Sam and I tithe our money. That means we give at least the first 10% of our gross income away to the place where we worship. We’ve done that now for many years. I’m blogging about this not to brag but because people sometimes ask me what we do. So I thought I might as well be up-front because it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Tithing is a good thing. Here are 10 reasons why we tithe.
1. The Bible
We tithe because the bible teaches it. It was a command for the people of Israel in the Old Testament to give their firstfruits (Deuteronomy 14:22; Proverbs 3:9) and we don’t see that it’s been rescinded in the New Testament, although it has been caught up into the even bigger Christian value of ‘generosity’ (Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9). As such we find it a good starting point for Christian giving.
2. God’s grace
We tithe in response to the grace of God (2 Corinthians 8:9). We don’t tithe to earn God’s favour as he can’t love of us any more than he already does. We tithe in order to mirror something of God’s generosity to us.
3. Sharing
We tithe because we think God doesn’t just give money to people for their own benefit, but for it to be shared (1 Timothy 6:17-18).
4. Excelling
We tithe because it’s one way we can aim to fulfil the command to ‘excel in the grace of giving’ (2 Corinthians 8:7).
5. Planning
We tithe because we budget. We plan it. We expect to live on what’s left after we’ve given (Luke 14:28-30).
6. For the church’s mission
We tithe because it provides good resources for the local church – and the local church is God’s No1 plan for changing the world. We know that many churches have vision beyond their resources. If more people tithed, more vision would be realised. We want to play our part in turning vision into action, so we tithe (see eg 1 Corinthians 16:2).
7. For our good
We tithe because God promises that the giver will be blessed, so they can give again (2 Corinthians 9:11). We have found that to be consistently true. Every time. Generosity produces generosity (Proverbs 11:24).
8. Act of faith
We tithe because it’s an act of faith. It helps us trust that God will help our family live well on what’s left (Psalm 4:5).
9. More than enough
We tithe because the remaining 90% is genuinely more than enough to live on (Malachi 3:10). That’s why our giving to people, organisations and charities comes from the remaining 90%.
10. A Lifestyle
We tithe because it’s what we do. It’s how we live. It’s how the great people of faith lived in the past (eg Genesis 14:20). It’s part of the desire that Sam and I have to try, if we possibly can, to give away more each year.
Some followers of Jesus have particular reasons why they don’t tithe. I’m sure some of those are good and valid, especially if one partner is not a believer. But most Christ-followers can, could and should consider tithing. Because it’s good for the recipient, for the giver and for the kingdom of God.
Don’t tithe reluctantly because you must (2 Corinthians 9:7). Rather, tithe because it’s a really really good thing to do. It’s a God-honouring thing to do. Tithe because you want to be part of seeing wonderful things happen.
Discipleship Blog 
It is good that you are at peace with giving 10% of your income to your church or whatever. However, I think the mistake you and so many people make is to equate the 10% of your income to the Biblical tithe. I your opening you say you do this because it is biblical. The biblical tithe was FOOD and not money. The firstfruit offerings you mention again is not the same as the tithe. Firstfruit offerings again were food and they were given to the priests before the full harvest when the tithe was separated. By equating 10% offerings to the biblical tithe we create confusion. In Lev 27:30-31 it was written that Israel should tithe food and that if they wished to redeem (buy the tithe back with money) they must add 1/5th or 20% of the monetary value to the original value and give it.
30“One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to him as holy. 31If you want to buy back the LORD’s tenth of the grain or fruit, you must pay its value, plus 20 percent.
God did not make a mistake when He commanded food as the tithe. Hence in Matt 23:23 Jesus commanded the Pharisees for tithing herbs (mint, dill and cumin) though the same scriptures tell us that the Pharisees loved money. Note from Lev 27 that God commanded the giving of money (sanctuary shekel or gerahs) for fields dedicated to the Lord as a donation but several verses later He sets out the food produce to be given as a tithe.