Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 11, 1912

Shall We Pay the Lord While We Owe Others?

THIS is the interesting and pertinent question discussed by the Sunday School Times of Nov. 18, 1911, in its Notes on Open Letters. Replying to a correspondent who raises this question, the editor says:—

Should we be dishonest with God in order to be honest with men? Should we ignore a preferred creditor — one who because of our pledges to him and his claim upon us, has a prior demand over all others — in order to pay an ordinary creditor? Should we steal here and there, break promises from time to time, in order to secure money to pay those whom we owe? As there can be but one answer to these questions, so there can be but one answer to any question as to postponing our current obligation to God while we meet our obligations to men. It seems undeniable, from Scripture and from experience, that God will take care of us better, and pay off our debts to other creditors faster, with nine tenths of our income than with ten tenths. The one tenth that belongs to God is no more ours to give to another creditor than the money in our neighbor’s purse is ours to pay our debts with.

Whatever we may have failed to do in times past in paying the tithe, the least that we can do is to pay it in full from this day forward. That is what was referred to by “current obligation to the Lord.” If we are in arrears in our tithing for years back, and we are led to believe that God is asking us to recognize and pay off that debt to him also, it may be obviously impossible to liquidate that debt in full before we spend a cent for any other obligation. But we can begin to-day to meet our current debt to God by using from this day on, for all other expenses and debts, only nine tenths of our income, and setting apart for the Lord the tenth that is his. He promises to bless us in this as he can not bless us otherwise.

We commend to every reader this excellent instruction. It is well worthy of our consideration in temptations which we have to meet in our own experience. Some may be puzzled on this particular point with regard to duty in paying tithe. In all our relations our duty to God should be paramount.