How much should we tithe?

Since we are no longer living under law but under grace the issue of how much to tithe has actually become more difficult rather than easier. We don’t “have” to follow the law but rather through the Holy Spirit we “want” to follow the law.

Under the law the Israelites were required to support the Levites in full time ministry by giving 10% of their income to this tribe. In addition 10% of what was left was to support the government and church, which at that time was the same. Finally of what was left 10% of this was to go towards festivals and celebrations to celebrate and worship God.

So a mathematical example:

$100 salary
$10 – Goes to Levites
$90 left
$9 – To church & governmental affairs
$81 left
$8.10 – To festivals and celebrations

Leaving: $72.80 (27.2% of their income)

The issue is that this also formed their taxes, income and personal. Of course while they were under their own rule. Once the Romans took over there were additional taxes collected.

So how much should we give today? 10%, is that enough? What about the missing portions? We are under a new covenant; this does not remove the law but fulfills it. Rather than being forced to follow the law, through the Holy Spirit we will want to follow the law, but it comes back to the question of how much to give? The answer is easy and very difficult at the same time; the basic message is that you should give as much as you want to.

At first this sounds great, you don’t have to give. The problem is that if you are progressing in your Christian walk you should want to give. If you don’t want to give and want to hang onto all your money this means it is more important to you than anything else, including God. Jesus told us that the greatest commandment was to love God, this means that nothing will come in front of God. For many of us money is the little god we follow.

A natural outpouring of the grace you have been given is that you will want to bless others and see them also enter the kingdom of heaven. You will want to give.

Jesus does not call you to give out of duty, the math is simple at 10% but that’s about it, he wants you to give out of love. If you’re not progressing on your giving you need to search out and determine if you truly believe in Christ or if you have formed your own god to follow.