How Tithing REALLY Works!

Does a Christian have to tithe or give offerings? Is it a requirement? A gimmick? A blessing? A curse?

I’m a very faithful Christian, and this being a blog for success in all areas of life, I want to share success in my spiritual walk as well. Also, I wondered these same questions for many years. It’s amazing how vastly different the answers will be depending on who you ask or what church you go to. So, I decided to do some real research on the subject one day, and came up with some very controversial evidence that may shatter the prevailing thoughts around tithing and offerings in the Church. And below I offer Biblical scriptures to reinforce my claims on the act of giving as well as resources to learn more.

So, in case you’ve ever wondered…

The tithe = 10%. If you don’t have any income or increase to give, than you cannot tithe (10% of 0 = 0).

I know what many churches over the past several (and maybe hundreds of) years have been preaching out there… that if you don’t tithe, you will be “Cursed with a curse” (Malachi 3:8-10) and that God’s law (Leviticus 27:30-33) commands that we should give 10% of our increase (or money). However, if you understand the New Testament Covenant, you will soon realize that tithing is voluntary and the law does NOT apply to Christians! At All!

First, we must go to before the Law to where the first tithe was given. If you look at Genesis 14, Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek (the High Priest) after the miraculous defeat of Sodom and Gomorrah and the rescue of Abraham’s nephew Lot. Notice God blessed him first with the victory, and Abraham voluntarily gave a tithe of the spoils. In no way was Abraham required to give a tithe! He gave it out of appreciation (the way God prefers (2 Corinthians 9:7)).

The same thing happens in Genesis 28:20-22 with Jacob. God said he would bless him and his inheritance and would never leave him. Jacob responded by giving a tithe. Again, no commandment!!! Only an exchange for the things God promised to him.

Now, I know what you may be thinking. What about the Law and the book of Malachi? I don’t want to be cursed! Don’t worry, as a quick explanation of the Old Covenant vs. the New Covenant will relieve you. First off, the Law given from God to the Jews was based on the Old Covenant between God and Abraham (Genesis 17). In this covenant God required Abraham and his descendants to follow commandments so that they were “eligible” for God’s blessing.

However, in the New Covenant that Jesus made on our behalf, we are free from the burdens of a law that we simply cannot keep. In fact, in James 2:10, if you live under the Law and break 1 single commandment, you’ve broken the whole Law! Additionally, Paul basically says in Romans (which I highly recommend reading) that the Law was made to show us how sinful we are and that Jesus died to free us from that bondage. Think about it… How can we be sinful if we don’t know what constitutes sin? That’s what the Law is for: not to make us righteous, but to show us we are sinners.

So how does that apply to tithing? Well, since we are free from the Law, we do not ever have to go back to being under condemnation of the Law. This means that you will never be cursed seeing as though Jesus became cursed so you could be blessed! So in this New Covenant, tithing becomes a voluntary act again under the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-17). Just like Abraham gave tithes in appreciation, you can too.

If you want even more detailed information, the author of this postgives a teaching that complements everything I just said and is in accordance with my pastor’s teaching on tithing (starting @ the 13:00 mark). You should also check out this neat studyon tithing trends in the church. And of course, if you have further questions or comments, feel free to post them below.

So should we never give tithes again? Absolutely not! You wouldn’t have a church to go to if you didn’t. I personally committed to God years ago that I was going to give a minimum of tithes on my income no matter what. After this teaching, however, I simply switched my motives. Instead of tithing out of obligation, I commit to tithes and offering because I am blessed, and I get the chance to prove to God and myself that I put Him above money EVERY TIME.

In the words of my pastor, “I don’t GOT to give, I GET to give.”