe (Jesus)
as a burnt offering on the cross.
And salvation came upon the whole world.”
I told you He’s (God) still talking to me.”
What has the tithe got to do with Jesus?
Nothing!
What has the tithe got to do with salvation?
Nothing!
What has the tithe got to do with burnt offering?
Nothing!
What has the tithe got to do with the cross?
Nothing!
So, imagine Joseph Prince is concocting something
out of nothing – plain heretical nonsense!
If Joseph Prince can concoct such heretical nonsense
– if Joseph Prince can lie 4 times in a short 45-second video
– if Joseph Prince can make God a liar
– if Joseph Prince has been listening to his father’s voice – the devil’s voice,
how can he not be a heretic?
But the most horrifying fact is that
Joseph Prince said it was God
who spoke such heretical nonsense to him!
That being the case,
if any Singapore Bishop, Pastor, Leader or member
still refuses to acknowledge
the revolting heresies of Joseph Prince
and work with him instead,
I won’t be surprised
that they would be judged by God.
In Part 1, don’t miss the commentaries
of the following reliable Bible commentators:
FF Bruce, Craig Keener, David Prior & Gordon Fee
In Appendix 1, be sure to catch the experiences
of 3 Ex New Creation Church members
with Joseph Prince on tithing.
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
Part 1: Joseph Prince, on tithing, claimed that God spoke to him when it was the devil who did – he lied 4 times and made God a liar – By Rev George Ong
In a sermon, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view 45-second video
“The Bible says in New Testament, New Testament, Romans.
Romans 11:16 NKJV
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy;
and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
The Apostle Paul by the Spirit says,
“if the firstfruits is holy, say holy,
if the firstfruits is holy, the rest is holy.”
Ten percent (tithe) is a part of the whole.
For God, the ten percent (tithe) is everything.
It’s part of the whole.
When the ten percent (tithe or firstfruits) is holy,
the rest is holy (Rom 11:16). You understand?
Like it says in 1 Corinthians 15,
“that Christ is risen from the dead
and become the firstfruits, say firstfruits.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NKJV
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has
become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
That’s the tithe (referring to firstfruits in 1 Cor 15:20)
of those who have fallen asleep.”
Last night, the Lord spoke to me and the Lord said,
“Son, I set up the whole world like this.
My Son is the firstfruit, I gave Jesus,
He (Jesus) is the tithe.”
I told you He’s (God) still talking to me.”
From the outset, let me list out 4 lies that Joseph Prince told
in a short 45-second video:
1st Lie: Joseph Prince said that the firstfruits is the same as tithes when they aren’t.
2nd Lie: Joseph Prince said that Jesus is the tithe but nowhere in the scriptures mentions that.
3rd Lie: Joseph Prince lied when he made it to seem that Romans 11:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:20 are talking about tithes or firstfruits, but when interpreted in context, they aren’t.
4th Lie: Joseph Prince claimed that God had spoken to him when it was the devil, who did.
1st Lie: Joseph Prince said that the firstfruits
is the same as tithes, when they aren’t.
Tithes are ten percent of one’s income or produce,
and is practised on a regular basis,
while firstfruits are usually given once in a harvest season,
when the harvest is due.
It could also refer to the giving of the first born of an animal.
Tithes are more or less an obligation or a tax
that Old Covenant people are expected to pay to God,
while firstfruits are the first and best gifts of one’s produce
given in gratitude to God
and a celebration of thanksgiving and appreciation to Him.
Tithes are not only given in monetary form
but also in the form of grain and fruits,
while firstfruits usually involved
the giving of grain, wine and oil.
Tithes have to be the amount of ten percent you have produced,
while, generally, no exact or fixed amount is stipulated for firstfruits.
Tithes are given throughout the year,
while firstfruits are given only seasonally when the harvest is due.
The giving of tithes is mandatory, not an option,
while firstfruits are a celebration of thanksgiving of one’s produce.
(Some references: Gen 14:18-20; Gen 28:22; Ex 13:14-15;
Ex 23:15-19; Ex 34:26; Lev 23:7, 17; Lev 27:30-32; Lev 27:30-33;
Num 18:8-12, 20-32; Deut 14:22-29; Deut 18:4; Deut 26:2;
2 kings 4:42; 2 Chron 31:5-8; Neh 10:35-38, 13:31; Eze 44:30;
Eze 48:14; Prov 3:9-10.)
2nd Lie: Joseph Prince said that Jesus is the tithe,
but nowhere in the scriptures that mention that.
Although 1 Corinthians 15:20
did say that Christ has become the firstfruits,
it didn’t say tithes.
As I have already explained
tithes and firstfruits are not the same entity
and they are rather different.
So, when Joseph Prince said Jesus is the tithe,
he is blatantly lying.
3rd Lie: Joseph Prince lied when he made it to seem
that Romans 11:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:20
are talking about tithes or firstfruits,
but when interpreted in context, they aren’t.
First, let’s examine Romans 11:16.
Let’s take a look at other versions
besides the NKJV used by Joseph Prince:
Romans 11:16 NKJV
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:16 TLB
16 And since Abraham and the prophets are God’s people, their children will be too. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be too.
Romans 11:16 NMB
16 Take another illustration: if the first fruits are holy, so is the whole lump. And if the root is holy, the branches are holy also.
Romans 11:16 GNT
16 If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also.
If one were to examine Romans 11:16,
it is not talking about giving or tithing
or even the idea of firstfruits per se.
The overall context of Romans 11
is that although the Jews
were still not coming back to God,
they eventually will.
God has not given up hope on them.
So, the gist of Romans 11:16 is that just as
Abraham and the prophets – the patriarchs
and all who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah
are God’s people, being the firstfruits,
this gives certainty and hope
that their children in the last of the last days
will return to God, too, and be His people.
Let me feature what 2 renowned Bible scholars
have to say about the interpretation of Romans 11:6.
In ‘Tyndale New Commentary Commentaries (TNTC), Romans by F. F. Bruce,’
FF Bruce wrote:
(Romans 11:16)
“In the present use of the figure,
the ‘first fruits’
should most probably be understood
to comprise those men and women of Jewish birth
who had, like Paul,
acknowledged Jesus as Messiah and Lord.
And if the root is holy, so are the branches.”
In ‘Romans, A New Covenant Commentary by Craig S. Keener,’
Craig Keener wrote:
(Romans 11:16)
“One could be confident of God’s benevolent plan
for Israel’s future based on its heritage (11:16).
Offering the first fruits
consecrated the entire batch of dough as acceptable;
while “first fruits”
could refer to first converts (1 Cor 16:15),
here it probably refers to the patriarchs,
as in the next illustration.
Just as it was a commonplace
that a tree was known by its fruit
(cf. 7:4; Matt 7:17–18; 12:33; Luke 6:43–44; Jas 3:12),
branches would be as holy as the root,
which for a Jewish audience
would typically point to the patriarchs.
Gentiles could be grafted into the tree (11:17),
but Jewish believers fit most naturally (11:18, 24),
and Paul expects a large-scale turning of Jewish people
to faith in Christ (11:23–27).”
So, Paul in Romans 11:16
was not taking about tithes or firstfruits per se,
but he was using the concept of firstfruits
to illustrate the hope and promise
that just as the patriarchs
as the firstfruits were God’s people,
the same would happen to many of the Jews
before the end of time.
Second, let’s turn our attention to 1 Corinthians 15:20:
1 Corinthians 15:20 NKJV
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has
become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
When you take a look at the other translations
besides the NKJV used by Joseph Prince (see below),
and consider the bigger context of 1 Corinthians chapter 15,
it becomes clear that 1 Corinthians 15:20
is not talking about tithing or firstfruits per se.
But Paul was just making the point
that just as there are the firstfruits of the crop
which indicate a later and greater harvest of more crops,
in the same way,
just as Christ was raised from the dead as the firstfruits,
there is hope for all of us
as we too would be raised to life too
at the coming of Jesus.
What I have just described
is clearly seen in the following Bible translations
other than the NKJV used by Joseph Prince:
1 Corinthians 15:20 CEV
20 But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.
1 Corinthians 15:20 GNT
20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised.
1 Corinthians 15:20 ICB
20 But Christ has truly been raised from death – the first one and proof that those who are asleep in death will also be raised.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NOG
20 But now Christ has come back from the dead. He is the very first person of those who have died to come back to life.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NCV
20 But Christ has truly been raised from the dead – the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NLV
20 But it is true! Christ has been raised from the dead! He was the first One to be raised from the dead and all those who are in graves will follow.
In ‘The Bible Speaks Today (BST), The Message of 1 Corinthians
by David Prior, Edited by John Stott,’
David Prior wrote:
(1 Corinthians 15:20)
“We can almost hear the sigh of relief as well
as the cry of confidence with which Paul declares:
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead (20).
This But must rank with the great ‘buts’ of the Bible.
Here Paul is saying that
a whole new age has dawned
with the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead:
he is the first fruits of an immense harvest,
consisting of all those who are in Christ (22)
and who belong to Christ (23).
The word translated first fruits (aparchē)
is echoed by the language of Colossians:
‘He is the beginning (archē), the first-born from the dead.’ 28
If Christ was raised from the dead,
it is clear that all those who, through the grace of God,
are now in Christ
will also be raised from the dead.”
In ‘The New International Commentary on the New Testament,
The first Epistle to the Corinthians by Gordon D. Fee,’
Gordon Fee wrote:
(1 Corinthians 15:20)
Although this term has a rich OT history,
Paul’s interest is not in its biblical overtones,
which have to do
with consecrating the firstfruits
of the harvest to God (cf. Lev. 23:9-14),
but in its function as a metaphor
for the first of the harvest
serving as a kind of guarantee for the full harvest.
In his usage, therefore,
the metaphor functions similarly
to that of the “down payment” or “earnest money”
of the Spirit in 2 Cor. 1:22 and 5:5 (cf. Eph. 1:14);
both serve as a present pledge on the part of God
for the final eschatological harvest or payment.
Thus the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 2:13)
and the household of Stephanas (1 Cor. 16:15)
are the “firstfruits” in a given geographical area,
which means not only that they are the first converts
but the first of a much larger harvest
that is yet to be realized.
So too, with Christ.
He is God’s “firstfruits,”
God’s own pledge that there will be a full harvest
of those who will be raised from the dead.
By calling Christ the “firstfruits,”
Paul is asserting by way of metaphor
that the resurrection of the believing dead
is absolutely inevitable;
it has been guaranteed by God himself.”
So, from views of the commentators,
such as Gordon Fee and David Prior,
one can clearly see
that when Paul mentioned Christ
as the “first fruits of those who have fallen asleep,”
in 1 Corinthians 15:20,
he is not teaching on giving or tithing or firstfruits per se at all,
but he is using it as an illustration to assure the Corinthians
that just as Christ was resurrected as the firstfruits,
all who are in Christ would be resurrected too
on the day of His coming.
4th Lie: Joseph Prince claimed that God has spoken to him
when it was the devil, who did.
Would God speak to Joseph Prince
and tell him something
that isn’t factually true and scripturally false
– that firstfruits is the tithe
– that Jesus is the tithe
– that both Romans 11:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:20
are teaching on tithing and firstfruits?
If that is so, then God is a liar.
Do you realise that Joseph Prince
by claiming that God spoke to him
about the above 3 issues
is literally making God a liar?
But God doesn’t lie.
This proves that God isn’t the one
who spoke to Joseph Prince.
The one who spoke to Joseph Prince,
who himself is a serial liar
is the devil
as Satan is the father of lies. (Jn 8:44)
Part 2: Joseph Prince’s teaching on tithing and the relationship between the tithe and Jesus/salvation/cross/burnt offering is heretical – By Rev George Ong
In the sermon, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 1-minute video:
“The money you received, your salary and all that;
it’s all dirty money
because of what’s happening in the world.
All that’s happening.
Now, the world has a propensity
towards evil, towards corruption.
You know but thank God,
we are not under this system.
We have been redeemed from the curse.
Now, you have been redeemed from the curse.
The money that comes into your hand is not.
Do you understand that how do you make the money clean?
The Bible says in New Testament, New Testament, Romans.
The Apostle Paul by the Spirit says,
“if the firstfruits is holy, say holy,
if the firstfruits is holy, the rest is holy.”
Romans 11:16 NKJV
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy…
And what is holy, the devil cannot touch. Hae hae.
What is holy, the devil cannot touch.
Now, your money is no more unrighteous.
It’s no more filthy.
Looker, it is now holy money.
Ten percent (tithe) is a part of the whole.
For God, the ten percent (tithe) is everything.
It’s part of the whole.
When the ten percent (tithe or firstfruits) is holy,
the rest is holy (Rom 11:16).
You understand?”
Joseph Prince is indirectly but effectively teaching
that the only way you can make your dirty money clean
is to offer the firstfruits or tithes as in Romans 11:16:
Romans 11:16 NKJV
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy…
This teaching is extremely bizarre to say the least.
This seems to be his ploy and hidden agenda
to compel people to tithe,
as those who don’t
would be laden with dirty money in their possession.
What a strange and false idea for Joseph Prince to say
that all the world’s money is dirty.
Even assuming that Joseph Prince is right
when he said all the world’s money is dirty,
for him to use Romans 11:16 to prove his case
is clearly out of context.
I have proven in an earlier argument,
that Romans 11:16 has nothing to do
with firstfruits or tithes at all.
It has the idea that just as
Abraham and the prophets – the patriarchs
being the firstfruits are God’s people,
there is hope as God has not deserted them,
and that their children in the last of the last days
will return to God too
and be His people forever and ever:
Romans 11:16 TLB
16 And since Abraham and the prophets are God’s people,
their children will be too. For if the roots of the tree
are holy, the branches will be too.
So, this text has got nothing to do
with how one can get rid of dirty money through tithing,
and that if one doesn’t tithe,
he would have to live with dirty money
for the rest of his life
– a twisted teaching that Joseph Prince has concocted.
In the sermon, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 30-second video:
“Last night, the Lord spoke to me and the Lord said,
“Son, I set up the whole world like this.
My Son is the firstfruit, I gave Jesus,
He (Jesus) is the tithe.
And the world with of course evil intentions,
took the tithe (Jesus) but unbeknown to them,
they did something that I (God) wanted them to do,
they offered the tithe (Jesus)
as a burnt offering on the cross.
And salvation came upon the whole world.”
I told you He’s (God) still talking to me.”
What has the tithe got to do with Jesus?
Nothing!
(Jesus is not the tithe)
What has the tithe got to do with salvation?
Nothing!
What has the tithe got to do with burnt offering?
Nothing!
What has the tithe got to do with the cross?
Nothing!
So, imagine Joseph Prince is concocting something
out of nothing – plain heretical nonsense!
If Joseph Prince can concoct such heretical nonsense
– if Joseph Prince can lie 4 times in a short 45-second video
– if Joseph Prince can make God a liar
– if Joseph Prince has been listening to his father’s voice – the devil’s voice,
how can he not be a heretic?
But the most horrifying fact is that
Joseph Prince said it was God
who spoke such heretical nonsense to him!
That being the case,
if any Singapore Bishop, Pastor, Leader or member
still refuses to acknowledge
the revolting heresies of Joseph Prince
and work with him instead,
I won’t be surprised
that they would be judged by God.
Rev George Ong
Appendix 1
3 Ex New Creation Church Members experiences
with Joseph Prince on tithing:
Gabriel Stephen, Andrew Tan and Asher Chee.
Gabriel Stephen wrote:
“I remember one incident when my allowance ran out
and I didn’t tithe to the church,
one of my leaders approached me
and asked me why I didn’t tithe.
They are aware whether we tithe or not
because we tithe via PayNow/digital.
To encourage me to continue tithing,
the leader even quoted
what one of the key New Creation Church Pastors said,
“The tithe justifies that Jesus is alive.”
The leader then suggested
that I could tithe in another way
by buying one of Joseph Prince’s books,
which I did and I bought Joseph Prince’s book,
“Give Me This Mountain,” for $30.”
George Ong’s comments;
Now you know why Joseph Prince is so rich.
He has got his people to push the sales
of not only his sermons,
but also his many books.
Andrew Tan wrote:
“The church (NCC) tends to celebrate success
and rides on the successes of its prominent members
to showcase how faithfulness in tithing
brings wealth abundantly.
Only those who are successful are given the microphone.
The rest, who have not yet achieved big success,
will have to wait for their turn.
Before leaders are appointed in New Creation Church,
they will have their tithing record checked
before being appointed.
They will have to show
that they are tithing regularly to the church.
Interestingly, Joseph Prince preaches grace and against law,
and yet, he institutes such rigid ‘law’
to check people’s tithing record
before they can be appointed to leadership.
As far as I know,
there is hardly any church that practices that.
In the Bible, stewardship is more than money.
It encompasses time, talent and other resources.
The biblical qualifications for church leadership
are found in Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-4.
None of them mention tithing.
George Ong’s comments:
So, is Joseph Prince a grace teacher or a law preacher?
Joseph Prince would have to make up his mind
as his legalistic action is antithetical to his grace teachings.
Devising such legalistic means
of checking a person’s tithing record
is not only an invasion of a person’s privacy,
but also a grave contradiction
to Joseph Prince’s image and credibility as a grace teacher.
As a matter of fact,
I cannot find anywhere in the Bible
in which a person’s tithing record is scrutinised
before one can be appointed to leadership.
The bottom line is Joseph Prince is so obsessed
about whether people tithe to his church
that he will go to the extent
of invading into a person’s privacy
by checking his tithing record.
Money! Money! Money!
For those who have missed an Ex New Creation Church member,
Asher Chee’s video, titled,
“Joseph Prince’s Teaching On The Secret Of Wealth
Found In The Hebrew Language On Tithing
Is A Lie”
Please click on the link below to view
Appendix 2
Joseph Prince, is indeed, a serial liar:
For Lie No 1,
“Joseph Prince falsely accuses the Lord Jesus, who is God Himself, of being a false prophet,”
Please click on the link below to view
For Lie No 2,
“Joseph Prince lied & made Jesus a liar when he said that Jesus doesn’t tell you about your faults,”
Please click on the link below to view
For Lie No 3,
“Joseph Prince lied against Paul, Peter, Jesus & Father God for preaching a no-repentance gospel,”
Please click on the link below to view
For Lie No 4,
“Joseph Prince double-talked & lied as he made Jesus & Paul liars when he said Christ could come back at any time”
Please click on the link below to view
For Lie No 5,
“Joseph Prince is on sabbatical this year, repeats his sermons & lies 27 times that he preached every Sunday during COVID-19”
Please click on the link below to view
For Lie No 6,
“Joseph Prince, called a fraud by John Stott & deemed not a Christian by Derek Prince, taught against the costly discipleship of Jesus & lied 3 times”
Please click on the link below to view