Do Christians have to tithe 10%?
No. The tithe was part of the Law of Moses, given to Israel for a land, a temple and a priesthood. Christians are called to give, but freely and with joy, not by a ten percent rule.
No, Christians do not have to tithe ten percent. The tithe was a law God gave to Israel. Jesus fulfilled that Law. After the cross, the apostles never told a church to tithe. They told believers to give, and to give with a happy heart.
That may be hard to hear if you have been taught the tithe all your life. Many pastors who teach it love Jesus and want to fund good work. We are not against them. We just want to read what the Bible says.
What the tithe really was
The tithe was part of the Law of Moses. It was mostly grain, wine, oil and young animals, not cash. Much of it fed the Levites, the priest tribe that had no land of its own (Numbers 18:21). It paid for feasts in Jerusalem. Every third year it fed the poor (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
So Israel had more than one tithe. Added together, they came to far more than ten percent. If someone says “keep the tithe,” we can kindly ask, “Which one?” You cannot keep one wheel and call it the car.
Who it was given to
The tithe was built for one nation. It needed a temple, a priest tribe and a land of crops. When Rome tore down the temple in AD 70, that whole system ended. There was no storehouse left to bring it to.
What changed at the cross
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Galatians 3:13
Jesus took the curse of the Law on Himself. No one can put back on your shoulders what He carried away. Paul said the Law was a guardian that walked God’s people to Jesus, and “now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:25).
Then what should Christians do?
Give. Freedom from the tithe law is not freedom from giving. The New Testament does not lower the bar. It moves it from your wallet to your heart.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Paul calls giving an “act of grace” (2 Corinthians 8:7). The word is χάρις charis, the same word for how God saves us. Giving is not a bill you pay. It is grace flowing through you.
Under the Law people asked, “How much do I owe?” Under grace we ask, “How much can I give?” Many who leave the tithe rule find they give more, not less. Fear only pushes you to the line. Love pulls you past it.
A word if you are afraid
Maybe someone told you that you are robbing God, or that bad things happen because you gave too little. You can set that fear down. God is not keeping a ledger on you. He gave His Son for you. Give because you are free, not to stay safe.
Go deeper
This answer comes from the teaching “What About the Tithe?”. The tithe was part of God’s promise with Israel. Jesus took the curse of the Law on Himself. You do not give to escape a curse. You give because you are free.
Related questions
- Is tithing in the New Testament?The word shows up, but only about the Law before the cross, about Pharisees, or about Abraham and Melchizedek. No apostle ever tells a church to tithe. The New Testament teaches generous, cheerful giving instead.
- How much should a Christian give?The New Testament sets no percentage. Decide in your heart with God, give regularly, give in step with what you have, and give with joy. Love often gives far more than ten percent.
- Is it a sin not to tithe?No. The tithe belonged to the Law of Moses, and Jesus took the curse of the Law on Himself. Not tithing is not a sin for Christians. Refusing to love and give at all is the real problem.