Bible in One Year

Giving in the Bible: Tithe, Offering, and the Cheerful Giver

The Bible has more to say about money than about heaven. What it says about giving is consistent: regular, proportional, joyful, sacrificial. Day 55 of the Bible in One Year plan.

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The verse

"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 3:10 (ESV)

And Paul's New Testament principle of cheerful, decided giving:

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)

Context

Old Testament giving was layered: a 10% tithe to support the Levites (Numbers 18:21), a second tithe for festivals and the poor (Deuteronomy 14:22-29), and freewill offerings on top of both. When Israel built the tabernacle, the people gave so generously that Moses had to tell them to stop (Exodus 36:5-7). When Israel was unfaithful, the prophets called the underfunded temple a sign of underfaithed hearts (Malachi 3:8 — "Will man rob God?").

The New Testament doesn't repeat the tithe as law, but it raises the bar in principle. Jesus assumed his disciples would give (Matthew 6:2-4, "when you give"). Paul taught regular, proportional, sacrificial giving (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8-9). The early church practiced extraordinary generosity (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37). The pattern is consistent: giving is part of following Jesus.

What it means

The Bible's teaching on giving has six recurring marks.

1. Regular. 1 Corinthians 16:2 — "On the first day of every week." Not when moved by emotion. Not when you remember. Built into the calendar.

2. Proportional. "As he may prosper" (1 Corinthians 16:2). The amount tracks income. The Old Testament fixed it at 10%; the New Testament makes 10% feel like a floor for many, with the freedom to go further.

3. Decided. 2 Corinthians 9:7 — "as he has decided in his heart." Pre-meditated, not impulse. The cheerful giver is the planned giver.

4. Cheerful. Same verse — God loves a cheerful giver, not a guilted one. The Greek word hilaros is the root of "hilarious."

5. Sacrificial sometimes. The Macedonians gave "according to their means… and beyond their means" (2 Corinthians 8:3). The widow gave two coins out of her poverty (Mark 12:41-44). At certain seasons, giving costs.

6. Toward both house and need. Malachi: "into the storehouse" — the place of worship. Acts: "as any had need" — the poor in the body. Biblical giving funds both.

Two pitfalls. First, legalism — treating giving as a tax that earns favor. The cross has paid for favor. Giving is response, not down-payment. Second, stinginess dressed as freedom — using "the New Testament doesn't require the tithe" as an excuse to give little. The New Testament raises the bar, not lowers it. If 10% felt costly to an Israelite who had no Christ, it should feel modest to a believer who has him.

And the deepest motive Scripture gives: 2 Corinthians 8:9 — "for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich." Christian giving imitates the Christ who gave first.

How to apply it

  1. Decide a percentage. 10% is a biblical baseline. Set it. Automate it.
  2. Give first. Take it off the top of income, before bills and savings. The first slice is for the Lord.
  3. Give to the local church first. Malachi's "storehouse" is principal. After that, missions, the poor, specific needs.
  4. Watch your heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7. Reluctant giving displeases God. If your heart isn't there, repent before you tithe.
  5. Give beyond comfort sometimes. The Macedonians gave "beyond their means." Don't always be safe. Faith stretches in costly giving.

Related verses

Reflection

If you trust God with your soul, trust him with your wallet. The Bible knows that the heart usually follows the money — "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Giving isn't God's way of taking from you; it's his way of liberating you from what tries to own you. Start this week, in proportion, on purpose, with joy.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about giving?

That giving is fundamental to following God. The Old Testament establishes the tithe (10%) plus freewill offerings (Malachi 3:10; Deuteronomy 14:22-29). The New Testament raises the bar in spirit: give as God prospers you (1 Corinthians 16:2), generously, cheerfully, sacrificially (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Should Christians tithe?

Christians disagree. Some say the tithe is binding; others say it is fulfilled in Christ and replaced by "as God prospers you" giving. Most Bible teachers treat 10% as a baseline floor, not ceiling. The principle holds: regular, proportional, and intentional giving.

What is the widow's mite?

In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus watches a poor widow drop two small coins into the temple treasury. Wealthy donors gave more in raw amount, but Jesus says she "put in more than all of them" because she gave "out of her poverty." Biblical giving is measured by sacrifice, not size.

Where should I give?

The Bible's primary place is the local church (1 Corinthians 16:2; Galatians 6:6). Beyond that, give to the poor (Proverbs 19:17), to missions (Philippians 4:15-16), and to specific needs (Acts 11:29). Be intentional, not random.

What if I can't afford to give right now?

Mark 12:41-44 again — the widow gave two small coins. The Macedonian churches gave "in their extreme poverty" (2 Corinthians 8:2). The Bible nowhere exempts the poor from giving, but it also doesn't shame them for small amounts. Give something. Trust grows in the giving.