Tithing Question

[fieldmouse3]

I just started selling Mary Kay cosmetics and skin care, and I'm not quite sure how to tithe on what I make doing that. We buy all our products from the company at 50% retail value, then sell it at the retail price. Since the products have already been purchased by us, we get to keep whatever we make selling. What I'm wondering is, do I tithe on the final retail price, or just on the 50% profit that I'm actually making? A lot of the money I'm using to buy inventory comes from my other job, and I already tithe on that. I'm thinking of tithing on the 50% profit until I've paid off what I spent on my startup supplies, then using ONLY Mary Kay money to buy stuff for my business and tithing on all of it after that. Not sure what to do, though, so any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[ischus]

Are you asking how to calculate 10% of your income, or how much you should give to God? These are two different questions....

If you want to find out what 10% is, just look at your balance and take 10% of it.

If you want to give biblically, there are a couple of other good threads about tithing here on CF.

I am not trying to sound rude.. but as I read this post I can see how it could be taken that way. My point is, I think that giving 10% of your money back to God is a lot less than what we should give... the bible demonstrates tithing in addition to many other examples of giving financially, which turns out to be much more than 10% of your money.

 

[fieldmouse3]

I know how to calculate 10%....what I'm wondering is whether or not I should take 10% of the profits I'm making, or on the total sale price of what I sell, even though half of that money has already been tithed on.

 

[cupbearer]

Are you asking how to calculate 10% of your income, or how much you should give to God? These are two different questions....

If you want to find out what 10% is, just look at your balance and take 10% of it.

If you want to give biblically, there are a couple of other good threads about tithing here on CF.

I am not trying to sound rude.. but as I read this post I can see how it could be taken that way. My point is, I think that giving 10% of your money back to God is a lot less than what we should give... the bible demonstrates tithing in addition to many other examples of giving financially, which turns out to be much more than 10% of your money.

Good answer ischus.

 

[seangoh]

i haven't done my study on tithe but this is what i'd like to share..

Tithing is an expression of our stewardship in giving. We tithe in recognition of God’s ownership of the whole, just as a tenant pays rent in recognition of the landlord’s ownership of, or rights in, the house or farm. Paying rent entitles the tenant to use the house or farm, but it does not constitute him the owner of it. The tithe is paid not simply because it is the Lord’s, but because all one has, or acquires, is his. Paying tithes does not constitute a man the owner of the nine-tenths that are left. God’s rights in the remainder are just the same as before the tenth is paid. He owns it. It is written, “The tithe is the Lord’s.” It is also written, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,” and “the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.”

 

[ischus]

I know how to calculate 10%....what I'm wondering is whether or not I should take 10% of the profits I'm making, or on the total sale price of what I sell, even though half of that money has already been tithed on.

what I would do is calculate both options, and then whichever way ends up with you giving more, choose that one.

 

[ischus]

i haven't done my study on tithe but this is what i'd like to share..

Tithing is an expression of our stewardship in giving. We tithe in recognition of God’s ownership of the whole, just as a tenant pays rent in recognition of the landlord’s ownership of, or rights in, the house or farm. Paying rent entitles the tenant to use the house or farm, but it does not constitute him the owner of it. The tithe is paid not simply because it is the Lord’s, but because all one has, or acquires, is his. Paying tithes does not constitute a man the owner of the nine-tenths that are left. God’s rights in the remainder are just the same as before the tenth is paid. He owns it. It is written, “The tithe is the Lord’s.” It is also written, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,” and “the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.”

great answer, seangoh, and thank you cupbearer

 

[tesnusxenos]

I would think it is 10% of profits. Because the tithe is counted on the increase.

 

[brinley45cal]

I would think it is 10% of profits. Because the tithe is counted on the increase.

I agree i would have to go with the profits,just like a person who say works at a factory,they would tithe on how much they made on there check or take home pay.

 

[doulos]

This matter of giving is treated in a quite altogether different way in the NT than in the OT. In the Old Testament, the people of God where in a relationship of Law with God in a formal way. And for the support of the religious system given to them by God they had to give a 10 per cent of their earnings to support the Levites, who had to give a 10 per cent to support the priests. The priests, however, were NOT enjoined to give 10 per cent, but they were welcome to give free-will offerings to God. Of course, both the people and the levites could also give free-will offerings to God BESIDES the legal stipulation of the 10 per cent.

What is the situation for us Christians? "Of grace have ye received, give of grace". Nowhere in the NT we see that we should give by legal obligation a 10 per cent, but we are enjoined to realize that:

1) We are not our own. All that we are and all that we have are God's. We are not supposed to part with a 10 per cent and keep a 90 per cent for our own enjoyment, but to realize that all that we are and have is consacrated to God IN A REAL WAY. We are all priests unto God. That is why, different from the common people of the OT we are enjoined to free-will offerings, because the (imperfect) type of what we are is the priesthood of Israel. So, we are consacrated in what we are and what we have entirely to God. That sounds like much more encompassing than a mere tithe, doesn't it?

2) We are not under the constraints of law, but in the bonds of that mercy and grace that gave all for our salvation. God gave His Son. We are wholly His ...

Wherever we go to the Epistles for instructions, in the matter of giving we are exhorted to give with simplicity, with liberality, and with gladness. The free-will offering of hearts that have come to know the great Giver and that are learning to conform themselves to the Character of Him who is our Father, and of the Son, the Lord Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. A good example is found in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5:

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
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Best regards in our Lord Jesus,

doulos