Tithing vs Sacrificial Giving

Some Bible passages talk about tithing, and others focus on giving sacrificially. But what’s the difference?

What is Tithing?

The Scriptures are clear that tithing is taking 10% of your gross pay and giving it to the Lord. Deuteronomy 14:22 says, “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.” The word “tithe” means “tenth,” and the Israelities lived in an agrarian society where your harvest was essentially your paycheck.

They were to bring the first tenth, their first and best, to the temple, which for us is our local church. This means every time you get paid, the first thing you do is give 10% to the Lord.

But don’t see the tithe as the end of your generosity, but the beginning. God doesn’t want you to stop with the tithe. Christ calls each of us to give beyond this.

What is Sacrificial Giving?

The term “sacrificial giving” is thrown around a lot. But the best definition I can give you is that it’s generosity that hurts. You are intentionally financially handicapping yourself to give.

Now, this is not about the amount, but about the sacrifice. Whereas the tithe is a 10% requirement for all believers across the board, the amount of your sacrificial gift is going to be different for everyone.

For example, someone could give $500, and they’d never miss it. It’s a drop in a bucket. Nothing changes about their life because they’re just giving out of their overflow. Someone else in a different financial situation could give $500—and it hurts big time. They’re eating out of the back of their pantry for a week. They’re making coffee at home and rationing gas since they have to wait for the next paycheck to fill up their tank. Maybe they’re selling some things on Facebook Marketplace to make ends meet. But the point of sacrificial giving is that it’s a sacrifice. I bet few of us have really given to this point.

The Bible gives us specific examples of sacrificial giving:

• The early church sold assets like real estate and possessions so they’d have extra money to give (Acts 2:45).
• Jesus and the disciples watched a poor widow put two small copper coins into the offering box. On the surface, her gift seemed insignificant. But Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44). She didn’t hold back anything for herself. She gave it all to God.

Are You Giving from a Pure Heart?

The Scriptures encourage us to both tithe and give sacrificially as the Lord leads. We are called to be generous, recognizing how generous God has been with us. But it’s possible to give with wrong motives and out of a sinful heart.

Take Cain and Abel, for example. They were brothers, the first children of Adam and Eve. They each brought a sacrifice to God, and he accepted one but rejected the other (Genesis 4:3-5).

Abel brought the firstborn of his flocks, the best that he had. His sacrifice shed blood, which has atoning qualities. It reminds us that sin has deadly consequences. And the Lord was pleased with his sacrifice. Cain’s was different. He brought an ordinary crop. He approached God without blood. And God rejected it.

But it wasn’t just what Cain and Abel offered that was the problem. It was their hearts. Cain wanted to make an offering—but he wanted to do it his way, on his terms, in his own self-righteousness.

Are You Giving on Your Terms or God’s Terms?

We can be more like Can than we realize. We give a little to God, but it’s on our terms. Do any of these scenarios apply to you?

• You love giving sacrificially and spontaneously, but don’t see tithing as necessary.
• You’re tithing on net income, not gross income, so it’s not the full 10%.
• You’re tithing the full 10% on gross income—but then quenching the Holy Spirit and holding back when God leads you to give sacrificially beyond that.
• You’re giving with wrong motives. Maybe you’re deep in unrepentant sin, but you’re trying to cover it up with tithing. Or you give an extravagant gift—but only for the likes and comments on social media.
• You give nothing at all. You think God is asking too much of you, and you’re afraid to give because you might not have enough for you.

I encourage you to look at your own heart and motives in light of the Scriptures. Tithing and giving aren’t optional in the Christian life. The Bible never makes them optional.

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Give willingly and cheerfully to Christ out of the abundance that he has given you.