Tithing Principles

TITHING

(Generosity, Giving, Returning)

What are the biblical purposes and principles behind tithing?

BIBLE READING: Deut. 14:22-29
KEY BIBLE VERSE: You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored, and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the Lord your God. (Deut. 14:22-23)

Tithing is a clear way to demonstrate our priorities. The Bible makes the purpose of tithing very clear—to put God first in our life. We are to give God the first and best of what we earn. For example, what we do first with our money shows what we value most. Giving the first part of our paycheck to God immediately focuses our attention on him. It also reminds us that all we have belongs to him. A habit of regular tithing can keep God at the top of our priority list and give us a proper perspective on everything else we have.

BIBLE READING: Mark 12:41-44
KEY BIBLE VERSE: He called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have given. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” (Mark 12:43-44)

Tithing should remind us of God’s desire that we be generous. In the Lord’s eyes, this poor widow gave more than all the others put together, though her gift was by far the smallest. The value of a gift is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which it is given. A gift given grudgingly or for recognition loses its value. When you give, remember—no matter how small or large your income, your tithe is pleasing to God when it is given out of gratitude and a spirit of generosity

Handbook of Bible Application.