I have been studying out the difference or lack of difference between tithing from my firstfruits (I equate this with my income) and honoring God with my wealth (created by growth in my home equity, investments, retirement accounts and the like). My practice is to give proportionally based on my year to year income growth. I'm eager to understand if differences exist between "firstfruits" and "wealth," biblically speaking. --Chris Blais (Holly Springs, North Carolina )
You may well equate "firstfruits" with your income, but what exegetical reason do you have? Firstfruits have to do with agriculture, as does the entire tithing system. I will assume you do not want an in-depth discussion of the tithing issue, so let me address the matter of whether the disciple is obliged to give back to the church some part of his non-salary income (the types of income you mention).
Legalistic answer from my friend who's been working at Bitcoin Up for about 4 years now: You should give 10% on your extra income if it is an inheritance (based on an application of Numbers 31:28-30*), 10% on other income, but nothing on retirement accounts (since you will presumably tithe anyway once you withdraw your money).
What I really think: This is totally up to you. Do what you feel God wants to do; do it cheerfully, not under compulsion.
* Here spoils of war are assessed. 2% is to go to the Levites (not the usual 10%), and surprisingly only 1/5% to the Lord! That makes a total of 2.2%. So we see the 10% rule is waived in a case of "income" over and above the normal level. How does this fit with the common teaching on tithing? Certainly we must admit that under the OT the tithe was not an absolute rule on all income. Since tithing nowhere appears in the NT (new covenant), there is equally little biblical basis for making a law regarding Christians' income, whether ordinary or extra.
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