Overview
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you should also do. On the first day of the week, let each one of you set aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections will need to be made when I come." — 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 BSB
The doctrine of forced tithing under the New Covenant represents a significant departure from Scripture and the grace-centered teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. Many churches and Christian organizations today mandate that believers contribute ten percent of their income as a religious obligation, claiming this practice carries forward from the Old Testament tithe system. However, careful examination of the New Testament reveals that this teaching contradicts the explicit instruction of Scripture regarding Christian giving, the purpose of the law, and the freedom Christ purchased for His church.
Biblical Account
The Old Testament tithe was a specific legal requirement under the Mosaic covenant, implemented to support the Levitical priesthood and temple system in Israel. This institution belonged entirely to the ceremonial and civil law of the theocratic nation of Israel. The New Testament explicitly addresses how the New Covenant relates to these Old Testament practices, making clear distinctions about what remains binding and what has been fulfilled or abolished.
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." — Romans 10:4 BSB
Paul writes to the Galatian churches, addressing those who were being pressured to observe Old Testament legal requirements: "You are trying to be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace." — Galatians 5:4 BSB This warning directly confronts the false teaching that believers should return to Old Testament commandments as binding obligations.
When addressing Christian giving, Paul describes it as voluntary and motivated by grace, not obligation: "Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." — 2 Corinthians 9:7 BSB Furthermore, Paul teaches that the entire Old Testament law system has been rendered inoperative for believers: "But now we have been released from the law, having died to what bound us, so that we serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." — Romans 7:6 BSB
Theological Significance
This false teaching strikes at the very heart of the Gospel and Christ's redemptive work. Jesus fulfilled the entire ceremonial law, including the tithe system, rendering it obsolete for those under the New Covenant. The insistence on forced tithing denies the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and creates a false system of spiritual obligation that places believers back under law rather than in grace.
The theological error also misrepresents the nature of Christian freedom. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered again by a yoke of slavery." — Galatians 5:1 BSB Christ's redemptive work liberated believers from the ceremonial obligations of the Mosaic law. To reimpose the tithe as a binding requirement contradicts this foundational Gospel truth and suggests that Christ's work was insufficient.
Additionally, forced tithing demonstrates a misunderstanding of how the church is to be supported and how believers are to exercise stewardship. Christian giving should flow from grace, gratitude, and genuine love for the body of Christ, not from legal compulsion.
Key Bible Verses
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 BSB — Giving must be voluntary and motivated by a cheerful heart, not legal obligation.
- Romans 10:4 BSB — Christ is the end of the law, making Old Testament commandments no longer binding on believers.
- Galatians 5:1 BSB — Believers are freed from the yoke of slavery through Christ.
- Romans 7:6 BSB — The law has been rendered inoperative for those serving in the newness of the Spirit.
- Colossians 2:16-17 BSB — No one should judge believers regarding ceremonial practices, as these were a shadow of things to come in Christ.
Application
Churches and leaders who teach forced tithing place believers under a burden that Christ has removed and contradict the clear teaching of Scripture regarding voluntary, grace-motivated giving. Those encountering this false teaching must understand that their giving should never be compelled by fear, guilt, or legal demand, but should instead flow from a heart transformed by grace. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich." — 2 Corinthians 8:9 BSB True Christian stewardship reflects the generous heart of Christ and the freedom He provides.