The subject of giving has been a hot topic, especially when it comes to paying tithes, and the Bible cautions us against encountering false teachers who intend to profit by exploiting others. Therefore, whenever the subject of tithing is brought up, it has evoked a multitude of responses from both Christians and non-Christians across the world.
I can tell you that I have seen cases of abuse and manipulation in certain churches, especially among modern-day pastors who don’t know the word of God and, in the same way, preach the prosperity gospel. This is very disturbing.
We cannot, however, completely abandon the act of giving due to the actions of unscrupulous pastors who have abused the significance of tithing. It’s important to learn the truth about tithing from the Bible, not from how people interpret it. In this article, I will explain what tithing means using Bible verses that relate to it.
How people paid tithes in Biblical times
Many churches teach that you’re expected to give 10% of your earnings as a tithe. Is this, however, truly the instructions of the Almighty God?
In biblical times, money was not used to pay tithes. Tithes were given out in the form of edible goods, including animals, farm produce, and the like. Many churches teach that you’re expected to give 10% of your earnings as a tithe. Is this, however, truly the instructions of the Almighty God? Tithes were given out in the form of edible goods, including animals, farm produce, and the like.
The only time money was used to pay a tithe was when one was unable to transport their edible goods to the feast, and thus, the funds could be utilized as a substitute to purchase the food. The book of Deuteronomy will provide further information regarding this matter.
24“Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honoured might be too far for you to bring the tithe. 25 If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has decided. 26 When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household.
Deuteronomy 14 : 24-26
Tithes were often used to commemorate significant occasions, such as Passover or Pentecost, which were common in the tabernacle. The children of God would give their best harvest or use money to buy food and drink to celebrate God with their family. Tithing was a way to show gratitude to God by giving a tenth of what you produced on your land.
30“One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.
Leviticus 27:30
According to God’s instructions, tithing was originally meant to be in the form of any food that came from the earth or from your hands. The New Testament also contains references to this particular form of tithing.
42 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Luke 11:42
Even the Pharisees, who had a questionable background, were known to contribute their tithes from their herb gardens, which primarily contained the bounty of the land rather than tangible cash. In addition to offering produce from the harvest of your land, tithe can also be presented in the form of livestock.
32 Count off every tenth animal from your herds and flocks and set them apart for the Lord as holy.
Leviticus 27:32
God instructed the children of Israel in the book of Leviticus to give a tenth of their animal as a tithe. This implies that, for instance, a contribution of nine cows might not be considered holy enough to amount to a tithe. Only a tenth of the animals from the herd should be designated as an offering, according to the directive from the Most High.
This is the reason why, during the biblical era, the tenth of the animals taken from the land was consistently distributed as a tithe. The Bible also states that if you’d like to get your tithe back, you can do so by purchasing it. However, you will be required to pay an additional fifth of its value.
31 If you wish to buy back the Lord’s tenth of the grain or fruit, you must pay its value, plus 20 percent.
Leviticus 27:31
Tithing was frequently distributed to the Levites, who are the descendants of the Tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes in Israel, due to their lack of inherited land. The Levites were the only group of people without a land to call theirs.
There is a cultic justification for the exclusion of the Levites from land allotment in Joshua chapter 13:14, 33. This was because the Levites had the blessing of the Most High God as their inheritance, and therefore they received no land inheritance.
14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.
Joshua 13:14
33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.
Joshua 13:33
The Levites were rewarded with tithes since they didn’t have any land to cultivate their food or rear their livestock, as well as for their labour in upholding the tabernacle. This is demonstrated in the book of numbers.
21 As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel.
Numbers 18:21
Nonetheless, God also commanded the Levites to offer a tenth of the tithe they had received from the children of Israel to him as a sacred offering.
26 “Give these instructions to the Levites: When you receive from the people of Israel the tithes I have assigned as your allotment, give a tenth of the tithes you receive—a tithe of the tithe—to the Lord as a sacred offering.
Numbers 18:26
The point where the matter becomes interesting is that the Levites weren’t the only ones who were to receive tithes. The Bible also mentions that God, in accordance with his compassionate nature, commanded the offering of tithes to this group of individuals:
- Foreigners
- Those who don’t have a father or a place to live
- The widows
- Orphans
28 “At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. 29 Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29
The Bible states that, since the less fortunate might not be capable of taking care of themselves, a particular kind of tithe must be given to them after each third year.
What we can learn from this is that, aside from being used to commemorate sacred occasions, tithes were also intended to aid the less privileged, like stranded foreigners, widows, and orphans.
The Significance of Tithing as indicated in the scripture
In the ancient Biblical era, tithing was a fundamental component of church doctrine, and was used to commemorate the worship of God and provide sustenance for the Levites and the less fortunate.
Tithing was considered a form of sacrifice that was given to the Almighty God to help the ministry in the temple. But as time went by, the Temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 CE. This occurred on the same day in the Jewish calendar as Solomon’s Temple came to an end.
The Levites, who were mandated to uphold the sacredness of the temple and collect tithes, were among the Jews who were subjected to oppression by the Romans. Due to the oppression they endured, a significant number of them opted to relocate to exile, effectively negating the entire notion of tithing.
The big question is, now that we’re in an entirely different time, should we give 10% of our offerings to pastors who claim to be serving the Most High God, the one who created the heavens and everything on it? This all boils down to two questions:
- If your reason for paying tithes is to help a pastor’s personal finances, and the ministry he runs is one that only promotes the prosperity gospel. I would say No.
- If your intention to contribute tithes is to aid in the expansion of a ministry that preaches salvation and also provides financial and moral assistance to those who are less fortunate, such as orphans and widows. Then my answer is yes.
I want to emphasize again that God Almighty instructed his people to contribute tithes to support the following mission:
- Those who served in the temple, such as the Levites or ministers
- For the poor and less privileged
- The widow and the orphans
The principle of tithing is to provide for those who are in dire need of help and those who are dedicated to serving and spreading the word of God.
I’m not entirely sure if referring to it as ‘tithes’ has a more profound meaning or if it’s still appropriate to follow the 10% rule, as it was in the past. I do, however, believe it’s vitally important to distribute our tithes to those in our community who require them.
Since we are unable to determine the true descendants of the Levite tribe today, I’m confident that there are genuine ministries in every nation we reside in that assist the poor, widows, and orphans. So, it makes sense to give tithes to widows and orphans and not just to pastors.
Read more: Revealed: Is Sunday the real Sabbath Day?
I am not opposed to the notion of giving tithes to pastors; however, I am opposed to giving them to those who preach a false prosperity gospel. Pastors must realize that they must promote the kingdom of God in their congregation, not the kingdom of material wealth. We must continue to support the genuine pastors who dedicate themselves to the task of converting souls for Christ, as some of them also require financial assistance.
Paul uses the same analogy when he compares the Levites to those who proclaim the authentic gospel. We can draw upon the book of Corinthians to understand his message.
13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.
1 Corinthians 9:13-14
The Apostle Paul emphasized that those who proclaim the gospel should also live it. What this passage means is that preachers shouldn’t seek financial support from other sources. They are only supposed to live on what is given to them by the church they are dedicated to. This implies that their needs should be met by the relevant ministry.
Whoever focuses their efforts on promoting the word of God, rather than the prosperity gospel, is deserving of the message of Apostle Paul.
Giving tithes to support the ministry that teaches salvation is a biblical principle, so we shouldn’t discount it. Despite the prevalence of false pastors who solely embarked on their ministry for financial gain, God continues to produce genuine preachers who impart and disseminate his word.
Please remember that we are just tools for God. He can use us to help pastor’s if they are spreading the true message of God.
8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who ploughs and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.
11 Since we have planted a spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
1 Corinthians 9:8-11
You’re welcome to contribute to any religious organization that promotes spiritual guidance or teaches salvation. But you should not forget the poor, widows, and orphans because these groups represent the true meaning of tithing.
One of the most significant aspects of tithing is the act of giving a portion of our surplus to those who require it. If you have the means to help, but you don’t do it, you aren’t a child of God or a follower of Christ. Giving help to people who require it is a quick and effective way for God to feel happy.
17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
1 John 3:17
My Take
As I end this article, here are some things you should think about when it comes to giving tithes:
- If you are aware of a widow who is experiencing hardship, kindly offer your assistance by contributing your tithes to her.
- If you know of any organization that provides assistance or support to orphans, you may consider donating to enable them to continue their work. You can also adopt an orphan and be a source of hope for them.
- If there are churches near you that teach salvation, not just prosperity, you should give them money to help them grow their ministry.
From my perspective, we must do charitable acts like these to spread the love of God and help spread his kingdom. When you have the heart to give, it makes our creator happy because he loves people who give freely and without hesitations.
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
2 Corinthians 9:7
I hope you’ve found this article to be helpful in understanding the topic of tithing and the true meaning of giving to help both the ministry and less privilege. If this article helped you understand the biblical meaning of tithing, please share it with your friends and loved ones so that they can get a more profound understanding of it.
If you find my article interesting, you can always Buy Me A Coffee, and I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
Makewetalknow 
One thought on “Explained: Paying tithes to pastors is a scam and not Biblical”