Are Christians Obligated to Tithe Today?
To “tithe” is to literally give a tenth of one’s income.
Most theologians regularly teach that Christians have an
obligation to give a tenth to their local “church” affiliation.
However, to “back up” what their teaching, they always
appeal to what the Old Testament taught. But, I want to
ask, “Is there any command, example, or implication found in
the New Testament that obligates the Christians to tithe
today?” The fact is, there is no command, example, or
implication found in the New Testament binding Christians
to tithe today. The Law of Christ teaches that Christians do
in fact have the obligation to give, but not to tithe. The New
Testament teaches that Christians today have the obligation
to give as they have been prospered. In other words, their
giving is to be proportionate to how they have prospered.
Listen to the words of Paul in I Cor. 16:1-2 – “Now concerning
the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches
of Galatia, even so do ye. (2) Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him,
that there be no gatherings when I come.” It is truly
unfortunate that one commentator said, “In verse 2 we have
a hint of Christian tithing.” What hint? There is nothing in
this verse that even comes close to hinting at tithing. The
verse is crystal clear; it means what it says, and that is,
Christians are to give as God has prospered them, that is,
proportionately. It is to be done on a periodic basis, that
being the first day of the week. It is personal in nature – “let
every one of you.”
We learn some additional truths from 2 Cor. 9:5-7
concerning giving. Christians are not to give out of
covetousness, or grudgingly, or of necessity. Instead, they
are to give cheerfully.
Tithing was part and parcel to the Old Testament Law of
Moses and what God required of his people under that law
system. But, since the Law of Moses has been taken out of
the way and nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), we, therefore, are
not under the obligation to tithe (or any part of the Old Law
for that matter). All people today are accountable and
amenable to the Law of Christ.