What is Tithing and should Christians Pay it?

What is tithing and should Christians Pay it? This is a big issue right now and one that has inspired many debates. You only have to type the word tithing into YouTube or Google and you will be bombarded with videos about the subject.

When I was a new Christian, I like most, I would presume, was taught that tithing was a biblical concept that Christians should follow. I would see Christians consistently paying tithes and heard many preaching’s on the subject.

As I think back to those early days I can’t remember ever hearing teachings or preaching on tithes from the books of Leviticus, Numbers or Deuteronomy. And although I must have read it at some point I can’t really say why as a new Christian it didn’t occur to me that tithing was never about money.

I do remember consistently hearing about Malachi’s address to the priests from Malachi 3:8-10. And feeling terrified that I would be cursed if I didn’t pay my Tithe’s.

So What is Tithing According To The Bible?

In my next series of blogs, I will examine what the bible actually teaches about tithes and offerings and what if anything the early Christian church of the New Testament did with regards to giving money to the church.

The First Tithe

Leviticus 27:30-33 outlines what is known as the first tithe;

Lev 27:30  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.

Lev 27:31  And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

Lev 27:32  And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

Lev 27:33  He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

Lev 27:34  These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

So clearly here in Leviticus, the tithe that is being referred to was NOT money, it was seeds, fruit, herd and flocks.

It would seem also by reading verse 31 that there was an option to redeem the seed and the fruit by adding a fifth of its value. The herd and the flock were not redeemable and you weren’t allowed to change them, no matter what state it was in good or bad that was the one that you gave. It even says that if you tried to exchange any of them then both would now belong to the Lord.

The children of Israel at that time were living in a Theocracy where they were governed by God through the Priests and Levites. The Levites were those that were born of the tribe of Levi whom God had set apart to work in the temple. They were not given an inheritance along with everyone else as their job was to work in the temple. The tithe that was collected for God was put into the temple storehouses for their use.

I think the thing to consider here is this tithe was for the Levite! where are the Levites today? is a Pastor or Bishop a Levite? Only if they were a Jew born to the tribe of Levi would they be able to claim that title.

Written By

Pastor Donovan Benjamin

P.S this is the first part of a series of blogs, please click here for part two.