08.05. Whence the Tithe?

5. WHENCE THE TITHE?

"What shall we tithe?" I would answer with the Word of God, as recorded in Deuteronomy 14:22, "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year." What shall we tithe? All the increase that the land bringeth forth.

Back in the days in which the law of the tithe was given to Moses, God’s people were farmers; they were herdsmen; they had flocks and herds; they raised grain, fruit, and had their great vineyards. God said, "Tithe it all."

Today most of us who read these lines are salaried people. We have an income, and that should be what we tithe. Someone asked me the question, "What do you consider our income?" I answered, "That is easy, just turn it around. Our income is what comes in."

When shall we tithe our income? In my opinion, we should tithe it when it comes in. We should pay our tithes before the taxes are paid, before the car payment is made, and before we make a payment on a suit or dress that the merchant has laid by. Our income is what comes in, and we should tithe our income when it comes in.
The Milk Check A good layman friend of mine said to his pastor, "I cannot feel clear in subtracting the cost of the feed I buy to feed my milk cows. If I subtract the cost of such things, how can I figure the amount God should charge me for the sunshine and rain that produce the pasture, which is the principal feed factor for my cattle? To avoid becoming legalistic with God, I just tithe the entire amount of the check."