Do Christians have to tithe?

The Old Testament says a lot about tithing, but is it still something God expects from us today, or is there more to the story?

Back in the Old Testament, tithing wasn’t optional. It was part of Israel’s law—basically a way to support the Levites (priests), care for the poor, and maintain national worship. Leviticus 27:30 says,

“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.” (NLT)

It wasn’t just generous—it was required, kind of like taxes for spiritual services. Numbers 18:21 adds,

“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.” (NLT)

But here’s the key: that system was tied to the temple, the priesthood, and the sacrificial laws—all of which Jesus fulfilled and replaced with the New Covenant (see Hebrews 10:1–10). In the New Testament, tithing isn’t commanded. Instead, Paul gives us a radically different approach:

“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, NLT)

No mention of 10%. No law. Just generosity flowing from gratitude. It's voluntary, Spirit-led, and joyful. Jesus affirms giving to the poor (Matthew 6:1–4), and Paul encourages proportional, regular giving to support the church (1 Corinthians 16:1–2), but the motivation is love, not law.

Paul makes it crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8–9:

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (NLT)

Giving doesn’t earn salvation. It’s not a means of righteousness. It’s a fruit of faith, not the root. Christians give because they’ve already received everything in Christ.

So, no—Christians aren’t required to tithe in a legal sense. But we are called to be generous, intentional, and grateful in our giving. Whether that’s 10%, more, or less is between you and God. He’s not looking at your calculator—He’s looking at your heart.

“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21, NLT)

Sources: 

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.

Blomberg, Craig L. Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions. InterVarsity Press, 1999.

MacArthur, John. Whose Money Is It, Anyway? Thomas Nelson, 2000.

Piper, John. “Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly.” Desiring God, 2010, desiringgod.org.

DeYoung, Kevin. The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism. Moody Publishers, 2010.

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