Tithing and Fast Offerings

You might have heard that faithful Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) pay one tenth of their annual income in tithes. If you've heard this, you have heard correctly. Why would anyone pay so much toward their faith? Why 10 Percent? Where does the money go? What blessings if any come from it?

I would like to explore these four questions in this post.

1. Why would anyone pay so much toward their faith?

In the book of Malachi in the Old Testament we read:

Mal. 3: 8
8 ¶ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.


God has created the whole universe. He owns it all. Every day we subsist on the bounty He has provided. The water, the air, the food. It's all from him. Without use of God's creation, we would not have the ability to live to ten minutes. Even more important, is another principle taught by our Lord Jesus Christ:

Matt. 4: 4
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

So God expects us to not only understand that everything in the end is His. But He wants us to understand that we don't only live by the physical things or temporal things in life, but by His word.

He has commanded that we reserve ten percent of the blessings He gives us for the work of the Lord. This allows us to live not just by bread alone, but by faith in the word of the Lord.

Tithing in the end is a principle of faith.


2. Why 10 percent?

The simplest answer to this is that the word "tithe" means "tenth."
In addition to this, the Lord through His modern prophets has clarified this:

D&C 119
4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.

"Interest" in this scripture has been shown to mean "increase" by later prophets and apostles.


3. Where does the money go?

If you've grown up in a faith where there is a paid clergy, meaning the local pastor or priest subsists on the donations of the congregation, you might be a little skeptical about the whole principle of tithing. After all, if they live off of your donations, of course they are going to preach about this over the pulpit often.

The Latter-Day Saints have no paid clergy. In other words, individuals don't get paid to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, every Mormon missionary you have seen has either paid their own way to serve a mission, or was helped by friends and family.

Even the Prophets, Apostles, and General Authorities of the Church are not paid from the tithing of the members. Instead all of the money goes toward the operating of the church, including paying for the building and maintaining of chapels and temples, printing materials, and paying those who have a full time job in keeping for instance the accounting, building maintenance, Information systems, etc up to date.

No priesthood authority is paid to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is free, and should be given freely. Latter-Day Saints consider the payment of preachers and pastors as priestcraft.

The Book of Mormon talks about this:

Alma 1:16
16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor.

This is not to be found among the True Church of Jesus Christ.

4. What blessings if any come from it (Paying Tithing)?

If we go back to our original scripture we cited in Malachi, we could read on:


Mal 3:10-12

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine 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.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.


I couldn't say it any better than that. There are many blessings that come from paying an honest tithe. Some are temporal, some are spiritual. Tithing is another way you can show the Lord that you really do believe Him. You really do have faith in Him. It is evidence that your faith is real, because it is backed up by righteous works.


Now a word about Fast Offerings:

In addition to paying an honest tithe to God and His church, we have been asked to use the blessings the Lord has given us to help our neighbor. When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment in the law he said:

Matt 22:37-40
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Later in the book of James it says:

James 1: 27
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Hundreds of Years before these two passages, the Lords prophet Isaiah said:

Isaiah 58:6
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?


The Lord in our day has asked that the members of His church use the law of the fast to help fulfill the second great commandment that requires we love our neighbor.

Latter-Day Saints forgo eating two meals on the first Sunday of each month, and then take the Money they would have spent on those two meals and give it into the hands of the local Bishop. The Bishop then see's to it that those who are in need are taken care of. A church member is asked to give at a minimum the amount the two meals would have cost them, but if they can they should give even more generously to see to it that they are practicing "Pure Religion."

Fasting blesses both the recipients of the help, and the one who fasts. By fasting and forgoing food and water for a short period of time, the faster is actual subduing the flesh and allowing the Spirit to more fully take charge in their life. Therefore fasting actually helps to sanctify that person who participates.

Fasting however is not just about going without food and drink. When one fasts they should do so with a purpose. You might have a perplexing problem you are trying to find an answer to. You might need extra help from God. You might know of someone else in distress that needs your faith and prayers. If you fast and pray about the problem, you will receive extra strength from the Lord to help you through the trial. Fasting is another way to show your faith in Jesus Christ. Such faith brings miracles in your life.

In conclusion I would just like to add my testimony that tithing and fasting are wonderful ways to live the first and second great commandment more fully. If lived, they will both be a blessing to you, the Lord's work, and others in need.

The table of the Lord is set and ready for you to feast at. Come and partake of the blessings the Lord is waiting to give you. Come be baptized a member of His church.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


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