THE EDITOR, Sir:
CHRISTIAN GREETINGS. It has come to my awareness that though the Government has taken up the responsibility of ministering to the needs of the poor, the actual burden of taking care of the poor in the society should fall on the shoulders of the God-fearing bible believers. Let me elaborate.
God, through the agency of the Bible, essentially has put in place a system called tithing, which was to meet the need of both spreading the gospel and administering to the poor. In this system, a tenth of one's income (or gross profit before expense, if you are a business person/self-employed) was to be given to God's ministers, as in Lev. 27:30. However, based on Deut 14:22-29, all the tithes were not to be given to the ministers (Levites), but were to be employed to feed the fatherless, widows, etc. while your family partakes of the meal with them!
What a sight it would be if God's people living in Jamaica would begin to acknowledge their God-given responsibility and begin to share their lunches with, say, the street children etc. Surely, this would immediately solve a lot of our societal problems.
Now the question can be asked, to which organisation or denomination should a Bible-believer give their tithes? My answer to this question is to say that one should give to any individual or organisation which he or she perceives to be doing the work of promoting the gospel. For me, it can be Catholic, Salvation Army, TBC, Sabbath keepers, or other individuals. This might seem paradoxical, but I truly don't see any perfect church (based on doctrine) in existence at this time. We as Christians make a lot out of participating in road marches, but it might be better to FEED THE POOR! See Matt: 25:33-46
I am, etc.,
KEITH COOMBS
Songsofheaven2@yahoo.com
Songs of Heaven
30 Diana Crescent
Kingston 3
