As Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Taxes are both a source of our angst and security; angst in our personal finances and security through the funding of our national armed forces. Taxes both impede and promote economic advancement, impeding private sector investments while building up grants and awards that inspire technological innovation. How you individually view taxes is heavily influenced by which perspective you take.

The same could be said for tithing. With one perspective, we can look at what we lose—the expendable spending, the comfort of a growing savings account, or perhaps a bigger house or car. It is increasingly difficult to simply sustain our standard of living when inflationary forces keep rising, pinching every penny tighter. The many examples of pastors, clerks, and clergymen embezzling money from other church coffers don’t inspire much confidence, either.

On the other hand, we can choose to look at the benefits of tithing. Tithing supports our local church, which is (hopefully) shepherding ourselves and our families well. It pays for events we participate in and the leaders we care about. Many churches send part of their revenue to their denominational offices or other nonprofit services, expanding the kingdom of God. Tithing is our way to participate in the Great Commission from the comfort of home.

To briefly recap the structure of tithing, God instituted tithing for 11 of the tribes of Israel so that they could support the entire 12th tribe of Levi, who were not given a land to call their own. (Numbers 18) Then, He required tithing from Levi to support the smaller group of priests. This way, the country collectively supported the entire priesthood.

These ancient tithes consisted of agricultural offerings. Bartering goods was the primary unit of trade because government-backed tenders weren’t minted until larger empires emerged. In our modern world, things are different—not only have we adopted currency, but there are international currencies that remain (largely) stable. Cash is the new school crop. With this in view, it is unavoidable that we should treat our cash in the same way God initially instructed the ancient Israelites to treat their goods.

Much like taxes are a certainty, so must tithing be. As we depend on our levels of government for our temporary protection and infrastructure, so should we support the church for its eternal benefits. We must have ministers to continually lead believers away from the traps of the world and into faith—this takes resources, lest the ministers starve to death. Millennia of experience proves that we are bound to go astray without appropriate spiritual leaders. However, this logistical equation is not the primary motive for these commands. 

God’s desire is not for our money—His desire is for our hearts. God knows that money has a powerful influence that can tear our hearts away from our faith. When we loosen our grasp on our wealth, we force ourselves to tighten our grip on faith. God desires greater faith more than our self-depravation. 

Just as love and charity require sacrifice, so does faith. Sacrificing a portion of our finances supports His kingdom while revealing the depths of our humility. As Hosea 6:6 commands, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” The sacrifice is simply a means to overcome man’s obsession with the world and the self. We caught a glimpse of His plan when Jesus instructed a rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and become a disciple. (Matthew 19:21) In this case, Jesus asked not for 10%, but 100%; why would Jesus ask this man to sell everything?

Christians are not called to be universally poor but to remove all distractions that take us away from deepening our faith and dependence on Him. If our lust is uncontrollable, perhaps we should tear out our eyes. (Matthew 18) Similarly, maybe our hands should go if we strongly desire to steal or attack. The rich man from Matthew 19 still placed his identity in his possessions and not in his faith; this is evident in his reaction to Jesus’ command. This man’s wealth was interfering with his calling by feeding his pride. 

Humility is the mechanism by which we become joyful givers. (2 Corinthians 9) When we recognize that all good things come from God (James 1), including our provision (Philippians 4:19), we are more willing to support the ministers of His work than to spend or save for ourselves wastefully. 

So, why does God command us to tithe? It requires a humility that begets a more sincere faith. When we offer our financial control to God, it is then a short leap for us to hand over our hearts. Tithing is a perpetually difficult task that regularly humbles us before our Lord. Tithing deepens our faith, like prayer, reading the Word, communion, and fellowship.

Thankfully, God wants us to live life with abundance (John 10:10), though not necessarily abundant with stuff. His promise is a life abundant with love, peace, joy, and faith. In reality, that’s what we are really searching for. Savings may give us some measure of peace, but it’s fleeting. We say we love our house, car, or things, but it’s all shallow and certainly not reciprocated by the stuff. His promise is much more rewarding and permanent, though He can only offer us these gifts if we offer Him all of ourselves, including our wallets.

God does not need our money. He only wants a portion of it as the conduit to gain the entirety of our hearts. Let go of your wallet and take hold of everything He has to offer—it’s a great deal.

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