Tithing was a Jewish law, never a Christian command. Even under Judaism the poor, widows, and orphans never paid tithes — here’s why.
A Painful Story That Reveals the Error
Not long ago, a pastor friend came to me, visibly distressed, asking for financial help. His words shocked me:
“God shut down my income because my wife used the tithe I had set aside to pay hospital bills for our dying son.”
Can you imagine? He believed God was so tied to money that He would rather see his son die than have tithe money spent on healing.
This is not only tragic, but it’s also a false and demonic distortion of God’s character. It portrays Him as cruel, when in fact He is a loving Father who says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13).
Sadly, this story reflects how deeply error has entered the church — where God’s people are taught to fear violating a law Jesus already fulfilled.
A Misunderstood Practice
Should Christians today pay tithes? Even more pressing, should the poor, widows, orphans, and struggling strangers be asked to give a tenth of what they don’t have?
Many churches still enforce tithing as though it were a universal law. But when we look closely at Scripture and history, the truth becomes clear: tithing was a Jewish theocratic law — never a Christian requirement.
And even under that Jewish system, the poor, widows, and orphans were exempt. They were meant to receive, not give.
Tithing as a Jewish Law Under the Old Covenant
Tithing belonged exclusively to Judaism. It was tied to Israel’s covenant, their land, their priests, and their temple.
- For the Levites: “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do” (Numbers 18:21, NIV).
- Levites also tithed: “You must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering… and give it to Aaron the priest” (Numbers 18:26, NIV).
- For the vulnerable: “At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it… so that the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows… may come and eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 14:28–29, NIV).
This was not a blanket command for everyone. It was a community support structure.
So we must ask: If God never required the poor in Israel to pay tithes, why do churches today compel them?
Why Early Christians Did Not Pay Tithes
The early church understood something many pastors today ignore: Jesus fulfilled the Law.
That’s why you never see Paul or Peter instructing Gentile believers to tithe. Instead, they emphasize:
- Freewill giving — “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
- Sacrificial generosity — “They gave themselves first of all to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
- Mutual care — “Your plenty will supply what they need” (2 Corinthians 8:14).
The gospel replaced law with liberty. Compulsion ended. Love began.
Another Example of Misguided Teaching
This error shows up in shocking ways. I once heard of a pastor who demanded that a university student pay tithe from the little pocket money his parents gave him.
Think of that: a child’s lunch money, meant for survival, being claimed as holy to God. What heartless doctrine teaches that?
This is not generosity but greed disguised as theology. It is ignorance of God’s heart, lack of compassion, and blindness to His word.
Would the God who commanded us to provide for our households (1 Timothy 5:8) really ask children to surrender their bread money for a religious system? Surely not.
The Error of Enforcing Tithes on the Poor
When churches demand tithes from the poor, widows, and orphans today, they commit grave errors:
- They ignore Scripture. The poor were never commanded to tithe in Israel.
- They misrepresent God’s nature. He is a Provider, not a punisher.
- They crush the weak. What God designed as relief becomes a burden.
- They perpetuate traditions of men. Much of this doctrine was imported into Christianity during the dark ages, not from the apostles.
This is why theological and spiritual training is desperately needed. Too many ministers are repeating inherited traditions without examining Scripture. Some have even been overtaken by a spirit of greed disguised as zeal.
A Pastoral Word of Advice
Even as a church leader, if you’ve built your ministry on tithing, you can do better:
- Never demand tithes from the poor, widows, or orphans. Let them be recipients of care, not victims of obligation.
- Teach Spirit-led giving. Encourage members to give freely, cheerfully, and willingly — not out of fear.
- Start with surrender. I remind my church: first give yourself to God. Once you understand He owns you, giving is no longer a law but a joy.
- Retrain ministers. Many errors exist because pastors were never taught sound doctrine. We must return to the Bible, not traditions.
Why Churches Should Stop This Practice
The truth is clear: tithing was a Jewish law tied to the Old Covenant, and even under that system the poor, widows, and orphans never paid tithes.
To demand tithes from them today is to contradict Scripture, misrepresent God’s heart, and enslave people to traditions that Jesus came to set us free from.
The better way is simple: teach Spirit-led generosity, care for the vulnerable, and show the world a church that reflects the mercy and love of God.
That is Christianity at its purest.
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