Giving is an important part of a Christian’s stewardship responsibility. Yet if we are honest, it is something we all struggle with. The question of whether Christians should tithe has generated a great deal of debate over the years. This post examines whether tithing applies to Christians today, what question we should be asking instead and how we can grow in our understanding of giving.
I write this post as someone who is learning how to be a better giver, not one with all the answers. I hope this helps you grow in your understanding of giving.
What The Bible Says
I have written a post that covers giving more extensively, but here are some quick points:
- The tithe predated the Law – the Bible describes it happening on at least two different occasions (Genesis 14:20 & Genesis 28:22)
- Tithing became a regular practice when the Law was instituted
- There were three tithes the Israelites gave, totaling about 23% per year (Numbers 18:21,24, Deuteronomy 12:17-18; 14:22-27 and Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-14)
- In the Old Testament 10% was not meant to be the ceiling of giving
- In the New Testament, the tithe is not rescinded
- Christians in the New Testament are exhorted to be purposeful (2 Corinthians 9:7), give regularly (1 Corinthians 16:2), give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), give sacrificially (Mark 12:41-44) and give quietly (Matthew 6:1-4)
Some Christians believe the tithe no longer applies, as it is part of the Law that was fulfilled with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Others say that the tithe is still applicable as Jesus never rescinded the tithe in the New Testament.
According to a recent Barna study, only 21% of Christians tithe. If we believe that tithing is the standard, we have some work to do.
What Is Appealing About Tithing?
God entrusts us with money to provide for our needs, for our enjoyment and to be used to bring glory to Him.
Left to our own devices, we would spend everything on our own needs and enjoyment and not give anything. In our fallen sinful state, giving is not our natural response. Holding on to money and using it for our own purposes is our default mode of living.
One of the appeals of tithing is it allows us to check off a box and say that we have done “our part”. We give God His 10% and now we can do what we want with the remaining 90%.
However, this reveals two heart issues:
We Have Lost Perspective Of What Matters
When we tithe and feel our responsibility has ended, we are valuing money more than God. In Matthew 13:44-45, Jesus shares two parables to outline the importance of the kingdom of heaven: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
If the kingdom of heaven is this important, then why would our giving stop at 10%?
It can be easy to live for today: our comfort, security and pleasure, and forget that God has entrusted resources to you for something much more important. Giving protects our hearts from greed, drives us to depend upon God for our provision and is used to help meet the needs of others. All of this brings glory to God. We need to be careful to not lose sight of what matters.
We Have Forgotten What God Has Done For Us
When we tithe, are we being generous towards God? For some of us, it is like tipping at a restaurant, having minimal or no impact on our lifestyle. In Luke 7 Jesus is invited to a Pharisee’s house and his feet are washed by a sinful woman. In verse 47 Jesus says “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Jesus forgave her sins and her response was to love him in action (washing his feet with her tears and hair) and with her finances (by using an alabaster jar of ointment to anoint them, which would have been quite expensive).
When we struggle to give, have we forgotten what God has done in our lives?
What Is The Problem With Tithing?
From observing how Christians give, there are two pitfalls I see with tithing:
We Forget Who The Owner Is
When we ask if we should tithe, it implies that God owns the 10%, and we own the 90%. This may not be our intention, but can subtly impact our mindset. It is very clear from the Bible that God owns the full 100%. Here are a few verses to consider:
Deuteronomy 10:14 “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.”
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
Job 41:1 God says “Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.”
As God is the owner of all that we have, we are simply returning to Him what he has lavished upon us.
We Live For The Present
God’s goal for your life is not to make you happy, wealthy or successful. God desires us to be more like Him as we prepare to spend eternity with Him.
When God blesses us financially, it is an opportunity to use the extra resources He has provided to further His kingdom, not our own. This shows the world that there is another way to live life, and provides resources for His work in other parts of the world.
Randy Alcorn said “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.” When we choose to use everything on ourselves, then we are living like the world and the Gospel loses its power.
A Different Approach
There is a different question I would encourage you to ask yourself: How much of God’s money should I keep?
Changing the question is much more than semantics, it gets to the core of the issue. Rather than assume we are the owners, it rightly reminds us that God owns all that we have. We need to evaluate our spending in light of His priorities, not our own.
Also, giving is a reflection of what we think about God. Many times we can’t give because we have allowed our lifestyle expenses to choke out our giving. Other times we just don’t want to give because we enjoy the things and experiences that money can buy more than God.
As stewards, we are responsible to manage the resources that God has entrusted to us. This means finding a balance between meeting our needs, enjoying what He has provided and using them to glorify God. There should be tension as we try to balance our spending and giving.
How Can I Grow In My Giving?
Giving is like a muscle, if you don’t exercise it, it won’t grow. Here are a few ways to help you grow as a giver:
Pray and Read
Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The main reasons people struggle with giving are heart issues. You can’t fix them, only God can. Ask God to change your heart towards giving. If your heart doesn’t change, your giving won’t change. Read good books on the subject to help you better understand the important issues at stake.
Reduce Our Spending
Evaluate how you spend money and consider where you could make adjustments to decrease your expenses. Stopping lifestyle creep as we progress in our career and transition to retirement is essential. A portion or all of the funds can be used for giving, turning something perishable (money) into something eternal.
Set A Giving Goal
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
This verse does not mean if you give a lot that you will get a lot of financial blessings. God may choose to do that. Rather, it is exhorting the nation of Israel to be obedient to God. Obedience brings blessing, though it may or may not be financial.
Several years ago, my wife and I set a giving goal that was a stretch to make. At the end of the year, we had given more than we ever had, and God provided for all our needs. Taking God at His word
If you aren’t already giving 10%, then set a goal of giving 10% this year. If you are giving 10%, perhaps set a goal of 20%. Your goal should be stretching you, not something you can easily accomplish.
Reevaluate and Increase
It is very helpful to reevaluate our giving on an annual basis. Circumstances change, and you may need to adjust your giving. We need to be careful not to become complacent in our giving. Increasing your giving as God blesses you financially, helps you keep materialism in check.
There Should Be A Cost
Mark 12:41-44 “And he (Jesus) sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
For some, giving 10% or more has no impact on their life. Our giving should have a cost to us. Are you giving out of your abundance?
Tension
There should be tension between our spending and our giving. If we only look at how we can increase our spending and saving, and not how we can increase our giving, we are not maintaining a healthy balance.
Estate Plan
Thinking through our giving should also extend to our estate plan. This is our final act of stewardship and a tremendous opportunity to make an eternal impact.
Final Thought
Giving to support the Lord’s work is a privilege and blessing. It is not natural for us to give, so we need to grow in our understanding of giving and ask God to cultivate the right heart attitude in us. What step can you take today to grow as a giver?
