| Vol. VI Number 30 | August 11, 2002 |
The principle Biblical concept of tithing goes back to to the days of Abraham when he gave a tithe to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20. The Christian concept of tithing stems from the law of Moses where the tithe is a tenth of the increase or yield. For a large portion of people who work for a company, corporation, or someone else the concept of giving a tenth of the yield becomes a little muddy.
Deuteronomy 14:21-29
21 Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
A number of people do not know the meaning of increase. The dictionary meaning is:
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Increase \In*crease"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Increased}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Increasing}.] [OE. incresen, encresen, enrescen, OF. encreistre, fr. L. increscere; pref. in- in + crescere to grow. See {Crescent}, and cf. {Decrease}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To become greater or more in size, quantity, number, degree, value, intensity, power, authority, reputation, wealth; to grow; to augment; to advance; -- opposed to {decrease}. [1913 Webster] The waters increased and bare up the ark. --Gen. vii. 17. [1913 Webster] He must increase, but I must decrease. --John iii. 30. [1913 Webster] The heavens forbid But that our loves and comforts should increase, Even as our days do grow! --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific. [1913 Webster] Fishes are more numerous or increasing than beasts or birds, as appears by their numerous spawn. --Sir M. Hale. [1913 Webster] 3. (Astron.) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax; as, the moon increases. [1913 Webster] {Increasing function} (Math.), a function whose value increases when that of the variable increases, and decreases when the latter is diminished; also called a {monotonically increasing function}. Syn: To enlarge; extend; multiply; expand; develop; heighten; amplify; raise; enhance; spread; aggravate; magnify; augment; advance. Usage: To {Increase}, {Enlarge}, {Extend}. Enlarge implies to make larger or broader in size. Extend marks the progress of enlargement so as to have wider boundaries. Increase denotes enlargement by growth and internal vitality, as in the case of plants. A kingdom is enlarged by the addition of new territories; the mind is enlarged by knowledge. A kingdom is extended when its boundaries are carried to a greater distance from the center. A man's riches, honors, knowledge, etc., are increased by accessions which are made from time to time. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]: Increase \In*crease"\, v. t. To augment or make greater in bulk, quantity, extent, value, or amount, etc.; to add to; to extend; to lengthen; to enhance; to aggravate; as, to increase one's possessions, influence. [1913 Webster] I will increase the famine. --Ezek. v. 16. [1913 Webster] Make denials Increase your services. --Shak. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]: Increase \In"crease\ (?; 277), n. [OE. encres, encresse. See {Increase}, v. i.] [1913 Webster] 1. Addition or enlargement in size, extent, quantity, number, intensity, value, substance, etc.; augmentation; growth. [1913 Webster] As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on. --Shak. [1913 Webster] For things of tender kind for pleasure made Shoot up with swift increase, and sudden are decay'd. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is added to the original stock by augmentation or growth; produce; profit; interest. [1913 Webster] Take thou no usury of him, or increase. --Lev. xxv. 36. [1913 Webster] Let them not live to taste this land's increase. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. Progeny; issue; offspring. [1913 Webster] All the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age. --1 Sam. ii. 33. [1913 Webster] 4. Generation. [Obs.] ``Organs of increase.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster] 5. (Astron.) The period of increasing light, or luminous phase; the waxing; -- said of the moon. [1913 Webster] Seeds, hair, nails, hedges, and herbs will grow soonest if set or cut in the increase of the moon. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] {Increase twist}, the twixt of a rifle groove in which the angle of twist increases from the breech to the muzzle. Syn: Enlargement; extension; growth; development; increment; addition; accession; production. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 1.7 [wn]: increase n 1: a quantity that is added; "there was an addition to property taxes this year"; "they recorded the cattle's gain in weight over a period of weeks" [syn: {addition}, {gain}] 2: a change resulting in an increase; "the increase is scheduled for next month" [ant: {decrease}] 3: a process of becoming larger or more numerous or more important; "the increase in unemployment"; "the growth of population" [syn: {increment}, {growth}] [ant: {decrease}, {decrease}] 4: the amount by which something increases; "they proposed an increase of 15 percent in the fare" [syn: {increment}] [ant: {decrease}] 5: the act of increasing something; "he gave me an increase in salary" [syn: {step-up}] [ant: {decrease}] v 1: become bigger or greater in amount; "The amount of work increased" [ant: {decrease}] 2: make bigger or more; "The boss finally increased her salary" [ant: {decrease}]
Now let's take for instance If you buy an item for $100.00 and turn around and sell the item for $110.00. You would have a capitol gain of $10.00. In the process of buying the item you paid a $7.00 commission and when you sold the item you paid another $7.00 commission. Thus in reality, your net loss is ($4.00) although you sold at a profit, you still lost money counting the expenses.
Now let's take a pay statement:
Earnings rate hours this period Regular 15.88 76.50 1,214.82 Overtime 23.82 4.00 95.28 Gross Pay $1,310.10 Deductions Statutory Federal Income Tax -141.35 Social Security Tax -78.68 Medicare Tax -18.40 PA State Income Tax -35.53 Philadelphia Income Tax -59.46 Other HMO -41.10 Ltd -6.78 401K -78.61 Net Pay $850.19
Looking at the portion of the pay statement most people think that they should either pay tithes on either the gross or the net pay. Neither is correct because there are some deductions that are mandatory, while others are not. Some of the others are part of your companies benefits, including a savings plan for retirement.
Looking at the deductions all of the taxes are the cost of doing business and are mandatory expenses imposed upon us by the government. Some of the other deductions are health insurance and long term disability. Both of these are mandatory. The one item that is not a mandatory deduction is the 401K retirement plan. So the tithes should be based upon the Net Pay + 401K or $928.80.
Now there are times when the Christian has trouble making ends meet just with surviving from day to day. Let's say that the individual is on welfare or is solely dependent upon Social Security for their income. Also, the individuals rent consumes more than a third of their income. The rent for the roof over your head is an allowable expense when it comes to tithes. If the Lord has provided you with enough income that you do not have to include the cost of housing, then you should pay the tithe on the net as described above. But if the tithe prevents you from paying your rent, then you should base your tithe on net net income - rent. The Lord wants each of us to prosper, and pay our tithes. At the same time when Israel crossed the Jordan River the Lord provided a provision that the tithes would not begin until three years after they settled into the holy land.
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Tithe
a tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart
for special purposes. The dedication of a tenth to God was
recognized as a duty before the time of Moses. Abraham paid
tithes to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20; Heb. 7:6); and Jacob vowed
unto the Lord and said, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will
surely give the tenth unto thee."
The first Mosaic law on this subject is recorded in Lev.
27:30-32. Subsequent legislation regulated the destination of
the tithes (Num. 18:21-24, 26-28; Deut. 12:5, 6, 11, 17; 14:22,
23). The paying of the tithes was an important part of the
Jewish religious worship. In the days of Hezekiah one of the
first results of the reformation of religion was the eagerness
with which the people brought in their tithes (2 Chr. 31:5, 6).
The neglect of this duty was sternly rebuked by the prophets
(Amos 4:4; Mal. 3:8-10). It cannot be affirmed that the Old
Testament law of tithes is binding on the Christian Church,
nevertheless the principle of this law remains, and is
incorporated in the gospel (1 Cor. 9:13, 14); and if, as is the
case, the motive that ought to prompt to liberality in the cause
of religion and of the service of God be greater now than in Old
Testament times, then Christians ought to go beyond the ancient
Hebrew in consecrating both themselves and their substance to
God.
Every Jew was required by the Levitical law to pay three
tithes of his property (1) one tithe for the Levites; (2) one
for the use of the temple and the great feasts; and (3) one for
the poor of the land.
When you tithe to your church you are actually giving back to God a portion of the increase that the good Lord has given you. Also, you are acknowledging that God is the true one who has provided the increase. The principal of the tithe relies upon ten percent of the increase. When you tithe, the Lord will bless you. If you give offerings above and beyond the tithe the Lord will bless you. If you sacrifice your house to pay your tithe, then the world will come after you.
3014 E Street
Philadelphia, PA 19134
Church Office Phone: (215) 634-3637
Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037
Services:
| Sunday School | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 11:30 AM |
| Sunday Morning Worship | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 12 NOON |
| Sunday Evening | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 6:30 PM |
| Wednesday Evening | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 7:30 PM |
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