Subject: Tithe vs Debts |
Bible Note: Hello BradK, I thank you for your observation, my response was intented to be simple and basic, Does "oversimplistic", mean "unscriptural"? And you are right, Mal 3:10 is not directed to the church, It is directed to the sons of Jacob. Mal 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Mal 3:7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?' Mal 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. Mal 3:9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! American has really been on the upswing especially in recent years, don't you think, there is so much more degradation, crime and every other sort of evil coming upon us, it is disgusting. I will note that He says "tithes and offerings". Defining "tithe", it is the tenth part in kind or money as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially in support of a religious organization. So please note that by definition the tithe is voluntary or as you might say "free-will", any more than the tenth would be your offering, would it not? If you just gave an "offering", that could be any amount, and may not even constitute as a tithe (if it were less than a tenth part). I'm not really getting the point you are trying to make with the scripture references from 2 Corinthians, it seems that these people were poor, but poor people can still pay a tithe. You tithe from your increase, if your increase is say, a dime, you would give a penny. It is really simple, if you believe it. Just as you would give out of your wealth, in like manner you could give out of your poverty. wordoer |