Life as a Christian Woman

Tithing. There is a vast divide on this issue among Christians. And I’m not going to attempt to close that divide!

What does the Bible say about tithing?

Early on in the Bible, God makes it clear that we are expected to tithe.

You must set aside a tithe of your crops — one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the place the Lord you God chooses for His name to be honored, and eat it there in His presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 14:22-23

Tithing is a way to demonstrate that God is our priority. By tithing, we are saying, “Here are the ‘first fruits’ of my harvest (paycheck). It is yours.” Of course, all we have comes from God, but by tithing we are acknowledging this.

Think about it. When you get your paycheck, you pay out bills in their order of importance. Housing, food, clothing, car, gas, etc. No one should buy a new TV if that would leave them unable to pay the mortgage! By giving God the ‘first fruits,’ we are showing Him that He is first in our lives.

But there are those who say that, while tithing is emphasized in the Old Testament, Christ came and delivered a new law, so there is no longer a need to tithe. But in Matthew, when Christ rebukes the Pharisees, he speaks on this topic:

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Matthew 23:23

It is clear that Jesus is letting the Pharisees know that they are placing too big of an importance on tithing, and need to focus on more important matters. But he also adds that they should not neglect to tithe.

Now, here is the tricky part. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, says:

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Some claim that this statement releases us from tithing, but I read it differently. I read that we aren’t to give “grudgingly” or because we have to, but because we want to.

Tithing allows our local churches to go about the daily business of God. Even churches have to pay the electric bill, and our tithes make that possible to ensure the continued operation of the church. But at many churches our tithes also go to feed the poor, to aid missionaries in the field.

If you wonder what your church does with your tithes and offerings, ask! Most churches will gladly walk you through the process, and if the administrators won’t, you may need to look deeper. But I hope you will come away with a feeling of pride, that your 10% is opening the world of Jesus Christ to others.