3714-Tithe and Debt by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 9, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 15.

3714—Tithe and Debt

By Editor

If a person who does not own any property, who works for wages only, owes $100, should he pay his tithe first, or his debt? Which? C.

His tithe, certainly. The scripture is, "The tithe is the Lord's." It would be like a man working a farm on shares. The owner is to receive one tenth for his land; the one who works the land, nine tenths. But the one who works the land owes $100. Should he take out the owner's tenth before he pays his debt, or should he use the owner's tenth to pay that debt? This is the question regarding the tithe. The tithe belongs to the Lord, and that should be paid first of all, then the debt. He who takes the tithe to pay other debts, is taking that which belongs to another to do it. There is a real, precious relationship to God in this tithe paying. One can feel that God will bless the means and multiply it, if the soul is faithful to his Creator. It can not be said that there is a twice paying of tithe on the $100, and the Lord does not ask that. If A receives $1,000 income, he should pay a tithe on that of $100. If he owes $100 of the $900 to B, B should pay tithe on that $100 just the same as if A had not paid tithe on the $1,000. What one man may do with his money has nothing to do with the other man. God holds each one responsible to Himself as a steward of time and means; for each one shall give account, not of his brother to God, but of himself.

God tests men in two ways,—in time and means. He gives man all his time and all his means that man has, but He reserves one seventh part of that time, the Sabbath, and asks man to devote it to Him, "holy unto the Lord." And in this sinful world, where souls need saving, He asks man to give one tenth of his income, that the work of saving souls may be carried on through the coöperation of saved souls.

We hope that this covers our inquirer's questions.