Must Christians Tithe?
Perspectives by David Davis
YES:
Tithing was prescribed by God in the Law.
Scripture first mentions tithing from when recalling an event in the life of Abraham (see Genesis 14:17-24, especially verse 20). It was next prescribed by God in the Law he gave to Moses for the people of Israel (see Deuteronomy 14:22-29). The purpose of the tithe in the Mosaic Law was to sustain the Levitical priesthood, and to meet the needs of the less fortunate.
Withholding tithes robs God.
God emphatically stated that withholding tithes is robbing and cheating him. “‘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,’” (Malachi 3:8, NLT). As a result, God said his people were “under a curse” (Malachi 3:9). God then promises blessing to the giving of the tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10).
Jesus affirmed tithing.
Perhaps the greatest reason for the continuation of tithing for the church today is the affirmation Jesus gave the practice when rebuking the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, “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” (see Matthew 23:23-24, NLT).
Tithing develops Godly character.
Tithing develops God’s character within a believer and enables the believer to have a giving nature like God. God has modeled giving by giving his Son as an atonement for sin, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life” (John 3:16, NLT).
NO:
Christians should see ALL they have as belonging to God.
The New Testament letters seem to imply that the believer should give as much as possible to the work of God and to those in need, realizing that everything one has comes from God and belongs to God. Therefore, Christians should view themselves only as stewards of what they possess, for God has entrusted to their care what will sustain their needs, the needs of their families and for the needs of others. Paul even viewed giving as a spiritual gift, “If it is giving, give generously” (Romans 12:8).
Christians should use their money to support poorer believers.
Paul encouraged the Christians at Corinth — as he did all the churches under his care — to support poorer believers out of love in times of need, “I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches … Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have” (2 Corinthians 8:8, 11b-12, NLT). Paul also teaches those same believers not to sow sparingly when they give, “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” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7, NLT).
Christians should give sacrificially and more than the minimum.
There are times when our giving should be sacrificial. Paul commends the Macedonian Christians for giving in this way, “Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the ‘gift for the believers in Jerusalem,’” (2 Corinthians 8:1-4, NLT).
A believer that struggles to give generously to God’s kingdom’s cause and purpose, and is unwilling to meet the needs of others, should truly ask the Holy Spirit to develop his fruit in his/her life (see Galatians 5:22-23), which is the foundation for meeting the needs of God’s work and the less fortunate. It is abundantly clear in the New Testament that a tithe should be the minimum amount a believer should give. Advent Christian churches of which I have been a part have taught Christians should give tithes to the local church ministry, free will offerings to extended ministries like Penny Crusade, Dowling Park, Vernon Home and to make pledges as when a church enters into a building or renovation project.
The final verdict is one must have a clear conscience before God in the matter of giving, so one should seek him for any final amount he requires
“Must Christians Tithe?” By David Davis, The Witness, Fall 2020