Live the Golden Line – The True Tithe: A Life, Not a Payment: Part 19

By Andre Eksteen

Let us be honest — this subject has filled many bank accounts and emptied even more hearts. The tithe, the great sacred cow of the modern church. It is probably the most quoted yet also the most abused principle in the entire Bible. I have heard it so many times — “If you don’t bring your tithe, you are stealing from God!” — and every time I wonder: which god do you mean? Because the God of Scripture does not ask for money; He asks for your life.

Yes, let us look at it calmly. Without guilt, without manipulation, without the church’s empty slogans — only what Scripture truly reveals. And if you really seek the truth, keep your Bible open and your wallet closed, because the truth will cost you something — but not money. In this article we can only touch the surface, but as with all the articles, we go much deeper into this subject in my book — with thorough biblical and historical evidence of how the true tithe was originally intended, and how the church distorted it over time.

The word “tithe” simply means “a tenth part.” That’s it. Nowhere does the Bible say it is money. In the Old Testament it was always something tangible — grain, wine, oil, livestock — food for the Levites, the poor, the widows and the foreigners. It was a rhythm of giving and living, not a financial instalment. Israel’s economy did not run on money, but on obedience and time. The tithe was part of a lifestyle of dependence on God — an acknowledgement that everything comes from His hand.

Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14 — that is the first time the word appears. But look closely: it was war spoils, not income. And it was a once-off event. God never established it as a law, and Abraham never did it again. It is a prophetic act of recognition, not a financial principle. And yet the modern church has turned that one moment into a permanent false law.

Under Moses the tithe had a very practical purpose: maintenance. The Levites had no land, so the other tribes had to care for them. And the poor were also not to be forgotten. Every third year a tithe was given specifically for them. And, very importantly, Israel had to take their tithes to festivals — and eat it themselves before the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:23). It is an incredible picture: God telling them to feast with Him. The tithe was celebration, fellowship, relationship. It was never a rule to enrich priests or decorate temples. Only later did people use the “tithe” to build systems instead of serving people.

Malachi 3:10 — the favourite verse of every financial manipulator — is then swung around like a weapon. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse!” But read it honestly. The storehouse was a grain storeroom. It contained food, not notes and cards. God says: “So that there may be food in My house.” Not money. The problem in Malachi was corrupt priests who ate for themselves and did not distribute. It is not a command to the Church; it is a rebuke to Israel as a nation.

Now comes Jesus. Yes, He speaks about tithes — but He speaks to Pharisees who lived under the Law. He says to them: “You give tithes of mint and anise, but you have neglected the weightier matters — justice, mercy and faith.” (Matthew 23:23) Take careful note — He does not say, “go and give more.” He says, “go and do what is more important.” He places the heart above the rule. After the cross? Silence. No command to the Church to pay a tithe. Not in Acts, not in Paul’s letters, not in Peter or John. Silent. Completely silent.

What do we then see in the early Church? Acts 2 says: “They had all things in common.” People gave themselves — their time, their homes, their lives. Yes, some also gave money, but it was voluntary. No one calculated percentages. No one threatened them. Paul says clearly: “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) Not a forced one. And Acts shows that when people tried to give with false motives, like Ananias and Sapphira, God Himself judged them. Not because they gave too little, but because they lied — because they tried to buy God’s favour. That is the heart of the modern tithe doctrine: an attempt to buy favour with money instead of giving obedience with your time.

The shift from a living tithe to a money system came only when the church became an institution. After Constantine — yes, Constantine again — when politics and the church married, priests needed salaries, temples needed maintenance, and the body of Christ became a corporation. By the sixth century the tithe was law — enforced by kings, with penalties and fines. By the eighth century it was state tax. The original heart of worship made way for administration. What was once an act of love became a system of control.

The church realised: you cannot measure time, you cannot administrate surrender, but money? Money you can count, demand, use. And so the tithe of life became an accounting item. The price of comfortable religion.

That is why I say: the true tithe is not your money — it is your life. Romans 12 says: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God — this is your reasonable service.” That is the true tithe — your time, your obedience, your life. Not 10% of your salary, but 10% of your day, your energy, your attention, your heart. Give God the first of your time, not only the remnants at the end of the day when you are tired and half asleep.

Let me ask you honestly — when you give your tithe, how do you give it? When you spend your 2.4 hours of every day that belong to God, do you truly spend it with Him? Or do you spend it scrolling on your phone, wandering about, doing work that has nothing to do with His Kingdom, and then quickly pray later: “Sorry Lord, I didn’t have time for You today”? Millions of Christians do this daily. And then they try to soothe their conscience by giving money in church. They call it their tithe, but it is not worship — it is repayment. It is bribery disguised as holiness. You cannot steal time and try to repay it with money. God does not ask for your wallet; He asks for your attention, your honesty, your life.

The Shepherd of Hermas says: “The man who gives without love has not given; but he who gives his time in service of the Lord has given a hundredfold.” (Hermas, Command 3:7) That is the tithe heaven delights in. Not money that keeps a church’s lights burning, but time that keeps the Light in your heart burning.

God does not ask you to pay your bills in His name; He asks you to spend your time in His presence. He asks you to place Him first in every decision, every conversation, every breath. The Sabbath was originally given to Israel — it was part of their covenant with God, a sign between Him and the Jews (Exodus 31:16–17). It was not a universal law for all mankind, but a symbolic reminder for Israel to rest in Him. Today we do not live under that law, but under the Spirit — and the principle remains: to sanctify your time, to rest in His presence, to place Him first above your busy rhythm.

It is ironic how people today boast about how much they give, yet they do not even know how to become still. They give money with a smile but cannot wait five minutes without their phone. They sing “Lord, take my life,” but if He did, they would scream. God does not ask for songs — He asks for silence. He does not ask for promises — He asks for presence. Jesus Himself said: “Do not swear or make vows, for heaven hears your words.” (Matthew 5:34–37) In other words, heaven listens — and every careless song or promise not followed by action becomes a testimony against you. That is why He says instead: “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” It is not your tone that impresses Him, but your obedience.

The Didache says: “Give from what your life is, not from what remains; for if you do not give yourself, you have given nothing.” (Didache 4:8) That is why Jesus watched the widow throw in her two coins and said she had given more than all — because she gave herself. The rest gave from abundance; she gave from life.

The true tithe is not a financial calculation — it is a spiritual position. It is when you say every day: “Here I am, Lord. Use my time, my hands, my voice, my day.” When you live like that, every hour becomes an offering, every breath a prayer, every deed a form of worship.

The ancient writings show this clearly. In the Book of Jubilees it says: “The works of the righteous are counted as offerings, and their days as tithes before the Lord.” (Jub. 36:9) Your day itself is your tithe. Your time is your offering. Your life is your altar. And this is why the enemy does everything he can to keep you busy — he wants you to waste your time, because time is life.

I have seen how people boast with large amounts and think they have impressed God, yet they have not even taught their children to pray. They give money to ministers but not time to God. And the worst part is that the church encourages it, because money keeps her running. But God is not an institution; He is a Father. He does not want your money; He wants your company.

The Wisdom of Solomon says: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, but the prayer of the upright is pleasing to Him.” (Wisdom 15:2) In other words, you may give as much as you want, but if your heart is not there, it is empty. And that is what the modern church has forgotten. She measures giving in rands and cents, but God measures it in surrender.

If you truly want to give to God, begin with time. Begin by seeking Him first in the morning, not your phone. Begin by sanctifying your hours — by living with awareness of His presence in everything. That is what Jesus meant when He said: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Your time shows where your heart is. If you never have time for God, you do not love Him — you love the idea of Him. You love the idea of a retirement policy when you die.

Heaven’s economy works differently. God does not measure according to bank statements, but according to obedience. Your time in His presence carries more weight than your tithe in an offering basket. The Epistle of Barnabas says: “The offerings that please God are a pure heart, a humble spirit, and hands full of work for the Kingdom.” (Barnabas 6:5) That is the kind of tithe heaven accepts.

So when you think about tithing, do not ask: “How much must I give?” — rather ask: “How much of myself am I still holding back?” For that is where the test lies. God does not ask for 10% of your income; He asks for 100% of your life. Your money belongs to Him, yes, but your time and your heart belong first to Him.

And here lies the secret: God asks for your tithe — not because He needs money, but because He wants to teach you to give. And when you give that tithe with an honest heart — your time, your attention, your obedience — then He helps you give the remaining 90% rightly as well.

Think of the widow who gave her last two coins. (Mark 12:41–44) Jesus did not praise her because she had much, but because she gave everything. She did not give out of abundance but out of surrender. And that is the heart of the true tithe: not the amount, but the surrender. For when you give your first part to Him, He makes you equal to the woman with the two coins — He takes little, and He makes it everything.

God has never been interested in your wallet; He looks at your hands. He looks at how you work, how you love, how you forgive, how you live — and how obedient you are to His call to go out and make disciples. That is where the true tithe lies. The Book of Baruch says: “The works of the hands that are pure are like tithes in My house.” (Baruch 4:25) That is the tithe He seeks — not money, but a life that carries His character and expands His Kingdom. For your hands are His instruments on earth; every act of love, every word of truth, every soul you touch is an offering that counts forever.

I say this with seriousness: If God has your whole life, He will always have your money. But if He has only your money, He has nothing. The church of today has a cupboard full of gold but an altar with no fire. The early church had nothing — no salaries, no reserves, no buildings — but she had power, because she gave her life. The disciples did not live off tithes or collections; they worked with their hands. Paul himself made tents to provide for himself and his fellow workers, so that no one could say he preached the gospel for money. (Acts 18:3) They showed that true ministry does not depend on income but on surrender. They used their labour as testimony — every piece of leather Paul stitched was a silent sermon of honesty and dedication to God. That is what the church has forgotten: that labour itself is a form of worship when done with clean hands.

The tithe was never meant to be a tax; it was a sign of trust. It is to say: “Lord, You are my source, not my work, not my money.” That is why the Old Testament people brought their firstfruits — not because God was an accountant, but because they wanted to acknowledge: “Everything I have, I have from Your hand.”

If you want to live this today, begin by giving God what He truly asks — time, obedience, silence, honesty, service, love. Give Him your hours, not just your coins. Give Him your mornings, not just your Sundays. Give Him your heart, not your fees.

And yes, if you want to give money to the church — give it with cheerfulness, because it remains important for the spreading of the gospel and the support of the workers in the vineyard. But remember: give yourself first. The money is only a result of your surrender, not the proof of it. Never think your contribution in the offering is your tithe — it is not. Your true tithe is your life, your time, your obedience. The rest flows naturally when God truly has your heart.

And if you do this, you will discover what Malachi really meant when God said: “Test Me in this.” For when you give Him your time, He will fill you with peace. When you give Him your life, He will bless you with His presence. And there is no bank or pulpit on earth that can buy that blessing.

Deep calls unto deep. Answer Him.