Articles
Some Thoughts On Giving
We have seen examples of early Christians giving to others who had less than they did out of their own poverty. They shared their food and their houses and even sold their possessions to be able to help others.
A collection for the saints was being gathered from the Gentiles throughout several regions to help the saints in Jerusalem. Their generosity in areas such as Macedonia and Achaia was well-known (II Cor. 9:2). They had been donating to funds to support those in need -- especially in drought-ridden Judea. This selfless attitude spoke to their spiritual strength by helping Jews who before becoming children of God thought of the Gentiles as their enemies.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also (I Cor. 16:1)
God asks us in I Cor. 16:2 to give back a portion of what we have prospered to Him as a personal responsibility: "On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." It is the same selfless attitude demonstrated by those early Christians that we are called upon to have when making our offering.
Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians to put something aside on the first day of the week based on what they have prospered provided the means for funds to be collected and used for benevolence. The money collected also was used to support the preaching of the gospel in other areas.
This is evident when Paul includes the church at Philippi in his prayers of joy because of its liberality in contributing to the support of the gospel by having fellowship with him -- in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now (Philip. 1:5).
From these directions we can determine some characteristics of the collections:
- They are a personal responsibility.
- Our individual contributions will not be judged as a congregation.
- This is the member’s opportunity to return back to the Lord some portion of what God so bountifully provides us.
- The manner in which the funds are to be collected supports several key elements of our giving.
First, it provides a means for individuals to obey the commandment to give. Second, it provides an avenue for us to purpose what we give -- to plan for it. Third, it provides for the collection in an orderly and decent manner (I Cor. 14:40).
God expects us to live a life of sacrifice to further His will on the earth. There are many ways for one to do this as an individual. We can give of our time, our talents, our thoughts, our subservient lifestyle and our care for others.
These are important characteristics of a life that demonstrates a living and holy sacrifice to God: "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship" (Rom. 12:1).
But too often we overlook this part of our obedience to God’s commandments. If one contributes to God with proper prayer and respect to what it is to represent -- thankfulness for His gifts and a desire for His work to prosper -- then most other weaknesses surrounding the giving of our means will be addressed, too.
Am I giving enough? Does it adequately represent my ability to give? Do I plan what I am giving back to God, or is it a spur-of-the-moment decision? These are good questions for us to ask ourselves from time-to time.
There is a connection between our attitude and approach to making our lives a living sacrifice and the benefits we will receive from doing so. The more we give, the more we will benefit spiritually. Sow little, reap little; sow more, reap more.
We see this principle in most endeavors. We often say that “you get out of something what you put into it.” Complying with a commandment of God without fully putting our hearts into it will not render the result God wants from us.
The idea of purposing something in the heart means thinking about it and acting to accomplish it. This, too, is not a foreign notion to us. We are simply not to take whatever is left from our lives and give of that to God.
II Corinthians 9 compares what little we can offer in return for what God has done for us. His generosity is unparalleled. But we are given insight into what God considers a proper respect for his gifts to us in this chapter:
- Now this [I say,] he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one [do] just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver (vss. 6-7).
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Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (vs. 15)
