Tithing

Question

There is a lot of confusing teaching about tithing. Some churches make it a requirement for membership. Others don’t talk about it at all. Many preachers rely on Malachi 3:10 to support it. What should I do?

Answer

Tithing is a question that comes up often, especially outside the United States. Should Christians tithe? How much should we tithe? Does God promise to bless us if we tithe or curse us if we don’t?

There are two parts in this answer. This first explains the tithe. The second explains the biblical teaching for Christians.

What is tithing?

First, tithe comes from Middle English and means “a tenth.” It is 10% of whatever is our subject. We can tithe time, money, resources, space, land, etc., simply by removing or giving ten percent of the whole. A “tithe” is not a fixed amount (“I gave $5 for my tithe this week”) or whatever you want it to mean (“Well, I tithe 15%!”). A tithe is a tenth.

Second, while there are a few instances of a person giving a tithe/tenth before the Mosaic Law (Abraham in Genesis 14:20 and Jacob in Genesis 28:22), it was a requirement under God’s law for Israel. They were to tithe multiple times per year from their harvests and flocks. The purpose was to support the Levites, who were not given the time and space to do much of their own farming, so they relied on the rest of the nation to support them as they ministered to their fellow Israelites (Numbers 18:20-24). The command and promise in Malachi 3:10 was because the Israelites had stopped tithing (see the entire context in verses 6-12). They thought they would not have enough. However, God promised that he would supply all they needed if they would obey him. This is not a command for Christians.

Third, in the New Testament, there are only three references to tithing. The first is in Luke 18:12, where a Pharisee compared himself to a tax collector. The second is in Matthew 23:23 (Luke 11:42), where Jesus mentioned the Pharisees’ tithing. In both of these examples, the people were still under the requirements of the Mosaic Law. The third reference to tithing is in Hebrews 7, where the writer referred back to Abraham and Melchizedek in Gen 14. There are no other mentions, references, or commands for tithing in the New Testament.

So, should Christians tithe or give, and if so, how?

Contrary to many teachers, Christians have no single command to tithe. However, there are at least three reasons we should give.

First, we should give to support solid Bible teachers. Near the beginning of his ministry, Paul said, “The one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it” (Galatians 6:6). That can include more than money, but it does include financial support. Later in his ministry, he applied this directly to local church pastors/elders, again emphasizing the support of Bible teachers. “Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). For those who insist that “honor” is not about money, the following verse explains it to mean wages, and the section on widows immediately before this verse used “honor” for financial compensation. Pastors should be financially supported, especially teaching pastors, because this allows them to study, prepare, and teach instead of splitting their time with an outside job.

Second, we can give to support missionaries. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:14 that “those who proclaim the gospel [are] to receive their living by the gospel.” Since he applied this to himself and his team, this goes beyond local church pastors/elders to all who have made the ministry of the gospel their lives.

Third, we can give to mission projects and support fellow Christians around the world. Many people point to Paul’s instructions in 2 Corinthians 8-9 as a pattern for tithing. However, his instructions are not about tithing to the church. After the Christians in Jerusalem sold everything they had to live in community (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35), there was a famine, and they had no food. Much of Paul’s ministry included raising support from Gentile Christians to send back to the Jewish Christians (Romans 15:25-29). This is the context of 2 Cor 8-9 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. This was special fundraising for the poor, not tithing.

No one should feel guilty for not tithing. Giving is an act of generosity that comes from the heart. It’s true that the more like Jesus we become, the more we will give. But giving is more than money, and many Christians worldwide who have no money are far more generous than others who have much.