There is a moment that comes in the life of every growing believer, a moment when the offering plate passes by and something stirs within. It is more than obligation; it is an invitation.

God, in His wisdom, has chosen to fund His work on earth through the willing hands of His people, and in doing so, He has given us one of the most practical and profound ways to demonstrate our faith.

Yet few topics generate as much confusion, guilt, or debate among Christians as the subject of giving and tithing. Some view it as an outdated Old Testament requirement that has no bearing on New Covenant believers. Others treat it as a magic formula for financial blessing. Still others give grudgingly, viewing it as a religious tax rather than an act of worship.

The truth, as it often does, lies somewhere more beautiful and more challenging than any of these positions. Biblical generosity is not about a percentage; it is about a posture of the heart. It is worship expressed through our wallets, gratitude given tangible form, and faith made visible in our finances.

Did Tithing Exist Before the Mosaic Law?

Yes, tithing predates the Law of Moses by centuries. Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14, and Jacob committed to tithe in Genesis 28, both long before God gave the commandments at Sinai. This demonstrates that tithing was a voluntary expression of worship before it became a formal requirement.

Genesis 14:18-20 records a remarkable encounter between Abraham and a mysterious priest-king named Melchizedek. After Abraham returned from rescuing his nephew Lot, Melchizedek, who was both king of Salem and priest of the most high God, brought out bread and wine and blessed Abraham. Scripture then tells us: “And he gave him tithes of all.”

This was not commanded. There was no Law requiring it. Abraham, the father of faith, gave a tenth of everything to this priest of God as a spontaneous act of worship and gratitude.

The writer of Hebrews later draws significant theological conclusions from this event, noting in Hebrews 7:4 that we should “consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.”

Abraham’s grandson Jacob followed the same pattern. In Genesis 28:20-22, after his vision of the ladder reaching to heaven, Jacob made a vow to God: “And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”

These examples establish an important principle: tithing was not invented by Moses as part of the ceremonial law that passed away with the coming of Christ. It was an expression of worship that existed in the hearts of God’s people long before any formal requirement was given.

What Did the Old Testament Law Teach About Tithing?

The Mosaic Law confirmed and expanded upon the pre-existing practice of tithing. Leviticus 27:30 declares the tithe holy unto the Lord, while Deuteronomy outlines its use for supporting Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows. Malachi 3:8-10 contains God’s unique invitation to test Him in this area of faithfulness.

Leviticus 27:30 states plainly: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.”

The tithe was declared holy—set apart, belonging to God.

At its core, the tithe was a recognition that everything comes from God and belongs to God. As David would later pray in 1 Chronicles 29:14: “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.”

The Old Testament reveals several purposes for the tithe:

• Supporting the Levites who served in the temple (Numbers 18:21-24)
• Providing for strangers, the fatherless, and widows (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)
• Acknowledging God as the source of all provision (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)
• Teaching Israel to fear the Lord always (Deuteronomy 14:23)

Perhaps the most striking passage comes from Malachi. In Malachi 3:8-10, God declares: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings… Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

This passage contains something remarkable. Throughout Scripture, we are consistently warned not to put the Lord to the test. Jesus Himself rebuked Satan with the words from Deuteronomy 6:16: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Yet here, in this singular instance, God Himself invites us to test Him. In the arena of generous giving, God opens the door for His people to experience firsthand His faithfulness to provide.

What Did Jesus Teach About Giving?

Jesus affirmed tithing while emphasizing the heart behind the gift. In Matthew 23:23, He rebuked the Pharisees for meticulous tithing while neglecting justice and mercy, telling them they should have done both. Jesus also taught that God measures giving by sacrifice rather than amount, commending the widow who gave two mites over wealthy donors.

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus confronts the Pharisees: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

Notice carefully what Jesus says. He does not tell them to stop tithing. He tells them they should have continued to tithe while also attending to justice, mercy, and faith. The problem was not their giving but their priorities; they were meticulous about measuring out ten percent of their garden herbs while neglecting the very qualities that giving was meant to cultivate in their hearts.

In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus sat near the treasury and watched the people bring their offerings. The wealthy contributed large sums, but then came a poor widow who cast in two mites—essentially worthless coins.

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said: “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

This widow gave everything. She did not calculate the minimum requirement; she offered her whole trust to God. Jesus held her up as the model of true generosity.

In Luke 6:38, Jesus teaches the principle of generous return: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

What Does the New Testament Teach About Cheerful Giving?

The Apostle Paul teaches that Christian giving should be cheerful, systematic, and proportional. Second Corinthians 9:7 declares that God loves a cheerful giver—the Greek word ‘hilaros’ means joyful or exuberant. Paul instructs believers to give regularly, as God has prospered them, not grudgingly or under compulsion but with genuine gratitude.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Paul writes: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

The Greek word translated “cheerful” is hilaros, from which we derive the English word “hilarious.” God is not looking for reluctant compliance or guilty obligation. He wants givers who are joyful, even exuberant, in their generosity.

Paul’s teaching on giving includes several key principles:

• Systematic giving: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
• Proportional giving: “As God hath prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
• Purposeful giving: “According as he purposeth in his heart” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• Joyful giving: “Not grudgingly, or of necessity” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

The Macedonian churches exemplify this principle. Despite their severe poverty and affliction, Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:2-5 that they gave with “abundance of their joy” and “beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift.” They begged for the opportunity to give.

Perhaps the simplest summary comes from the Lord Jesus Himself, as recorded in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

What Does Wisdom Literature Say About Generosity?

The book of Proverbs teaches that honoring God with our firstfruits brings blessing, while Psalm 24:1 establishes the foundational truth that everything belongs to God. Proverbs 11:24-25 presents the paradox that scattering leads to increase while withholding leads to poverty—divine wisdom that contradicts worldly thinking about finances.

Proverbs 3:9-10 commands: “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Giving is not an afterthought; it is the first priority.

Proverbs 11:24-25 presents a paradox that only makes sense in God’s economy: “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”

This principle finds its ultimate foundation in stewardship. Psalm 24:1 declares: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” We are not owners; we are managers of resources that belong to God.

Is Tithing Required for Christians Today?

While believers are not under the ceremonial law, tithing existed before the Law and was affirmed by Christ. The New Testament standard of grace-motivated, cheerful giving often exceeds what the Law required. Under grace, everything belongs to God, and we give from hearts overflowing with gratitude rather than calculating a minimum percentage.

Some sincere believers argue that tithing was strictly an Old Testament Jewish requirement that does not apply to New Covenant Christians. However, the evidence shows that tithing existed before the law was given and was affirmed by Christ during His earthly ministry. More importantly, the New Testament standard of grace-motivated, cheerful, sacrificial giving often exceeds what the law required.

Others have been rightly concerned about the distortions of prosperity preachers who treat God as a cosmic vending machine—put in your tithe, receive your blessing. This is a dangerous perversion of biblical truth.

God is not a slot machine in the sky. The blessings He promises are not always material, and giving should never be motivated by the expectation of financial return. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

How Should Christians Practice Giving Today?

Christians should give systematically, proportionally, and cheerfully, prioritizing the local church as the primary recipient of regular giving. The percentage matters less than the heart posture behind it. We give because God first gave us everything, including His own Son, and our generosity reflects hearts transformed by grace.

Practical application of biblical generosity includes the following principles:

• Prioritize the local church. This is where the Word is preached, where believers are fed and equipped, and where ministry happens. When we have a true, bible-believing church we can call home, that church should be the first place our giving goes.
• Give systematically and proportionally. Set aside giving as the first priority when income arrives, not as an afterthought from whatever remains. Let your giving be proportional to how God has blessed you.
• Examine your heart. Are you giving cheerfully or grudgingly? Are you calculating the minimum you have to give out of obligation, or are you looking for opportunities to invest your treasure in places that will pay eternal dividends?
• Remember why we give. We give because He gave us everything, and ultimately, He owns everything. If God gave us His Son to secure our eternal salvation, why would we want to withhold anything from Him?

Romans 8:32 asks: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

The question is not whether ten percent is required or optional. The question is this: Does your giving reflect a heart that has been transformed by grace? Does your checkbook testify to your trust in God’s provision? Does your generosity demonstrate that you are storing up treasures in heaven rather than clinging to the passing pleasures of earth?

Give, not because you must, but because you have received so much. Give cheerfully, systematically, and sacrificially. And watch as the God who cannot be outgiven opens the windows of heaven in your life—perhaps not with material riches, but certainly with the unsearchable riches of knowing Christ and participating in His work.

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Only one life, ’twill soon be past—only what’s done for Christ will last.