There are a variety of questions which usually arise over the issue of tithing. We will briefly examine some of the more familiar ones on the following pages.
- Should I Tithe On the Gross or Net of My Income? – The tithe should be based upon the gross amount of our income. We must remember that the deductions on our income also represent financial benefits to us in another form. If a person is self-employed, the tithe should be on the net gain of the business.
- Shouldn’t I Pay My Bills First? – No! The tithe belongs to God, not your creditors. Too many bills are usually an indication of poor financial stewardship and wrong priorities. Tithing is a first step to financial responsibility and provision.
- What If I Can’t Afford to Tithe? – In reality, a Christian cannot afford not to tithe. Nowhere in the Bible does God exempt the poor from giving or tithing. Jesus even commended the generosity of the poor widow who gave her two meager mites (Luke 21:1-4). The poor are better off giving unto God than withholding it. Tithing is a means of giving our way out of poverty and financial debt. This is a divine law (Luke 6:36; Mal. 3:10). The best way to get out of poverty is to give your way out. Whether we are rich or poor, our 90% will go much farther through the tithe than our 100% will without the tithe. Withholding the tithe only perpetuates poverty.
- What If I Haven’t Tithed Previously – Should I Pay Back Tithes? – The important thing is to commit yourself to faithful, consistent tithing now! If God pours out an abundance of finances, you can honor the Lord by giving more. If you have repented from withholding the tithe in the past, then begin afresh in the comfort and assurance that God has forgiven you. Don’t look back but press forward in an attitude of confidence, commitment, and determination to be faithful before the Lord.
- If God Wants Us To Give Cheerfully (II Cor. 9:7), Shouldn’t I Just Give When I Feel Like It? – No! We shouldn’t serve God, make moral decisions, resist temptation, love others, pay our bills, believe God, or give our tithe just when we feel like it. If we harbor a begrudging attitude in giving or we are not particularly joyful and enthusiastic, we should not stop tithing. We should ask God to forgive us, renew a thankful spirit, and restore a joyful, cheerful, generous, and enthusiastic attitude towards giving.
- Should I Keep A Record of My Tithing? – Yes! Stewardship requires faithfulness, discipline, and diligence. Keeping a reasonable record of our tithes helps promote responsible stewardship.
- When Should I Tithe? – The best safeguard for consistent, diligent tithing is to set aside the tithe whenever income becomes available, rather than run the risk of spending it or forgetting about it.
- Should I Tithe If I’m Married to An Unbeliever? – Yes! Though you are not responsible for tithing off of your husband’s or wife’s income, you are responsible to tithe off of your personal allowance, spending money, or income from work or other outside sources.
- What About Those Who Object to Tithing On the Grounds That They Already Give More? – In reality, this seemingly spiritual argument has generally proven to be a clever cover-up for stingy giving. With very few exceptions, those who use this defense in rejecting the tithe principle are not even meeting the minimum requirement in giving represented by the tenth. Tithing is a spiritual law and financial discipline to help determine whether we are, in fact, meeting this basic level of giving.
- 10. Who Should Tithe? – Everyone! Even ministers tithe off of the salary they receive (Num. 18:25-28). We should even instruct our children in the privilege and discipline of tithing at an early age.
