Why is There So Much Confusion About Tithing? Is Tithing Required Now?

There are at least three reasons why many are confused about tithing. These will be mentioned and analyzed here.

Reason 1) Some recognize that the tithing system which was imposed upon ancient Israel in relation to the ceremonial aspect of the Law of Moses is not in force anymore. On that basis, they conclude that tithing isn’t required now.

The Lord imposed a system in which the Israelites were to tithe for very specific purposes under the Law of Moses. While this tithing system that was imposed upon ancient Israel was a civil tax, this tax could not be rightfully separated from the public aspects of the ceremonies of the Law of Moses themselves being carried out within the nation.

Yet even though the tithing system which was specifically for ancient Israel was interwoven with the ceremonial aspect of the Law of Moses, the requirement to tithe in itself is an aspect of the moral law of God. Even though the Lord’s covenant arrangement with man has changed, His moral principles never change. Though the ceremonial law is no longer binding upon anyone, tithing was obligatory upon mankind as part of God’s eternal moral law before the Mosaic ceremonies were ever imposed. This is proven by the clear examples of tithing in the Book of Genesis.

As is the case today, everyone in the Book of Genesis was bound to God’s eternal moral law but not to the ceremonial law. Since tithing has its foundation in Genesis, the general obligation to tithe already existed before the tithe system was imposed upon Israel as a nation through Moses.

It is especially significant that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis chapter 14. Melchizedek was a priest who foreshadows Jesus’ High Priesthood rather than the Levitical Priesthood.

Psalm 110:4 says concerning the Messiah: “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Jesus’ High Priesthood is of the Order of Melchizedek. This priesthood is greater than, and supersedes, the Levitical Priesthood which was installed for Israel as a key ingredient of the ceremonial law.

Not only did Melchizedek receive tithes from Abraham, the Levitical Priesthood even figuratively paid tithes to the priesthood of the Order of Melchizedek when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Hebrews chapter 7 proves this).

We also see in Genesis chapter 28:20-22 how Jacob understood that faithfully worshiping God requires paying a tithe to Him. Jacob was not broken and unconditionally surrendered at that point in Genesis 28. This does not change that he surely knew what God requires. Jacob had witnessed faithful worship of the true God in his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

We are all bound to God’s moral law. Though many think otherwise, being in God’s grace is not compatible with living like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. To contend against the Christian’s need to obey God’s moral law is to endorse and advocate for sin. As Romans 3:31 demonstrates, the law is established by faith in Christ. Otherwise, God’s grace would be a license to sin.

True repentance is exercising a wholehearted intent to get back in line with God’s law. There is no authentic faith in Christ apart from such repentance. A person’s faith or unbelief in an authority figure is shown by whether they actually take heed to them and strive to do whatever they say. It is surely no different with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. James chapter 2 and many other passages prove that faith must work according to God’s commandments and ways in order to be a living faith which justifies a person. The authentic faith of Jesus binds to God’s commandments (see Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:11-12 along these lines). Those who are truly repentant are looking at the law of God as a guide to pleasing Him and exercising true faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:7-8: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Since tithing is an aspect of the moral law of God, the concept spoken of in Malachi 3:8 (that not tithing is robbing God) is still applicable.

Reason 2) Many church leaders who preach about tithing are money hungry hypocrites who are using the tithes of their church members to live in luxury and to fund projects related to their personal agendas. On that basis, some draw the conclusion that those who teach that tithing is required now are twisting the Bible.

Many who preach tithing are indeed in ministry for their own gain. They might even place great emphasis on the tithe for their church while neglecting other obvious Biblical issues in the moral realm. In many cases, pastors which tell people to tithe also teach that Christians need not even be subject to the eternal moral law of God. This is inconsistent and blatantly hypocritical.

As there were storehouses for tithes and freewill offerings in Israel that were supposed to be for the expenses related to public worship and the support of the poor and needy, a Christian church should take tithes and freewill offerings of its members for the same basic purposes. Though it is right for a church to believe in tithing and to command its members to tithe, the Apostolic example and instruction also require that ministers not be unnecessarily burdensome on their congregation. It is not okay for preachers to consider themselves above working to support themselves. In relation, it is unacceptable for preachers to compromise truth in any area so people don’t leave and stop supporting the church. It is also never okay for a church to use the money it takes in for luxury and frivolous projects. A church should also not be requesting money from non-members who visit nor requesting money from outsiders at all. If a church is committed to false doctrine or is not living consistent with the right doctrine which it preaches, you shouldn’t be there. You should rather leave it and try to find a faithful church.

Being under the righteous authority of Jesus Christ must involve being willing to join and participate in a faithful Christian church. Yet many of the things which a church should be doing with its tithes are things which one can do to some degree on their own. There are people who are faithful in preaching the Gospel somewhere who could use some help, there are people who need Bibles somewhere, there are needy Christians all over the world, and there are countless afflicted people all over the world who are suffering from the consequences of war, diseases, famine, and from other calamities. You can help such with your tithe (as well as beyond your tithe) even without a church.

James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Those who have good reason not to trust their church with at least ten percent of their money shouldn’t be there anyways.

Reason 3) People discern that only giving ten percent of one’s income to church and/or charity related things is often not giving enough. On that basis, some draw the conclusion that teaching the necessity of tithing is actually teaching people that it is okay to harden their hearts after they have already given ten percent of their income away.

Yet since most people don’t even give away anywhere near ten percent percent of their income anyways, most would have to increase their giving exponentially before this could even potentially be a problem for them. According to Google, the average American gives a bit under 2 percent of their disposable income to church or charitable causes. Replacing the average American in general with the average Christian in America raises the number to 2.5 to 3 percent.

It is evident from the Law of Moses that an Israelite fulfilling their duty in tithing did not relieve them of sacrificial giving beyond the tithe. It is rather implied there that sacrificial giving can’t really even begin until one gives beyond their tithe.

Deuteronomy 15:11: “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”

Some will even quote the following to oppose teaching the necessity of tithing.

2 Corinthians 9:7: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Upholding the obligation of tithing does not oppose this principle. If someone is giving for the acceptance of other people and/or if someone thinks that even ten percent of their money is unreasonable, then their heart could not be right. There is nothing even said in 2 Corinthians 9:7 and the surrounding counsel which is teaching that it could be acceptable to give less than the ten percent bare minimum standard. It was already established through Abraham’s interaction with Melchizedek in Genesis that ten percent ought to always be given back to the Lord without question.

Resistance to the obligation of tithing is one of many potential expressions of opposition to the true God’s authority and throne.