In many churches across Nigeria, tithing is strongly encouraged while some believers argue that it belongs only to the Old Testament. To understand the truth, Christians must carefully study the Bible with wisdom and an open heart.
In the Old Testament, tithing was a command given to the people of Israel. The word “tithe” simply means one-tenth. God instructed the Israelites to give one-tenth of their increase, crops and animals to support the Levites, the temple and the poor.
In the book of Malachi, God rebuked the people for refusing to pay tithe and said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” (Malachi 3:10) because of this verse, many churches today still teach that Christians should pay tithe faithfully. However, the coming of Jesus Christ brought a new covenant based on grace and love.
In the New Testament, Jesus spoke about tithing but focused more on righteousness, mercy and faithfulness. The apostles also taught believers to give willingly, cheerfully and according to their ability.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “God loveth a cheerful giver". This shows that Christian giving should come from the heart and not from fear or pressure even though some Christians believe tithing is no longer a law, giving to God’s work remains very important. Churches need support to preach the gospel, help the needy and care for the community.
A true believer should not be selfish but should willingly support the work of God with joy.
Whether a Christian pays exactly ten percent or gives freely beyond it, the most important thing is the condition of the heart. God is more interested in sincere obedience, love and generosity than in religious tradition alone.