6 Things Christians Get Wrong about Tithing

1. “The Old Testament Standard for Tithing Applies to Christians”

If someone has been in church for a length of time, they have probably heard a sermon or lesson about tithing. Many Christians have been taught that tithing, or giving ten percent, is the standard for giving. Accordingly, they believe that part of being a follower of Jesus is to offer a specific percentage of income to the church.

Yet, in the Bible, tithing is something that we see related to Israel and the law of Moses. Abraham did give a tenth of all he had to Melchizedek before the establishment of the law (Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:1-2). Jacob also promised to offer this specific percentage to God at Bethel (Genesis 28:22). However, Scripture mainly associates the tithe with the covenant between Israel and God.

The Levites, those who worked in the Lord’s service in the tabernacle and temple, were instructed to collect a tithe from the Israelites (Hebrews 7:5). Included in this offering were a tenth of crops, grain, new wine, oil, and animals (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). A part of this tithe went directly to the Lord as an offering (Numbers 18:26). God created this system to support the Levites who were prohibited from owning property, since their inheritance was the Lord (see Numbers 18:20-21).

In addition to supporting the Levites and priestly work, a percentage of the Israelites’ food and resources were used to feed the poor, orphans, and widows (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Yet Israel often neglected the tithe. As a result, they robbed the Lord and failed to provide for those in need (see Malachi 3:8).

By the time Jesus came to earth, the religious leaders had also abused the tithe. The scribes and Pharisees regularly tithed to appear religious, but they failed to care for their parents or to help those in need (Matthew 23:14, 23; see also Mark 7:9-13). They had used the law to promote their own interests and exploited the needy, and in doing so, broke the law.

With Jesus’ coming to save us, He fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17). No longer are we under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). Although many Christians and churches continue to promote the tithe, there is no biblical grounds for requiring believers to offer a specific percentage of their income to their church each week. The Old Testament standard for tithing was given to Israel, not the church.

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2. “Tithing Is the Duty of Christians"

Among some Christians, tithing is viewed as a religious duty or obligation. They think a person must give a percentage to the church or else he or she is not a good Christian. Thus, to tithe is to uphold tradition and adhere to established religious standards.

The Israelites also fell into this way of thinking. During the time of the kings, the people thought if only they kept upholding religious practices and offering sacrifices to God that He would be pleased. Perhaps He would ignore their sinfulness and refusal to repent. The Pharisees also reduced tithing to something on their spiritual checklist – a mere obligation. In either case, the Lord was not pleased.

Instead of loving the Lord and serving Him wholeheartedly, the Israelites thought that all God required was external practices. But as He told them through the prophet Isaiah, “‘The multitude of your sacrifices — what are they to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings!” (Isaiah 1:11-13).

He instead instructed them to be cleansed and receive a new heart – one that was devoted to Him and that would pursue justice and mercy (Isaiah 1:16-17). Likewise, Jesus told the religious leaders that they should have tithed without neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). These were far more important than following manmade rules.

What many Christians are missing is the spirit and heart behind the tithe of the Old Testament. It was never meant to be part of an external religious checklist. Rather, God wanted the Israelites to worship and give in the context of being His chosen people whom He had saved out of Egypt. Christians today are also to give as an extension of their relationship with the Lord. Merely going through the motions of religious customs is not what God intends for our giving or worship.

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3. “The New Testament Never Says We Shouldn’t Tithe”

Though we are not under law and no longer required to pay a tithe, we are still encouraged to give. The New Testament puts an emphasis on giving from a place of love. We find examples of believers giving freely and generously to help support the spread of the gospel and ministry to the poor. Christians shared what they had with one another so that no one would be in need (see Acts 2:44-45 and 4:32-37). As is evident, the early church relied on the loving gifts of its members to fund its work without giving a command to tithe.

We also see love as the basis for giving in the example of the Apostle Paul. During his ministry, Paul collected donations from the churches to help believers in Jerusalem who had suffered from famine (Acts 11:27-30; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9). These funds were collected from the Gentile churches, which demonstrated their love and willingness to support Jewish believers in need. Paul motivated the churches to give by reminding them of Jesus’ costly sacrifice (2 Corinthians 8:9). The immeasurable riches we have in Christ compels us to give for the good of others and the spread of the gospel.

Therefore, the New Testament shows us that giving is not about obligation or following a set of rules. Nowhere in the New Testament are we commanded to tithe. God wants us to give cheerfully according to what we have decided in our hearts to offer to our Savior (see 2 Corinthians 9:7). Our gifts are not about grudgingly giving a percentage to support a building or religious institution, but about funding gospel-work, caring for orphans and widows, and helping those in need. We give because we love Jesus.

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4. “We Should Give Ten Percent of Our Income”

Many churches and individual Christians have followed the idea that tithing involves giving ten percent of a person’s income. The specific number, ten percent, comes from the Old Testament. If the Israelites gave this percentage to support the temple, then we should give the same to fund the church, right?

As has been shown in an earlier point, we are no longer under the law. There is no specific command in the New Testament that tells how much we should give. Rather, we are encouraged to give generously from the heart, not under compulsion.

Some Christian teachers and writers believe that ten percent is still a good minimum amount to give. It can be a helpful starting place for new believers. We lose focus, though, when we emphasize certain numbers as if a minimum is all we should give. In Scripture, we find individuals commended for giving sacrificially, not for giving the least they could afford. The widow’s gift was seen as worth more than the offerings of the rich (Luke 21:1-4). She had given sacrificially, willing to offer all she had to honor the Lord. If we give sacrificially as the Spirit directs, then we are giving in a way that glorifies God.

Generosity and love, not a specific amount of money, are the marks of a Jesus-honoring giver.

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5. “The Church Is the Only Suitable Storehouse for the Tithe”

A common view is that Christians should only give to their local church. Of course, supporting the work of a Bible-believing church is important, as it is part of being involved in a community of believers. We should give to fund the ministry of our local churches as they serve our neighborhoods and take the gospel out to the world. However, there is also the global church which encompasses all believers from all places.

We support the church when we give to communities of believers around the world. This includes Christians who serve in organizations and missions to make disciples, minister among the poor, and provide relief to the suffering. Giving to help our brothers and sisters around the world might look a little different than traditional church giving, since we might donate to a Christian organization that fights human trafficking or a ministry that establishes schools in other nations. Such work is just as God-honoring as the ministry we support locally.

Some might argue that there is no accountability if we give to other organizations outside the local church. This is true if we do not carefully research the ministry or consider their financial accountability. Thankfully, many tools exist today to discern if an organization is trustworthy and transparent, such as the ECFA accreditation. We should utilize these tools and pray before giving to any nonprofit organization.

Giving to our churches and other ministries are significant ways to glorify the Lord.

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6. “If I Tithe, God Will Bless Me”

Most of us have heard it – that sermon or lesson that tells us that if we tithe regularly, we will receive blessings. Those who teach this base the principle on Malachi 3:10, which reads, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Sometimes the pastor or teacher will go as far as to say we will receive abundant material riches if we tithe.

To use the verse in this way, though, is to ignore the context of God speaking to Israel as His chosen people and nation. Under the covenant promises, the Lord would bless the nation if they kept His laws and decrees, which included abundant harvests and renown among the nations (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Similarly, if they disobeyed Him, then He would bring punishment (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). We need to remember that the promise of blessings in Malachi was unique to Israel.

Christians today can be blessed by giving, but in different ways. We are not promised material wealth or an abundant harvest. The blessings we receive look more like spiritual growth, increased trust in God, the joy of using our resources to help others, and storing treasures for ourselves in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). However, we are wrong to approach giving as a way to receive something from the Lord. To give with the intention of getting more in return misses the spirit and heart behind biblical giving. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

We give to the Lord to honor and give thanks to Him. Everything we have in life is from Him, including salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), a new life (Ephesians 2:4-5), and the ability to work to provide food, shelter, and clothing for ourselves and others (James 1:17). What we offer to Him comes from what He has graciously given.

Instead of seeking to use tithing as a way to get something from God or to increase our bank accounts, we should give joyously and freely from the heart. We have already been given so much when the Father gave His one and only Son to save us from sin (John 3:16). Because of Him, we are now the redeemed children of God. How could we not willingly open our hands and give as an expression of our gratitude and love?

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