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Why do we tithe?


Leviticus 27:30

‘Now all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.


The word “tithe” comes from the Old Testament. It means 10%. God commanded the Israelites to give 10% of what they had (livestock and produce). In our modern world, we honor God by giving our money. The idea is that we give to God 10% of our income, but why? 

God Himself doesn’t need our money. First, one of the most difficult areas in life to trust God is with money. Trusting God can be hard, especially when it comes to finances. It is also important to give so churches can help others and further God’s message around the world (Philippians 4:10-19). Plus, churches have maintenance needs, and giving allows the pastor to fulfill his duties (1 Corinthians 9:13-14, 1 Timothy 5:17-18).

Giving helps us grow spiritually. God said He will have an extra measure of blessing for those who can trust Him in that way (Malachi 3:10). Failing to give is a problem for an individual. It means the person is lacking trust in the Lord. In fact, God considered it robbery in Malachi 3. The extra measure of blessing can include money or many other things… especially on a spiritual level. It doesn't mean that God will make us rich. It means that He will take care of us, financially and otherwise. 

Unfortunately, some churches talk about giving almost constantly. Other churches do not bring it up enough. There needs to be a balance. It is extremely important to give back to God what He has given us, which is everything. Yes, it is absolutely important, but it should not dominate our Christian lives.

Don’t forget, we can give 10%, even more, but if we throw our money away on needless things, we shouldn’t expect to be blessed. God especially wants us to be good managers of what He has allowed us to have, our money included. A good part of that is our practice of tithing.

All we have is God’s to begin with. Everything is His. He wants us to be good stewards that don’t think it’s all ours. If we can remember that it’s all His and He only wants some back so we can grow, it can help a lot.

The New Testament doesn’t have a 10% requirement. However, the Apostle Paul strongly states that we give cheerfully, not disgruntled or upset (2 Corinthians 9:7). If we get frustrated or stingy when the offering plate comes by, that’s not good. We need to grow to a place where we enjoy giving. Giving and praying through it will finally get us to a place in which we can enjoy it. Some give online, which is another option. Online giving allows automatic, recurring giving, for those who don’t bring cash to church. It’s not for everyone, but it is helpful for some.

Giving should be up to our ability, as long as we do it. We should give from our means while praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Whether in person or online, the principle remains. The less we give, the more we sacrifice spiritual growth and the more we withhold money from God’s church that can be used to further His work. With all that said, we should give as the Lord leads. God is not requesting entire paychecks. He is asking for us to give some back and learn to trust Him.


2 Corinthians 9:6-7

6 …the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.