First Fruits to God

[Vicki Prince]

Controversy over paying 10% of gross or net. . . I remember a verse something to the effect of people in the Bible taking their tithe to town and they would allow enough extra on the wagon to compensate for what the wind would blow away. I have always tithed on gross due to remembering that. However, I have been told that it is net. I have tried to find where it states something to that effect however, I haven't been able to locate a verse. Can anyone help me?

[Barbara Moulton]

Controversy over paying 10% of gross or net. . . I remember a verse something to the effect of people in the Bible taking their tithe to town and they would allow enough extra on the wagon to compensate for what the wind would blow away. I have always tithed on gross due to remembering that. However, I have been told that it is net. I have tried to find where it states something to that effect however, I haven't been able to locate a verse. Can anyone help me?

I think you would be hard pressed to find a verse where it would deal with net and gross :-)

On a church level, we teach tithing on all the money that comes into your household. Net salary, income tax refunds, miscellaneous income, inhertiances etc.

But having said that, on a personal level, we only calculate our tithe so we know where to begin with our giving. We haven't given "just a tithe" in years.

And God has always provided for our needs.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Hi Vicki - welcome to NazNet.

You might appreciate the information in this thread:
http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=7644

[Wilson L. Deaton]

However, I have been told that it is net.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Net or gross? Give what you've decided in your heart, not what someone else has decided in their heart.

Wilson

[Barb Bouldrey]

John tithes on his cash income, but also on his benefits. I doubt that many pastors do that. It is not required. Just something he felt he should do.

I was not thrilled at the time he decided we should do this. But I have not missed the money I consider "extra" giving that he considers "tithe." God provides. John obeys.

Net or gross....it might not matter to God. The idea is to cheerfully want to give out of obedience and love.

Barb

[Kevin Rector]

Controversy over paying 10% of gross or net. . .

Hi Vicki, welcome to NazNet and thanks for posting. :basic01

In January I did a series on stewardship. When it finally came time to talking about money I told my people that they didn't have to tithe. I let them know that there is no rule that stipulates that as Christians they have to tithe.

But I also went on to tell them that they did have to love (there is clearly a rule about that). I pointed out that when we give to the church we are giving to each other, we are giving to the poor, we are giving to the needy, we are giving to the lost around the world, and we are giving to those who have faithfully served in years past. I went down the list of where our local church's money went to (from budgets to compassionate ministry, to work in the local congregation). I made the point that behind each of those numbers were people who's lives were impacted positively because of the love of the saints. I find it to be amazing when we realize that what we give to the church is being given ultimately to people.

So no, you don't have to tithe on either the gross or the net, you just have to love. I don't know about you, but I always want to give generously and cheerfully to those that I love.

[Laurie Florence]

But having said that, on a personal level, we only calculate our tithe so we know where to begin with our giving. We haven't given "just a tithe" in years.

And God has always provided for our needs.

The question should never be "how much do I HAVE to give?" The question should be "how much CAN I give?"

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

We always give on the net. When we were raising our children, and money was much tighter, we were always pleased when our income tax refund came in time to have extra money to give in the Easter offering. Then, we also paid tithe on the income tax, and I am really not sure that would be required.