the tithe...net or gross?

First off, this isn't a rant or a plea to get more money for the church. Let's be clear on that. I get asked about tithing from time to time so I'm addressing it here in my blog. Here are my thoughts on tithing net vs. gross:

Giving 10% of your income back to God demonstrates your thankfulness to Him for what He has provided and helps you to remember to rely on God instead of on riches.

The Bible teaches the principle of giving first fruits. (Exodus 23:16, 34:22, Leviticus 2:12-14; 2 Chronicles 31:5). What that means is that God's people gave the best of their crops...not the leftovers. They offered God the very best, the very first and finest of their resources as an act of trust and obedience. This principle still applies today. If God is truly #1 in our lives, that fact should be reflected in our finances. It's all God's anyway...we're just stewards of it.

Now, the Bible does not specifically say whether we should tithe off our gross or net income. I'll say this, though, if you're giving off of net income just so you can give less and still "be cool with God," I'd say that's not a healthy perspective. It all goes back to your heart attitude. Are you giving out of reverence for God or out of selfishness for your own wealth?

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

What you give (or don't give) is between you and God. Fortunately the Bible does give us a "recommended minimum": the tithe.

A moment of personal transparency: When Jenny and I were newlyweds, we did not tithe...at all. Several years into our marriage, God began to speak to us about the importance of it. It was the whole, "Hey, am I really #1 in your life?" thing. Our response? "God, we can't afford to tithe right now. Maybe someday when we get some debt paid off...or when our income increases...or, really, when we feel like it, we will." We soon realized that that's the wrong approach. We started giving as a way of saying, "God, we believe you are who you say you are and that you'll do what you've promised to do."

So we began to give regularly. We didn't give 10% at first. We slowly worked our way up to do. But we did see God in action. He's always come through for us.

The tithing principle is difficult to wrap our minds around. It's counter-intuitive. Our tendency to to hoard. God's economy is different. And now Jenny and I have experienced that.

My life verse is Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.