In recent teaching that has gone viral, Creflo Dollar said that tithing is not biblical. He argued that tithing is not required in the Bible, based upon a weak exegesis of Romans 6:14 stating "we are no longer under the Law but under grace." To use this passage to teach against tithing is just terrible and lazy theology!
Creflo's argument is flawed for two reasons. First, tithing predates both the Law and grace. Second, while Jesus did teach against many things, He never taught against tithing as a requirement of God. Jesus expressly teaches that tithing is proper.
If tithing is wrong, Creflo Dollar and World Changers church should return all the tithes they have scammed back to the community. Ultimately, tithing is about having a heart for God and Kingdom building. It's an act of worship. Let's explore the biblical truth about tithing, so your worship is complete.
Tithing is not under grace or The Law; it precedes both
Creflo's argument is flawed because tithing is an act of worship and obedience that predates the Law and grace. Whatever one wants to argue about tithing and whether it should be practiced or not, it must be accepted that Abraham tithed to Melchizedek before the Law was given (Gen 14:20)! But Abraham was not under the Law. Therefore his tithe was not required by the Law. Abraham's tithe was an act of worship and obedience to God, not law-keeping.
Likewise, Jacob promised to tithe at Bethel (Gen 28:22). He was not under the Law either, but his tithe was also an act of worship. Abraham and Jacob were not living under the Law but obeying God.
While it is true that tithing predates the Law, it was included in the Law as a requirement (Lev 27:30-33). The tithe belonged to God and was to be given to the Levites, who had no inheritance in the land. The Levites, in turn, were to give a tenth of the tithe to the priests. So, tithing was not just a requirement for Israelites after the Law was given; it was also required of the Levites and priests!
If tithing predates Law, it also predates grace. So if Creflo wants to hinge his whole argument on Romans 6:14, then we would still need to tithe because tithing precedes Law. Romans 6:14 does not say that we are no longer under God! Abraham and Jacob were under God; that's why they tithed. Codifying the tithe into Law does change the definition of a tithe - it is an act of worship.
Jesus corrects a lot of misunderstandings about the Law, but He never teaches to not tithe
Creflo's argument is wrong because tithing was a regular practice during Jesus' ministry on earth and after his ascension. While it is true that Jesus came to fulfill the Law, He did not do away with tithing. Jesus understands that tithing is an act of worship that predates the Law and grace. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus says, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." Jesus is correcting the Pharisees. If you read Matthew 23:23 closely and the corresponding passage in Luke 11:42, it is clear that Jesus was not doing away with tithing. He was correcting the Pharisees' view of tithing! The Pharisees had turned tithing into a burden instead of worship.
The fact that Jesus never said not to tithe means we should continue to tithe. If tithing was something that was not required of Christians, don't you think Jesus would have said so? The fact that He never said not to tithe proves that tithing is still a requirement for Christians.
Now let's jump to the deep end of the pool. Jesus upholds the tithe by saying, "you should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." This means you should tithe but also practice justice. Why would Jesus teach against anything that brings glory to the Father? Why would Jesus teach us not to worship the Father by returning the earthly treasures He has given us for his use. Doesn't Psalm 24:1 say the earth is the Lord's and everything in it? I guess, for Creflo and the anti-tithe movement, everything belongs to God except the tithe!
Jesus never taught incomplete worship. To worship and not tithe is incomplete. Jesus argued that all of our money should be subject to God as our Master (Matthew 6:24). Money should not get in the way of serving God. How we handle our money is a reflection of our relationship with God. Tithing is worship, and worship is relational. Tithing is relational, not Law.
Creflo Dollar's teachings on tithing may be motivated by self-interest
It's been a while since I've heard anything from Creflo Dollar, but it seems he's trying to distance himself from his past heretical prosperity teachings. The belief that faith is some magical act will result in God giving you everything you ever wanted. The main problem with prosperity teaching is that it's completely self-centered. It's all about what you can get from God instead of what you can give to God.
I'm not sure why people can't see through the survival tactics of the preachers formerly known as prosperity preachers. This is the tag these guys once wore as honorary badges, and now from Benny Hinn to Creflo Dollar, they want to say they were wrong. They all stop short of apologizing for leading people astray. If they're going to repent for what they taught, they can always sell the jets and return the money to the people they duped with other heretical teachings. Here's an idea for Creflo - if what he taught was so wrong, instead of asking people to destroy the evidence (i.e., his old books and tapes), he should have them returned to his ministry for refunds!
I disagree with Creflo Dollar's teachings on tithing. I do think they're motivated by self-interest. Perhaps, Creflo is once again probably trying to increase his wealth by telling people that tithing isn't required anymore. It's what we call a rebrand! He's trying to rebrand himself as a more moderate preacher to increase his appeal and, ultimately, his income. We've seen this before.
Why Christians should continue to tithe even if Creflo Dollar says you shouldn't
Tithing is a biblical practice that Christians should continue to do. It's not about how much money you can get from God; it's about giving back to God what is already His. Tithing is a biblical practice of worship that predates the Law and grace. While tithing is codified into the Law, it exists on its own apart from the Law and grace. The most theologically accurate conclusion is that tithing is not just a "legal" requirement but a biblical principle of worship that predates the Law and grace. Christians should continue to tithe because it is an act of worship that brings glory to God.
The Apostle Paul taught that how we give is as important as what we give. He said, "Let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). If you don't want to tithe, don't. Don't give your tithe grudgingly. Also, please don't justify your rejection of tithing as worship with scriptures concerning grace! However you give, tithe or offering, do it with humility and reverence - as part of your God worship.
Do you agree or disagree with Creflo Dollar's teachings on tithing? Do you agree or disagree with my rebuttal? Let me know in the comments!
I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading. :)
Bishop De’Andre Salter