Asking Big Questions
Sometimes paying a full tithe is overwhelming. With so many expenses mounting and the cost of living ever increasing, it can be daunting to give up 10% of our income. Even though we know that tithing is a commandment, recognizing why we should follow it can be difficult.
More than a Duty
David A. Bednar said,
“The honest payment of tithing is much more than a duty; it is an important step in the process of personal sanctification.”1
Why Pay Tithing
So, why should we pay tithing? Here are three main reasons:
- To demonstrate obedience to the Lord.
- To experience personal growth and blessings.
- To support the Church.
Showing Obedience
The principle of tithing is highlighted in all books of scripture many times and has been reaffirmed by modern prophets today. By following this simple commandment, we can better demonstrate our faith and commitment to the Lord.
Wilford Woodruff declared, “Whenever the Lord gives a commandment to the children of men, He provides a way for the fulfillment of that commandment. Tithing is a commandment of God to the people, and should be observed.”2
The Lord Prepares a Way for Us to Pay tithing
The Lord will always provide a way for the fulfillment of commandments (see 1 Nephi 3:7). As we make sacrifices to obey the commandments and demonstrate our obedience to Him, He will provide a way for us to receive blessings even greater than what we can comprehend.
Not only will keeping the commandment of tithing help us to show obedience to the Lord, but it will also help us be obedient to other commandments. President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) once said, “The honest payment of tithing provides a person the inner strength and commitment to comply with the other commandments.”3
We are blessed when we pay tithing
Another reason we should pay tithing is because of the blessings we can receive. We read in 3 Nephi 24:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
By paying our tithing, we learn to trust God and let go of our worldly concerns, and in return, we receive peace, assurance, spiritual, and temporal blessings. We cannot outgive the Lord. He promises to reward our sacrifices with so many blessings we won’t even have room to receive them. What an amazing promise!
Wilford Woodruff spoke often of the blessings we can receive as we keep the commandments. He wrote, “Our blessings will depend upon our acts; they will be withheld as long as we are careless about God’s commands, but as soon as we yield implicit obedience thereto they will be multiplied on our heads.”4
to pay tithing is to Choose obedience
Choosing to use our money for tithing might be more difficult than putting it towards important temporal things, but President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) cautioned against this. He said, “If we like luxuries or even necessities more than we like obedience, we will miss the blessings which He would like to give us.”5
When we pay tithing we are Supporting the church
The third reason we should pay tithing is to support the Church. Tithing funds are used for vital work like constructing temples, supporting missionaries, running educational programs, and contributing to welfare and humanitarian projects around the world. Our collective faithfulness to the tithing principle makes all of this possible, bringing opportunities and blessings to millions of lives.
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) said, “The basic purpose for tithing is to provide the Church with the means needed to carry on His work.”6
When we pay tithing, our money is given to the Church and then divided up as needed in our wards, stakes, countries, and on throughout the world. We can find peace in knowing that the money we sacrifice is used to better the lives of those around us.
We receive great promises when we pay tithing
Elder David A. Bednar gives a simple but sweet promise of what will happen as we commit to paying a full tithe. “I testify spiritual and temporal blessings come into our lives as we live the law of tithing. I bear witness that such blessings often are significant but subtle.”7
Let us all obey the law of tithing in our everyday lives. As we do so, we will show to the Lord our obedience, our desire to receive blessings, and our willingness to support the Church and hasten the building up of Zion here on Earth. God has assured us that He will bless us beyond measure as we strive to be full-tithe payers.
- What is tithing?
- Should I pay tithing on gross income, net income, or something else?
- Can I donate to a charity and count that as tithing?
- Should I pay tithing before paying for food or rent?
- Why should the poor and destitute pay tithing?
- Is tithing “buying our way” to heaven?
- Will tithing ever go away?
- Has the definition of tithing changed over time?
- Consider Conference: Tithing- Opening the Windows of Heaven
Maddie Christensen is the Public Relations Manager for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. She recently graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in public relations. Maddie has always loved learning about Church history and enjoys learning from the writings of Wilford Woodruff. She is passionate about sharing his insights with everyone and is grateful to be part of such an incredible work.
1 David A. Bednar, “The Windows of Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2013, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
2 Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, September 2, 1894, p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1894-09-02.
3 Thomas S. Monson, “Be Thou an Example,” Ensign, November 1996, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
4 Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, February 10, 1867, p. 2, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1867-02-10.
5 My Foundation: Principles, Skills, Habits, pp. 8–9, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
6 Gordon B. Hinckley, “Tithing: An Opportunity to Prove Our Faithfulness,” Ensign, May 1982, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
7 David A. Bednar, “The Windows of Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2013, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
