The Truth About Tithing

This topic isn’t really about tithing.
It’s about truth.

This post does not come from an angry, bitter, or rebellious place. It comes from a heart that loves God and His truth and desires to honor Him fully. I have nothing whatsoever against giving, quite the opposite. I’m only sharing that point because I’ve often seen any questioning of tithing dismissed as someone simply “not wanting to give,” and that could not be further from the truth in my case.

This matters to me because teaching something as Biblical truth when it is not actually Biblical always matters. Grace is needed for those who have never examined what they were taught. But once truth is discovered, it becomes crucial to follow it and to teach it.

My Journey With Tithing

I started tithing as a little kid and was passionate about it. In my early twenties, I was teaching a Bible study at work and was asked to teach on tithing and giving. I was pretty excited. As I prepared, I assumed I would find Scriptures that confirmed what I was taught my entire life: that giving an obligatory 10% of income to the local church was required, and that failing to do so meant you were sinning and “robbing God.”

But when I actually searched the Word for myself, I was very upset and confused.

I realized I could not Biblically support what I believed. That discovery was extremely distressing and launched me on a long journey of study, prayer, and wrestling with Scripture. I taught what I found in my group and unsurprisingly was yelled at by one woman…

For years, I revisited the Word again and again, hoping I had missed something. I desperately wanted tithing to be true in the way it was taught. But every time, I came to the same conclusion: what Scripture teaches is not obligatory tithing, but radical, joyful, Spirit-led giving.

Letting go of the tithe was incredibly difficult. But obedience to God’s Word mattered more than my comfort or tradition. In this post I will share, using Scripture, what the truth of giving actually is.

Why Results Don’t Equal Truth

Many people argue for tithing based on personal testimony: “When I started tithing, God blessed me, so it must be true.” Results are not the measure of truth for a Christian. Scripture is.

My husband and I do not tithe. We give as the Holy Spirit leads, and we have done so for many years. We are blessed as well. Blessing alone cannot be used as proof of biblical accuracy. In fact, there are many non-Christian’s who are extremely blessed, some of whom are generous, and some of whom are not. so right off the bat this argument falls apart.

When we look honestly at Scripture, the modern teaching of tithing does not even align with the Old Testament, let alone the New. I encourage you to read on with an open heart, not to my words, but to God’s Words.

What the Old Testament Actually Teaches About Tithing

The Old Testament tithe:

• Was never about money.
  Tithes were always agricultural, crops and livestock. Despite the fact that they had currency, money was never commanded as a tithe.

·       A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord.”
Leviticus 27:30

·       “Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord.”
Leviticus 27:32

·       Even though money clearly existed, God never commanded a monetary tithe.

·       The only time 10% of goods is given outside the Mosaic Law is Abraham’s one-time offering to Melchizedek. This was not repetitive, and was not commanded.

·      “He gave him a tenth of everything.”
Genesis 14:20

• Was not universal.
  The poor did NOT tithe; they received from the tithe. Did you know this? Widows, orphans, foreigners, and those in need received from the tithe, they never contributed. Yet some lead the poor, widows, and struggling families to believe this lie.

·       At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes. so that the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow may come and eat and be satisfied.”
Deuteronomy 14:28–29

·       “When you finish setting aside a tenth give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.”
Deuteronomy 26:12

·      This directly contradicts the modern teaching that all believers, regardless of circumstance, must give 10%.

• Was not required of the Levites.
  The Levites received the tithe because they had no land inheritance.

·       “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do.”
Numbers 18:21

·       The Levites had no land inheritance (Numbers 18:23–24). This alone shows the tithe was tied to land and agriculture, not money.

There were multiple tithes, totaling closer to 20–23%, used for:

·       Supporting the Levites

·       Funding festivals

·       Caring for the poor

Using this system to argue that Christians should  give 10% is manipulative and does not line up with the teaching of the Old Testament at all.

• Functioned like a tax.
  The tithe supported the Levites and the poor and was part of Israel’s law. It was not a voluntary giving system.
• Was misused in Malachi. This is a passage I have sadly heard many pastors use to shame and condemn their church members. But the truth is, they are misusing God’s Word either out of ignorance, or to take advantage.
  In Malachi, Israel was “robbing God” because they withheld the agricultural tithe, which caused the Levites and the poor to suffer. Applying this passage to modern believers and claiming they are sinning if they don’t give 10% of income to a local church is a serious misuse of scripture.

·       Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me in tithes and offerings.”
Malachi 3:8

·       Israel was robbing God by withholding agricultural tithes, which caused Levites and the poor to suffer. Modern churches compare themselves to the storehouse, but this is not truth.

·       “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.”
Malachi 3:10

·       The storehouse was a literal place for crops and livestock, not a church building.

• The tithe was stored in a literal storehouse.
  A storehouse held crops and livestock. It cannot be equated with the modern local church.

We do not ignore the Old Testament but we are no longer under the Law. Even more importantly, modern tithing doesn’t actually follow the Old Testament model in any way, so even if we did still follow the law we would not be tithing the way the modern church teaches it.

What About the New Testament?

This is the most important question.

Some pastors will say the tithe is Biblical because Jesus mentions it. This is a misuse of scripture entirely. Jesus references tithing once when confronting religious leaders for obsessing over minor things such as tithing herbs like dill, mint, and cumin, while ignoring justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He was speaking to Jews still under the Law, and again, He references agricultural tithes, not their money.

One thing God revealed to me in His Word that further solidified the truth for me is this. the Gentiles never tithed. We know this for certain because the Old Testament references the foreigner and commands that they receive of the tithe. Most gentiles during the New Testament time period didn’t even know the Law. They had no reason to. They were never taught to tithe. And yet, nowhere in the Gospels or Epistles is tithing ever commanded, taught, or even suggested for them. Not one single time. The opposite of obligatory giving was actually what was taught to them, which we will get to in a moment.

If a mandatory 10% tithe were God’s expectation for all believers, it would have been clearly taught, especially to Gentile converts who had no context for Jewish law. But it wasn’t.

Instead, Scripture teaches this:

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6–7

“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.”
2 Corinthians 9:7

“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income.”
1 Corinthians 16:2

This is the simple, beautiful truth of Christian giving:
Generous, cheerful, willing, Spirit-led, based on income, never obligatory. Giving is actually extremely simple and beautiful.

Why This Teaching Matters So Much

Obligatory tithing often leads believers to give out of fear, duty, or obligation, rather than joy and obedience. I’ve heard countless people say they don’t give more than their obligatory 10% because they’ve “already done their duty.”

That is heartbreaking.

Jesus told us “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” Spirit-led generosity often stretches us, builds faith, and opens doors to beautiful opportunities to bless others. Teaching a false standard can rob believers of that joy. But most importantly, teaching a lie dishonors God and His Word and should not continue.

I understand the fear that comes with not teaching tithing. But fear never justifies teaching something untrue. I saw a quote in a book once, I cannot remember where or who said it, but it goes like this: “God’s work done God’s way will receive God’s provision.”

God is faithful and He will provide. But I promise you He is not okay with His people being manipulated by fear and lies. Again, some teach this without realizing, but there is an obligation for teachers to teach only what can be backed up in Scripture.

A Final Thought

Some might say, “But we teach tithing, and God is blessing our church, so it must be right.”

Think about Moses. When God told him to speak to the rock, he struck it instead. He disobeyed. The water still flowed, and the people were blessed. Moses still disobeyed God and received a significant consequence for it. God can bring blessing in spite of our mistakes. Trust me on that.

That is why truth matters.

I continue to ask God to correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve prayed that prayer countless times. All I ask is that others do the same, with open hearts and surrendered wills.

Because in the end, it’s not about tradition, comfort, or results. It’s about truth and honoring God by walking in it. Make sure you are seeking God about what you believe and ensuring those beliefs line up with the truth of God’s Word.

As far as applying God’s Word in your life on giving and generosity, start seeking Him on what He wants you to give and where He wants you to give it. Break free of the lies that have kept you from obeying His Word. If you angrily give 10% this post is not intended to give you a free pass to stop. In fact, maybe God would actually have you give more. I couldn’t even tell you what percentage Chris and I give. Our goal is to give regularly and generously wherever the Spirit leads. Have an open heart of generosity at all times and be ready to give. This will transform your life!