Is Tithing For Today? (Part 3 of Giving)

Giving (Part 3 of 3): Is Tithing For Today?

Scripture teaches us so much about many things, but there is one topic that is covered the most through out the text. That topic is money.

As I was studying for our last teaching in the series of Giving, I realized just how little the New Testament teaches on "tithing". The New Testament completely covers the teaching of giving, but what about the Tithe?

This led me to the question: Is tithing for today?

Before the law was established with Moses, we read in Genesis that both Abraham and Jacob tithed.


  • Gen 14:20 - Abraham tithes to Melchizedek 
  • Abraham's tithes was out of honor, and he received a blessing.

Gen 18:20-22 - Jacob tithes
Jacob vows to give a tithe if God provides.

So with both accounts we can see that this is a pre-law rite that was between man and God, and/or man and priest (Hebrews tells us that Jesus Christ is in the same order of this priest.)

The Levitical Law: Lev. Chap 27
The Levitical law goes in great detail to explain how the children of Israel were to give, not only of their "finances" but of all their resources.

Nehemiah 10:35-39 reaffirms the law

Malachi 3:10
“I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:6-12 NLT)

It is very important to read Malachi 3:10 in the greater context. The over all message here is that the people did not obey God's commandments and now are far from Him. God tells them to return to him, and one way to begin turning back to Him is with their tithe.

The tithe at that time was typically grain, or harvest of some some sort, or even the first born cattle and etc.

This was used to resource the Levite priest, to help resource the temple, and to be stored (the store house) as a food bank for the widows, orphans, and the poor.

We can see exact parallels in the New Testament:

In Acts 4:34-35we read that the early believers would lay resources at the feet of the apostles and 1 Cor 16:1-4tells us that they took up offerings for the poor.

Most people who argue that the tithe is not for the New Testament, because these example only speak of offerings. This is very true. Tithing is only mentioned a very few times in the New Testament and Jesus really only mentions it by name only once. (or multiple times if you read the gospels as different accounts)

Matthew 23:23
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. (Matthew 23:23 NLT)

Let me repeat that last sentence, "You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things."

Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they try to show them selves better than others by how much they give, or that the Pharisees would rather follow the letter of the law, instead of the Spirit (or the heart) of the law and not neglect the more important things such as love, mercy, and faithfulness.

The tithe was a small thing, something that should not even give them any problem, but they were stumbling on what Paul calls the milk.

We do the same thing. We would rather focus our energy on rather the tithe is for the Old Testament or the New Testament instead of understanding that Christ did not come to destroy the lay, but to fulfill [embody] the law.

And if Christ uses examples such as the law of "Do not Murder, and turns it into a heart matter of, "Do not hate".....then how much more should we take the law of the tithe and make it a heart matter of giving....

2 Corinthians 8:7
Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT)

2 Corinthians Chap 9
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! (2 Corinthians 9:1-15 NLT)

Why do we get hung up on should we tithe 10%, or on the net or gross....God is calling us not to give, but to be giving, to continue to give, to be a giving people in everything, so that we may "be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous".

So in conclusion, I can not say that the New Testament specifically tells us that we should give a tithe, tenth, 10%....but I can say that the New Testament calls us to give way more than just that...It calls us to give ourself, heart, mind, and soul to the One from whom all blessings flow.

with much love,
 - keith

Created 4 months ago