The Tithing Lie vs. Joyful Giving

 

Tithing is not a command for Christians under the New Covenant, and the core reason is a fundamental biblical shift from the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law given to ancient Israel) to the New Covenant established by Jesus. This isn't about "doing away with" the whole Old Testament—it's about recognizing what Jesus fulfilled and what applies to the church today. I'll explain the biblical case step by step, then address why Armstrongism (the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong and groups like the original Worldwide Church of God and its splinters) is considered mistaken for treating tithing as a binding requirement.

Tithing in the Old Testament

Under the Mosaic Law, tithing (giving 10% of produce, livestock, etc.) was a specific command for the nation of Israel:

• It supported the Levitical priests and temple system, since the Levites had no land inheritance (Numbers 18:21-24; Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Malachi 3:8-10).

• There were actually multiple tithes in the full system (first for Levites, a second for festivals, a third-year one for the poor), totaling more like 20-23% annually in practice.

• It was part of the civil and ceremonial law tied to Israel's theocracy, priesthood, and temple—not a universal moral law like "do not murder" or "love your neighbor."

This was never presented as a timeless rule for all people everywhere; it was covenant-specific to Israel.

Why the New Covenant changes this

The New Testament teaches that Jesus inaugurated a new covenant that fulfills and replaces the old one (Jeremiah 31:31-34, quoted in Hebrews 8:6-13). The old system—including its priesthood, sacrifices, temple, and associated laws—is now "obsolete" and "ready to disappear" (Hebrews 8:13). 

Key reasons tithing is no longer commanded:

• Believers are not under the Mosaic Law. Romans 6:14-15, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 3:23-25, and Galatians 5:18 state we died to the law through Christ and now live by the Spirit under grace, not a system of rules. The law was a guardian until Christ came; now we're adopted sons, not slaves to it.

• The priesthood changed, so the supporting laws changed. Hebrews 7:5-12 explicitly discusses tithing: the Levites received tithes "according to the law." But when the priesthood switched from Levi to the order of Melchizedek (fulfilled in Jesus), "the law must be changed also." Jesus is our high priest forever; there's no Levitical system left to support. The entire package tied to it (tithes included) is fulfilled in Him.

• No New Testament command or example of mandatory tithing for the church. The word "tithe" appears in the NT only when Jesus addresses Jews still under the old law (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42—he rebukes Pharisees for tithing herbs while neglecting justice, but this is pre-cross). After the resurrection, the apostles teach generous, cheerful, proportionate giving instead:"

• 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).

• "On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper" (1 Corinthians 16:2).

• Support for ministers is encouraged (1 Corinthians 9:13-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18), but never as a fixed 10% tax.

Early church practice and most Christian history confirm this. The apostles never imposed a percentage. Giving was voluntary, sacrificial, and Spirit-led (Acts 4:32-37; 2 Corinthians 8-9). The tithe as a legal requirement faded with the old covenant, just like animal sacrifices, circumcision, and food laws.

Many Christians still use 10% as a helpful guideline or starting point for generosity (it's practical and biblical in principle), but it's not obligatory. The NT calls us to more than a legal minimum—generosity from the heart, often exceeding 10% for those who can afford it.

Why Armstrongism is wrong to command tithing

Herbert W. Armstrong (founder of the Worldwide Church of God) taught that tithing (plus a second tithe for festivals and sometimes a third) remains a New Testament command and God's "permanent financing system" for His work. He argued:

• Tithing predates the Mosaic Law (e.g., Abraham to Melchizedek in Genesis 14) and continues under the Melchizedek priesthood of Christ.

• Malachi 3:8-10 ("robbing God") applies directly to modern Christians, bringing curses for non-payment.

• The "law" didn't change in a way that abolishes tithing—it just transferred to the new ministry.

This view is critiqued (even by the later Worldwide Church of God itself after Armstrong's death) for these reasons:

• It misreads Hebrews 7 and covenant theology. Armstrong claimed the priesthood change preserves tithing as law. But the text says the opposite: the change in priesthood requires a change in the law (Hebrews 7:12). The old tithing system was tied to the obsolete Levitical order and is fulfilled, not transferred. The post-Armstrong WCG leadership explicitly corrected this in the 1990s, declaring tithing voluntary, as part of a broader return to mainstream biblical teaching on the New Covenant. This shift caused a financial crisis and massive membership loss precisely because Armstrong had made it central.

• It imposes Old Covenant legalism on the New Covenant church. Armstrong selectively kept certain OT laws (Sabbath, holy days, clean meats, tithing) while claiming the New Covenant. But the NT consistently says we're not under that system (see Galatians 3-5; Colossians 2:16-17). Commanding a percentage under threat of curses or spiritual loss contradicts "not under compulsion" (2 Corinthians 9:7) and turns grace-giving into obligation. Critics (including former members and biblical scholars) note this created heavy financial burdens on members while funding a large organization.

• It doesn't align with the full New Testament witness. Jesus and the apostles never commanded tithing for the church. Treating Malachi 3 as a direct threat to Christians today ignores its original context (post-exile Israel under the old covenant) and the finished work of Christ.

Armstrong's position stems from a particular interpretive lens that prioritizes continuity of Old Testament practices unless explicitly repealed— but this overlooks how the New Testament presents the entire old system as fulfilled and obsolete in Christ. Mainstream Christian theology (across Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions) sees this as a form of legalism that misses the freedom and joy of New Covenant generosity.

The Bible encourages sacrificial, joyful giving to support the church, the poor, and gospel work—without a fixed percentage or threats. If you're wrestling with this personally, the key is prayerful, Spirit-led generosity "as you prosper," not a checklist. Different Christians land on slightly different applications, but the consensus is clear: mandatory tithing is not a New Covenant command.

Tithing is simply not a command for Christians under the New Covenant. The entire Old Covenant system — including its priesthood, temple, and required tithes — was fulfilled and set aside when Jesus became our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:12 is crystal clear: “When the priesthood changes, the law must be changed also.” The New Testament never once commands the church to tithe. Instead, it calls us to generous, cheerful, Spirit-led giving from the heart, without percentage or compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

Armstrongism’s continued demand for mandatory tithing (including the second and third tithes) is therefore biblically incorrect. It misreads Hebrews 7, treating the priesthood change as a mere transfer of the old law rather than its fulfillment. It revives an obsolete Old Covenant practice and places believers back under a form of legalism the apostles explicitly rejected. By applying Malachi 3:8–10 as a direct threat of curses to Christians today, it contradicts the finished work of Christ and the freedom of the New Covenant. Even the Worldwide Church of God itself later repudiated this teaching and returned to voluntary giving — precisely because it could not be defended from the New Testament.

In the end, insisting on tithing as a binding requirement distorts the gospel of grace. It turns joyful generosity into obligation, burdens God’s people with an outdated system Jesus already fulfilled, and misses the far greater call of the New Testament: to give sacrificially, cheerfully, and “as you prosper,” supporting the church and the needy out of love rather than law.

The Bible’s message is liberating: you are not under the old system. Give freely, give joyfully, and watch God’s grace abound through you. That is the true New Covenant way.

Silent Pilgrim