Is Tithing a Scam?

A friend recently sent me a video on tithing. The speakers basically concluded that we are tithing wrong since in the Old Testament they gave fruit, vegetables, and livestock—not money. The speakers said they showed up one Sunday with food and meat to tithe and were asked to leave. I didn’t watch the entire video since it was rather lengthy, but I watched enough to realize many of us have a misunderstanding of tithing.

Some think the money we give in tithes is just lining the Pastor’s pocket so he/she can afford fancy cars, big houses, and planes. We’ve all seen or heard examples where a church may have fallen victim to the love of money and that’s why tithing can rub people the wrong way.

Maybe we need to change our perspective on tithing. Instead of looking at it as a money issue, maybe we should look at it as a faith issue.

In the Old Testament, people gave a tenth (the word “tithe” means tenth) of their crops or livestock because that was their currency. After Jesus’ death fulfilled the law, the New Testament doesn’t command a tithe trusting each believer to give according to what they could. God told us to settle in our hearts what to give and not to do so because of pressure. I’d rather give cheerfully what I can afford.

More important than the amount you give is why you give. Deuteronomy 14 says “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first…”.

If you struggle with tithing, pray and ask God to guide you. God never requires anything of us without blessing us with so much more in return.