BIBLE VERSES ON GIVING
GREED AND SELFISHNESS ARE SINS THAT WE MUST WORK TOWARD ABOLISHING.
ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO DO,
WE SHOULD TRY OUR VERY BEST TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE.
AFTER ALL, GOD GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS!
NO ONE IS PERFECT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T TRY TO AVOID GREED THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE. THINK NOT OF WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF -
BUT THINK OF WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR OTHERS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE WILLING TO GIVE,
BOTH TO THE LORD AND HIS CHURCH AND TO OTHER PEOPLE IN NEED.
MALACHI 3 :7
EVEN FROM THE DAYS OF YOUR FATHERS YE ARE GONE AWAY FROM MINE ORDINANCES, AND HAVE NOT KEPT THEM. RETURN UNTO ME, AND I WILL RETURN UNTO YOU, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS. BUT YE SAID, WHEREIN SHALL WE RETURN?
LUKE 6:38
GIVE, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, RUNNING OVER, WILL BE PUT INTO YOUR LAP. FOR WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE IT WILL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU.”
PROVERBS 11:24
ONE GIVES FREELY, YET GROWS ALL THE RICHER; ANOTHER WITHHOLDS WHAT HE SHOULD GIVE, AND ONLY SUFFERS WANT.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6
WHOEVER SOWS SPARINGLY WILL ALSO REAP SPARINGLY, AND WHOEVER SOWS BOUNTIFULLY WILL ALSO REAP BOUNTIFULLY.
DEUTERONOMY 16:17
--EVERY MAN SHALL GIVE AS HE IS ABLE, ACCORDING TO THE BLESSING OF THE LORD YOUR GOD THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU.
GIVING GOD’S WAY
5 QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP US GIVE GOD’S WAY:
(1) WHO SHOULD GIVE?
ALL BELIEVERS, BUT NOT UNBELIEVERS, SHOULD GIVE TO THE LORD. GIVING IS A PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE. BUT IT IS WRONG FOR CHURCHES OR OTHER CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES TO APPEAL TO UNBELIEVERS FOR FUNDS. (3 JOHN 7 MENTIONS CHRISTIAN WORKERS WHO “WENT OUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE NAME, ACCEPTING NOTHING FROM THE GENTILES.” UNBELIEVERS CANNOT OFFER GOOD WORKS TO GOD. T IS WRONG TO GIVE AN UNBELIEVER ANY BASIS FOR THINKING THAT HE CAN GAIN MERIT BEFORE GOD BY GIVING OR ANY OTHER GOOD DEED. UNBELIEVERS FREQUENTLY GRIPE THAT THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS AFTER THEIR MONEY. THEY ARE RIGHT IN ONE SENSE: GOD IS AFTER THEIR MONEY, BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS ARE BOUND UP WITH THEIR TREASURE, AND GOD WANTS THEIR HEARTS TO BE DEVOTED TO HIM.THE FACT THAT THEY RESENT GIVING SHOWS THE CONDITION OF THEIR HEARTS. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IF A PERSON HAS NOT GIVEN HIS HEART TO GOD IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S GIVING HIS SON ON THE CROSS TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR HIS SINS (2 COR. 8:5),
THEN WE DO NOT WANT HIM TO GIVE TO THE LORD’S WORK. GIVING SHOULD BE A THANK OFFERING TO GOD, AND A PERSON OUTSIDE OF CHRIST CANNOT PROPERLY GIVE SUCH AN OFFERING (HEB. 13:16). GIVING IS FOR BELIEVERS, AND IT SHOULD BE DONE BY ALL BELIEVERS. POOR CHRISTIANS AS WELL AS RICH SHOULD GIVE TO THE LORD (2 COR. 8:2; LUKE 21:1-4). THAT IS ONE REASON IT IS WRONG TO BE IN DEBT, BECAUSE YOU AREN’T FREE TO GIVE GENEROUSLY WHEN YOU OWE CREDITORS. BUT EVEN IF YOU CAN’T GIVE MUCH, YOU AREN’T EXEMPT FROM GIVING. THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTED IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ARE NOT EXEMPT EITHER. IN FACT, THEY SHOULD SET THE EXAMPLE
(ACTS 20:35).
(2) WHY SHOULD I GIVE?
I SHOULD GIVE BECAUSE GOD HAS FIRST GIVEN TO ME AND I WANT TO PLEASE HIM. IN GIVING, MOTIVATION IS CRUCIAL. THERE ARE MANY ...
A. WRONG MOTIVES FOR GIVING:
(1) PRIDE. IF YOU GIVE TO BE HONORED BY MEN FOR YOUR GREAT GENEROSITY, YOU ARE GIVING FOR THE WRONG REASON. GIVING IS TO BE DONE IN SECRET BEFORE GOD (MATT. 6:1-4). NAMING BUILDINGS OR PUTTING UP PLAQUES IN HONOR OF DONORS VIOLATES THIS PRINCIPLE.
(2) GUILT. WE SHOULD NOT GIVE BECAUSE WE FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HAVING SO MUCH. IF WE’RE NOT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED TO US, THEN WE SHOULD REPENT AND GIVE FROM THE RIGHT MOTIVATION.
(3) GREED. LUKE 6:38, “GIVE, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU,” IS WRONGLY USED TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO GIVE SO THAT THEY WILL GET. YAHUSHUA IS NOT PROMISING THAT IF YOU GIVE, GOD WILL GIVE YOU MORE IN RETURN. HE IS STATING THE PRINCIPLE THAT IF YOU ARE A GENEROUS PERSON, OTHERS WILL BE GENEROUS TOWARD YOU. BUT YOU MAY GIVE AND BE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE YOU GAVE.
(4) PRESSURE. RESPONDING TO HIGH-PRESSURE TACTICS OF CHRISTIAN FUND-RAISERS IS ANOTHER WRONG MOTIVE. WE ARE NOT TO GIVE “UNDER COMPULSION” (2 COR. 9:7).
(5) GIMMICKS. THIS IS RELATED BOTH TO GREED AND PRESSURE. ALL SORTS OF GIMMICKS ARE USED TO GET PEOPLE TO GIVE: “FOR YOUR DONATION, I’LL SEND YOU MY LATEST BOOK.” I GET FUND-RAISING PHONE CALLS, WHERE I’M TOLD I CAN CHARGE IT ON MY VISA! I’VE BEEN TOLD THAT IF I WILL GIVE, THE NAMES OF MY LOVED ONES WILL BE ENTERED IN A SPECIAL BOOK TO BE PLACED IN THE LOBBY OF THE NEW BUILDING! OR, THE WORST IS, “WE’LL SEND YOU A SPECIAL PRAYER CLOTH, BLESSED BY BROTHER SO-AND-SO.” THESE ARE ALL WORLDLY GIMMICKS, OPPOSED TO BIBLICAL GIV-ING.
(6) POWER. MONEY IS POWER. SOME PEOPLE THREATEN TO TAKE THEIR LARGE GIFTS ELSEWHERE IF YOU DON’T DO WHAT THEY WANT. THAT MAY BE HOW POLITICS OPERATES, BUT THAT ISN’T HOW GOD’S CHURCH OPERATES. IT’S WRONG TO SHOW PREFERENCE TO THE WEALTHY (JAMES 2:1-9). IT’S SIN TO USE YOUR MONEY TO TRY TO BUY SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE (ACTS 8:18-24
B. RIGHT MOTIVES FOR GIVING:
(1) I GIVE BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN TO ME. I MENTIONED THIS LAST WEEK, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING BECAUSE IT IS THE PRIME MOTIVE IN GRACE GIVING. GOD HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING (JAMES 1:17). HE GAVE HIS SON TO PROVIDE FOR OUR SALVATION. HE HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN YAHUSHUA (EPH. 1:3). HE “RICHLY SUPPLIES US WITH ALL THINGS TO ENJOY” (1 TIM. 6:17). BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN SO ABUNDANTLY TO US, WE SHOULD RESPOND BY GIVING GENEROUSLY BACK TO HIM.
(2) I GIVE BECAUSE I WANT TO PLEASE GOD. OUT OF RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE IN MY LIFE, I WILL WANT TO PLEASE GOD BY PURSUING VARIOUS SPIRITUAL GOALS: *I WANT GOD TO BE GLORIFIED. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN WE GIVE FROM THE RIGHT MOTIVES AND IN THE RIGHT WAY (2 COR. 9:13).
GOD’S GLORY IS THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. *I WANT MY HEART TO BE RIGHT BEFORE GOD. YAHUSHUA SAID, “WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO” (MATT. 6:21). YOUR HEART FOLLOWS YOUR TREASURE. IF I WANT MY HEART CONCERNED WITH THE THINGS OF GOD, THEN I MUST INVEST IN HIS WORK. *I WANT GOD TO BE MY MASTER. “YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON” (MATT. 6:24).
GENEROUS GIVING LOOSENS YOUR GRASP ON MONEY. *I WANT MY LIFE TO BE USED BY GOD (2 COR. 9:10). GOD COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO WORK APART FROM US, BUT HE DID NOT. HE COULD HAVE USED ANGELS OR LOUDSPEAKERS FROM HEAVEN TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL, BUT HE CHOSE TO USE US. AND IT TAKES MONEY TO FURTHER GOD’S WORK. IF YOU DON’T GIVE, GOD WILL USE SOMEONE ELSE AND YOU’LL MISS THE BLESSING OF BEING USED OF GOD. *I WANT TO LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN. INVESTMENTS ON EARTH ARE INSECURE AND TRANSITORY. INVESTMENTS IN HEAVEN ARE SECURE AND ETERNAL. THERE IS NO MORE SOUND INVESTMENT THAN THAT OF REACHING PEOPLE WITH THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST. GOD CREDITS MONEY WHICH WE GIVE TO FURTHER HIS KINGDOM AS FRUIT TO OUR ACCOUNT, AND HE WILL REWARD US FOR IT SOMEDAY (MATT. 6:4; 19-20; 1 TIM. 6:19).
* I WANT MY FAITH TO GROW (2 COR. 9:8-11). GOD WILL PROVIDE MONEY FOR YOU TO GIVE IF YOU WILL TRUST HIM FOR IT. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE A CHANNEL FOR GOD’S RESOURCES, HE WILL GIVE YOU MONEY TO GIVE. BUT IF YOU BOTTLE IT UP AND KEEP IT FOR YOUR OWN COMFORTS, THE FLOW WILL DRY UP. ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU MONEY TO GIVE. THEN MAKE SURE YOU GIVE IT!
*I WANT TO BE A COMPASSIONATE PERSON (1 JOHN 3:17; JAMES 2:15-16).
IN A DAY LIKE OURS, WHEN WE’RE HIT WITH SO MANY NEEDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IT’S EASY TO CLOSE UP YOUR HEART AND NOT GIVE AT ALL. I KNOW WE CAN’T RESPOND TO EVERY POOR PERSON AROUND THE WORLD, BUT WE NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO SHOW COMPASSION IN THE NAME OF YAHUSHUA (MATT. 25:31-46).
*I WANT TO BE A WORSHIPER OF GOD. GIVING IS A SACRIFICE THAT PLEASES GOD (PHIL. 4:18; HEB. 13:16).
KING DAVID KNEW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GIVING AND WORSHIP. HE SAID, “I WILL NOT OFFER BURNT OFFERINGS TO THE LORD MY GOD WHICH COST ME NOTHING” (2 SAM. 24:24).
I LIKE TO GIVE ENOUGH THAT IT PINCHES OUR LIFESTYLE. IF IT’S CONVENIENT, IT’S NOT WORSHIP. WORSHIP IS COSTLY. THUS BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN SO ABUNDANTLY TO ME, AND BECAUSE I WANT TO PLEASE HIM, I AM MOTIVATED TO GIVE CHEERFULLY AND GENEROUSLY TO HIS WORK.
(3) HOW SHOULD I GIVE?
I SHOULD GIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES THERE ARE SEVERAL BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GIVING:
A. I SHOULD GIVE IN A PRE-PLANNED, SYSTEMATIC WAY. (1 COR. 16:2; 2 COR. 9:7). “AS HE MAY PROSPER” IMPLIES THAT WHENEVER I RECEIVE INCOME, I SHOULD GIVE. “THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK” IMPLIES REGULAR GIVING AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP. “JUST AS HE HAS PURPOSED” IMPLIES ADVANCE PLANNING, NOT GIVING ON IMPULSE. IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE, EACH HOUSEHOLD OUGHT TO SIT DOWN AND DETERMINE A FIXED AMOUNT THEY BELIEVE GOD WANTS THEM TO GIVE, AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH SYSTEMATICALLY. YOU SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL THE OFFERING PLATE IS COMING DOWN THE AISLE AND THEN THINK, “OH NO! I HAVEN’T GIVEN FOR A WHILE. I’D BETTER DROP SOMETHING IN.” HOW DO YOU ARRIVE AT THE PERCENTAGE? PRAY ABOUT IT AND START WITH SOMETHING ABOVE TEN PERCENT. THEN TRUST GOD BY INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE EACH YEAR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET A RAISE. WARNING: YOU’LL BE TEMPTED TO SPEND THE EXTRA ON YOURSELF! GIVE IT AS THE FIRST FRUITS, OFF THE TOP, AND TRUST GOD TO MEET YOUR OTHER NEEDS.
B. I SHOULD GIVE IN SECRET TO THE LORD, NOT IN PUBLIC BEFORE MEN. AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, GIVING BECAUSE OF PRIDE, POWER, OR HUMAN RECOGNITION ARE WRONG. YAHUSHUA SAYS THAT WE ARE TO GIVE IN SECRET, BUT WITH THE AWARENESS THAT GOD IS WATCHING (MATT. 6:1-4). EVERY TIME YOU GIVE, DO IT BEFORE THE LORD.
C. I SHOULD GIVE SACRIFICIALLY AT TIMES. THE NORM IS, “AS GOD HAS PROSPERED.” BUT AT TIMES GOD WANTS US TO GIVE MORE THAN WE THINK WE CAN AFFORD (2 COR. 8:2-3, “BEYOND THEIR ABILITY”). PERHAPS YOU SYSTEMATICALLY GIVE 15% OF YOUR INCOME. AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE COMES ALONG AND THE LORD SAYS, “I WANT YOU TO DIP INTO YOUR SAVINGS AND GIVE $2,000.” OR SOME EXTRA MONEY COMES YOUR WAY, AND THE LORD SAYS, “INSTEAD OF 15%, I WANT YOU TO GIVE IT ALL.” THUS ALL BELIEVERS ARE TO GIVE FROM BIBLICAL MOTIVES IN LINE WITH BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES.
(4) TO WHOM SHOULD I GIVE?
I SHOULD GIVE TO DESTITUTE FAMILY MEMBERS, TO SPIRITUAL MINISTRIES, AND TO THE NEEDY. WE’RE ALL INUNDATED WITH SO MANY REQUESTS FOR GIVING. HOW DO WE SORT THEM OUT AND DETERMINE WHICH ONES TO GIVE TO AND WHICH ONES TO IGNORE? I CAN’T ANSWER THAT QUESTION COMPLETELY, BUT I CAN GIVE SOME GUIDELINES: A. GIVE TO DESTITUTE FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY IN GIVING, SINCE TO FAIL TO DO IT MAKES YOU WORSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER (1 TIM. 5:8). “YOUR OWN” REFERS TO YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY: CHILDREN, AGED PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE A LAZY, IRRESPONSIBLE FAMILY MEMBER WHO DOESN’T WORK AND WHO SQUANDERS MONEY ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS (2 THES. 3:10).
A “WIDOW INDEED” (1 TIM. 5:3-16) REFERS TO A GODLY WOMAN WITHOUT ANY FAMILY MEMBERS TO LOOK AFTER HER. THE CHURCH MUST HELP THESE, BUT WIDOWS WITH FAMILIES WERE TO BE CARED FOR BY THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO DEPRIVE YOUR OWN FAMILY OF THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE IN ORDER TO GIVE TO OTHERS.
B. GIVE TO SPIRITUAL MINISTRIES. SINCE THE LOCAL CHURCH IS GOD’S ORDAINED MEANS FOR EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP, IT OUGHT TO BE NEXT IN PRIORITY FOR GIVING AFTER DESTITUTE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE CARED FOR. THOSE WHO LABOR AT PREACHING THE WORD ARE WORTHY OF FINANCIAL REMUNERATION (GAL. 6:6; 1 TIM. 5:17-18). YOU NEED TO BE WISE ABOUT GIVING TO CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS.
C. GIVE TO NEEDY PERSONS. WE SHOULD GIVE TO HELP MEET PHYSICAL NEEDS: FOOD, SHELTER, MEDICINE, ETC. (MATT. 25:35-40; LUKE 10:30-37; ROM. 12:13; 15:26-27; 1 JOHN 3:17-18). THERE IS AN ORDER OF PRIORITY HERE (GAL 6:10): FIRST WE HELP BELIEVERS, LOCALLY AND IN OTHER AREAS. SECOND, WE HELP OTHERS (“ALL MEN”) AS A PART OF OUR WITNESS, OFFERING ASSISTANCE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. THUS THE GENERAL PRIORITY FOR GIVING MOVES OUTWARD FROM YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY, TO YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY, TO THE LOCAL CHURCH (INCLUDING NEEDY SAINTS), TO THE OUTREACH OF THE CHURCH THROUGH MISSIONS (INCLUDING HELPING NEEDY UNBELIEVERS).
(5) WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I GIVE
WHEN I GIVE, GOD WILL BLESS WITH HIS RESULTS. LET ME MENTION FIVE RESULTS:
A. I AND MY FAMILY WILL BE BLESSED. GOD BLESSES FAITH AND OBEDIENCE WHICH ARE AT THE HEART OF BIBLICAL GIVING. IF YOU GIVE, GOD PROMISES TO SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS (NOT YOUR WANTS!--PHIL. 4:17-19).
B. OTHERS’ NEEDS WILL BE MET (PHIL. 4:16, 18; 2 COR. 8:13-14; 9:12). GOD’S WORK AND WORKERS WILL NOT BE HINDERED. THE NEEDS OF THE POOR WILL BE MET.
C. GOD WILL BE THANKED AND GLORIFIED (2 COR. 9:11-13, 15). HE WILL GET THE PRAISE IF WE GIVE HIS WAY.
D. THE BODY OF CHRIST WILL BE UNITED IN PRAYER AND FELLOW-SHIP (2 COR. 9:14). SINCE YOUR HEART FOLLOWS YOUR TREASURE, YOU WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT AND WILL PRAY FOR THOSE TO WHOM YOU GIVE.
E. PEOPLE WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH GOD BECAUSE OF YOUR GIVING. HOW CAN YOU PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT?
CONCLUSION :
IF BELIEVERS WILL GIVE FROM BIBLICAL MOTIVES,
IN LINE WITH BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRIORITIES, GOD WILL BLESS WITH HIS RESULTS.
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