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What Does the Bible Say About Tithing in the New Testament?
What does the bible say about tithing? Is tithing in the New Testament? Are Christians required to tithe? Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way, or watch the accompanying sermon for answers.
https://youtu.be/PJpjMYDXmzM
What does the bible say about tithing? Is tithing in the New Testament? Are Christians required to tithe? Read or listen to this chapter from Your Finances God’s Way for answers.
Table of ContentsThe New Testament Doesn’t Command Giving a TitheTwo Categories of CommandsA Higher Standard for GivingNo Mention of Tithing in the New TestamentThe New Testament Expects Giving WillinglyWe Must Decide How Much to GiveGod Sees the “Heart Gift” Versus the “Hand Gift”Giving Willingly In the Old TestamentJacob Demonstrates Giving UnwillinglyAbraham Demonstrates Giving WillinglyThankfulness Produces Better Giving Than LawJesus Willingly Gave More Than a TitheSo Why Give Willingly?Footnotes
Giving and the amount Christians should give are controversial topics. You've probably heard different opinions if you’ve been in the church for a long time. You may have your thoughts based on your experiences up to this point. May I ask you a couple of questions?
First, have you been told that you should tithe?412 If so, take a moment to consider whether New Testament verses cause you to think this way. I believe it’s clear that Christians are commanded to give, but they’re not commanded to give a tithe, which brings me to my second question.
Second, if you believe you must give a tithe, will you consider a different view if Scripture supports it?
Having asked those questions, here’s a principle I’d like you to apply in your heart: God wants us to give out of thankfulness rather than out of obligation. Remember how much God has done for you so you’re moved to give out of a heart of worship rather than out of duty.
Please don’t assume any of this is merely my opinion. I believe it is vital for us to be convinced by God’s Word alone, and understanding what Scripture teaches requires some technical information. Bear with me as we get this foundation in place!
The New Testament Doesn’t Command Giving a Tithe
Not long after becoming a Christian, I heard that I should tithe. My confidence in this claim waned as my familiarity with the New Testament grew because I couldn’t find any supporting verses. Giving a tithe is commanded under the Old Covenant, which is associated with the Mosaic law. But Christians today are under the New Covenant, which is associated with the law of Christ. Paul notes this distinction in the New Testament:
To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those under the law; to those who are without the law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without the law (1 Corinthians 9:20-21).
Paul said that to win Jews to Christ, he would put himself back “under the [Mosaic] law,” which means he hadn’t been adhering to the requirements of that law since coming to Christ. When he tried to win Gentiles (“those who are without [the Mosaic] law”), he ensured he wasn’t under the Mosaic law. However, to prevent readers from thinking he was without any law, he said he remained “under law toward Christ.” The point is that there’s a clear distinction between two different laws and how they relate to our giving:
the Mosaic law, which is associated with the Old Covenant (which we are not part of ), and its mediator, Moses, commands giving a tithe
the law of Christ, which is associated with the New Covenant (which we are part of ), and its mediator, Jesus, doesn’t command giving a tithe413
The tithe was God’s way of paying the priests who served God’s people throughout the Old Testament era through Jesus’s earthly life. After Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, He became our great high priest (Hebrews 4:14).
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What does the bible say about tithing? Is tithing in the New Testament? Are Christians required to tithe? Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way, or watch the accompanying sermon for answers.
https://youtu.be/PJpjMYDXmzM
What does the bible say about tithing? Is tithing in the New Testament? Are Christians required to tithe? Read or listen to this chapter from Your Finances God’s Way for answers.
Table of ContentsThe New Testament Doesn’t Command Giving a TitheTwo Categories of CommandsA Higher Standard for GivingNo Mention of Tithing in the New TestamentThe New Testament Expects Giving WillinglyWe Must Decide How Much to GiveGod Sees the “Heart Gift” Versus the “Hand Gift”Giving Willingly In the Old TestamentJacob Demonstrates Giving UnwillinglyAbraham Demonstrates Giving WillinglyThankfulness Produces Better Giving Than LawJesus Willingly Gave More Than a TitheSo Why Give Willingly?Footnotes
Giving and the amount Christians should give are controversial topics. You've probably heard different opinions if you’ve been in the church for a long time. You may have your thoughts based on your experiences up to this point. May I ask you a couple of questions?
First, have you been told that you should tithe?412 If so, take a moment to consider whether New Testament verses cause you to think this way. I believe it’s clear that Christians are commanded to give, but they’re not commanded to give a tithe, which brings me to my second question.
Second, if you believe you must give a tithe, will you consider a different view if Scripture supports it?
Having asked those questions, here’s a principle I’d like you to apply in your heart: God wants us to give out of thankfulness rather than out of obligation. Remember how much God has done for you so you’re moved to give out of a heart of worship rather than out of duty.
Please don’t assume any of this is merely my opinion. I believe it is vital for us to be convinced by God’s Word alone, and understanding what Scripture teaches requires some technical information. Bear with me as we get this foundation in place!
The New Testament Doesn’t Command Giving a Tithe
Not long after becoming a Christian, I heard that I should tithe. My confidence in this claim waned as my familiarity with the New Testament grew because I couldn’t find any supporting verses. Giving a tithe is commanded under the Old Covenant, which is associated with the Mosaic law. But Christians today are under the New Covenant, which is associated with the law of Christ. Paul notes this distinction in the New Testament:
To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those under the law; to those who are without the law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without the law (1 Corinthians 9:20-21).
Paul said that to win Jews to Christ, he would put himself back “under the [Mosaic] law,” which means he hadn’t been adhering to the requirements of that law since coming to Christ. When he tried to win Gentiles (“those who are without [the Mosaic] law”), he ensured he wasn’t under the Mosaic law. However, to prevent readers from thinking he was without any law, he said he remained “under law toward Christ.” The point is that there’s a clear distinction between two different laws and how they relate to our giving:
the Mosaic law, which is associated with the Old Covenant (which we are not part of ), and its mediator, Moses, commands giving a tithe
the law of Christ, which is associated with the New Covenant (which we are part of ), and its mediator, Jesus, doesn’t command giving a tithe413
The tithe was God’s way of paying the priests who served God’s people throughout the Old Testament era through Jesus’s earthly life. After Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, He became our great high priest (Hebrews 4:14).