This is a question about tithing. I have heard that if we don’t tithe a tenth of what we earn to God first then God will curse all of our money. Is this scriptural?
No it’s not. God did say that the Israelites were under a curse because they were neglecting to tithe. He was asserting His right to the first 10% of their increase, and said that their lack of prosperity was due to their failure to give it to Him.
But then He promised them blessings so great they wouldn’t be able to measure them if they started setting the tithe aside. (Malachi 3:9-10) So in effect, the curse of poverty was self imposed due to their lack of faithfulness in not believing His promise.
More specifically for us, in Galatians 3:13 Paul wrote that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us.” Because we’re washed in the blood of Jesus we cannot be cursed by failure to keep the law.
Generally, the Bible approaches the subject of tithing from the opposite perspective, promising us great blessings when we do tithe. A good example appears in Luke 6:38. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” God will always reward our generosity.
Tithing is the only area of our relationship with God in which He encourages us to test Him. “Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10)
So, while we can’t be cursed for not keeping His laws, there are great blessings in store for those who do. Tithing is perhaps the most obvious example of this.