Okay, let's talk about tithing off of your gross or net income.
Many people say that their net income is all that actually comes into their possession, and choose to tithe off of that. I would say that when we accept employment we agree to an annual salary or wage without any discussion about the gross and the net, so it would seem tithing off of the gross would be more appropriate. In addition, the net reflects decisions we have made on deductions beyond taxes (which we don't have control over) which we do have control over and could have increased our net pay. Most people also get some or all of their tax money back in their hand in the form of a tax return which they could have tithed on up front if they tithed off their gross pay.
Now while there is no scripture that talks about tithing off the gross or net, some scriptures like Malachi 3:10 and Hebrews 7:2 say we are to bring all of the tithe to God. All would imply all, and not net instead of gross.
Finally, as we learn in Matthew 6:19-21 God is more concerned about your heart than the amount of what you give to Him, so what does it say to God about the condition of our hearts if we quibble over tithing off the gross or net?
So should we tithe off of the gross or the net? That's between you and God, but I think from what we've seen in this short Post, tithing off of the gross would be more in line with the "spirit" of the principle of tithing than the "letter" of it?
In the next Post we'll start to examine what an Offering really is.
No comments:
Post a Comment