Common Opinions

.....Many years ago, I was helping some young friends start a new church, and several of our leaders joined in a discussion: What does the Bible teach about tithing, and what should our policy be?

.... "Yes, Jesus taught that we should tithe." said one. "Therefore we should definitely teach tithing." (Matthew 23:23).
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.... "No, on the contrary." said another. "Tithing is Old Testament, and we’re no longer under the curse of the law!" (Galatians 3:10).

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.... "I think we should give as we feel God’s leading." said a third, "The Scriptures say that ‘God loves a cheerful giver’." (2 Corinthians 9:7).

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.... "Yes, but God is not mocked." said the fellow next to him, "If you sow bountifully, you’ll reap bountifully; if sparingly, then sparingly." (Galatians 6:7; 2 Corinthians 9:6).

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.... "Tithing is out of the pit." chimed in the ‘martyr’ section, "If you receive a tithe, your god is your belly, and you’re peddling the word of God!" (Philippians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 2:17).
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.... "But Paul said they had the ‘right’ to receive our material things." said the last person. "Jesus taught that ‘the laborer is worthy of his wages!’" (1 Corinthians 9:11,12; Matthew 10:10).

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....Until that moment, I’d never realized how many teachings on this subject were possible. Each of those young leaders had quoted Scripture, yet their opinions were divided – unlike God’s own perspective. For He has remained of one mind from the beginning, and somehow those threads could be woven in a single tapestry of truth.
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.... That night, in solitude at home, I sought the Lord in prayer. What could be seen of His heart and mind on the subject, and how could those Scriptures be reconciled? I’d always taught that by seeking the testimony of Jesus, the truth of any matter could be found (Ephesians 4:13-14). So what was the Christ-centered perspective on tithing?

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(continued below)

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The Origin of Tithing

.....When problems over Scriptural interpretation arose, Jesus took His listeners back to the beginning, when those subjects were introduced (Matthew 19:8; Mark 7:10-13; Galatians 3:16-18). In practical terms, God  established a premise on those occasions, and further Scriptures would  expound on that meaning.

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....Likewise, God brought my question on tithing to its origin, to the story of Abraham and Melchizedek in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 14:18-20). For Abraham, in returning from his victory over the kings, had given Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils (the Hebrew word ‘tithe’ means ‘tenth’), and the relationship between these men explains everything:

.... "Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils . . . For this Melchizedek . . . having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, [so he] remains a priest continually. He . . . received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better."

(Hebrews 7:1-7)

Here isthe truth of tithing in it’s purest form. For Abraham, with the promises of God, recognized something far greater in Melchizedek and wisely ‘considered how great this man was’. For Melchizedek was like the Son of God Himself.

......Abraham’s tithe was an act of personal homage in recognition of this man’s greatness; a fitting acknowledgment that he was better than him. A devoted relationship was formed and Melchizedek blessed him in return: "Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better." (v 7).

......The same understanding should guide our tithing today, for we have become heirs to the promise of Abraham, and Jesus is the High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Galatians 3:29; Hebrews 5:5-6). So let us follow Abraham’s example and consider how great a person this Jesus Christ is, being the Son of God Himself; and likewise let our offerings become a pure act of worship to Him to acknowledge in a fitting way that He is greater than us.

......If we look to relationship rather than religion, tithing will always come to this conclusion; for our tithes are devoted to the Lord Himself, and not simply to the church, and the Lord blesses us in return. But let’s explore the objections of those young leaders further, and join their perspectives with this understanding.

Tithing Under the Law

.....As we have seen, tithing began with Abraham and not with the law! And this I say, that the law, which was 430 years later, could not change the true intention of tithing as confirmed in our father Abraham on that first occasion: that we should honor the Lord Himself in our giving (See Galatians 3:17). So the law of Moses would expound on this meaning without changing it. Let’s return to the law books themselves to explain this:

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.....Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve tribes, who went to Egypt in the time of famine and were saved. But in the generations that followed, their relationship with God decayed.

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.....Abraham was called God’s friend because he believed Him, honored Him, and walked before Him blamelessly (Isaiah 41:8; Genesis 17:1). But the children of Israel had no such relationship. They had fallen very far, and were now in bondage to the Egyptians. Neither did they know the Lord any more, as it was written: "It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways." (Psalm 95:10).

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.....Under Moses, God freed the children of Israel and made them His chosen people; but the fledgling nation was like a young child in need of schooling during its formative years. Therefore, the law was given as their tutor to guide them into a mature relationship, which would ultimately be fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:17-24). Let’s use an analogy to explain this further:

.....Tom and Susan were a generous couple who tithed from an attitude of worship. As they approached mid-life they adopted Brandon, who was already five years old. From his own background he had no experience in tithing or with many other things, but some basic rules were made to help guide him.
.....Brandon was given daily chores for which he received an allowance each Saturday. His parents made sure he deducted a tithe first of all, for his Children’s Church class the next morning. When he became a teenager and found his first job, they reminded him to honor the Lord with the first ten percent of his earnings, which he did.
.....Finally, Brandon grew old enough to move out on his own. He attended college, married soon after, and became the master of his own home. He was no longer bound by the rules of his youth. But it was no surprise to Tom and Susan that he kept all of their customs, including tithing.
.....""Why do you tithe like that?" asked one of his friends. Brandon explained that tithing was an act of worship; a respectful part of his own relationship with God. But if pressed on how it began he would readily admit, "I was raised that way," and that he had grown into that understanding later:

.... "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

(Proverbs 22:6)

.... In a similar way, tithing was an act of worship that began with our father Abraham. The law of Moses codified it for younger generations to help instill its value in their hearts. As they matured it helped shape their identity and the circle was complete. Eventually the whole nation would tithe very naturally, without the mentality of ‘following the rules’. By the time Jesus came it was so readily accepted that there was no evidence of any doubt or reluctance remaining (Luke 11:42).

The Curse of the Law

.....Like the household rules of our youth, the law of Moses coached the young nation in God’s ways. But it also carried penalties for those who broke those rules, as it was written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." (Galatians 3:10). This brought a special application in regard to tithing, which requires special mention:

....."Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
....."You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
....."Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
....."And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the LORD of hosts;
....."And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts."

(Malachi 3:8-12)

.....In this passage, Malachi refers to tithing as it stood under the law, and this is the ‘curse’ that he mentions (see Malachi 4:4). But we must bear in mind that when Jesus died on the cross, He redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:10-14).
.....Jesus’ death was the great watershed of mankind; the point when we came of age, no longer to be bound by the law or its curse (Galatians 4:4-5). But like Brandon in our example, the living values behind those laws should continue in our lives, ingrained in our hearts and minds so that we should not depart from them:

.... "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
.... "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.
.... "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

(Hebrews 8:8-12)

.... Therefore we do not make void the law through our faith. On the contrary, we establish the law; and it is fulfilled through a motivation of love for God Himself and for our fellow man (Romans 3:31; 13:8). We tithe, once again, for the reasons of Abraham.

Jesus Teaches on Tithing

.....As Christians we become stewards of all that is in our care, and we accept the possibility that the Lord may call for it's use at any time (Acts 4:32). All our treasures are in His hand, that our hearts may be His as well (Matthew 6:19-21). It is important for us to understand the absolute devotion that Jesus requires, as a prerequisite for the liberty He allows:

....."But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."

(Luke 11:41-42)

.....In this passage, Jesus seems to be telling the Pharisees: ‘There are more important things in your walk with God than tithing; but Yes, you were correct not to neglect your tithe.’ Between the days of Malachi and those of Jesus, the nation had fully accepted tithing as a practice. But as we shall see, their underlying attitude remained a problem.

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.....Jesus had come to "magnify the law and make it honorable," so He was concerned with the attitudes He saw. Tithing had become so meticulous that it carried legalistic precision down to the smallest fractions. Jesus wanted to grow us up from a child-like mentality of ‘following the rules’ to a mature relationship with God that was based on our love for Him (Isaiah 42:21; Mark 12;33,34; Romans 3:31; 13:8). But the Pharisees had completely neglected the love of God in their offerings.
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.....To emphasize His point, Jesus formed a contrast. Had they given alms of some other amount, whether more or less, but given from a generous attitude, it would have been more acceptable than the strict ten percent they gave now, from the attitude of a requirement (2 Corinthians 9:7). By majoring in the practice but minoring in the attitude, they had gotten their priorities backward, becoming:

....."Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!"

(Matthew 23:23-24)

.....Through this, Jesus removed the strict requirement of ten percent – and this is where we must have a mature understanding about His intention in so doing. Jesus was not primarily allowing for less, but asking for more, that is, for our hearts (Isaiah 42:21). It was less important that our giving reflect a dollar amount, and more important that it reflect a relationship with God, as had been in the case of Abraham.

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.....At the same time that Jesus removed this requirement, He reminded us of the living intention behind it. Tithing remained the accepted standard, as long as it was coupled with the proper attitude: "These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." (Luke 11:42). But even so, one size would not fit all:

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.....Sometimes our giving to the Lord can become a financial balance between our esteem for Him and our ability to express it – and sometimes this defies the limits of tithing. If a widow gave two mites, for example, Jesus regarded it more highly than the great donations of the wealthy (Mark 12:42-44); and likewise for the very wealthy, ten percent could seem a rather meager gift (Mark 10:23-27;12:44; 1 Timothy 6:17-19).

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.....For the same reason, Jesus would show great mercy to those whose genuine need, such as hunger, compelled them to withhold their tithing for a time. Yes, it is true that the first fruits of our increase belonged to the Lord Himself, and in this sense they would trespass by setting their hand to the holy thing (Proverbs 3:9). But Jesus would answer their critics by reminding them of another story:

....."Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? . . . But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless’."

(Matthew 12:3-7)

Paul Speaks on Our Giving

.....Paul echoed Jesus’ lessons on giving, and especially the need for a proper attitude: "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). We must always be careful to give from a heart of love, whether in giving to God or to man:

....."And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."

(1 Corinthians 13:3)

.....Paul also encouraged each Christian to give ‘as he may prosper,’ which shows that their giving was in proportion to their income (1 Corinthians 16:2). This speaks of a ratio, but is that ratio a tithe?

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.....Tithing was the standard set by Abraham, who had no other guidance than his love for God. Through the law of Moses, God endorsed this gesture as commendable and as a lesson for future generations. The harmony of scripture is found in looking to our relationship with God.

    The law itself ended through Jesus’ death; but after He was raised from the dead, according to the power of an endless life, we may justly apply the principle that "He receives [tithes] of whom it is witnessed that He lives." (Hebrews 7:8,16).

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.....So tithing remains the benchmark, or 'suggested level of giving' (Matthew 5:17). And in that sense, Paul seems to refer to it again:

....."But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."

(2 Corinthians 9:6)

.....In order to decide whether a person has sown sparingly or bountifully, some standard must be born in mind. If a person gave less than that standard, they gave sparingly; but if more, than bountifully. We have already discussed the extremes in the cases of very poor or very wealthy givers; but for the average person, under ordinary circumstances, the standard of giving seems still to be the tithe, the understanding that God’s people grew up with. And God blesses those of us who give to Him cheerfully:

....."And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."

(2 Corinthians 9:8)

The Culture Clash

.....By the time of Jesus, the Jewish people had fully accepted the propriety of tithes and offerings. Because of their background in the law, they understood that those who ministered partook of the offerings that were given (1 Corinthians 9:13). In this culture, Jesus had rarely asked for offerings of any kind, for the people were generous enough to give without His asking (Luke 19:5; Mark 14:14; John 4:7; Luke 5:29; 7:36; 8:3; John 12:2). And thus He gave a commandment to the apostles:

....." . . . Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy . . . and remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his wages."

(Matt 10:11; Luke 10:7)

.....Thirty years later, Paul’s ministry was advancing into Europe as he preached to the Jews of Philippi. They, too, had a background in the law and knew that financial support was appropriate, so they had given freely (Acts 16:15). But the Gentiles, with a much different background, had objected loudly. And the apostles were caught off guard.

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.....When the idea of financial support came to the Gentiles, they were suspicious. If an offering of any kind was taken, even for the most basic of needs, the purity of Paul’s motives were questioned (1 Corinthians 9:3-12). He was accused of being ‘unspiritual’ or of preaching ‘for the money’, and as a result the gospel that he preached was dismissed out of hand (2 Corinthians 2:17).

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.....Paul was faced with a terrible dilemma. The Gentiles, as strangers to the promises of God, could not be expected to respond to the collection maturely, as the Jews had done. If he took a collection of any kind they would be offended, and it might keep them from being saved. But if he refrained from collecting their offerings, he would starve.
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.....The only other option was to work day and night at any secular job he could find, and to preach the gospel between jobs without rest. He came to Thessalonica as a foreigner who would naturally be viewed with suspicion, and was offered only the worst of jobs. But he toiled in them ceaselessly so as not to be a burden to anyone (1 Thessalonians 2:8,9).

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.....Also, the Jewish Christians from Philippi began to help him quietly (Philippians 4:16). It was barely enough for Paul and his companions to survive.

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.....In the days that followed, Paul was persecuted and chased from city to city. He finally came to Corinth where he landed a better paying job as a tent maker (Acts 18:1-3). He would now earn enough to supply his needs and the needs of those who ministered with him (Acts 20:34).

Tithing in our Day

.....Paul’s decision to preach while at the same time supporting himself through a secular job has been hailed as a ‘tent-making’ ministry -- but in truth it was an undesirable turn of events that was only assumed through desperation (see Acts 6:2-4). The Lord had commanded those who preach the gospel to make their living from the gospel, yet Paul had been forced to forsake that right in response to a form of religious prejudice he  encountered (Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:12-14).
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.....The challenge that rose for Paul has continued throughout history. Sincere ministers have felt compelled to financial silence in order to avoid unfair criticism of their intentions; but after enduring as much poverty as they could, they’ve spoken. Things turned around and a new course began, but then, over time, as the new course continued, it sometimes lead to new forms of abuse as the emphasis reached its other extreme. After enduring as much abuse as they could, the people pushed back, and the cycle began again (1 Timothy 6:5).

......Problems like this occur in the church when our focus is on man, and not on God. Therefore, let us return to the truth of tithing and re-focus:
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.....Tithing is an act of homage to Jesus Christ, a fitting acknowledgment that He is better than us. It is a pure act of worship, directed to the Lord Himself and not to the church or to an earthly ministry. It is very personal. It is an expression of our relationship with Him. God expects maturity and a motivation that is based on our faith and our heartfelt love and appreciation for Him (Luke 11:42; Matthew 23:23). And He very much wants us to accept this understanding cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7).
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.....God also expects us to have an attitude of justice and mercy in our giving (Matthew 23:23). But for whose sake is this collection received? Certainly not for Himself, for all things belong to God already, and He is the Judge of all.

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.....Here we need a mature understanding about the ultimate destination of our tithes. Though tithes are dedicated to The Lord Himself, He entrusts them to the ministers of the church. They are to use these resources as wise stewards, to show mercy and to give to the poor; but at the same time, these ministers are worthy of their wages. From the offerings they collect, they may provide for honorable things for themselves in the sight of man and God, and earn a decent living (Galatians 2:10; Luke 10:7; 2 Corinthians 8:21).

A Growing Relationship

.....When God spoke about tithing in the Book of Malachi, He spoke of the practice as it stood at the time, that is, under the law. Yet the living intention behind that law was timeless, and was expressed in the book’s premise:

....."A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?"

(Malachi 1:6)

.....Through Malachi, God gave six examples of how the people has ceased honoring Him, and tithing was the fifth in His series of objections. In other words, the living intention behind our tithing was to reverence God, and the law could never change this (Malachi 3:6). God has always encouraged us to tithe from than attitude of relationship with Him.

......For Christians who have never tithed, a factor of fear may present itself. What if they tithe, and are left without enough? What will they eat? What will they drink? What will they wear? These fears demonstrate that they have not been made perfect in love, nor learned to fully rest in God’s own love (1 John 4:18; 1 Peter 5:6,7). For the Lord knows we have need of these things, and will meet our needs if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:31-33).
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.....Remember that Melchizedek received the tithe, and he blessed Abraham (Hebrews 7:1); Remember that God promised to bless those who tithe, and to meet their needs abundantly (Malachi 3:10). For He honors those who honor Him, and He always blesses us in return, as He spoke again through the Psalmist:

....."Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation."

(Psalm 91:14-16)

Addendum

Multiple Tithings Under the Law

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....Astute students of the Old Testament will point out that there may have been more than one tithe prescribed under the Law of Moses. Possibly there were two tithes, and even as many as three.
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....The first tithe, or one tenth of income, was for the maintenance of the Levites, or priests. This left the tither with 90% of his income; but from this amount, a second tithe was to be deducted for the purpose of funding the Biblical festivals. So the tither would now be left with 81%.
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....There was even a possibility of a third tithe, taken up every third year as a collection for the poor (see Gal 2:10). This would leave the tither with 72.8%. But some argue that the second and third tithes alternated, two years for the festivals and the third for the poor, etc.
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....And finally, the maintenance of the house of God (the temple) was paid for through offerings, in addition to all of those tithes. So what is the truth of tithing in regard to all of this? Again, I would return to the starting point:

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.....In the days of Abraham, ten percent was the proper example. Those other forms of tithing have no support apart from the law, so we may consider them satisfied in Christ, who fulfilled the law.
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.....Only the original ten percent, given through Abraham, remains as a valid example of giving in the context of a pure relationship. Also, remember that Melchizdek did not ask for the tithe, but he relied on the abundance of Abraham’s heart in giving. So I would encourage Christians to not forsake the underlying concepts of those others forms of tithes and offerings, but to address them as they are able, or as God may lead them, in the form of free will offerings.

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For further Biblical insights on tithing, please click on the break-out module entitled The Lost Ministry of Amphipolis.

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