This question came from Lana:
Do you tithe 10% before or after taxes and can you send me the verse on that?
Great question! I believe giving/tithing is supposed to be our first expense — that is, first before every before taxes, 401(k), health care, bills, purchases, etc. That makes tithing off the gross, not the net.
Why do I say that? Tithing was supposed to be our "firstfruits". Remember the agricultural context of the Bible. A farmer would plant their crops. The first 10% of their harvest was given to God (before expenses, taxes, purchases, etc.). This was a serious act of faith because the farmer had no guarantee that the rest of the 90% of their crop would be harvested successfully. But when they trusted God with the first 10% (the firstfruits), God provided.
Here are the verses I talk about in the video:
- Old Testament:
- Exodus 23:19, 34:26. Proverbs 3:9–10. Malachi 3:8–12.
- Numbers 28:26. Deuteronomy 18:4–5, 26:9–10. 2 Chronicles 31:5–6. Nehemiah 10:35–39.
- New Testament:
Check out the video below for the full answer.
Q&A with Pastor Tim Part 37 on Whether to Tithe Off of Net or Gross Income from Grace Church on Vimeo.
Many of these verses on tithing also promise God’s Blessing.
So, a great follow-up question to tithing off the gross or the net is this: “Do you want God to bless you off the gross or off of the net?” 🙂
Tim, thanks for the great info on the trust of the first 10% with no guarantee of the remaining 90%. When I think about net vs. gross, I often think about how benefits tend to be administered in government vs. private sector jobs (lower gross pay offset by free healthcare and pension vs. higher gross offset by expensive healthcare and need to save for retirement). If one person made $50k gross but used 10k for health and retirement while the other got $40k gross with prepaid health and retirement, then the $50k grosser would tithe 25% more than the $40k grosser when they actually have the same net pay. I’d be interested in your insights.