

The Purpose of the Tithe
Some say the original purpose of the tithe is to feed (provide for) pastors and to fund the church. What is the purpose of the tithe today?
“God expects us to give not as an afterthought, but as our top financial priority.”, – Alex Cook
We briefly discussed in an earlier article the two kinds of giving. Scriptures teach us about compulsory or mandatory giving, such as taxes, while the other is voluntary giving, such as the freewill offering to God.
To differentiate the two, we have to look closely at how the two concepts are expressed. In the Old Testament, we often read of the tithe in conjunction with the act of “bringing,” “taking,” “presenting,” or “paying.” All these imply bringing to God what is rightfully His, as He has commanded. The Israelites paid tithes as an act of obedience irrespective of their willingness to do so.
It is in this context that we read of the “freewill offerings” found in Leviticus 22:18-23, Numbers 15:3, Deuteronomy 12:6.
“And you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the Lord—whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings” – Numbers 15:3
This verse particularly says God delights in our freewill offering.
So how do freewill offerings differ from the tithe? The tithe was a debt repaid to God. A freewill offering, on the other hand, is what may be considered true giving—in the sense that one gave willingly and from the heart.
A freewill offering pleases God because it is a true indicator of the condition of the giver’s heart—one gives back out of love, respect and gratitude because of what the Lord has done for them.
Here are a few examples of freewill giving done by the Israelites in the Old Testament:
Eason’s Commentary explains freewill offerings as follows:
Free-will offering—A spontaneous gift (Ex. 35:29), a voluntary sacrifice (Lev. 22:23; Ezra 3:5), as opposed to one in consequence of a vow, or in expiation of some offence.
It is pretty straightforward, really. Free will = given freely. An offering is given to the Lord freely, spontaneously, willingly, voluntarily, abundantly and plentifully.
Even in the New Testament, Paul spoke highly of those who, though not wealthy, gave generously of their own free will to further his ministry.
“That in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-4 (NKJV)
And then again in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, we read:
“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Here lies the beauty and benefit of giving to God. The measure that we use to give—for God and the ministry—is the measure He uses to give back to His people! Giving equals blessings, that is the bottom line.
Would you like to learn more about the joy behind freewill giving? We have a virtual course that helps you and your church understand genuine generosity towards others:
Do you have a vision for your Church, but not the finances to fulfil it? Generosity Express is our rapid learning generosity course where each day for 23 days, you can watch one of our high impact videos (3 – 10 minutes) designed to help you create a Church of genuine, God honouring Stewards passionate about multiplying God’s Kingdom!
Some say the original purpose of the tithe is to feed (provide for) pastors and to fund the church. What is the purpose of the tithe today?
We all have a radically generous God. It’s not impossible to begin building a culture of generosity when God is the source! He will supply!
How can we grow faithful stewards in the church? Follow God’s way and begin to plant your life and become the first faithful steward, then let God take over!
Very educative material on building the attitude of free will giving
Would like to learn more to support my church