If you have a lot of debt, can you temporarily stop tithing while paying off the debt?

Answer

It is permissible to stop tithing while paying off debt. Paying debts is a duty; tithing is considered “optional” because the command to tithe was part of the Mosaic Law, and Christians are not under the Law. Please do not misunderstand—giving to the Lord’s work is highly important. Sacrificial financial giving is a part of God’s calling for every Christian. If it is genuinely impossible to pay off the debt and continue tithing or giving at the same time, it would not be incorrect to reduce giving or temporarily stop giving entirely to pay off the owed debts.

Our unchangeable duty towards other people is to love them, treating them as we would like to be treated “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”, (Matthew 7:12). We all desire people to repay the debts they owe us. Therefore, as Christians, we should “let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).

The tithing law of the Old Covenant was God’s way of providing for the material needs of the priests from the tribe of Levi. They required support to minister in the temple and assist the poor (Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 26:12-15). Therefore, when the Israelites failed to meet this obligation, they were essentially robbing God.To give the temple tithe, God warned, “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” «Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. », (Malachi 3:8).

The tithe was a tenth of a man’s income: “Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham” «And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: », (Hebrews 7:5). The Levitical priesthood continued to serve in the temple throughout the earthly lifetime of Jesus, and the tithe was required. But after the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus, things changed: “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law” «For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. », (Hebrews 7:12). Christ is now our High Priest. Christians are now God’s temple and His royal priesthood (Hebrews 4:14-15;1 Corinthians 6:19-20;1 Peter 2:9-10).

Our High Priest ministers the New Covenant to us (God’s law written on our hearts) by giving us the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 12:24;Hebrews 10:16). This law operates powerfully, causing us to love others with Spirit-produced love (Galatians 5:22-23). That is why John writes, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (1 John 3:17-18). God’s love compels a true Christian to give, but none of the New Testament epistles command or even recommend that Christians pay a tithe or any other percentage. Christian giving is the result of Christian love.

Christians may, if they choose, give a tithe (a tenth) of their income to the church, meeting spiritual and material needs in their needy world. Some will choose to give less than a tenth; some will choose to give more. Paul recommends giving to the church on Sunday: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income” «Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. », (1 Corinthians 16:2a).

Christians shouldn’t hoard but give as much as God directs. It is God’s money. His rewards outweigh the cost. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).