Tithes & Alms

• The works of the Flesh are the works of the Devil and the root of his wickedness is Lust, by which he brings about sin in the world. 

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Apocolypse of Moses

Chapter XIX

“And I opened to him and he walked a little way, then turned and said to me: 'I have changed my mind, and I will not give thee to eat until thou swear to me to give also to thy husband.' And I said, 'What sort of oath shall I swear to thee? Yet what I know, I say to thee: By the throne of the Master, and by the Cherubim and the Tree of Life, I will give also to my husband to eat.' And when he had received the oath from me, he went and poured upon the fruit the poison of his wickedness, which is lust, the root and beginning of every sin, and he bent the branch on the earth and I took of the fruit and I ate.

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• The Lust brings about sin within our flesh, hence we have to be mindful of the spirits that come of the flesh and avoid them by walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-21

Gal 5:16 

 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
Gal 5:17  

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18  

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 
Gal 5:19  

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20 

 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21  

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Alahayim. 

 

• Along with the Lust of the Flesh, There are also the daughters of the Devil, doubtful-mind and evil desire. We must be diligent to avoid these daughters lest we lose our hope in Christ. 

Shepard of Hermas 

Mandate 9

1[39]:7 Cleanse therefore thy heart from doubtful-mindedness, and put on faith, for it is strong, and trust Alahayim that thou wilt receive all thy petitions which thou askest; and if after asking anything of AHAYAH, thou receive thy petition somewhat tardily, be not of doubtful mind because thou didst not receive the petition of thy soul at once. For assuredly it is by reason of some temptation or some transgression, of which thou art ignorant, that thou receivest thy petition so tardily.

1[39]:8 Do thou therefore cease not to make thy soul's petition, and thou shalt receive it. But if thou grow weary, and doubt as thou askest, blame thyself and not Him that giveth unto thee. See to this doubtful- mindedness; for it is evil and senseless, and uprooteth many from the faith, yea, even very faithful and strong men. For indeed this doubtful-mindedness is a daughter of the devil, and worketh great wickedness against the servants of Alahayim.

1[39]:9 Therefore despise doubtful-mindedness and gain the mastery over it in everything, clothing thyself with faith which is strong and powerful. For faith promiseth all things, accomplisheth all things; but doubtful-mindedness, as having no confidence in itself, fails in all the works which it doeth.

1[39]:10 Thou seest then," saith he, "that faith is from above from AHAYAH, and hath great power; but doubtful-mindedness is an earthly spirit from the devil, and hath no power.

1[39]:11 Do thou therefore serve that faith which hath power, and hold aloof from the doubtful-mindedness which hath no power; and thou shalt live unto Alahayim; yea, and all those shall live unto Alahayim who are so minded."

Mandate 12

1[44]:3 "Of what sort, Sir," say I, "are the works of the evil desire, which hand over men to death? Make them known to me, that I may hold aloof from them." Listen," [saith he,] "through what works the evil desire bringeth death to the servants of Alahayim.

The Shepard of Hermas 23

2[45]:1 "Before all is desire for the wife or husband of another, and for extravagance of wealth, and for many needless dainties, and for drinks and other luxuries, many and foolish. For even luxury is foolish and vain for the servants of Alahayim.

2[45]:2 These desires then are evil, and bring death to the servants of Alahayim. For this evil desire is a daughter of the devil. Ye must, therefore, abstain from the evil desires, that so abstaining ye may live unto Alahayim.

2[45]:3 But as many as are mastered by them, and resist them not, are done to death utterly; for these desires are deadly.

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• There is also, sorrow, the sister of doubtfullmindedness and angry temper, that we must avoid through cheerfulness:

Shepherd of Hermas Mandate 10

1[40]:1 "Put away sorrow from thyself," saith he, "for she is the sister of doubtful-

mindedness and of angry temper."

2[41]:2 When the man of doubtful mind sets his hand to any action, and fails in it owing to his doubtful-mindedness, grief at this entereth into the man, and grieveth the Holy Spirit, and crusheth it out.

2[41]:3 Then again when angry temper cleaveth to a man concerning any matter, and he is much embittered, again sorrow entereth into the heart of the man that was ill-tempered, and he is grieved at the deed which he hath done, and repenteth that he did evil.

2[41]:4 This sadness therefore seemeth to bring salvation, because he repented at having done the evil. So both the operations sadden the Spirit; first, the doubtful mind saddens the Spirit, because it succeeded not in its business, and the angry temper again, because it did what was evil. Thus both are saddening to the Holy Spirit, the doubtful mind and the angry temper.

2[41]:5 Put away therefore from thyself sadness, and afflict not the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in thee, lest haply She intercede with Alahayim [against thee], and depart from thee.

2[41]:6 For the Spirit of Alahayim, that was given unto this flesh, endureth not sadness neither constraint.

3[42]:1 "Therefore clothe thyself in cheerfulness, which hath favor with Alahayim always, and is acceptable to Him, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man worketh good, and thinketh good, and despiseth sadness;

3[42]:2 but the sad man is always committing sin. In the first place he committeth sin, because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which was given to the man being a cheerful spirit; and in the second place, by grieving the Holy Spirit he doeth lawlessness, in that he doth not intercede with neither confess unto Alahayim. For the intercession of a sad man hath never at any time power to ascend to the altar of Alahayim."

3[42]:3 "Wherefore," say I, "doth not the intercession of him that is saddened ascend to the altar?" "Because," saith he, "sadness is seated at his heart. Thus sadness mingled with the intercession doth not suffer the intercession to ascend pure to the altar. For as vinegar when mingled with wine in the same (vessel) hath not the same pleasant taste, so likewise sadness mingled with the Holy Spirit hath not the same intercession.

3[42]:4 Therefore cleanse thyself from this wicked sadness, and thou shalt live unto Alahayim; yea, and all they shall live unto Alahayim, who shall cast away sadness from themselves and clothe themselves in all cheerfulness."

• There are 12 evil women who are chief in leading us astray from the kingdom of Alahayim:

Shepherd of Hermas Parable 9

15[92]:3 Hear," saith he, "likewise the names of the women that wear the black garments. Of these also four are more powerful than the rest; the first is Unbelief; the second, Intemperance; the third, Disobedience; the fourth, Deceit; and their followers are called, Sadness, Wickedness, Wantonness, Irascibility, Falsehood, Folly, Slander, Hatred. The servant of Alahayim that beareth these names shall see the kingdom of Alahayim, but shall not enter into it."