Whether tithing (systematic benevolence), that is giving a tenth of one's income, is a Christian obligation or not, is not the question. The Bible, SOP and various authors have clearly pointed out to us the importance of this act of stewardship, which actually pre-dated the Israel priesthood, even in this 21st century Christendom. A list of links to these different sources of information is provided below. The all-bugging question is not "should we tithe?" but "how should we tithe?" In EGW's writings, the servant of the Lord didn't quite explain how one should tithe from our modern complex salary structures. If she did, it wasn't to detail, which is quite understandable considering the times in which she lived in. In the past, if your hen hatched ten chickens, you'd simply offer one for your tithe. My 96-year-old grandfather, a very strong Adventist (in fact first SDA of his tribe), was a farmer and used to tithe by counting the tenth row of every 10 rows of his coffee plantations.But now, should a 21st century professional tithe from his basic salary (before the taxes, social funds, pension funds....) or should he/she tithe from his net salary? What Biblical principles govern either choice?
Tithing in the New Testament:
http://adventiststewardship.com/article.php?id=52
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/Tithe-Theology-EGW.htm
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/Gospel%20Finance.htm
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/history-useoftithe.pdf
2 comments:
Adventists have been debating this "net or gross" thing for decades and people have different opinions. Some people argue, your net salary is what you are worth. That means if your gross is
$1 000, then that is what your employer thinks you are worth and pays you (that's your income). Whether Tito Mboweni or Alan Greenspan or Bernenke (?? who is the USA Fed Reserve Bank governor) comes at takes $150 for tax and then Medical Aid gets taken off, then pension gets taken off, then UIF (unemployment insurance fund) get taken off, is besides the point. Your tithe is $100.
Others argue that there are some deductions which are NOT your income at all. If the tax man takes $150 away, that money was never yours in the first place. It becomes quite a messy number crunching exercise. For example, some companies pay 100% medical aid for their people. Some give them free or very subsidized housing, others take care of electricity and water bills and parts of kids' fees. Others offer their workers free transport to and from work. Others give them a full tank a week of petrol. Especially mining companies give their workers ON THE MINES (NOT at Anglo head office!!!) many benefits. One will have to add up ALL the side and fringe benefits to come up with the TOTAL INCOME and then tithe on that.
There are others who argue that you only tithe YOUR TAXABLE income. That means, when you look at your payslip, you will see which amount the state taxes you on. The state (in many countries) doesn't tax you on 100%. They look at what remains after some things e.g. medical aid are taken off. It varies from country to country. If the state taxes you on $850, then your tithe is $85. People who argue this way say that Jesus says "render unto Ceaser what belongs to Ceaser and unto God what belongs to God." If Ceaser decides that his portion (tax) is based on $850, then God's tither is also based on $850.
These are the two positions I have heard among Adventists. Many pastors I know recommend the second position (tithing on taxable income). I don't know who is right.
There are others who want to err on the conservative side (just in case, they rob God) and tax on gross salary and convert ALL benefits into cash value and tithe on that as well.
The answer is very simple. How would you like to be blessed, by Gross or Net?
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