How Should I Give

Generously

Through fellowship with Christ, giving is to be the product of God’s grace working in our lives so that it first produces a commitment of our total life to God with giving as an overflow of that previous commitment (2 Cor. 8:1-2, 6-7; 9:6-11). “…but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” (2 Cor. 8:5). And when that happens, that’s when it can be said of you as it was of the Macedonians in 2 Cor. 8:2 “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” Give generously (1 Tim. 6:18; Prov. 11:25; Deut. 15:7-10).

Willingly

Giving is not something that leaders in the Church should have to pressure Christians into doing. It should be done freely out of gratitude. Even extremely poor believers gave voluntarily in Macedonia.

For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints. (2 Cor. 8:3-4)

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7)

Confidently

The Lord has promised to supply all our needs. Giving will not deplete His grace and riches (Ps. 37; 2 Cor. 9:7f; Phil. 4:19). The Bible says that which is not done by faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). We should give with the conviction that God will remain true to His Word and will fulfill His promises. We can give with great faith, expectancy, and confidence. God said that we will reap if we sow, and we should have confidence in His Word (2 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:7).

What if You Are in Debt?
If you are in debt, should you give? Yes. Why? First, giving is a spiritual discipline or habit. By giving now you are developing a discipline, in the present that will set you on the right path with the right priorities for when you get out of debt. Second, because whether you’re in debt or not, God has given you food, shelter, a job, and money; and you must do what is right which is giving back a portion to Him.

Remember that Jesus said:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34)

If your heart continues to refrain from giving, your wallet will continue to get into debt.

Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your income; then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. (Prov. 3:9-10)

While the Bible clearly discourages debt (see Romans 13:7-8; Prov. 6), it is possible for many people to give to the Lord while paying off a debt. For instance, if a man has $2,000 of debt on a credit card, he can most likely pay off the debt and continue giving to the church with a well-planned budget. It’s important to realize too that the Bible distinguishes between borrowing, debt, surety, usury, bills, and other kinds of credit. There is a difference between a mortgage where we are able to make the necessary payments for a house and exorbitant credit card debt racked up from unnecessary spending. Scripture permits and regulates borrowing money (see Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:35-37; Deut. 15:2-3, 7-9; 23:19-20, v. 20 allows charging interest on a foreigner but not a fellow Israelite; 24:10-15; Prov. 11:15, 22:26-27).

Purposefully

We are to give from careful and prayerful planning. “Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart” (2 Cor. 9:7). Giving is not a last-minute activity haphazard, random activity.  It is something that should be done with God in mind, the needs of others, and careful preparation.

Regularly

“On the first day of every week” helps promote diligence and disciplined giving. This creates a consistency and regularity that translates good intentions into actions. The offering spoken of in 1 Corinthians 16 was a special offering that was made for another Church, but we can assume the same practice was done for the Corinthian Church.

On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so that a collection will not have to be made when I come. (1 Cor. 16:2)

You should write out your check on Friday or Saturday. Don’t write it out on Sunday or fiddle around for cash when the offering plate is being passed. That shows for the most par (there are exceptions) that you aren’t giving purposefully. You’re giving in an unplanned manner. Disorganized giving is not what God wants. Plan ahead. Pray and think about what you will give. This is an act of worship.

If you miss a week – do you still give? Well, did God stop giving that week? Did you still get a paycheck? Did God still give you food and shelter? Then if you go away on vacation or if you are sick, make sure you give double the next week, or mail in a check before you leave.

Personally

“Each of you” brings out the need for every believer to take giving as a personal responsibility for which God holds us each responsible. In some Churches, parents have the children give some change into the offering plate in order to teach them from an early age that giving is an act of worship and an important aspect of the Christian life. Children should be taught that we give back to God a portion of what He gives to us. Every Christian needs to learn the importance of giving.

Systematically

“Set aside some income and save” brings out the need to have a system or method through which money for the Lord’s work is specifically set aside for giving, so that it is not used for other things. As soon as I receive my paycheck, I make out the check that I will give that Sunday in Church. This helps me remember that God comes first and gives me time to thoughtfully prepare so that it is not a last minute or careless decision in the pew.

Proportionately

In the New Testament, set amounts of compulsory giving (the tithe) have been replaced by the grace principle of voluntary, purposeful, sacrificial, and proportionate giving. The new standard for today is “as God has blessed” (1 Cor. 16:2), and “they gave according to their means and beyond their means” (2 Cor. 8:3), and “for if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality” (2 Cor. 8:12-13; see Mark 12:41-44). We should give proportionately to what we have received from the Lord.

Cheerfully

God allows us to give so that we can be a part of His work and share in this joy. God does not want someone to give out of obligation. He wants us to give out of gratitude. “Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).  Paul goes on to say that, “God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work” (v. 8). In other words, we will never lack from giving because God’s grace and resources are limitless. Give with joy.

Sacrificially

Jesus expects us to give not only proportionately, but even to the point that it costs us something. This was the idea behind sacrifices in the Old Testament. When a man brought his sheep or a large portion of his grain to the Temple, he offered it to God but also lost most of it for his own use (there were times when they ate the meat, but most of the offerings were totally given to the Lord or the priests). Giving is not Biblical giving unless it is a sacrifice. We are never more like God than when we give. “God so loved the world, that He gave…” (John 3:16). The sacrifice of Christ should motivate us to give above and beyond our means in order to glorify God, contribute to the needs of others, and further the work of the Church.

Remember the poor widow that gave two pennies in Luke 21. Jesus recognized her offering not because of what she gave but because of what she had left for herself. Give sacrificially.

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. (2 Cor. 8:3)