GIVING
1. The Bible commands believers to give:
Deuteronomy 15:7,8 Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand…thou shalt open thine hand wide
Proverbs 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due
Proverbs 3:28 Say not, tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee
Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, &…would borrow
Luke 3:11 He that hath two coats…impart to him that hath none
Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints…hospitality
2. God blesses us when we give:
Matthew 6:4 Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly
A. Spiritual blessings:
Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul…he that watereth shall be watered
Proverbs 13:7b (He) maketh himself poor [gives], yet hath great riches
Proverbs 14:21 He that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he
Mark 10:21 Give to the poor, & thou shalt have treasure in Heaven
Acts 20:35 It is more blessed to give than to receive
B. Material blessings:
Deuteronomy 15:10 For this the Lord shall bless thee in all thy works
Proverbs 11:24a There is that scattereth, & yet increaseth
Isaiah 58:10,11 If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry…the Lord… shall satisfy thy soul in drought
Luke 6:38a Give, & it shall be given unto you; good measure
Luke 6:38b With the same measure ye mete it shall be measured
3. Giving to God’s work:
A. When we give, we are giving to Jesus:
Matthew 25:40 Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me
B. When we give to God’s work, we are investing:
Proverbs 19:17 He…lendeth unto the Lord; &…He will pay him again
Luke 10:30-37 Whatsoever thou spend Esther..when I come, I will repay
Philippians 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit (saved souls) that may abound to your account
C. God will pay us back for sacrificial giving:
Proverbs 22:9 He…shall be blessed; for he giveth…to poor
Proverbs 28:27a He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack
Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: thou shalt find it
2 Corinthians 9:6b He which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully
4. Christian duty regarding giving & sharing:
2 Corinthians 8:4,5,7 As ye abound in every thing, in faith…in love…see that ye abound in this grace (giving) also
Hebrews 13:16 To do good & communicate (share w/ others) forget not
A. Obligation to support fulltime workers & missionaries:
Romans 15:27 Their debtors they are…their duty is to minister unto them in carnal things
1 Corinthians 9:6-11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things…we shall reap your carnal (material & financial) things
Galatians 6:6 Let him that is taught communicate (share materially) to him that teacheth
1 Timothy 5:17,18 They who labour in the Word…the labourer is worthy of his reward (wages)
(See also 3John 7,8.)
B. Examples of giving to needy fellow Christians:
Romans 15:26 Pleased them…to make a contribution for the poor saints
Galatians 6:10 Do good…unto them who are of the household of faith
Philippians 4:15,16 [Paul said:] Concerning giving & receiving…ye sent once & again to my necessity (See also 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 9:12.)
C. Everyone to give according to their ability:
Deuteronomy 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord…which He hath given thee
Acts 11:29 The disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren
1 Corinthians 16:2 Let every one of you lay in store [set aside to give], as God hath prospered him
2 Corinthians 8:12 It is accepted according to that a man hath, & not
D. Wealthy Christians especially obligated to give:
Luke 8:3 Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, & many others ministered unto (Jesus) of their substance
2 Corinthians 8:14,15 That…your abundance may be a supply for their want As it is written, He that had gathered much
1 Timothy 6:17-19 Charge them that are rich…that they be…ready to distribute, willing to communicate (share)
(See examples in2 Timothy 1:16-18; Philemon 7.)
E. Giving to the church, which redistributes:
Acts 2:44,45 (They) parted them to all men, as every man had need
Acts 4:34,35 Distribution was made unto every man…as he had need
Acts 6:1 [The early church had a “daily ministration” to widows]
1 Timothy 5:4,16 [Church’s duty to “relieve them that are widows”]
F. Even poor believers encouraged to give:
1 Kings 17:9-16 [Poor widow of Zarephath gave sacrificially, & God blessed her with unending supply of food in famine]
Mark 12:43,44 Poor widow hath cast more in…For they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all
2 Corinthians 8:1-4 In…their deep poverty…they were willing…praying us that we would receive the gift
5. Giving with the right motives:
A. Give cheerfully:
2 Corinthians 9:7 Not grudgingly…for God loveth a cheerful giver
Deuteronomy 15:10a Thou shalt give…& thine heart shall not be grieved
Exodus 25:2 Bring Me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take My offering
Exodus 35:21 Every one whose heart stirred him up, &…spirit made willing, brought the Lord’s offering to the work
1 Chronicles 29:9 People rejoiced…because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord
Hebrews 10:34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods
B. Give generously:
Proverbs 21:26b The righteous giveth & spareth not
C. Give till it hurts; not just what we can spare:
2 Samuel 24:24 Neither will I offer unto the Lord of that which doth cost me nothing [Give even when it “costs”]
Luke 21:4 All these have of their abundance cast in…but she of her penury hath cast in all the living she had
D. Give with pure motives:
1 Corinthians 13:3 Though I bestow all my goods to feed poor, & have not love, it profiteth me nothing
Matthew 5:24 Leave thy gift before the altar…first be reconciled
Matthew 6:1 Do not your alms before men…otherwise ye have no reward of your Father
Matthew 6:2 The hypocrites do (alms)…that they may have glory of men. They have their reward
Matthew 6:3 When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what
Luke 6:34,35 Lend, hoping for nothing again; your reward…great
6. What happens when we withhold & don’t give:
A. It puts extra strain on others:
Philippians 2:30 He was nigh to death…to supply your lack of service
B. God will see to it that we become poor:
Proverbs 11:24b There is that withholdeth…but it tendeth to poverty
Proverbs 13:7a There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing
Proverbs 28:27 But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse
C. It shows we lack Christian love:
James 2:15,16 If a brother or sister be naked, & destitute of daily food… & ye give not…what doth it profit?
1 John 3:17,18 Whoso hath…& seeth his brother have need, & [doesn’t give], how dwelleth the love of God in him?
D. When we give stingily or dishonestly:
2 Corinthians 9:6a He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly
Malachai 1:7-10 Ye offer polluted bread…I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an offering at your hand
Malachai 1:13,14 Ye brought…torn, lame, sick. Should I accept this?
(See also Malachai 1:8; Acts 5:1,2,9,10.)
E. Beware of covetousness & greed:
Luke 12:15 Beware of covetousness: a man’s life consisteth not
1 Timothy 6:10 The love of money is the root of all evil
Proverbs 28:16b He that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver…not be satisfied with silver
James 5:1-5 Your gold & silver is cankered; & the rust of them shall be a witness against you.
(See also Ecclesiastes 5:13,15; Acts 5:1-10.)
7. Tithing:
A. Giving 10% of our income to God’s work:
Leviticus 27:30 All the tithe of the land…is the Lord’s: it is holy
Numbers 18:21 Behold, I have given the (Levites) all the tenth…for their service (work) which they serve
Numbers 18:24..which they offer unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites [God’s fulltime workers]
Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase [income]
(See also Deuteronomy 12:19; Nehemiah 10:37-39.)
B. God will bless us for tithing:
Deuteronomy 14:28,29 Thou shalt bring forth all the tithe…that the Lord may bless thee in all the work of thine hand
Proverbs 3:9,10 Honour the Lord with…all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty
Malachai 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes…& I will open the windows of Heaven, & pour you out a blessing
Malachai 3:8-11 [God grants protection & freedom from curses]
C. Setting aside our tithe on a frequent basis:
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him
D. Freewill offerings above our 10% tithe–Believers encouraged to give for special projects:
Exodus 35:5 Take…an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it (See vs.21,22)
2 Kings 12:4,5, 9-12 [Freewill offerings encouraged for the work of God]
8. Other aspects of giving:
A. Gifts can help obtain a man’s favour or forgiveness:
Proverbs 19:6 Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts
Proverbs 21:14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger…& strong wrath
(Warning: see Proverbs 17:23)
B. When not to accept gifts:
Exodus 23:8 Take no gift [with “strings attached”]: for the gift blindeth the wise, & perverteth the… righteous
Numbers 22:18 If Balak would give me his house full of…gold, I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord
1 Kings 13:7-10 [Young prophet refused gifts from disobedient king]
2 Kings 5:15,16 [Elisha refused Naaman’s money, but Gehazi coveted it –vs.20-27] Is it a time to receive money?
(Re: corruption, bribes, see Deuteronomy 16:19; Proverbs 29:4; Ecclesiastes 7:7.)
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