Why Do We Tithe?

Paying tithing is a privilege in and of itself. When we spend our tithes, it can be said that gratitude has been given from one generation to another for what God has already provided them - churches are built out of their donations; meetinghouses offer shelter, and so much more!

The practice of tithing is an oftentimes controversial, frequent source of debate in and out of the pulpit. However, regardless if you've been a member for years or just stepping into your new ward or branch for the first time, you should find it rewarding to know that there are solid arguments for this practice.

Tithing is about gratitude. Firstly, we pay our tithes because we believe God owns everything in all creation (Psalm 24:1; Acts 17:24-25). Second, we pay our tithes because we want to show gratitude and love (Mosiah 2:20). Lastly, we pay our tithes because it shows faith in God (Malachi 3:10).

Tithing is an act of faith. It's not easy to part with your hard-earned money, but tithing is one way we can show our faith in God and that He will bless us for what we give Him. One example of this promise comes from Abraham, who showed his willingness to give a tenth to Melchizedek. After doing so, "the Lord's Covenant with Abraham became unconditional because he obeyed the commands" (Genesis 14:20-22).

God promises blessings in return for your gifts. If you give the Lord 10% of all you own, He has promised to open His windows and pour out blessings on you (Malachi 3:10).

That's because everything comes from Him anyway! Your gift is greatly multiplied. God loves it when we give cheerfully, especially to those who need it most (2 Corinthians 9:7; D&C 104:15).

This divine law benefits everyone. God promises to bless you for your constancy, but it also benefits those around you through the cycle of tithing (Deuteronomy 26:12-13).

It helps build the kingdom. You are helping to further the work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide. With this in mind, tithing is a commandment that can be paid and should be paid cheerfully.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide organization, and everyone in it needs to be supported. Tithing helps provide for the members who need financial help within the church, such as new converts who are in need of assistance. In addition, tithing provides the financial means to build up, support, and sustain local church leaders. So, it is not just about paying to tithe, but also about where that tithing goes.

Tithing to the Church is essentially an act of faith; it's not easy to part with our hard-earned money, but tithing is one way we can show our faith in God and that He will bless us for what we give Him (Malachi 3:10).

Tithing is not a popular topic and can be misunderstood by those with little knowledge of the subject. Some of the most common reasons why people don't pay tithing:

• They think they make too little.  
• They think it's an old tradition and its no longer necessary
• They don't want to give their hard-earned money to church leaders
• They don't think any of the local church leaders need assistance

What does the Bible say about tithing... "A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. If a man redeems any of his tithes, he must add a fifth of the value to it."

Leviticus 27:30-32

Tithing is a spiritual practice that has been around for centuries. God instituted it to worship Him and protect our hearts from greed, but more importantly, tithers support the work of His church with every ten percent they give away!

There are consequences for not tithing since the practice is an act of faith. For instance, "If we show our lack of faith by refusing to pay him for his work, how can we expect him to answer our prayers when we ask for help?" (Ensign June 2002). Yet another consequence is that you stop being entitled to promised blessings from God. You can read more about this in a talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in 1991 here.

Tithing is a spiritual practice that has been around for centuries and was instituted by God Himself. As such, it's important that we understand what it means and why it's so relevant to us today. It's about giving back 10% of all one owns to the Lord and receiving blessings as a result. If we neglect to tithe, we risk having our prayers go unanswered and receive no more promised blessings from God.

Blessings come with tithing! We can receive all kinds of guidance, comfort, and protection when we pay tithing (Ensign June 2002). Not to mention that those who have kept this commandment have always prospered! I hope that after reading about these truths about tithing, you will be inspired to do it now more than ever before.

There are several ways to figure out what your tithing is:

It is recommended to follow these simple steps in order to calculate tithe:

Determine your monthly income: This is how much money you make per month or year, depending on what form of payment you receive. For instance, if you get paid $1 for every $10 sold, then $1 per ten dollars would be your monthly income. If annually, then they multiply that number by 12 to find their yearly earnings.

It is important to accumulate all kinds of income you have to see the whole picture. Don't forget to incorporate income from dividends, return on investments, interests, or any other kind of income you may have.

Tithe percentage: This is basically 10% of all income Christians pay for tithing. So, if you earn $20,000 a year, then 10% would equal $2000. This is the part you give back to God.

Tithe amount: This is the simple equation of multiplying your monthly income by 0.1 (or 10%). For example, if your monthly earnings are $2000, then your tithe amount would be $200. Yup, that's all!

Tithing is one way we can show our faith in God and that He will bless us for what we give Him (Malachi 3:10). If you haven't started yet, this might be a good time to begin. God loves it when we pay Him respect and in turn, He blesses us accordingly.