Why Tithing Works

There’s a lot of controversy around tithing, and understandably so. For a lot of people, money is control. People don’t like letting go of their money—unless it’s on their terms—because it’s giving up control. Giving is vulnerable, but that’s what makes tithing so powerful.

God knew we needed a physical, tangible way to show that he is first in our bank account and first in our hearts. And he did that by requiring we give him the first 10% of our income, our first and best—not the leftovers after everyone else like Uncle Sam and countless other deductions lay claim to our paycheck.

But maybe you’re not tithing because you think it doesn’t work. Or maybe you are tithing, but you just don’t see the point of it all. If so, this blog is for you.

Here are six reasons why tithing works:

1. Tithing Reveals Your Faith—or Lack Thereof

I’ve seen firsthand many believers buy into the lie that if you give, you won’t have enough. You might think, “What if I start tithing, and then my car breaks down, and I end up needing the money I just gave away?”

I see how you could think this way. But is that the same attitude you have towards paying your taxes or making your car payment or paying your bills? Do you hold back from putting gas in your car or buying groceries in case an emergency comes up when you might need that money? I’m going to guess that’s not your approach.

But when it comes to giving to the Lord, a lot of us are operating out of fear rather than faith. We forget that God blesses the generous. Proverbs 11.24 says, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” How will God bless you? That’s up to him! But putting gas in your car or buying groceries doesn’t come with that kind of guarantee!

I can say firsthand that one of the joys of speaking about tithing and generosity is seeing how the Lord provides in miraculous ways for those who step out in faith and give.

2. Tithing Shows What Your Heart Treasures

Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I love flipping this Scripture: For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. Jesus is saying that whether you realize it or not, your spending habits expose the direction of your heart and what you’re finding meaning in.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term, “Follow the money.” Follow your bank account, and it’s a trail that leads straight to who or what is on the throne of your heart. That’s why the early church made such an impact on Roman society and Christianity spread like wildfire!

James 1:2 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” The early Christians didn’t just hear what God says about generosity; they lived it out. Their hearts were treasuring Christ, and this was nowhere more evident than in how they handled their money and possessions. The culture couldn’t help but stand up and take notice of their radical generosity. As a result, God added more believers to the church daily. Sometimes I wonder what the church today is missing out on because we’re not giving sacrificially!

3. Tithing Keeps You from Greed

The Jews considered the eye as a window into the soul.That’s why Jesus says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6.22-23). What does he mean by this? Your eye takes in what you see, so the eye is a metaphor for what your life is focused on. Another way to put it is that what you’re looking at is what you think about, and what you think about drives your life.

If you’re focused on the kingdom of God, then you’re thinking about the Lord, and your desire for him will increase—and generosity will follow in your actions. But if you’re looking at the world, you’re polluting your soul with the desire for more and more. Your whole body will be full of darkness and you’ll be blind to your true purpose of why God created you and why you’re here.

So don’t focus on the world and be blinded by the allure of prestige, possessions, and pride. Instead, rid yourself of greed by not only focusing on God’s Word—but obeying it by tithing to your local church and giving sacrificially.

4. Tithing Fixates You on Eternity

It’s all too easy in our flesh to be distracted and quickly disillusioned by temporary things. Tithing naturally prioritizes your finances and shows whether you’re living for the here and now or for eternity. If you’re committed to tithing, you might not have a lot of extra for that Disney vacation or a new car. It’s a sacrifice—especially if you’re giving over and above your tithe to help the poor and support Gospel ministries.

If this is you, Jesus has some encouragement for you: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6.19-20). Jesus is sharing God’s perspective of time. If you’re financially pursing things here on earth, they’ll wear out, be consumed or stolen, or be inherited by another generation.

Instead, make a trade you’ll never regret: Trade your treasure here on earth for eternal treasures that no one can take from you. How do you do that? Through generosity.

5. Tithing Calibrates Your Checking Account

Take internal inspection: Where are you spending your money? At the end of your life, you’ll stand before God and either be revealed or exposed. Your faith and good works will be revealed, or your selfishness and greed will be exposed. No one wants to be exposed. After our life, we want to be revealed as faithful servants of Christ.

There’s a dear lady at my church who’s a widow and is sold out for the Lord. She goes on overseas mission trips every summer. I can’t keep up with her! She’s faithfully tithed for 40 years and counting. Each week, she writes a check and puts it in one of those old-school tithing envelopes. Every Sunday like clockwork, she walks up to the offering box in the church foyer and slides the check in. She says giving online isn’t the same. Putting that check in the box is tangible. It’s real. It means something between her and the Lord. It orients her heart to worship.

However you give, whether online or via the offering plate, let it show that Christ is your priority financially and that it’s him you worship. Let it show that your treasure is in him alone.

6. Tithing Glorifies God Through the Lost Being Found

If your heart’s invested in the Gospel, your assets are committed to helping others know and follow Christ. If you’re tithing to a Bible-believing church, part of your church’s funds are dedicated to missions. 1 Corinthians 9.14 says, “the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”

Your tithe provides the resources for others to hear about and put their trust in Christ, both domestically and overseas—even to those who have never heard the name of Jesus, the unreached people groups! This is why it’s so important to tithe to your local church rather than a charity or even family members.

Once you’ve tithed to your local church, be creaive and come up with other ways you can be sacrificially generous. Don’t live in a bubble where you can’t meet others’ needs or the needs of Gospel ministries because you don’t know what they are. Treasure the Lord over self. Get out of your comfort zone so you can use your cashflow to see others come to know him.

Summary

When Christ came as our sacrifice, you can see clearly that God did not hold back. He gave his best to save us from our sins. But God didn’t just give 10%—he gave 100%. He gave his Son. What’s holding you back from tithing to him today?