I have been tithing on my gross income. But my mother called me this morning and said that I should be calculating at net income. Do I calculate gross or net income?

I ask this question because I am about $20,000 in debt with credit cards. I really really want to pay them back steadily so that by the end of this year, a lot of it can be gone. I just started working so I built most of the debt up in college and grad school. One of my credit cards has an interest of 30%.

So I am generous in general with my money, but being so much in credit card debt, (not including school loans or car loans), I feel like I should be more responsible and pay the least tithe, at least until I’m somewhat out of major debt.

I want to do the right thing, and even if its hard, I will pay everything if I need to. But I’m behind and wish God could just cancel how much I owe Him.

During my recent Bible studies, I began to delve into the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. I had never really studied it before. I started to wonder at the meaning behind abstaining from blood and the meat of strangled animals and how it applies to Christians today. After going through various commentaries, I received so many varying points of view that I felt entirely uncomfortable eating any meats.

What are your thoughts on the following:

1. The purpose of the edicts in Acts 15 and their applicability today 2. The Law of Moses’s place for today’s Christian 3. Kosher as it applies to believers today

Does the gift of Grace cover hypocrisy? I know all sins, except for the one, are forgivable, but it just seems that Jesus deals with hypocrisy on a totally different level whereas I was always taught and believe that in the eyes of God all sins are basically the same.

In Ephesians 4:17-32 Paul listed a bunch of do’s and don’t’s (mostly don’t’s) for appropriate Christian behavior. Would I be correct in saying that Paul was warning us not to act in this manner because God will disapprove of our actions? But according to 1 John 1:9, if we do act in that way and ask for forgiveness He is faithful and just and will forgive us because He already died for all our sins. Is that the way you see it?

I know I am saved by God’s grace thru faith in what Christ accomplished on the cross. But how do we separate law and grace? Spiritually speaking we want to do what we know we should do, but how do we avoid thinking that it’s part of our salvation? In other words, how do I go on living “right” without messing with grace?

Romans 14:21-23, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother to stumble be offended or be made weak. So whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

I understand the verse about not causing a brother to stumble. Please explain the rest for me.

More and more when I share my faith I get people saying things like, “I can see that it works for you.” or “Your way works for you and my way works for me.” They don’t believe there is only one way to God and think truth is subjective. I’ve even had people say to me, “Well, good for you.” when sharing what I believe. The only time they get their bristles up is if I talk about absolute truth and challenge their belief that there is more than one way to God. I don’t do that anymore since it doesn’t help. I’m at a loss. How do I witness to such people?

Re: Recognized By Their Fruit. You are not saying that believers will or must produce fruit or their faith is not genuine, right? Fruit is only evidence of belief & not a litmus test. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved is what the Bible says & nothing added to it, correct? I’m asking because I have believer friends who think no fruit means no belief, and I think only God knows the heart & anything else is works.

In your response to the question of how to prepare for the Rapture you said to remove as much debt as possible, or words to that effect. I was a member of a church where the pastor said that debt was not a problem. If the Church was in a lot of debt at the Rapture let Satan and his followers settle with the debt after the Church is gone. What do you think about that?

I’ve just read your articles and have learned many new spiritual insights.

I grew up in a Muslim country and have seen much injustice, but the Christians in the West that I know don’t seem to care about those who are not believers.

As a born again Christian, how should we respond to human rights violations against non-Christians? Are we to only take care of those who believe as we do?