Biblical Giving Q&A
We know that Christ commands us to give and we know that He offers us great rewards for giving. So, why is it so hard to give? The Bible has much to say about this. It is our guide for all things in life. There are over 2000 verses on money and possessions (compared to around 500 on prayer and 500 on faith). We want to let Biblical principles guide the giving in our lives (“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105).
We hope that these Q&A’s will help you think biblically as you consider how God wants you to steward your finances for His glory.
If you are not at least tithing, that is a logical place to start.
A tithe in the Bible means giving 10% of one’s income (or crops or livestock) to God as an act of
worship, obedience, and acknowledgment that everything belongs to Him.
“A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs
to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30There is biblical precedent for this timeless act of faith even before the Mosaic Law was ever
established (Abraham in Gen 14:20 and Jacob in Gen 28:20-22). God’s people continued this
practice until the law was fulfilled under the New Covenant. Christians today may choose to
tithe as a helpful baseline for generous giving rather than a strict legal requirement. Grace
inspires believers to give from thankful hearts, often treating 10% as a starting floor rather than
a ceiling.Of course not. We are no longer under the law, because Christ fulfilled the law. However, every
example of giving in the New Testament goes far beyond tithing. None falls short of it. Jesus
always raised the spiritual bar (see Matthew 5:17-48); he never lowered it. So, it is fine to say
“We are no longer under the tithe” as long as it is not used as justification for giving less.The problem with this question seems to be an attitude of “How little can I give and still fulfill
what’s required of me.” This is not the heart of biblical generosity.Giving to charities is important. However, the local church is your spiritual home. Our first
commitment should be to our home church to sustain the ministry, operations, and mission.
“...God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”
1 Timothy 3:15This kind of thinking would be like saying, “I used to rob 10 banks. This year I’ll only rob 5.” The
point is not to rob God at all!
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your
tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation
of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby
put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and
pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Malachi 3:8-10Think of tithing as “training wheels”. Once you learn to give, the % becomes irrelevant.
However, for perspective, in Old Testament times God’s people also gave a “Festival Tithe”
(Deuteronomy 14:22-27) every year and a Charity Tithe on the 3rd and 6th years (Deuteronomy
14:28-29) which would make total annual giving closer to 23%.What if next year your income dropped by 10%? Would you survive? The answer is yes.
“In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in
rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their
ability.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-3If our priorities are right, we give to God first, not at the end of the year if we have enough left
over after all our other obligations have been met.
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” Proverbs 3:9The Bible literally says we are happier when we give than when we get. Choose to be happy.
"... remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to
receive." Acts 20:35Only God can answer that question. That means you need to ask Him.
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7