The Role and the Place of Tithing in the Context of Christian Giving Part 1

The article analyzes the OT practice of tithing in the context of the principle of Christian giving. While it is generally accepted that Evangelical Christians have an obligation to financially support the work of their local church, church ministers, those in need, etc., it is questionable whether Christians today have an obligation to tithe. Starting from the Pentateuch, the first part of the article discusses various instructions that God gave to Israelites regarding tithing, and special attention is given to the speech about tithing in Malachi. Presenting various interpretations and understandings of tithing, the author argues that, although for Christians tithing is not mandatory, they have an obligation to give, and tithing can be one way of financial support of the local church