Returning To God

Malachi 3:7, the often ignored verse...

Malachi 3:7-10 makes it clear that God had left (departed) the Children of Israel for, among other things, not tithing. We know God had left them because God offers to return to them if they return to Him by obeying the law of Moses and tithe properly.

For God's invitation to return to make any sense for a New Testament Christian, God would have had to leave the New Testament Christian in the first place. Why would God have to return to anyone He hasn't left?

What's the point? This; among many other reasons, Malachi 3:7-10 is not speaking to New Testament Christians directly telling New Testament Christians to "tithe so God will never leave you or forsake you." God had left the people He was addressing in Malachi 3:7-10, God would NEVER tell a New Testament Christian "I have left you for not tithing" ...NOT GOING TO HAPPEN;

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." - John 14:18 

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5 

These people needed God to return to them...
"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" - Malachi 3:7

These people do not, because He will never leave us... 

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - Matthew 28:20 

Attempting to directly apply Malachi 3:7-10 to a New Testament Christian as a command to tithe because God has left them for not doing so, or a command for any reason to tithe, is nothing less than taking scripture completely out of proper and obvious context. In short; it's false doctrine.


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