The Purpose of Tithing

If you want God’s blessing on a specific part of your life, you must put him first in that area. And if you want God to bless your finances, you have to put him first in your money. The principle of tithing is this: Give the first 10 percent of your income back to God. 

The Bible explains the promise, purpose, place, and day for tithing.

Promise: First, Proverbs 3:9-10 gives this promise about tithing: “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income. Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with fresh wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10 (GWT). God promises that if you honor him with the first part of your income, he will bless you financially. 

Kay and I decided over 40 years ago that if we were going to be in debt to anybody, we were not going to be in debt to God. God gets paid first, right off the top. If I make 10 bucks, the first dollar goes back to him. If I make a hundred bucks, the first 10 go back to him. It all comes from God in the first place, and I want his blessing on the rest of it.

Purpose: Why does God tell us to tithe? The Living Bible paraphrases Deuteronomy 14:23 like this, “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives” (TLB). God doesn’t need your money, but he wants what it represents: your heart. He wants you to trust him.

Place: Where should you tithe? Do you tithe by giving to your favorite nonprofit? Or do you tithe to your brother who’s been out of work for three years? No. Those are good things but that’s charity. Tithing is an act of worship. It goes to God.

Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn . . . Test me in this,’ says the LORD All-Powerful. ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need’” (NCV). The storehouse is the temple or the place where you worship God.

Day: When are you supposed to tithe? Do it on the day you worship. The Living Bible paraphrase says in, “On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn” (1 Corinthians 16:2 TLB).

When you give to God on the first day of the week with the first part of your money, you’re declaring, “God, you’re really number one in my life.” 

Notice that the verse says to “put aside.” You’ve got to plan! Tithing is not an impulsive thing. Plan for it so that you honor God with your tithe. Then watch how he uses you and keeps his promise to bless your life.