Good Question: Tithing

How do I convince my friend that he should tithe and is it supposed to be 10% of the net or the gross salary?

Someone texted me with this question recently and I’ll pass along my answer.  I said go to the study blog on the church web site and read my entry on “money.”  Regarding the question of net or gross - the OT examples of first fruits and tithes as well as the apparent customary 10% tribute that Abraham paid Melchizedek (pre-Old Covenant) were all gross percentages.  On the other hand there is no New Covenant requirement for a specific percentage of giving.  In case you think that “lets us off the hook,” don’t forget that the early church seems to have viewed 10% as way too low of a goal.

My challenge to our church is to make it your goal to trust God more – more than you did last year and the year before.  If you gave 10% of your net income then trust him with 10% of your gross.  If you’ve been tithing for many years and this has become routine, start giving more than 10% and see if God still provides for your needs.  If you haven’t been trusting God at all with your money, then make a step in that direction – set a goal by faith and see if God doesn’t provide for your needs with the remaining 98 or 95 or 90 or 80% of your income.  Make it your goal that one day you will be able to give away half of your income! 

A friend of mine this week shared with me that he and his family have begun tithing for the first time in their lives and they have found that God is indeed providing for all their needs after they have first given generously to Him.  The math doesn’t always make sense, but as for me and Tammy, we have always seen God provide.  It is a trust issue.