Is Tithing Enough?
Follows the message Open Hands and Open Hearts from the Generosity series
Giving gets hard when we forget who owns what. The tithe is not where generosity peaks; it is where we return to God what was already His. Generosity starts after that, and it is a decision you make before the moment comes, in good seasons and hard ones.
Key takeaways
- The tithe is returning to God what is His; generosity is everything that flows beyond it.
- Generosity only gets tough when we confuse ownership and stewardship.
- Psalm 126 shows God's people sowing even in exile, so generosity does not wait for an easy season.
Does the New Testament still call Christians to tithe?
The New Testament never sets a lower bar than the tithe. Jesus points to it in His teaching, and the early church in Acts 2 went well beyond it.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Acts 2:44 to 45
Irenaeus, an early church thinker, wrote that the church was not bound to the letter of the tithe because believers were giving far beyond it. Some quote only the first half to argue the church need not give at all. Taken whole, it points past ten percent, toward a generous life.
Is the tithe the same as generosity?
Not quite. In this conversation, the tithe is returning to God the first part of what He has already provided, and generosity starts after that. It shows up at church and all week long, like buying someone's coffee or thanking a child's teacher with a gift card.
Malachi 3 is blunt about holding back what belongs to God.
"Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How are we robbing you?' In tithes and offerings."
Malachi 3:8
That is a hard word, yet it comes with an invitation. God has been generous with us, and generosity, with money, time, and talent, is how we walk in step with Him.
Why does generosity feel so hard?
In his Sunday message, Pastor Adrian planned to hand someone $20 before the service and ask for it back on stage. When he called for it, two other people ran down the aisle, smiling, with gifts of their own. The illustration fell apart, and the point came alive.
Generosity only gets tough when we confuse ownership and stewardship. When we say "I earned that," we skip over who gave us the body to work and the mind to think. Every ability to earn is His gift first.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17
At the core, it is a question of who sits on the throne of your heart. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, you cannot serve both God and money.
What if this is a hard season?
Psalm 126 is a pilgrim song that many scholars connect to the return from exile in Babylon. It pictures people planting while still grieving.
Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Psalm 126:4 to 6
The Negev was dry country, so streams there meant God doing the unexpected. It is easy to think, "I will give once I get myself together." God's people sowed in exile anyway. Will we be faithful only when it is convenient, or faithful, period?
How do you build a generous life?
You decide ahead of time. Pastor Adrian compared it to meal prep: if a healthy meal is waiting at home, the drive-thru loses its pull. Decide who you want to become before the moment tests you.
Practice makes it second nature. Pastor Marty has tithed since he was young, and people who know him see generosity as simply who he is. When a whole church lives this way, a little here and there adds up to a lot in the kingdom of God.
Try this week
- Read Psalm 126 and ask where God may be inviting you to sow in a hard season.
- Decide on your giving before payday, not after the bills are paid.
- Do one generous thing beyond the tithe: pay for a coffee, write a note, or give an hour.
Pray
Father, everything I have comes from You. Forgive me for the times I have held on as if it were mine. Make me a faithful steward and a generous giver, in easy seasons and hard ones. Amen.
Common questions
Is the tithe the same as generosity?
The tithe returns to God the first tenth of what He has provided. Generosity is what flows beyond it, in money, time, and talent, at church and throughout the week.
Do Christians still need to tithe?
Jesus pointed to the tithe, and the early church in Acts 2 gave far beyond it. The New Testament never lowers the bar; it calls believers to a generous life.
What does Malachi 3 say about the tithe?
Malachi 3:8 says that withholding tithes and offerings robs God, and Malachi 3:10 invites His people to bring the whole tithe and trust Him to provide.
Your next step
Read the message this conversation builds on, Open Hands and Open Hearts. When you are ready to put your decision into practice, you can give online or find a way to serve your neighbors through outreach.