Tithing Is It For Christians Today?

Tithing Today Many denominations practice and encourage tithing: Baptists, Mormons, Adventists, United Methodists, Presbyterians (USA), Pentecostals, Worldwide Church of God, etc. Many world religions practice tithing: Islam, Bahai, Hinduism, Sikhism, etc. Is tithing for Christians today? Is it required of God for Christians to tithe?

Tithing In the Old Testament Tithing, or giving a tenth, was found among the Patriarchs (Gen. 14:20; 28:22) Tithing was a law of Moses to the Jews (Lev. 27:30-33; Num. 18:21,24-28; Deut. 12:6-7,11; 14:22,23,28; 26:12; 27:30-34; see Deut. 5:1-5; 27:34) Tithing that was neglected was rebuked and restored (2 Chron. 31:12; Neh. 10:37-38; 12:44; 13:5,12; Amos 4:4; Mal. 3:9-10)

Tithing In the Old Testament Is Old Testament Tithing Really Practiced Today? Tithing (some of the tithes, not all), offered in the form of money was not 10%, but 12% (Lev. 27:31). Are denominational leaders requiring 10% or 12%? Tithing had to be done by the Levites; a tithe of the tithe (Num. 18:25-32). Are denominations leaders giving 10% of all tithes received to someone else? Tithing every third year was to be given to the sojourner, not just the Levite (Deut. 14:29; 26:12). Are denominational leaders requiring 10% to be given to those outside their denomination every three years?

Tithing In the Old Testament Is Old Testament Tithing Really Practiced Today? Tithing (in addition to the annual sacrifices and other acts of giving like gleaning) was done three times, not just once: 1) a general tithe of all (Num. 18:20-28); 2) a tithe eaten at the tabernacle (Deut. 12:5-18; 14:22-27); and 3) a tithe every three years given to the poor and sojourner (Deut. 14:28-29). Are denominational leaders requiring three tithes, or just one?

Objections to Tithing Answered Good Stewards, J.E. Dillard, Convention Press, 1953 (The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee) “2. I thought tithing was intended for the Jews, not Christians. So were the Ten Commandments, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms; they were all intended primarily for the Jews, but Paul tells us that they were written for our instruction (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16). Just as these have been found helpful to Christians, so will be the observance of the tithe.” (page )

Objections to Tithing Answered Good Stewards, J.E. Dillard, Convention Press, 1953 (The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee) “4. You quote Leviticus. That book was for the Levites only. Are you sure? Jesus quoted Leviticus as follows: ‘And the second is like, namely this: Though shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’ (Mark 12:31; Lev. 19:18). Is this commandment for Jews only? If Jesus quoted Leviticus, are we forbidden to do so? Should we not let the New Testament, the Holy Spirit, and sanctified common sense guide us as to when we should quote it?” (page 130)

Objections to Tithing Answered Good Stewards, J.E. Dillard, Convention Press, 1953 (The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee) “5. I thought Christ did away with the ceremonial law, thereby doing away with the law of the tithe. The law of the tithe was not a ceremonial law. Is paying taxes, paying rent, or paying interest on a note a ceremony or a duty? The paying of tithes was in vogue before the days of Moses and antedates the Levitical law. It was simply incorporated into the Levitical law.” (page 130)

Objections to Tithing Answered Good Stewards, J.E. Dillard, Convention Press, 1953 (The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee) “6. The New Testament does not definitely command the paying of the tithe. Neither does it forbid it. It takes it for granted since it was commonly observed by pious Jews of that time. Jesus commended the Pharisees for observing it (Matt. 23:23). If tithing was good for the religious Jews, who will say that it is not good for the Christian? Ought not a Christian to do as much for his religion as a Jew would do for his?” (page 130)

Tithing Is No Longer Required Giving a tenth is certainly permissible, but it is not required, because the Old Law that required it has been done away in Christ (Eph. 2:14; Col. 2:14) The Old Law is not our system of justification or judgment today (Gal. 5:4; Col. 2:16) We are under the Law of Christ today (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:1; Jas. 1:25), not the Old Law (Heb. 8:8-9; 10:9)

Giving In the New Testament Giving is regulated by one’s individual ability, not by a pre-determined amount for all (Acts 11:29) Giving is regulated by the proportion of one’s prosperity, not the percentage (1 Cor. 16:2) Giving comes from a free-will, liberal (generous) offering to the Lord, as one purposes in his heart, not from a set amount (2 Cor. 8:5,8,12; 9:6-9)

What About Tithing in the NT? Yes, Jesus commended tithing (Mt. 23:23; Lk. 11:42) Yes, the righteous Jews practiced tithing (Lk. 18:12) Yes, Hebrews mentions tithing (Heb. 7:2-9) However, these examples of tithing come from persons living under the Old Law Where is the example of NT Christians tithing? Where is the NT command to Christians to tithe?