What is tithing and should I do it?
The Devotional Answer
Tithing (giving a tenth) is fundamentally about the heart. It’s your opportunity to declare that God, not money, is the true Lord of your life. It’s an act of worship that says, "Everything I have is a gift from You, God, and I trust You to provide for me, even when I give the first portion back."
When you tithe, you are intentionally putting God first in your finances, which keeps your heart focused on eternal treasures rather than earthly ones (Matthew 6:21). It is a beautiful way to express dependence and gratitude.
The Simple Answer
Tithing is the practice of giving ten percent (10%) of your income back to God, usually through your local church.
Should you do it? While the New Testament encourages generosity (giving cheerfully and sacrificially) rather than enforcing a legalistic 10% requirement, the practice of tithing is an excellent starting point and a vital principle of Christian stewardship.
It helps you cultivate a habit of putting God first and trusting Him with your whole financial life. It is widely encouraged as a baseline for Christian giving.
The Deeper Dive:
The biblical practice of giving evolves from the Old Testament Law to the New Testament principle of grace.
1. The Old Testament Root: The Law
The practice of tithing predates the Mosaic Law (Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20). Under the Law, the Israelites were commanded to give one-tenth of their produce and livestock (Leviticus 27:30). This was a required act to support the priests and the work of the temple.
Malachi 3:10 (NIV): (A key Old Testament challenge) "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
2. The New Testament Principle: Grace and Generosity
In the New Testament, Jesus affirms the principle of tithing (Matthew 23:23), but He raises the standard from a legal requirement to an attitude of the heart. The focus shifts from the amount to the attitude.
Generosity: Christians are commanded to be generous and cheerful givers.
Proportional Giving: We are instructed to give in proportion to what we have received.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) states: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
The Conclusion: Most Christians view the 10% tithe as a practical, actionable benchmark established in the Old Testament, which serves as a minimum standard for New Testament believers seeking to practice cheerful, sacrificial generosity that often goes beyond the tenth.
God’s Assurance
God assures us that when we put our trust in Him over our finances, He will sustain us.
The most frequently quoted challenge in all the Bible is found in Malachi 3:10 (above): "Test me in this... and see if I will not... pour out so much blessing." God invites you to experience the freedom and security that comes from honoring Him first. He assures you that your financial well-being rests not on the 10% you give away, but on the 90% He blesses.
Your Takeaway Thought
Don't let tithing become a burden or a calculation. Make a conscious decision to start giving a regular portion of your income to the Lord through your church, aiming for the 10% benchmark.
This is a spiritual discipline that will grow your trust in God more than almost any other. Begin by thanking God for what you have, giving with joy, and watching how He uses your faithfulness!
