Is Tithing Still Valid Today?
Tithing, the giving of “a tenth” of one’s income to God, is a Bible practice that originated from the Old Testament of the Bible with the Patriarch Abraham. It was first mentioned in Genesis 14: 18-20. Here, Abraham for the first time, paid tithe to Melchizedek described as “the King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God” who brought him bread and wine and blessed him after his victory over a group of kings.
Tithe paying as part of religious practice has being controversial in Christendom with some denominations dismissing it as an Old Testament law that has no place in the New Testament. However, there are many Christians who believe it as part of the New Testament worship.
Before we proceed to establish whether tithing remains valid in the New Testament or not, let us first examine both its background and its various types as was practised back in the Old Testament.
As already mentioned, tithing originated under a grace dispensation. In other words, it did not come to Father Abraham as a law when he gave one tenth of his spoils of war to Melchizedek:
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace.
It is common knowledge with those familiar with the scripture that the law came by Moses. Therefore, the commandment to give “one tenth” as issued by God through Moses was a later development that came with specifications as to how it was to be observed.
Under the law, the Israelites were commanded to give a tenth of their crops and livestock to the Levites, who were the priests and assistants in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. But there were several different types of tithes commanded to be given.
The first type of tithe was known as the “Levitical (priestly) tithe” or the “sacred tithe” (Num. 18:21-24). It was given to the Levites, who were the tribe of Israel responsible for the maintenance and service of the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). This tithe was used to support the priests and Levites, who did not have an inheritance in the land like the other tribes of Israel.
The second was the “festival tithe” (Deut. 14: 22-27) which was set aside for the purpose of supporting the celebrations and festivals held at the Temple in Jerusalem. This tithe was to be used to buy food and drinks for the celebration, and to support the poor and disadvantaged who came to the festivals. In other words, it was set aside for the good of man, a kind of a social feasting or vacation with a religious purpose such as a camp meeting of today.
The third type of tithe was known as the “poor tithe” or the “widow’s tithe” (Deut. 14: 28-29) and was set aside every three years to support the poor and disadvantaged in the community. It was for the benefit of the Levites, strangers, the poor and the widow. This tithe was a kind of community project that everyone was expected to participate in.
Summarily put, the Levitical or sacred tithe was for the honour of God as it was consecrated for the furthering of the work of the ministry and therefore valid for all believers. The festival tithe was for the good of man i.e. for man’s social benefit while that of the poor or widow was designed for the good a man’s neighbour.
These tithes were prescribed under the Mosaic Law that governed the Israelites. As earlier stated, the concept of tithing is still practised by some religious communities today, but some have rejected it as an Old Testament practice that is no longer valid in the New Testament. Their position is hinged on the argument that a demand for tithing is not clearly stated in the New Testament.
The truth however is that tithing is as valid in the New Testament as it was back in the Old for a number of reasons.
The first is that tithing predated the Mosaic Law. It began not as an injunction, but as an act of faith and worship. This was why Abraham, moved by personal revelation of what he needed to do when he met Melchizedek, gave him the tithe of all that he had. Abraham, through his action, recognized Melchizedek’s priesthood which would later become a type of the priesthood of Christ. Here lies the difference between law and grace i.e. tithing under the law and tithing as part of worship under grace.
When Jacob (the grandson of Abraham) fled from his brother Esau, he rested at a place he later named Bethel where he slept and had a dream of angels descending and ascending into heaven and the voice of God spoke to him saying, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed (Gen. 28:14). Jacob in turn made a vow to God, “of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (v.22).
We never saw where Jacob fulfilled that vow personally but his descendants who later inherited the land of promise, did give tithe under the Mosaic law. Now, after the dispensation of law, we are now back to the grace era under which Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek and the scriptures well establish the fact that the priesthood of Melchizedek continues in Christ. In Psalms 120:4 and Hebrews 7:17, we read, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. This makes the giving of tithe valid as it was when Abraham gave it as an act of worship.
Today, the change from the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood to what is now the Melchizedek (Messianic) priesthood, does not invalidate tithing. Before the era of Mosaic Law came into being, Abraham paid tithe to the Priest-King Melchizedek; then under the Mosaic law, Israelites paid prescribed tithes for religious and charitable causes (priests, Levites, widows and the poor) and in the New Testament, another grace dispensation, the believer is expected as a matter of faith and worship following the footsteps of Abraham, to give tithes and offerings for the benefit of ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the work of the ministry. Apostle Paul said,
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel (1Cor. 9:11,13,14).
For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The is worthy of his reward (1Tim. 5:18).
One may question if the above scriptures expressly speak about tithes? Maybe not, but hear what the Lord Jesus himself said in respect of tithing in the New Testament:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23).
It is clear from this scripture that Jesus did not denounce tithing but rather he endorsed it even with minor commodities such as “mint, dill and cumin”. But he did not fail to point out what he called, “the weightier matters of the law “justice”, “mercy” and “faith” which the Pharisees were neglecting while meticulously paying their tithes. We should note that Jesus pointedly said “These you ought to have done” i.e. they ought to pay their tithes! but without ignoring justice, mercy and faith.
Now if the New Testament believer is required to pay tithe then the question will be what kind of tithe will that be? Is it the Levitical (priestly) tithe, the tithe of feasts or the tithe for the poor or widows? Or will it be a combination of the three, prescribed under the Mosaic Law? The answer is simple. Since we are no longer under the Mosaic Law, we should simply do what Abraham the Father of faith did. He gave tithe to Melchizedek the Priest and King of Salem after his victory over a group of kings. Therefore, we too should give our tithes and offerings and all, to Christ our High Priest and King of peace and righteousness who has given us the bread of life (His body) and wine (his blood) which he shed for us, and for the victory we have gotten over sin, Satan and his coalition of demons.